House Guide

Welcome 🤗

We’re happy to be able to host you in our flat (and we’re sorry about all the stairs). This document is meant to be a guide, not an instruction list, so don’t panic at the length 😉 We do have a few requests for folks staying longer than a few days, but beyond that, this is just some info we hope is helpful so you can find everything you need to have a great stay!

Our requests to you

If you’re staying longer than a few days, there are a few things we’d appreciate you doing:

Take care of the plants (see plant care section below)
Check the mail and snap us a photo occasionally, in case there’s a piece of mail we should open & do something about (such as an invoice)
In the event a package slip arrives, if you could pick it up for us (and we can provide whatever verification is necessary) that would be lovely!

Thank you in advance!

Day to day

Garbage & recycling

We have 3 plastic bins we use for regular trash, plastic/container recycling, and paper recycling, all contained in the cabinet under the sink.

The garbage and recycling bins for the building are in the courtyard, which is accessible from the ground floor. The door is typically locked, so bring a key!

Regular trash ⚫

Under the sink on the left-hand side, the bin in front with the black sticker, there are more bags also in the cabinet

Plastic recycling 🟡

Under the sink on the left-hand side, with the yellow sticker, behind the regular trash (it pulls out like a drawer)

Paper recycling 🔵

Under the sink on the right-hand side, with the blue sticker

Organic trash 🟤

We tried using an enclosed bin, but that didn’t work super well so instead we keep paper bags from bakeries, groceries etc. and use those to hold our organic food waste. You can throw the whole bag into the bin in the courtyard with the brown lid.

Glass

We don’t have a specified place for it, but we tend to gather glass on the low black shelf in the entryway. There is no glass bin in our courtyard, unfortunately. The closest one is by Helmholzplatz, on the corner of Dunckerstraße and Lettestraße, just across from Misirlou bar.

Pfand

We tend to collect this next to the glass, on the shelf in the entryway. The closest spot that accepts most pfand items is the Edeka just across from Kollwitzplatz.

Bedding and towels

The sheets are fresh if you’re the first people to stay at our place since we’ve left. If you’re not, we will have made sure there’s a second set of fresh sheets for you; they’ll be in the bedroom closet, on the right-hand side.

Bath and hand towels are in the bathroom, on the storage rack by the washing machine, on the top row.

Dish towels are in the drawer in the kitchen that is closest to the small set of stairs, under the coffee prep & mug area.

Cooking

Feel free to use anything (food, utensils, appliances, etc) as you please! Our most-used utensils are in the bamboo holder next to or on the rack above the stove, but there are more in the drawer on the right-hand side of the oven. Pots and pans are mostly in the cabinet to the left of the oven, while mixing bowls and blenders are in the cabinet to the right.

Appliances

Most of our appliances (esp. kitchen ones) are self-explanatory or we have manuals available, which are stacked in the drawer closest to the little stairs. There are a few that are less simple to operate or for which you may need to use things from our cupboards, and those we’ve tried to outline here.

Dishwasher 🍽️

The dishwasher is next to the cabinet under the sink. We don’t wash our wood utensils or any of our cooking knives in it, but anything else should be fine. Right now we are using dishwasher tabs from Everdrop, they’re located in a white metal bin in the cabinet under the sink. We’ve noticed that they don’t dissolve particularly well, though, so on some occasions there will be a few dishes that don’t seem to get washed properly or have some residue from the unprocessed tab.

Laundry machine 👕

Our washer is capable of doing a wash and dry cycle if you wish, otherwise we have a clothes hanging rack in the bathroom, tucked behind the shelf. We have Everdrop powders for laundry; the tin with the purple icon on top is for colorful/40-degree wash, and the one with the gray icon is for whites/60-degree wash. The tins are located in a wire bin on the storage shelf next to the washer, and there’s a small plastic scoop you can use for the powder.

We wash bath and dish towels at 60 degrees and bed sheets at 40 (unless the tag says otherwise).

Coffee machine ☕

The drip coffee and the espresso making functions tend to work well; the milk frother, unfortunately, does not work consistently, so I wouldn’t recommend counting on using it.

Espresso

Add water to the espresso tank via the opening on the top of the machine. With the portafilter clean and attached, turn the dial one click to the right - this heats up the water & filter, as both should be warm and ready before trying to pull the espresso shot. When the red “OK” light below illuminates, then you can take the portafilter out (carefully as the metal may be warm), add your grounds, and tamp them down using the black tamper on top of the machine. Reattach the portafilter, put your cup underneath, and turn the dial one more click to the right - this will send the water through the basket and pull the shot. Turning the dial back to the left will stop the water, but there will still be some drops that come after - you can either leave your cup to catch them, or let the drip tray catch them (just be sure to occasionally empty it).

If you do want to try the milk foamer, the process is similar, except you twist the dial one click to the left and wait for the OK, then put the steaming wand into the milk and turn the dial on the left-hand side of the machine. But, again, it doesn’t consistently work, so no promises here.

Drip

To fill the drip coffee tank, pull the handle on the right side of the machine out toward the right; this will give you access to the tank (there’s a small drain to the tank on the left of the pull-out) as well as the basket for the grounds. There are paper filters in the cabinet directly underneath the coffee machine, and various coffees (both ground and whole bean), all of which you’re free to use. There’s a hand-grinder next to the coffee machine.

Lights

Most of the lights that aren’t built-in are smart lights. Some can be controlled by small light switches nearby or by talking to the Google Home smart speakers in the living room and bathroom. Just say something like “Hey Google, turn on the couch light.”

Windows

The kitchen and bathroom skylights are controlled by a gray and white remote control, which is on the table next to the couch. The big skylights above the living area are controlled by a switch on the wall. All 3 skylights have sensors and will automatically close when it rains.

The windows facing the street have 2 shades – an outside shade that only partially filters the light, and an inside shade that blocks most of the light. The inside shade is adjustable but the outside one can only be fully down or up. To put it down, first open the window by turning the handle all the way to the right; the window will tilt inward, then you can use the stick with a hook (typically behind the long back of the couch) at the end to reach the shade at the top of the window sill and pull it to connect at the bottom of the window frame.

Cleaning

Most of our cleaning supplies are in the storage shelf in the bathroom, in bins on the right-hand side. Feel free to use whatever you wish! The only note of caution we would give is that if you choose to mop for whatever reason (super unnecessary and we do not expect this!!!), the mop should be just barely damp, closer to dry; the wooden floors don’t stand up to much water/humidity.

Plant care

The watering can and the liquid fertilizer are in the box in the dining area on which the tricolor hoya sits. When adding liquid fertilizer, very little is needed for the amount of water the watering can holds.

Living area plants

Glücksfeder (ZZ plant) - next to the TV

Water roughly every 2 weeks, when the top few cm of soil are dried out. Add liquid fertilizer to the water every other watering.

Cactus - on the couch side table

Water once a week, just a bit. Add liquid fertilizer once a month.

Pothos - hanging plant with leaves without holes

Water once a week. The soil shouldn’t be allowed to dry out too much between waterings. Add liquid fertilizer once every 1 ½ months.

Swiss cheese vine - hanging plant with leaves that have holes

Water once a week. The soil shouldn’t be allowed to dry out too much between waterings. Add liquid fertilizer once every 1 ½ months.

Dracaena fragrans - palm-like plant by the window

Water about every 2 weeks, but don’t let the soil dry out entirely between waterings. Add fertilizer roughly once a month (can be less in the fall/winter).

Dining area plants

Rubber fig - behind the couch, on the stand

Water thoroughly, roughly every 2 weeks, letting the soil dry out in between. Add liquid fertilizer once every 1 ½ months.

Tricolor hoya - on the sideboard under the window

Water somewhat (not too much, it’s a succulent and retains water quite well) every 2 weeks. Add liquid fertilizer every other watering.

Dracaena fragrans - palm-like plant under the window

Water about every 2 weeks, but don’t let the soil dry out entirely between waterings. Add fertilizer roughly once a month (can be less in the fall/winter).

Firestick cactus - on the box under the window

Water every 2-3 weeks. Add liquid fertilizer every other watering.

Pothos - hanging plants on the dining table and on the box under the window

Water once a week. The soil shouldn’t be allowed to dry out too much between waterings. Add liquid fertilizer once every 1 ½ months.

Neighborhood guide

Markets

Thursday - small, organic-focused market on the north side of Kollwitzplatz, includes a few crafted goods but mostly produce and food

Saturday - larger market on the east side of Kollwitzplatz, has some organic & local, other larger & less regionally-focused produce stands, plus flowers, crafted goods, etc

Recommendations:

Coffee at the stand that looks like a little van/truck thing that opens up (the one run by the guy with an incredible mustache and the woman with curly brown hair)
Empanadas
The porchetta sandwich (though occasionally this stand isn’t there)
Arancini and whatever else the small Italian food stand is offering

Sunday - flea market at Mauerpark with food, secondhand clothes, and crafted items