Stuff Happens
I have finally managed to schlep my things to Helsinki, yay to that. However, my wee flat from the 1930’s doesn’t have that much storage space and there’s a real challenge in front of me to reduce my stuff to the min. I recycled nearly half of my clothes and accessories before the change of residence but I still have way too much clothes for my tiny closet (yes, singular!). My exhaustive collection of glassware is setting another difficult situation. Instead of kitchen the flat has a teensy-weensy kitchenette with close to no storage space so I have no idea where to store all my precious glass.
Oh dear. But I need to do something for this situation and fast, since I have my living room full of boxes and obscure piles of things I don’t have enough space. Stuff happens, no can do. Any tips for respectable self-service flea markets in Helsinki? And another question: How many dresses, coats, pairs of shoes or bags does a woman really need?
When you move into a new flat or house,you want to get everything sorted as soon as possible, don’t you? You want to be able to sit in the living room, watch TV, play a Texas Holdem tournament or have drinks with friends or whatever it is you enjoy. You don’t want to be surrounded by boxes like I am! You know what they say tidy room, tidy mind.
For now I’ll just go sip my wine and play a couple of rounds of Angry Birds, my new favorite game.
Junk turns into art? Unfortunately not in my household. Image
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well.. coats, for autumn/winter? two. a nice wollen one and a praktical watertight really warm for going to the countryside one. dresses? ohhhh, that would depend on the numbers of trousers, blouses and skirts, of course. shoes? a girl can never have enough shoes. bags? i honestly don’t know. maybe: one nice little purse in black, one or two medium-sized handbags, of which one is leather and one is made of some kind of fabric, one shopper in some crazy colour/pattern and one classic weekend-bag? that would make five bags. plus a huge one for going on vacation.
good luck with the sorting and giving away!
Obviously it really depends on your lifestyle. Just 1 winter coat may be enough for some people, some may need a sportier down coat plus a smarter wool coat. Others “need” both types in all available colours :) Dresses? Obviously, you don’t NEED any. You can always do separates. You can always google for “minimum wardrobe”, “wardrobe essentials” etc. to get suggestions.
MY suggestion is not to toss anything but get a separate rack for hang stuff that didn’t fit into the closet :). Similar advice re. the glassware; I have a tiny-tiny kitchenette too, and I store my less regularly used tableware in a separate chest of drawers (thrifted, of course!)
I’ve never sold anything at a self service flea market, so I don’t really know about their reputations, sorry!
Welcome to Helsinki, dear! :) The typical answer to your question would be “never too many, never enough”. However, I realise the storage problem since I’m suffering from it myself also. I don’t know about the self-service flea markets but if you have the energy and time to go stand out there for one saturday or sunday to get rid of your stuff, I recommend the flea market Valtteri in Vallila. :)
by the way, ikea has really smart boxes you can have under your bed to store stuff. i put all my winter-clothes and shoes there during summer and reverse.
plus. i do not know how it is in finland, but in sweden there is something called “shurgard” where you can rent storage-space really cheap and easy. you might want to look for something like this somewhere around helsinki, if you really have very much stuff which you do not want to give away but want to keep for, say, the time you get a bigger apartment?
Lena: Thanks for your suggestions. I will definitely check out those under-the-bed-boxes; they sound something that would come handy.
vasiliisa: Hey, good to have you back! :)
And many thanks for the tips. I will do some googling later this week. Unfortunately I need as much open and clean space around me as I can possibly get so I need to get those things out of sight. But perhaps there’s a beautiful 1950’s linen closet waiting for me somewhere out there.
Jenni: Thanks, sweetie! And you know what, I spotted you the other day at the railway station tunnel but I was in haste and didn’t unfortunately have time to come and say hi. Next time, I promise. :)
You’d better. ;) And now that you’re here, we are going to go for that coffee together. :D
Oh, the under-the-bed boxes; I used to have them until I took the legs off my bed (which is a mattress with legs now sans legs). I did it just to keep myself from stuffing things there! Those boxes didn’t really work for me. Stuff went there to die :P
I also know there’s companies that hire storage space (which I guess is what lena is talking about). I know at least one in Mäkelänkatu in Vallila. Maybe it’s an option, if a move to a bigger flat is to be expected any time in the relatively near future.
Anyway; bestest of luck, and I forgot to say – welcome to Helsinki! Hope to meet you somewhere some day :)
Congrats for moving. I know how the extra stuff can stress. I too have it. loads of it.
So it seems we’re living in the same city nowadays! Welcome!