updates

I made a batch of over a hundred binstax right before I moved. I needed to pack up my stuff as quickly as I could, so I didn’t manage to send out invoices for them.

Packing them up is my second favorite step, with sticking shipping labels on the box being the most enjoyable step. I haven’t done this in a long time since I had to deal with my master’s thesis and I really miss it.

Those green packing peanuts are made out of corn starch, so you can throw them in the toilet and they’ll dissolve. I don’t like plastics and I hate that my product depends on them.

I got the keys on Feb 1st. I didn’t expect the move to be quick and easy, but it ended up taking much longer than I anticipated. This chair is the first thing I brought into the new home. “Can’t get more wabi-sabi than this” is what first came to my mind.

I went and bought some plants on “kleinanzeigen.de” which is the german craigslist equivalent. Given its size, this fiddle-leaf fig would cost much more if you bought it at a store. But most people don’t take good care of their house plants so most of them end up looking like shit, so you do have to look around a bit. I got this one from a middle-aged dude who was so nice that he helped me carry it to the car.

I’m not pretending I know much about caring for or pruning plants, in fact this fiddle-leaf fig would literally take up all the free space in my previous apartment so I wouldn’t even remotely think about getting a plant. I watched a bunch of videos on youtube on plants care so I’m now a certified pro, amirite? Jokes aside I just hope they don’t die on me way too soon.

Treated myself an Akari lamp. I love the fact that it looks just like a plastic bag that is just about to be blown away.

For a couple of days it’s the only light source in the new apartment. I stuck an Ikea light bulb with a color temperature that’s way too low (I think it’s 2300 K), and now it looks like the white balance is all messed up (too warm). Bayer filter sucks and long live film!

Furnitures start to come in. I didn’t know how heavy solid wood furnitures are and they really give me a sore back. I’m getting old.

It was an utter mess for a couple of days. Nothing was organized and cardboards were everywhere. I had to jump to get around.

Also I went to Ikea too many times. Looks like it’s going to rain but I’ll make sure to enjoy those swedish meatballs before getting back to the hellhole that’s my new apartment.

I needed to build this shelf first so I can put stuff away and make room for everything else. I enjoy walking barefoot at home, and now it seems like the perfect time for my feet to get impaled by screws, nails and a random knife I lost under the cardboards yesterday, yay!

Look at this and tell me it doesn’t make you want to die.

Also this. The mattress is facing the wall because it’s had enough.

The kitchen doesn’t look much better either. I never realized that I have so many glasses, cups and mugs. I’ve run out of place to store them so they’ll have to sit here for a while. Luckily there’s a McDonald’s right across the street so I didn’t starve. ‘MURICA!

Also ate felt like a thousand of Döner Kebabs.

Also didn’t have internet until last week. I had to return to the previous apartment to download songs to listen to while doing whatever I need to do. YUROP!

I drove this van stuffed full of trash to our local recycling yard which is a 25-minute ride. And apparently an old lady who’s been living in this building since 1968 (my god it’s been 56 years!) complained to the landlord that I left cardboards in the hallway. It was actually my tabletop that was too heavy to carry on my own and the hallway was not blocked at all. Fortunately my landlord is super understanding.

I could clearly see the Leo in the sky as I walked out of the basement one night. In case you may have missed it, I drew it up in the right picture.

This is my previous apartment. It’s actually shocking to me now how small it is and how I managed to do everything here. And I didn’t have a basement so almost everything I own is stored here, including tools and tons of various parts.

Now that I’ve settled down (for now), the new home feels like bliss. I didn’t realize how cramped the previous one was until now; the living room alone feels bigger than my entire old apartment.

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I had the first somewhat normal breakfast this morning and felt like crying watching the sky turning brighter.

It’s been a ton of work. The workers my landlord hired are downright amateurs and even incapable of installing a sink. I had a leaky sink, dark stripes on the wall despite the fact that the guy claimed he painted them, silicone smudges on the kitchen countertop and floor that take ages to get rid of, just to name a few issues. They didn’t have the right tools to install the sink and they destroyed the seals while trying to fix it. They ended up smearing silicone all over the joint and called it a day. They didn’t forget to tell me afterwards that “it’s (referring to the silicone) the good stuff” though, so shoutout to them?

I repainted the walls and ceilings, then drilled exactly 69 holes (nice) for wall shelves, lamps, curtains etc. The curtains had to be tailored because the window is so wide, the tailor charged me 100€ for five pieces of curtain panels and I felt being scammed. Mopped the floor at least 20 times until the water came out clean and I didn’t feel any sand on my feet while walking around. Almost got myself electrocuted while changing the bulb after installing the pendant lamp (the socket felt gritty so I tried to wipe it with rubbing alcohol, realized the socket was still live after feeling numbness in my fingertips). Rookie mistake, but I’m totally fine! For now.

And here I am.

It also happened to be a sunny day today, albeit it only lasted an hour or so.

This skinny, sad-looking mimosa was sold to me for 6€ because its previous owner wanted to get rid of it. I think it looks unique though. The nursery pot doesn’t look so hot so I’ll find a pot to cover it up.

I’ve had this dioscorea elephantipes (elephant’s foot) since 2014. It goes into dormancy and loses all its leaves when the weather is getting warmer.

And this is my new desk / work bench. I haven’t finished setting everything up yet, but I’m close. I took this picture right before writing this post.

I’m really looking forward to making more zinstax / binstax here from now on.