Since our recent move out of the 4th floor apartment and into a house, I am become quite the rebel. I have done laundry on a Sunday AND I vacuumed on a Sunday. It’s like I have just thrown all caution to the wind, and gone crazy with my rebellious behaviors.
Sundays in Germany are designated as quiet time. Quiet times are written into law. During the week, quiet times are usually from 1pm to 3pm and then from 10pm until 6am. Quiet hours are in effect for all day on Sunday, and on German Holidays(which we have every week, just kidding, it only seems like there is a holiday every week). Essentially, you need to avoid doing any activities that would disrupt a neighbors sleep. Things like, mowing the lawn, running a vacuum, running a washing machine if it can be heard outside your residence(like on the 4th floor of an apartment), and any drilling or other noisy activities.
Now that we have a house, I am able to wash clothes on a Sunday, and even vacuum since we are not living directly above or next to another neighbor. My household chores will not bother anyone! (except Jack the Husky, Newt the Cat and Binxy Cat. They do find it rather annoying when I vacuum, no matter the day or time.) I have even run my dishwasher, AT NIGHT!!
How far can I take this lawlessness? What crazy household chore will I start doing next on a Sunday, or maybe even a Holiday?
This American born transplant to Germany is really loving our new house.
How about you? Are there any rules or regulations regarding quiet times in your area? Tell me all about it in the comments section!
Being a lover of quiet I could get on board with this plan. Sadly, my husband needs noise. He walks into a room and immediately turns on the tv or radio. Grr.
Glad you’re enjoying your new house. There’s nothing like the freedom to do laundry at midnight.
😉
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I love the quiet too, rarely have the TV on, but do like to play music when cooking/baking.
The freedom to do laundry when needed has been wonderful!
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You are such a rebel. Lol.
After all that forced quiet I certainly understand.
We are expats living in Mexico, the opposite of your situation, where the noise never ends. Slight exaggeration. It is frequently quiet between 3-6 am. Between Pulmonias (open air taxi) and Aurigas (a kind of open air minibus)blasting music for tourist customers and to advertise Here I Am, for customers, Banda bands (Worst music ever. It is like German ompa music but much, much worse.), and rockets, it is making me crazy.
The rockets are popular in most areas of Mexico. They are used to send prayers (the noise makes it easier for God to hear apparently), Holy days, holidays, birthdays, and I think just for the fun of it. In Central Mexico we heard them all the time. Unfortunately it is deeply embedded in the culture. As are fireworks!! LOL.
We are moving back to the US sometime next year. I will be able to concentrate better for writing and life in general. I can’t tell you how much I miss quiet. But maybe I just did.
Cheers!
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I really do enjoy the quiet, and I like that the shops are closed on Sundays. But it was difficult keeping the house clean without being able to run the vacuum at least once a day, we have a husky. The amount of hair that comes off a husky on a daily basis is astounding!
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Wow! We had a black lab that did a lot of shedding but a husky is a different story.
Happy new home!!
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Thank you!
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Designated quiet times? Wow. I image sometimes it’s frustrating but at the same time…it might be nice not to have to deal with loud cars, lawnmowers, etc every day, all day.
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At first it seemed odd, but I quickly found that I did enjoy it. I grew up in an area where Sunday nothing was open, so it was a nice memory. It actually very nice to live somewhere that people are considerate of their neighbors. Work schedules seem to be more flexible for people’s lives. It’s just a nice place to be.
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Wow we don’t have any ‘quiet times’ although sometimes that may be a good idea!
My cats hate the vacuum though, so they control how and when it gets done, by where they’re sleeping. I know, I treat them too well!
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My animals rule our roost too.
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No quiet times here, no HOA, so it’s a free-for-all with leaf blowers, the opera soprano who lives across the street, and anything else that’s loud. But I can never complain about anybody else, because I have two boys and a pretty loud yell, myself, on occasion. Woops.
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Ugh. Leaf blowers are the worst!
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Right–so loud!
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Hi Cherie – I popped over and I’ve been catching up on your news – and your move! Great to see you’re in a house and I can’t believe it’s been THREE years since you moved to Germany – time has flown. I love the idea of quiet times and people not disturbing the neighbours – maybe they’ll bring that into Australia and include no barking dogs (that would make me very happy indeed!)
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Time has flown for sure!! Thanks for stopping by!!
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That’s an interesting concept, quite time
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Yep. It’s a big part of German culture. I’ve grown to really like it, for the most part.
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Those regs sound great – would love to have them here in the UK – should apply to street cleaning and garbage trucks too
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I do think it helps in cities where people live close together. It helps be live respectfully with their neighbors.
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I now see that there is no balcony gardening in your life and you have a house. Enjoy that suburban life 🙂
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I enjoyed the balcony while we had it, but I am excited for the big garden. Thank you.
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Our apartment building we ask people to not do their laundry during non peak electrical times. So not between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. Billing rates are high so trying to say some money
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Smart, electric service is so expensive.
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