Skip to content

House Handbook

Welcome! 👋

Dear home-exchange guests,

It’s lovely to have you here! We’re delighted that you’ve chosen our home, and we hope you’ll feel at home and have a wonderful stay.

In this handbook, we’ve brought together everything you might find useful during your stay, including tips about the house and garden and a list of lovely places to visit nearby.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

We hope you have a wonderful time 🏡

QR code This guide is also available online at https://55g.home.dedukte.de/, so you can always have it to hand. You can follow the links directly and use the small interactive map.
🏡 House Information about the house, garden, bicycles, waste and more. 🗺️ Days out Ideas for days out, both nearby and farther afield.

House

General

  • Please do not wear outdoor shoes inside the house. You can, of course, wear them in the basement and the entrance area.
  • Please water the plants 🌻 in the garden if the weather is very dry.

Wi-Fi

  • Network: Opila Gast
  • Password:

Laundry

You are welcome to use the washing machine and tumble dryer in the basement. You’ll find detergent on the shelf to the right of the washing machine. You’ll also find several clothes airers in the boiler room.

TV

Netflix and Amazon Prime are available, and we’ve set up a guest profile for each. You can open Netflix or Prime directly using the relevant shortcut button on the remote. The amplifier switches on and off automatically with the TV. We haven’t set up conventional TV channels, but you can watch ARD and ZDF and use their streaming services through the smart TV.

Where to find things

  • You’ll find extra towels in the large white cupboard behind the left-hand door beside the downstairs bathroom.

  • The same cupboard contains a small hairdryer, all the cleaning supplies and, on the far right, a cordless vacuum cleaner.

  • There is a separate vacuum cleaner in the basement for use there only.

  • In the upstairs storage room to the left of the stairs, you’ll find another vacuum cleaner and extra toilet paper.

  • If you need them, you’ll find bed linen and thicker duvets in the linen cupboard in the study. There is also a hairdryer in the lower drawer of the upstairs bathroom.

  • In the red shed there is a large and a small paddling pool that you are welcome to use.

  • The air pump for the Airtrack mat and the paddling pool is in the small cupboard next to the sofa. An extension lead is in the red shed. For the socket on the terrace to work, the upper light switch (terrace lighting) must be switched on.

  • You’ll find more games in the living-room drawers, and Schleich toy horses in the large drawers in the doll’s house.

  • If you fancy setting it up, there is also a GraviTrax set in the left-hand drawer under the bed in Felix’s room upstairs.

  • Under the coffee table in the living room, you’ll find large protective mats for drawing and craft activities. Please use them when drawing or doing crafts.

Waste disposal

Please separate your waste as follows:

  • Please put compostable organic waste on the compost heap outside. Do not add cooked food scraps, as these can attract rats. If you’re unsure, please put the waste in the black general waste bin.
  • General waste goes in the black bin with the red lid next to the bike shed.
  • Plastic, metal and mixed-material packaging goes in the yellow bin next to the general waste bin.
  • Paper, card and cardboard boxes go in the blue bin behind the bike shed.

Glass disposal

Please dispose of glass bottles and jars in the public glass recycling containers. There are containers at the entrance to Beutnerring and on Marmstorfer Weg opposite house number 112. If you only have a few bottles or jars, you can rinse them and leave them here at the house; we’ll recycle them with our own glass later.

Bin collection

  • The black residual waste bin is emptied every two weeks on Mondays.
  • The yellow bin is emptied every Tuesday.
  • The blue paper bin is emptied every four weeks on Mondays.

Please put the relevant bin out at the roadside the evening before, as the collection crew often arrives very early in the morning.

August 2026

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
12
34 Y56789
10 BlBk11 Y1213141516
1718 Y1920212223
24 Bk25 Y2627282930
31

Legend: Bl = Blue bin, Y = Yellow bin, Bk = Black bin

Garden

  • The upper part of the garden, with its continuous stretch of lawn, is shared with our neighbours. You’re welcome to use the whole lawn and the play equipment (slide and red playhouse). Don’t be surprised if the neighbours’ children occasionally appear on “your” side and, for example, use the swing. At the far end, beyond the lawn, there is a small path between the trees and bushes. Feel free to play and explore there, staying on our side and going as far as the red playhouse.
  • If you would like to use the barbecue, please turn on the gas cylinder beforehand and turn it off again afterwards.

Bicycles / Pull-along wagon

  • There are five bicycles that you are welcome to use. They are in the bike shed to the right of the house.
  • Not all of the bicycles in the basement are available. Please do not use the sports bikes (MTB, gravel bike, road bike). Unfortunately, we cannot lend you the longtail cargo bike either, as lending it is not permitted under the leasing agreement. You’re welcome to try the tandem if you like.
  • Whenever you leave the bicycles unattended, please lock them to a fixed object. Some locks are already on the bikes. You will find another sturdy chain lock in the workshop in the basement. You can also use it to secure several bicycles together.
  • Cargo bike: The battery of the cargo bike can be charged in the shed. In the workshop you will find a second battery and another charger. To swap the batteries, use the cargo-bike lock key to remove the empty one. The rounded pouch beside the handlebar stem contains a chain that plugs into the frame lock. This allows the cargo bike to be locked to a fixed object.
  • FollowMe: The cargo bike has a FollowMe attachment for towing the yellow children’s bike. You can attach or detach the children’s bike partway through a ride. Before using it, please make sure you understand how the system works. You may find it helpful to watch a video such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8GE2hTG5pc
  • You’ll find a pump and tools, including tools for adjusting the saddle height, in the workshop in the basement.
  • There is also a folding pull-along wagon in the boiler room that you are welcome to use for days out.

Days out

Public transport

  • If you would like to get around Hamburg by public transport, use the HVV journey planner at hvv.de. It is worth installing the HVV app on your phone. You can use it to buy tickets and plan your journeys quickly. You cannot buy tickets from the bus driver. A day ticket or group day ticket often offers good value.
  • You can use the ‘Neuer Friedhof’ bus stop on Bremer Straße, uphill from the house, or the ‘Rabenstein’ stop on Marmstorfer Weg, downhill from the house. From there, buses run to Harburg town centre, where you can change to an S-Bahn train towards central Hamburg.
  • If you’d rather not take the bus or drive into the city centre, you can park at the Park & Ride in Harburg and change to the S-Bahn there. Parking costs EUR 2 for 24 hours and can be paid for at the machine. → Map

Nearby

Some of our favourite places nearby:

  • Harburger Stadtpark - Außenmühle lake has a lovely circular walking route. → Map

  • Das Bootshaus - A lovely little restaurant and ice-cream parlour overlooking the lake. → Map

  • Water playground in Harburger Stadtpark - ideal for splashing around. → Map

  • Freilichtmuseum am Kiekeberg - A fascinating open-air museum exploring the region’s history through the ages. Since there is also plenty to discover indoors, it is a good choice even in changeable weather. The grounds are beautiful, and admission is comparatively inexpensive. → Map

  • Wildpark Schwarze Berge - A wonderful woodland wildlife park with many animals native to the region, a walk-through red-deer enclosure, a petting zoo, a flying display and a large playground. You can feed some of the animals using food sold on site. If possible, plan your visit for a weekday, as it is often very crowded at weekends. → Map

  • Fischbeker Heide - A beautiful nature reserve with extensive heathland, ideal for walking and cycling along unpaved trails. → Map

  • Inselpark - A spacious park with plenty to do:

  • Freibad Hitfeld - Open-air swimming pool with a slide. → Map

  • Bio Hofladen und Café Overmeyer - Farm shop and café offering regional organic produce. → Map

A little farther afield

These destinations are a little farther afield but easy to reach by car:

  • Barfußpark Egestorf - An outdoor activity park with barefoot trails. It’s a lovely choice on a hot day, when you can combine it with a visit to the natural swimming pool. (The pool has a separate admission charge.) → Map
  • Heide Park Soltau - A large theme park with roller coasters and attractions for the whole family. → Map

Hamburg

Here are a few ideas for a day out in the city.

  • Miniatur Wunderland - The world’s largest model railway exhibition, created with meticulous attention to detail. It’s truly impressive and highly recommended. Be sure to book a time slot in advance! → Map
  • HafenCity - A modern district on the banks of the Elbe. This is also where the Elbphilharmonie is located, an impressive concert hall with unique architecture. → Map
  • Landungsbrücken - The departure point for many harbour tours. → Map
  • For a short, self-guided harbour trip, take HADAG ferry 62 from Landungsbrücken to the Neumühlen/Övelgönne landing stage. The Elbe beach at Övelgönne, home to the Strandperle, is a lovely place to visit. There you can relax in the sand, watch the ships and enjoy the special harbour atmosphere. Please do not swim in the Elbe: the undertow and currents can be life-threatening. The HVV day ticket is also valid on the ferry. You can take a direct S-Bahn train back to Harburg from Landungsbrücken.
  • Alter Elbtunnel - This protected historic tunnel is now open only to cyclists and pedestrians and is popular with visitors and locals alike. → Map
  • Planten un Blomen - A beautiful park in the heart of Hamburg with large playgrounds, water features and a variety of plants. → Map
  • Hagenbeck Zoo - A zoo with animals from around the world. Its tropical aquarium also makes it a good choice in bad weather. Driving is the easiest way to get there, but check the traffic conditions before setting off. It’s easiest to buy tickets online. → Map
  • Summer DOM - Northern Germany’s largest funfair, with plenty of rides and food stalls right in the city centre. → Map

Weekly markets

  • Harburg weekly market (Sand) - Our local market is held on Sand square in Harburg and sells fresh regional fruit and vegetables. The market is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm. It is convenient and centrally located, although the range of stalls is fairly limited. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, don’t miss the bread and excellent rolls from Bäckerei Oetzmann.

If you love weekly markets and don’t mind travelling a little farther, we also recommend:

  • Isemarkt, Eppendorf - It is considered one of Germany’s most beautiful weekly markets and takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.

  • Goldbekufer weekly market, Winterhude - Its waterside setting gives it a particularly lovely atmosphere. It is open on Tuesdays from 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm and on Thursdays and Saturdays from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm.