Saturday, September 27 | 2025
Setting up your home life in Sweden takes some getting used to. Electricity contracts, recycling rules, laundry rooms, grocery stores, and where to find everyday essentials: this guide helps you sort it all out and settle in smoothly.
The Sweden recycle guide is your friend, trust me. Recycling in Sweden is a common practice in Sweden. However, it may come as a culture shock to a newbie. You will notice that the bins at your home, office, school, or even on the walkway have different labels. As a result, you may find it difficult to figure out how the waste disposal system works.
If you’re passionate about local grocery shopping, then REKO rings are for you: a local order-and-pickup system for fresh produce that removes the middlemen. Freshness, sustainability, and a focus on reducing food waste.
I know what you’re thinking…why the fuss about laundry? Well, washing your clothes in Sweden is a big deal. Apartment living: No washer/dryer? Options: buy or use a communal laundry room.
How do you find craftsmen in Sweden? The internet is flooded with the news of IKEA’s purchase of startup TaskRabbit, an on-demand platform for hiring people to do everything …
Gardening in Sweden is a bit more challenging that in warmer climates. But totally doable. What plants can you grow in Sweden? Plants are a great way to decorate your space and bring some life into your home!
Where you do you find an electricity supplier in Sweden? If you are living in a second hand rental, chances are that your landlord is handling the electricity. However, if you are renting firsthand or have bought your own place, this is something you will have to set up yourself. Here we will guide you through what you need to know to get a good electricity set up.
How to get cheap electricity in Sweden is a common question during the last couple of years. Electricity prices in Sweden and the world at large are a bit nuts. It is not a unique situation for Sweden as many countries struggle with high energy prices. But, this page is about Sweden, so we will focus on the why and what of high electricity prices in Sweden.
There are – apart from home insurance – a number of insurances that you can sign up for. Many Oldbies settle with just a hemförsäkring. Some choose to sign an additional “clumsy insurance” – drulleförsäkring if they are known to be a bit accident prone. Others decides to go all in and insure more or less everything.
A thing worth considering when settling in Sweden is insurance. The social security insurance (provided by Försäkringskassan) covers a lot but not everything. It might therefore be a good idea to look into the different private insurance companies and what they offer.
Home insurance in Sweden, or insurance in general, is probably not on the 10-ten-list of hottest things you want to think about when you are planning your move. But it is probably on the top-10-list of things you really want to have when the s**t hits the fan.
What is the best home insurance for renters in Sweden? Can you have insurance if you are living as a subtenant? What are your insurance possibilities when you are renting as a sublet? Can you have home insurance for only a short term contract and most importantly, is it worth it? Let’s look into it all.
For most of you, moving to Sweden with pets is essential. However, you should be aware that there are certain rules that need to be followed. We’ve gathered essential information, so you can happily move with your furry friend to Sweden.
Pet insurance is the thing in Sweden. Swedish pets are in fact amongst the most insured in the world. In 2018 it was estimated that an approximate 57% of pets were insured in Sweden. That is quite a lot even compared to other Nordic countries.
Pet insurance is quite common in Sweden. In fact, Agria estimates that over 90% of dogs and over 50% of cats have some sort of insurance. This makes Swedish pets amongst the most insured in the entire world. But why is it that pet insurance is such a common occurrence? Well there are many reasons and speculations.
Planning to bring your pet to Sweden but not sure about how it works? This course gives you the ins and outs of moving with your pet.
Network coverage in Sweden – how does it work? Sweden is a long country and a lot of it is covered by forest and mountains – where famously phone coverage tends not to be so good with all phone plans.
Is it important to find the right phone plans in Sweden? You probably have a phone with you right? However, your phone bill will soon be astronomical if you keep using up those international minutes for texts, surfing and internet share. So – getting a local phone contract and broadband should be high up on your list of things to get sorted.
Good mobile broadband plans in Sweden will give us Netflix, video calls, work, study and a whole bunch of other things. And when we are far away from home and feeling a bit lonely – then our computer can be a very good friend indeed. So setting up with a broadband plan should probably be fairly high up on your list.
Just arrived in Sweden and already longing to call home? Living on a budget with no extra cash to spend on overpriced cellphone plans? Got slightly entangled in the Swedish net of never-ending options? Relax and read on, we got you covered!
Wireless internet in your student housing is vital. Right? And so once you are in Sweden to study, one of the first things you need to do is set up internet in your student accommodation. If you can, you should even set it up before you arrive.
What are the essential apps in Sweden? Living in a new country, especially one with a different language and culture, can be challenging. However, technology and apps can make settling into life in Sweden much easier.
The sharing model has even been applied to other areas and keeps making life easier for many people. Besides contributing to a better economy, sharing presents many more advantages as well, from environmental and social perspectives.
We all know that Sweden belongs to one of the most expensive countries. But, how expensive is Sweden? I say it is really worth it because of the quality of life here. Nonetheless, if you just moved, the first thing that you should not do is convert the expenses in Sweden to your currency back home.
Food is not very cheap in Sweden. Why? Well, this country is far up in the North where things don’t grow year-round. Which means that a lot of food is imported from far away. And that (big surprise) will affect the price – and sometimes the quality.
One of the main things to look into when thinking about moving is the cost of living in Sweden. It is OK to think you need a certain income coming in, but how would the cost of living in Sweden compare to the cost of living in the UK?
Sweden is renowned for being one of the greenest nations on the planet; more than half of its energy comes from renewable sources, recycling here is akin to a religion and the waste-to-energy program is so successful rubbish has to be imported from other countries.
What we eat and how we eat has a big impact on the environment and food waste has become a widely discussed theme in the past decade. Reducing food waste is absolutely essential, especially if we think that we live in a world where both tons of food is wasted and millions of people starve every day.
Probably most of the objects you own have some plastic in them. Today, the plastics’ invasion of the planet is a reality. It is everywhere and in everything we do and own. But so is awareness to reduce its consumption.
So you just moved to Sweden, or you’re planning to. You’ve spent a considerable chunk of money paying rent. Now you figured that you need to furnish your apartment, purchase kitchenware, buy yourself some jackets and boots, and probably a bicycle to move around. But there’s just one BIG problem…you are on a budget! If these few lines describe you, you may want to consider second-hand shopping.
If you want to know more about someone, go and look in their fridge. If you want to know more about a country, go and look in their supermarket. There you will not only find out about the most common shopping routines of the locals, but also other hints about their culture. Is it clean or dirty? Is it organized or a mess? Do you feel good in there or more like running away? I like Swedish supermarkets and, believe it or not, that did have some weight on my decision of moving here.
Saving money in Sweden. Can it be done? Being a newbie for 9 months in Sweden and unfamiliar with the language can be a tad intimidating, and sometimes altogether confusing. In the beginning, grocery shopping in the supermarket can even seem a little frightening as there are just so many Swedish words all over the place.
When you are living in a new country you might see yourself doing things you have never done before and using certain objects you didn’t need to use previously. I discovered some essentials in Sweden that I need in order to smooth my transition here.
As a newbie who has just moved into a new home with my sambo, I was at a loss on where to buy furniture. First, everything is expensive in Sweden. Secondly, there is a long list of furnishing items that we have to buy since we had a bed bug situation and preferred to buy everything new. Thirdly, and most importantly, I did not want the entire house to be furnished with just IKEA or MIO furniture only.
Sweden is a top scorer when it comes to sustainability: from waste separation, e-cars and a great consciousness about the environment. This engagement seems to have no limit, and it also spreads on to a responsible way of handling used goods.
Second-hand shops in Stockholm is your answer on how to buy good quality stuff in Sweden and not go into the red. Even though the majority of Swedes do not complain about their finances, they love good-quality, second-hand objects and they often choose them over the brand-new ones.
Scandinavia is famous for its interior design. If you know where to look, you can find many high-quality pieces of furniture at 50% less than its original price for a stunning Scandinavian look.
As a country that is eager to create a zero waste society, second-hand items are highly valued in Sweden. It goes beyond lifestyle and has become an essential part of Swedish everyday life.
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