As Spring arrives, the dreaded expression of “spring cleaning” rears its head again. Many Expats are perhaps quite good at not getting sentimentally attached to clutter, living in smaller flats than if permanently located in a city, and not acquiring a vast amount of possessions. Given that many flats come with cellars, which if dry can allow a good amount of extra storage for possessions that are either needed only seasonally or infrequently, storage space is not always such a problem.However, if you are here for the longer haul, a regular spring clean and chuck out is a necessity to stop wardrobes from overflowing, cupboards from being over-filled and bookshelves from collapsing under the weight of books and periodicals gathering dust which are never likely to be read again. If this latter situation sounds familiar, then there are several options available.

It's softball roundup time again! Once again, VE is looking to field a weekend team of (at least) twelve intrepid individuals who wish to showcase their softball skills (or lack thereof). The team fee is 800 Euro to cover the cost of the field usage and the season will be played on Saturdays and Sundays in April, May and June (we are again joining the weekend league - per person split on fees comes out to @70 Euro).

Ever wondered: should I or should I not throw that jar in the general waste? Should I really dump that newspaper with the rest? Well, you shouldn't and Vienna offers you plenty of opportunities to love this city and save the planet even if just with a small tiny step by recycling as much as you can. When it comes to the best-used recycling possibilities made available to its residents, Vienna is the top city in Austria and actually Europe-wide in the top recycling cities. How can you help make it a little greener? Here is some general info you might find useful and hopefully apply on a daily basis:

From 1 January 2013, Vienna's parking management system in Vienna has been expanded to include further parts of the 14^th, 16^th and 17^th districts. Resident parking permits known locally the "Parkpickerl" (parking sticker) can be made online or from the respective municipal district office. The latest extension affects parts of these districts.