If you are interested in Finland, New Zealand, travel, living in another country, food, etc. etc. etc. – then you will likely find much here to enjoy. My friend who grew up in Finland shared this with me and I’m smitten . . .
We brought one big rug amongst our household things to Finland and apart from the occasional vacuum it doesn’t get a whole lot of attention. If we are going to have an authentic Finnish experience however, it seems we will have to beat it.
A communal rug beater in an apartment block in Lappeenranta
Most Finnish homes are not carpeted and instead are furnished with a few rugs of various sizes. Effective heating removes the need for carpet and there seems to be a commonly held belief that carpets are unhygienic.
So outside most apartment buildings and homes you will find a structure for hanging rugs while you beat them. This seems to be something of a summer ritual, however I have read accounts of people laying rugs out in the snow to harden them up before beating them.
Traditionally, washing rugs has been something of an event down by the lakes…
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A Random Harvest 
I have never seen those before!!!
Linne, this is so interesting. A really cool idea. I think carpeting does help to make us sick. You try to keep them clean but are they really clean. Hugs, Barbara
That is so interesting. I share Narf’s comment – what amazing therapy!
How interesting! We gave up beating rugs in Ireland decades ago with the advent of the vacuum cleaner. Should we tell our Finnish sisters?
Thrashing a rug sounds like good stress therapy to me 😉
That’s a brilliant shared facility!
Thanks for sharing my blog Linne! I’ve just been looking at yours and there are so many wonderful, colourful things to inspire and delight. Although I don’t knit or sew I feel like there are many things we share interests in. All the best, Melanie