Make your apartment more comfortable

Your apartment is your castle, and you are its king or queen. So it makes sense that your apartment should be the one place on earth where you feel most comfortable, right?
If you’re not feeling like the queen or king of comfort in your apartment, read on for simple ways to make your living space feel more comfortable.
What’s making you uncomfortable?
Comfort is both a physical and a mental thing. Feeling like you don’t have enough room for all your stuff, for instance, is a physical thing. But feeling unsettled or anxious when you’re trying to relax is mental. Figuring out the kind of comfort you need from your apartment is the first step to creating a better living space.

Decorate your apartment
One way to feel more comfortable in your apartment is to change up your furniture. Interior designers have plenty of tricks for making apartments feel more comfortable, and you can probably use many of them:
•Infuse comforting colors into your space by adding throw pillows, artwork, and curtains.
•Pick comfortable furniture pieces that everyone can use. What’s the point of having a plastic-covered sofa that no one’s allowed to sit on?
•Have multiple seating options. Get a comfortable chair or two and arrange them around your couch to create a conversation area.
•Create more comfort with soft, eye-level lighting.
You don’t need a huge budget to decorate your apartment with comfortable furniture. A few small changes can make all the difference.

Regulate apartment temperature
Feeling more comfortable in your apartment might be as easy as doing a better job regulating the temperature. Being too hot in summer and too cold in winter is a bummer and a major source of discomfort. But these small changes could help you feel more comfortable — without turning the thermostat up or down:
•Use energy-efficient blackout curtains to keep extreme temperatures out.
•Install temporary UV window film to cool your place.
•Use ceiling fans all year round. (Most fans have a switch that reverses the blades so they can push cool air down in summer and suck warm air up in winter).
•Cook on the outdoor grill to keep your place cool.
•Get an electric blanket so you don’t have to blast the heat to stay toasty warm in bed.
These ideas will not only keep you more comfortable, but they’ll also help you reduce energy costs.

No-cost ways to add comfort
You might not need to change very much to have a more comfortable apartment. Simple changes that don’t cost a dime can make a huge impact.
Decluttering a messy area in your apartment, for example, can totally change your day-to-day life. Decluttering your apartment is a simple matter of getting rid of everything that you don’t need, don’t want, or can’t use. It may take a few hours — or, in some cases, a few days — but the payoff is massive: you’ll free up usable living space and feel calmer without the distraction of clutter.
Rearranging the items you want to keep in your apartment can also help you feel more comfortable. Try to improve any room in which the furniture arrangement lacks a sense of flow. Giving just a little thought to the furniture arrangement can create more comfort — mentally and physically.
Create a comfortable furniture arrangement by following a few simple interior design rules:
•Leave enough space for folks to navigate comfortably in your apartment. (18 inches is the suggested minimum amount of space to leave between a coffee table and sofa.)
•Arrange furniture on angles to create a more casual and restful feel.
•Settle on a focal point (a window, a piece of art, the TV) and arrange the rest of the furniture around this focal point.

While decluttering your space and rearranging your furniture may require a small time investment, neither requires a monetary investment. Creating a more comfortable apartment could be as easy as spending a Saturday morning working with what you already have — for free!

Apartment Living on a Budget

Whether you’re the resident of a humble studio apartment or a grand penthouse, everyone needs a budget to track money coming in and going out every month. It’s how both the financially challenged and the wealthy alike hold on to what they’ve got. But if you’re spending all the funds that come in, it may feel like there’s nothing to budget, right? Nope. Here are some easy ways to take and keep control of your money.
Creating a budget
The first step in creating your budget is to know what funds you have to work with monthly. That’s easy. Gather your monthly pay stubs or records of whatever kind of income you regularly have. For freelancers, this part may be a little harder, but try estimating a realistic monthly average income.
Next, you need to know what’s going out. That means gathering all of your monthly bills and a month’s worth of receipts. Once you’ve got your standard expenses (rent, phone, cable, utilities, etc.) on paper and charted a month’s worth of variable expenses, such as food, medical care, and sundries, you’ll have a very good idea of how much you need to set aside monthly to avoid going into debt. If you regularly resort to using credit cards or dipping into savings because there aren’t sufficient funds in your checking account, you want to be aware of this fact so you can strategize ways to improve your cash flow.
Getting it all down on paper or in a spreadsheet is a great way to start, but for additional help, consider purchasing a computer financial organization program like Quickbooks or Quicken.
Where can you trim?
You may already consider yourself budget-minded. Perhaps you’re a fan of dollar stores and a devoted coupon clipper. If so, bravo! There may still be a few items you haven’t considered trimming from your monthly expenses, though. There are many resources available to help you think about how to save money. You’ll find blogs, Web sites, newsletters, magazines and television shows loaded with great advice on affordable apartment living. Be creative in brainstorming ways to take care of your needs without breaking the bank.
A few quick cost-cutters include negotiating with your utility carriers (phone, cable, gas and electricity) on their lowest possible rates and flat-rate plans. You might join a membership club such as Costco or Sam’s Club to buy common household items in bulk, or create a dining club with friends and neighbors where you make large batches of favorite meals for each other’s freezers. Cutting down on meals, coffees and snacks in restaurants can also make a big difference to your bottom line. Brown-bagging it saves you calories in addition to plenty of money, and you may find eating fewer unhealthy cafe calories also trims your waistline.
Sticking with it
Living on a budget can be a challenge, but you can also make it a game. Check out the multitude of smart phone apps available to help you keep track of your expenses. Let grocery lists (or their digital equivalent) be your new best friend. Sticking to your list — which you’ve cross-referenced to your budget ahead of time to make sure you can really afford everything on it — helps eliminate impulse buys. Be aware of what you buy, and be intentional in only buying what you really need and will use.
Budget living has become a fact of life for modern citizens, regardless of income level or geographic locale. Knowing what your means are, living within them, and constantly striving to trim the fat will keep you in the green, away from debt, and more in control of your financial destiny.

Live well through your apartment community's amenities

If you’re looking for a new apartment, you want to be on the lookout for the amenities provided. Take some time to shop around and see whether there’s a place in your price range that will promise a little extra in the amenities department.
The basics
Some amenities are now regarded as standard. These include a common room that can be rented for parties; fitness centers large enough for more than one person to work out at the same time; and, in warmer parts of the country, a communal swimming pool. Another common perk is a business office with Internet access and a fax machine, so you don’t have to keep either at your own apartment. Larger communities may have on-site storage areas for residents, parking garages or tennis courts.
Amenities inside the apartment vary by region, but often include dishwashers and ceiling fans. Some places include washers and dryers; others will only provide you with connections. Others may offer communal laundry facilities. It is also not uncommon for a management company to pay for certain utilities, including Internet access.
Meet the neighbors
If you’re looking to meet new people, some communities will organize pool parties, book clubs and getting-to-know-you events for residents. Another common tactic is to offer free breakfast on the weekends, hors d’oeuvres in the evenings, or coffee and continental breakfast in the mornings in the communal room to lure residents out of their apartments. If you’re a gregarious person by nature, these get-togethers can help you find new friends in a new place. If not, it can be awkward chatting with people with whom you have nothing in common save a lease.
The high life
Some of the fiercest competition can be between the more expensive communities. Luxury amenities include dry-cleaning pickup and delivery; a concierge service that can find event tickets and restaurant reservations for you; a car-care center; free shuttles to the nearest airport; and pet parks or indoor exercise areas. The ritziest communities offer in-home massage services, on-site libraries and wine cellars, and private cabanas at the pool.
With any amenity, even the most luxurious, ask yourself how much you expect to use such a service before you sign the lease.
The green life
One of the newest amenity categories are “green” or ecologically friendly amenities, such as communal vegetable gardens or building designs that reduce electricity and heating costs.
But no matter what the amenities are, you want to make sure that the community will continue to provide them once you’ve moved in. If you can get a chance, talk to some of the current residents about the amenities you’re most likely to use.

Getting to know your Neighborhood

Getting to know your neighborhood is an important part of settling into your apartment. Use these tips for getting to know the neighbors and your community, and you’ll feel like a local in no time.
Read the local rag
Community newspapers are great sources of information on local businesses, events, and news. These small, free papers written by residents will give you the rundown on your local entertainment options and keep you up to date on community happenings. You might also find a new favorite boutique or eatery by browsing the ads. Perhaps most importantly though, local rags will give you insight into what sort of people your neighbors are. Read a bit of the commentary on your community, and you’ll get a sense for the values and goals of residents.
Test out traffic
Find out where your neighborhood is located in relation to your usual haunts (the office, church, the gym, etc) by taking a drive. Find a couple alternate routes to your favorite places, and you’ll be prepared to avoid construction or traffic accidents while you learn the lay of the land.
Scope out services
Whether you get in the car and drive or venture out on foot, it’s a good idea to scope out important public service posts like the fire station, police station, library, and post office in your neighborhood. While you’re out, find the most convenient places to shop for groceries, get gas, and do dry cleaning.
Get out and meet the neighbors
One of the best ways to meet new people is to seek out recreation centers, meeting halls, or even local gyms in your community — any place where the locals congregate. Just get on the Internet, and you can find a listing of these places. If the crochet club at the community center isn’t your thing, you could try hitting up trivia night at a local bar. You might not know who won the Stanley Cup in 1967, but chances are you’ll get friendly with at least one or two people. Even if you never become BFF, these folks can answer any questions you have about the neighborhood while you chat.
Take a walking tour
GPS systems and Internet directions might be making them obsolete, but you can use good old-fashioned maps to get a handle on your neighborhood’s sites. If you live in a walkable town, go exploring with your map or a tourist’s guide. Highlight your area on the map, and make like Lewis and Clark. You never know what you’ll find. If you live in a bigger city, you might be able to forgo the map altogether by taking a fun walking tour.
There’s no better way to get to know your neighborhood than to spend some time exploring it. Remember that you have to actually leave your apartment if you want meet the neighbors and get a sense for your community.

Fourth of July

Whose going to Thunder on the Mountain this year? http://visitvulcan.com/events-and-programs-park-events.html

Quick cleaning tips for your apartment!!

Quick Cleaning Tips for Your ApartmentLast minute guests won’t catch you off guard, if you’ve got a quick apartment cleaning plan to make your apartment look tip top in minutes!

Make a hit list
Before you drag out the paper towels and cleaning supplies, make a list of the key locations you actually need to clean. Home cleaning and organization guru Marla Cilley at Flylady.net advises that when “crisis cleaning,” remember guests usually just see the kitchen, bathroom and living room. So you can skip the bedrooms and more private areas of the house. Just keep those doors closed.

Now, figure out how much time you have to quick clean and what’s most important to tackle. It’s smart to map out a plan of attack that is efficient and fast. When you need to clean in a hurry, start with the living room since you know guests will be hanging out there. Then hit the guest bathroom and the kitchen. Keep track of your time and don’t spend more than 15 minutes in each spot.

Clear your surfaces
You’re simply trying to create the illusion of clean, so focus on the little things that will make your apartment look tidy. One of the keys to quick cleaning is clearing off surfaces like tables and counters. If you have paper everywhere, stack it in piles so it looks neat. Stash some of your clutter in closets, drawers or under the sofa. Just be sure to rescue it later and actually put it where it belongs.

Quick cleaning
Again, you should be working your magic to give the illusion of clean. But you don’t have to drag out all of your apartment cleaning gear. Just give the toilet bowl a brief brush and wipe down bath and kitchen surfaces with a wet towel.

Final bonus round
You’ve stacked clutter and cleared surfaces. The toilets, counters and sinks are funk-free. Now put the final touches on your quick clean! Straighten sofa and chair cushions and fold throws. Then grab the vacuum and give it a high-speed drive around the room. Don’t forget to vacuum pet hair on furniture, so your guests don’t walk out with a new fur coat.

Set the mood
Way to go! Your quick cleaning job looks great and you’re ready for your guests to arrive. If you have a few extra minutes, pull out all the stops with these special tips. Dim overhead lighting and turn on lamps. This creates a nice, cozy mood (and hides any dust bunnies you missed!). Light a scented candle. It’ll cover any lingering odors and if you have a candle that smells like apple pie, even better. Now raid the fridge and pantry and put out a few snacks. A tiny plate of cheese, crackers, nuts, chips, salsa or whatever you have on hand will really make your visitors feel welcome.

Lighten up your apartment

Add Style to Your Apartment Windows

wOnce you’ve moved into your new apartment, odds are you’ll be eager to make it feel more your own. Personal touches can be especially fun in a large community where you share your apartment style with many other units. One way you can customize your apartment without endangering your security deposit is with window treatments. Here are some tips for adding some style to your apartment’s windows.

Types of window treatments
There are a number of types of window treatments, including:

* Traditional curtains, which can be drawn or tied back.
* Draperies, which are often custom-designed for the window size.
* Blinds, which can be opened or closed to let light in or keep it out, and come in varied materials, including different types of wood and vinyl.
* Shades, which can be rolled up, pulled up in a way to create soft folds (a “Roman” shade), or drawn up like a theater curtain (a “balloon” shade).
* Cafe curtains, which cover the bottom half of a window, and can be combined with…
* Valences, which cover the top of the frame.

With these different types come different ways to hang the treatments: on a rod, on rings from a rod, or mounted directly onto the window frame.

Choosing window coverings
When you start looking at potential window treatments, think about what you want your window coverings to do. Your apartment may come with pre-installed blinds, giving you privacy and keeping out light but not adding much to the decor. (If you want to remove the blinds, check with community management first. Also make sure to store the blinds in a place where you can easily reinstall them before moving out.) If all you want is to add a little color to your apartment windows, then you have the option of installing sheer draperies, which will conceal the blinds. If you want to block out light, you may be able to add films directly onto the window that reduce glare and add privacy; again, check with your management and know how to remove them before you install them.

Preparing to cover your windows
The more creative or elaborate you want to get, the more preparation you’ll want to do before heading to the store. This includes not just measuring from where the blinds would hang down to the floor, but considering who or what might be coming into contact with these blinds. If you expect to have small children in your apartment, for example, you’ll want to wrap the cords of your blinds — blind cords can be a strangulation hazard. The Window Covering Safety Council, an industry organization, has more information on keeping cords safely. Meanwhile, a dog or cat may wreak havoc on floor-length curtains. Blinds can be more practical, but harder to clean than machine-washable drapes; wooden blinds, in particular, can’t be soaked. You can buy special brushes designed to clean blinds.

You may want to look for window treatments in a standard size so that you can more easily transfer them to the windows in your next apartment. But don’t be afraid to experiment with color and style. The advantage of using window treatments to decorate your home is that you can create a whole new look without having to paint.