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!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Fourth of July
Whose going to Thunder on the Mountain this year? http://visitvulcan.com/events-and-programs-park-events.html
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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.
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.
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.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Apartment Gardening
Lilies on your windowsill? Tomatoes on your rooftop? Green thumbs aren’t limited to people with back yards. Even something as simple as sand in a tray, raked into a pattern, can be called a garden (and its owner a Zen master).
Apartment gardening is all about being creative and working within your space. Here are a few ideas for transforming your loft, studio, stoop, or rooftop into an urban Eden.
Rooftops and balconies
If you have the luxury of rooftop access at your residence, you can easily transform this area into a thriving green space, with a little imagination and nurture from Mother Nature. These areas can be windy, so you’ll need to plan ahead to shelter your plants from the elements. A glass shield provides a permanent wind shelter that doesn’t reduce light and doubles as a lovely coffee-break area. In contrast, installing a netting material allows you to integrate additional vines’ from beans and peas to ivies into your hideaway, while still sheltering your main plants from the breeze.
When considering a rooftop or balcony garden, it’s also important to map out which areas are sunniest and which are shadiest. Plan your plant layout based on the plants’ shade and sunlight needs: This will help them stay vibrant and alive.
Window boxes
Window boxes are one of the easiest and most versatile growing tools available to the urban gardener. They can be used for salad vegetables such as leaf lettuces and radishes, herbs such as chives, thyme, parsley, sage and marjoram, or flowers such as daisies, impatiens and marigolds. Best of all, they can grow flowers and vegetables at the same time — and look beautiful.
When designing a window box, select plants with a variety of growth habits: those that grow upright, those with bushy tendencies, and those that vine or trail. If you’re making a flower bed, choose plants that bloom in complimentary hues; however, also consider the shapes and colors of the foliage for the full effect. Place the tallest plants in the back of the box, a few on the sides, and let your favorite trailing plants dangle their feet over the front of the box. Be sure to thin out your stragglers (by one-third) in mid-summer so healthy plants keep blooming in full force.
A word of warning: Before planting a window box check with your apartment manager to make sure adding window boxes is allowed
Hanging baskets
Hanging baskets are among the easiest plants to care for – a perfect choice for the fly-by-night type of urban gardener. Two of the easiest hanging plants to grow are pothos vines and philodendrons, which come in a number of varieties. Best of all, both of pothos and philodendrons can thrive in relatively dark living spaces.
Some other hanging plants for trend-savvy indoor gardeners include prayer plants, whose leaves close at night, passion flowers, which produce a stunning purple and green bloom, and chenille plants, which have fuzzy red feather-duster-like flowers.
Air plants
If the thought of hanging baskets don’t excite you, a unique and container-less option is the air plant. Air plants are Bromeliads that get their name from the fact that they grow not in soil, but instead attached to branches and rocks. Their roots serve only to give the plants a firm anchor to whatever they are growing on. All of their moisture and nutrition is absorbed through their specialized leaves.
Air plant leaves possess tiny scales, properly called trichomes, that serve two major functions. First, they assist the plant in absorbing water and nutrients by holding greater amounts of water against the leaf surface for a longer period of time. Second, they help to reflect the intense sunlight off of the leaf surface that can be so common in their growing environment. These trichomes are what give many of the air plants their characteristic gray color.
It is often easy to determine the growing requirements a given plant needs by the appearance of the plant itself. Those that have a dense covering of scales on their leaves are most probably from an area with bright light and little water. Whereas a plant with more glossy leaves is most likely from an area of lower light and higher humidity.
Plant maintenance
Keep in mind, the most important thing for a beginning gardener — no matter how trend-savvy – is to water the plants regularly. When you forget to water, bugs will attack.
However, over watering can be just as harmful to a plant as under watering. So how can the “green” green thumb tell if his or her new plant is drinking enough?
Stick your finger in the dirt. If it’s moist, you’re in the clear. If it’s wet, it needs to dry out. It it’s dry, the plant needs a drink. In the case of the air plant, just mist it with water once a week or so (individual species will vary, of course).
Apartment gardening is all about being creative and working within your space. Here are a few ideas for transforming your loft, studio, stoop, or rooftop into an urban Eden.
Rooftops and balconies
If you have the luxury of rooftop access at your residence, you can easily transform this area into a thriving green space, with a little imagination and nurture from Mother Nature. These areas can be windy, so you’ll need to plan ahead to shelter your plants from the elements. A glass shield provides a permanent wind shelter that doesn’t reduce light and doubles as a lovely coffee-break area. In contrast, installing a netting material allows you to integrate additional vines’ from beans and peas to ivies into your hideaway, while still sheltering your main plants from the breeze.
When considering a rooftop or balcony garden, it’s also important to map out which areas are sunniest and which are shadiest. Plan your plant layout based on the plants’ shade and sunlight needs: This will help them stay vibrant and alive.
Window boxes
Window boxes are one of the easiest and most versatile growing tools available to the urban gardener. They can be used for salad vegetables such as leaf lettuces and radishes, herbs such as chives, thyme, parsley, sage and marjoram, or flowers such as daisies, impatiens and marigolds. Best of all, they can grow flowers and vegetables at the same time — and look beautiful.
When designing a window box, select plants with a variety of growth habits: those that grow upright, those with bushy tendencies, and those that vine or trail. If you’re making a flower bed, choose plants that bloom in complimentary hues; however, also consider the shapes and colors of the foliage for the full effect. Place the tallest plants in the back of the box, a few on the sides, and let your favorite trailing plants dangle their feet over the front of the box. Be sure to thin out your stragglers (by one-third) in mid-summer so healthy plants keep blooming in full force.
A word of warning: Before planting a window box check with your apartment manager to make sure adding window boxes is allowed
Hanging baskets
Hanging baskets are among the easiest plants to care for – a perfect choice for the fly-by-night type of urban gardener. Two of the easiest hanging plants to grow are pothos vines and philodendrons, which come in a number of varieties. Best of all, both of pothos and philodendrons can thrive in relatively dark living spaces.
Some other hanging plants for trend-savvy indoor gardeners include prayer plants, whose leaves close at night, passion flowers, which produce a stunning purple and green bloom, and chenille plants, which have fuzzy red feather-duster-like flowers.
Air plants
If the thought of hanging baskets don’t excite you, a unique and container-less option is the air plant. Air plants are Bromeliads that get their name from the fact that they grow not in soil, but instead attached to branches and rocks. Their roots serve only to give the plants a firm anchor to whatever they are growing on. All of their moisture and nutrition is absorbed through their specialized leaves.
Air plant leaves possess tiny scales, properly called trichomes, that serve two major functions. First, they assist the plant in absorbing water and nutrients by holding greater amounts of water against the leaf surface for a longer period of time. Second, they help to reflect the intense sunlight off of the leaf surface that can be so common in their growing environment. These trichomes are what give many of the air plants their characteristic gray color.
It is often easy to determine the growing requirements a given plant needs by the appearance of the plant itself. Those that have a dense covering of scales on their leaves are most probably from an area with bright light and little water. Whereas a plant with more glossy leaves is most likely from an area of lower light and higher humidity.
Plant maintenance
Keep in mind, the most important thing for a beginning gardener — no matter how trend-savvy – is to water the plants regularly. When you forget to water, bugs will attack.
However, over watering can be just as harmful to a plant as under watering. So how can the “green” green thumb tell if his or her new plant is drinking enough?
Stick your finger in the dirt. If it’s moist, you’re in the clear. If it’s wet, it needs to dry out. It it’s dry, the plant needs a drink. In the case of the air plant, just mist it with water once a week or so (individual species will vary, of course).
Is my move tax deductible?
Which is more fun: moving, or filling out your tax forms? Under certain circumstances, completing the one can get you a break on the other. Here are some guidelines as to when you can and cannot take a tax deduction on your move.
When you can deduct
The IRS employs three “tests” of whether your move qualifies for a tax deduction: the “start of work” test, the “distance” test, and the “time” test. The start-of-work test requires that you move for a job. Generally you can deduct moving expenses if you move within one year of starting a new job, provided that you meet the other two tests. You may be able to stretch that out longer, however, if you can show a reason why you took more than a year to move — if, for example, you started work but delayed moving for more than a year to keep a child in school or stay close to an ill family member. You don’t have to start work before you move to meet this test.
The second test is the distance between your new job and your old home. If your new job is at least 50 miles farther from your old home than your old job was, you can deduct expenses. So if you previously drove 10 miles to your old job, your new job will have to be at least 60 miles from your old home for you to meet the test. (If you haven’t worked in a while, or this is your first job, the “distance” between old job and old home is defined as 0 miles.)
Also, your commute between your new job and your new home can’t be longer than your commute between your old job and your old home, unless for some reason your employment requires you to live with a longer commute. Essentially, the IRS wants you to show that commuting between your new job and your old home would be a significant hassle.
The third test requires you to be employed for at least 39 weeks, working 40 hours a week, in the year after you move. It doesn’t all have to be for the same employer, and any vacation time, personal time, or illness counts as having worked full-time. If you’re married filing jointly, either you or your spouse can meet the time test, but you can’t combine weeks worked. Exceptions apply to the time test if you get transferred or laid off, or are in the military.
What you can deduct
If you’ve made it this far, what can you deduct?
• The costs of packing and transporting your household goods (that includes anything you spend on movers);
• The use of your personal car, if you use it to move, or other travel (such as plane tickets) from your old to your new place;
• The cost of shipping your car or pets;
• The cost of disconnecting utilities at your old place and setting up utilities at your new place;
• Any lodging costs you incur between leaving your old place and moving into your new place.
Things you cannot deduct:
• Any part of the purchase price of a new home, or the security deposit on a new apartment;
• Any pre-move expenses you incur looking for a new place;
• Memberships for clubs, such as gyms, that you might have to give up when you move;
• Expenses related to getting a new driver’s license or car registration.
Be organized
As you may have guessed by now, if you want to deduct your move, you’ll need to keep good records so that you have everything you need when you prepare your taxes. This can be particularly challenging during a move; one strategy is to keep a special folder or envelope in a bag that remains with you (as opposed to something you pack) and toss everything moving-related into it.
You can read more about moving on the Internal Revenue Service’s Web site .
When you can deduct
The IRS employs three “tests” of whether your move qualifies for a tax deduction: the “start of work” test, the “distance” test, and the “time” test. The start-of-work test requires that you move for a job. Generally you can deduct moving expenses if you move within one year of starting a new job, provided that you meet the other two tests. You may be able to stretch that out longer, however, if you can show a reason why you took more than a year to move — if, for example, you started work but delayed moving for more than a year to keep a child in school or stay close to an ill family member. You don’t have to start work before you move to meet this test.
The second test is the distance between your new job and your old home. If your new job is at least 50 miles farther from your old home than your old job was, you can deduct expenses. So if you previously drove 10 miles to your old job, your new job will have to be at least 60 miles from your old home for you to meet the test. (If you haven’t worked in a while, or this is your first job, the “distance” between old job and old home is defined as 0 miles.)
Also, your commute between your new job and your new home can’t be longer than your commute between your old job and your old home, unless for some reason your employment requires you to live with a longer commute. Essentially, the IRS wants you to show that commuting between your new job and your old home would be a significant hassle.
The third test requires you to be employed for at least 39 weeks, working 40 hours a week, in the year after you move. It doesn’t all have to be for the same employer, and any vacation time, personal time, or illness counts as having worked full-time. If you’re married filing jointly, either you or your spouse can meet the time test, but you can’t combine weeks worked. Exceptions apply to the time test if you get transferred or laid off, or are in the military.
What you can deduct
If you’ve made it this far, what can you deduct?
• The costs of packing and transporting your household goods (that includes anything you spend on movers);
• The use of your personal car, if you use it to move, or other travel (such as plane tickets) from your old to your new place;
• The cost of shipping your car or pets;
• The cost of disconnecting utilities at your old place and setting up utilities at your new place;
• Any lodging costs you incur between leaving your old place and moving into your new place.
Things you cannot deduct:
• Any part of the purchase price of a new home, or the security deposit on a new apartment;
• Any pre-move expenses you incur looking for a new place;
• Memberships for clubs, such as gyms, that you might have to give up when you move;
• Expenses related to getting a new driver’s license or car registration.
Be organized
As you may have guessed by now, if you want to deduct your move, you’ll need to keep good records so that you have everything you need when you prepare your taxes. This can be particularly challenging during a move; one strategy is to keep a special folder or envelope in a bag that remains with you (as opposed to something you pack) and toss everything moving-related into it.
You can read more about moving on the Internal Revenue Service’s Web site .
Be prepared for tax time!!
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” Benjamin Franklin wrote to a friend in 1789. Around tax time, many people might start seeing death as the more pleasant of these two inevitabilities. But there are things you can do to make taxpaying an easier and less painful process, both psychologically and financially. Here are some tips that will help you with your taxes.
Get organized
Current and former employers are required to send you your W-2 or W-9 forms for the previous year, stating how much they paid you and how much tax they paid on your behalf, by January 31. If you get to mid-February and you don’t have the right forms, contact the company’s human-resources department.
Keep these forms and your other tax information in one place so that when it comes time to do your taxes, you will have everything you need. Other items you will need to do your taxes may include receipts for charitable donations, interest statements from your bank or a lender, and dividend reports on any investments you may have.
Do some research
The American tax code is a complex and bewildering beast, with changes coming fast and furious every year. The IRS has information on the most recent major changes on its website, including answers to different “What-if?” scenarios, such as applying for unemployment compensation. You might also benefit if you…
Get some electronic help
Tax programs, both online and out of the box, can perform many of the services of an accountant for a fraction of the price. The most popular program is Intuit’s TurboTax but you might also try TaxACT or H&R Block’s TaxCut. If you have a copy of an older version, you should be able to download an update for a small fee incorporating this year’s rule changes. Tax programs will also help you file online, which could help you get a refund faster. If your tax situation is complex, you might want to…
Use a professional
If you have changed jobs a few times in one year, gotten married, started a company, or had any other developments that might complicate your tax situation, it might be worth your while to use a retail tax service or hire an accountant. It’s their job to know the letter of the tax law, and a professional may be able to find a few extra deductions that you would miss.
Businesses such as H&R Block and Liberty Tax Service can help you prepare and file your taxes. If you don’t use a retail service, make sure that you an Enrolled Agent (EA) or a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). CPAs and EAs have to pass rigorous tests and meet certain standards to be licensed by the government to practice.
Whether or not you use an accountant, check and see if you can…
File for free
Every year the IRS specifies a certain income ceiling ($56,000 for filing taxes on 2008) and allows anyone who earned less than that amount to use its “Free-File” program. Free File is supported by a consortium of companies; you can pick the one that suits your needs through the IRS’s website. When you use that company to file electronically, it will waive the usual fees (although only for federal, not state, tax returns). But no matter how you file, you’ll want to…
Keep copies
The IRS recommends keeping copies of tax returns for at least three years and employment tax records, such as W-2 forms, for at least four years. You may prefer to print out copies rather than keeping valuable financial information on your hard drive. If you own your own business, you will want to keep your information for longer in case of an audit. If you do get audited or have a problem filing…
Don’t panic
The IRS prefers working with people to tracking them down and prosecuting them. If you aren’t going to be able to pay the full amount you owe, or if you still owe money (or returns) from previous years, as scary as it sounds, your best bet is to call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and explain your situation. You could be offered a short-term extension or the possibility of paying on the installment plan. (You can file for an extension to October 15th, but the extension applies to getting the return in, not paying the amount owed.)
If all goes well with your taxes, you can possibly…
Look forward to your refund
Who couldn’t use some extra money? You can track the status of your return and find out when you will get a refund (if one is coming to you) on the Internal Revenue Service Web site. If your refund is very large, consider adjusting your withholding amount so you can keep more money in your pocket during the year.
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