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.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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.
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