Last week, Jess and Monica from East Coast Creative posted a super fun tutorial for a DIY Nautical Rope Wreath, that is sure to add some personality to your door. And since most of us are always looking for ways to maximize our space and make it work for us, (especially when it comes to entertaining in an apartment) the girls are back with 5 budget friendly tips for entertaining in a small space!

Hello friends! It’s Jess and Monica again from East Coast Creative! Everybody loves a good party, but a lot of people are afraid to host their own because of two reasons: it can be so expensive and because their homes are too small. We don’t think anyone should feel limited by either of those problems, so we’ve rounded up our favorite tips for hosting an inexpensive party in a small space.

1. Decorate “up”.  If you’re dealing with limited space, don’t crowd every table surface with decorations. You don’t want people to feel like they might bump into something at any minute, and you want to make sure there’s enough space for your guests to put their drinks down. Instead, decorate the walls and ceiling! You can make very inexpenisve paper pom-poms for only the cost of tissue paper that make a huge impact. And don’t forget good, ol’ balloons!  Used in the right way and in the right colors, they can be classy and beautiful.

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2. Go for a buffet! Not only do appetizers cost less than a full meal, but they don’t require a place setting at a table! To cut down on stress during the party, prepare extra trays before the party begins, so that when one plate runs out, you can easily swap it out for a new, styled plate: it looks better and takes less time! Spread out food and drink stations around your space to create a nice flow for your guests. That way you won’t have all your guests crowded in just one spot!

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3. Maximize every inch! To save space on your buffet table, vary the heights of the plates using cake stands, books, or anything you can think of! It adds a lot of visual interest and allows you to put more plates on the table.

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4. “Wrap up” your table! If you haven’t ever though of using wrapping paper and scrapbook paper to dress up your table, now is the time! This is a super inexpensive way to accessorize your table with a pop of color that coordinates with your theme. Just purchase a roll of your favorite wrapping paper and use it as a runner down the center of your buffet table, or find a fun pack of scrapbook paper and use them under your trays of food. Nothing boring about that!

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5. Move it outside! Even if you have a tiny, little balcony, sprucing it up so that your guests can wander outside makes it feel like your place is bigger! Add a few seats, and maybe a small table of appetizers and drinks and your guests will be so happy! Don’t forget lighting- inexpensive, white lights can go a long way and help set the mood for your party.

So whether you rent an apartment or own a small space, hosting a party can still be fun and easy on your bank account!

We’re the bloggers formerly known as “The Real Housewives of Bucks County” (if Prince can do it, so can we!) As of April 2012 we’re East Coast Creative. We’re passionate about DIY and Design and we like to keep things Real (sometimes really real). We feel pretty darn lucky to write this blog together. We met in high school (when Monica stole Jess’ boyfriend-not really… well, kinda) and have been best friends ever since (14 years).

If you stick around a while, you’ll hopefully pick up a few tips on how to DIY (and perhaps some on how NOT to!) but most importantly we hope you’ll be inspired to live authentically, dream big, and take a few risks in your home (and we’re aware that sounds slightly cheesy).

Mandi from Vintage Revivals shares with us how to find that perfect vintage piece to fit your style, as well as in your apartment in her third installment of her thirfting series!

Alright friends,  I must admit I am a little sad that this thrifting series is coming to an end!!  We have chatted about Finding the Goods, and Mixing Old and New Furniture.  Today we get to chat about the perfect vintage pieces for apartments.

Furnishing an apartment has its own extra special set of challenges.  One of the biggest hurdles is the fact that you most likely can’t paint your walls.  So bringing life into your space rests fully on your furniture choices.  Here are my tips to get the most vintage bang for your buck.

Tip #1 Measure Measure Measure. It’s extremely easy to get excited about a thrift store or online furniture score and buy it impulsively. My first tip is going to save you lots of heartache. Measure your space. Know what the maximum size is for the furniture to live there is. Also make sure to measure your doorways and any sharp hallway angles.

Tip #2  Does it need to be refinished? If it does, do you have somewhere to do it, or will you be spray painting inside your apartment?  I would not recommend spray painting indoors.  The fumes last for days and who wants to sleep with a giant paint respirator on? There are paints that require very little prep work (like Chalk paint or Milk paint). You can also buy No VOC paint that has almost zero fumes (my favorite is Sherwin Williams Emerald).

Tip #3  If you paint over a great Mid Century piece with intact wood I will cut you. Just kidding I wont. Even I made that mistake once, but please remember that just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Instead of paint, try using Restore-A-Finish or Danish Oil to bring it back to life.

Tip #4  Along with the no painting rule, most apartments come small. Make sure that you don’t buy pieces that are so huge they over power the entire space. Instead of getting a ginorm entertainment center, try a smaller dresser underneath your tv instead.

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Tip #5 Decorate with lots of mirrors! If you find yourself in a Tip #4 situation one of the best ways to enlarge a space is to use mirrors to bounce the light around and make the room feel more open.

Tip #6 Look at things differently. Just because you need a coffee table, doesn’t mean you need a coffee table. Use an end table instead for a bit more space. This is exactly what I did in my MIL’s living room. We found this vintage brass table for $25.00 and it is perfect in that space.

The most important part of decorating a space is making sure that you fill it with things that you love. And if you don’t find exactly what you are looking for, don’t be afraid to hold out just a little longer,  you never know what is waiting for you right inside the door on your next trip to the Thrift Store!
Hey there new BFF, I’m Mandi from Vintage Revivals, and I love your guts! I started Vintage Revivals in July of 2010.  I had discovered the vast world of DIY blogging and I was hooked.  All of my neighbors called me and were wondering what the crap I was spray painting in 119 degree heat, so I kind of started it as a way for everyone to keep track of the craziness that is Mandi Gubler. I describe my style as Thrift Shop Glam.  Sounds awesome right? Ya, I made it up.

Today on the blog, we have guest bloggers Jess and Monica from East Coast Creative stopping by to share a super easy, and a super fun DIY Nautical Wreath! Summer is right around the corner, and what better way to greet the new season, than we a fun, festive, and relatively inexpensive door wreath? Read on for a step by step guide of this innovative door decor.

One of the biggest problems people who rent face is a lack of space.  Most people really want to make their homes reflect their style.  When renting a home, it’s important to get creative to let your style shine through.  We’ve found that one of the easiest ways to showcase your style without taking up a lot of space is by seasonal door decor.  It’s the first thing your guests will see when then enter your home, so it’s the perfect opportunity to make an impression.  You don’t have to pay big bucks for a gorgeous wreath, either. We’ll show you that you can make one of your own for right around $10!

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:

• Wreath form, rubber hose or pool noodle
• Multi-color braided rope
• Natural-colored rope
• Hot glue gun
• Masking or painters tape
• Ribbon for hanging

Step 1:  Cut your hose or pool noodle to size, if using. 

We are big fans of using what we have. Not only does this keep the cost down, but it’s environmentally friendly, too. I found this hose laying in my basement and decided it would be perfect as a wreath. Don’t be afraid to scout out your house to see if there is something you could use before going to buy a traditional wreath form.

Step 2:  Attach the ends together to make a circle shape using tape.

Step 3: Place hot glue on the back of your wreath and begin wrapping with the first color rope.

This project uses a lot of hot glue, so take extra caution not to burn yourself. You’d be surprised at how hot that glue can get!

Step 4. Wrap, wrap, glue, wrap, wrap. Repeat. 

In order to keep my rope secure with no gaps, I used hot glue every time the rope wrapped around two or three times. I actually counted how many wraps I did with each rope to keep a uniformed look. I wanted to make sure that both color ropes were used evenly.

That’s it!  I love the simplicity of this wreath and the way it gives a nod to nautical style without being over the top. It gives a pretty good glimpse at what my house is going to be like inside- simple, a little bit nautical and laid-back.

We love non-traditional wreaths and have made several others that match our style and were easy on our budgets.

Wood Slice Wreath

Outdoor Instagram Wreath

Dressing up your front door is so much fun, go on and get crazy with your creative, wreath-loving self!

We’re the bloggers formerly known as “The Real Housewives of Bucks County” (if Prince can do it, so can we!) As of April 2012 we’re East Coast Creative. We’re passionate about DIY and Design and we like to keep things Real (sometimes really real).  We feel pretty darn lucky to write this blog together.  We met in high school (when Monica stole Jess’ boyfriend-not really… well, kinda) and have been best friends ever since (14 years).

If you stick around a while, you’ll hopefully pick up a few tips on how to DIY (and perhaps some on how NOT to!) but most importantly we hope you’ll be inspired to live authentically, dream big, and take a few risks in your home (and we’re aware that sounds slightly cheesy).

Although we would all love to have acres and acres of luscious growth, pretty petals and vine-ripe vegetables, that’s not reality for many of us who live in apartments and cities. But just because you don’t have access to a huge yard, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost for having a garden! By thinking outside of the box, you can come up with some really creative ways to bring the great outdoors inside.

But first, before you get too far into planning your garden, make sure to clear things with your landlord on the front end – find out what spaces you are free to use and whether you can attach anything to the wall without it being considered a “permanent fixture” (in which case, it is now a part of the structure and stays behind even when you move on). Get your agreement in writing to avoid miscommunication and potential trouble on the back end.

Now that the bit of “housekeeping” is finished, let’s move on to gardening! Here are a few tips to get you started.

Making Your Plans

The most important thing when designing any indoor garden is to pick your spot – find one receiving as much natural light as possible. If you have no windows at all, plant near an artificial light source. Once you decide on a location, pick your plants based on what will grow with whatever amount and type of light you are working with.

Movin’ on up!

When you live in an apartment and can’t spread out, the most logical option is to venture up – by designing your own vertical garden. Living walls, as they are often called, are not only cool and interesting displays in your pad, but they also improve your air quality! Moreover, there are bonus benefits for your plants: since they are not rooted in the ground, they are not at risk of being overtaken by weeds and soil-borne diseases. In short, planting up is a healthy option all the way around.

Whether you use a pre-fabricated system or build your own, make sure that you provide a strong support for your vertical garden. There are companies out there that specialize in exactly this type of thing – check out some options here: www.woollypocket.com. You can also make your own living wall by attaching flat-back baskets, mesh pockets, burlap bags and plastic containers (with drainage holes) to a sturdy board. The support structure here is crucial because once you add up the weights of the vessel, the plant, the soil, and the water, your garden is pretty heavy.

To create that cascading effect, go with plants known to grow well in the upright position. Several great options include verbena, trailing impatiens, lantana and creeping phlox. Just be sure to properly water your plants and provide a trough or bucket underneath to catch any drainage.

Just Hanging Out

If vertical is not your thing, but you are fortunate enough to have a balcony, fire escape or porch, consider making your own hanging garden. Some great options for hanging pots are clear plastic soda bottles (2 liter size works well), small Tupperware-type containers, and pretty much anything you can plant in and suspend in the air.

To make a quick and easy (and totally transportable) hanging garden out of clear plastic soda bottles, gather an odd number of bottles to fill the space you have. Carefully cut off the tops below the neck and poke several holes in the bottom of the bottle. Poke four holes about an inch from the top of the newly cut bottle, in equal distances around the rim, and thread them with thick twine or rope so that you can hang your pots.

Add a bit of moss or coconut fiber to the bottom of the bottle to aid in drainage and prevent the soil from escaping through the newly-drilled holes. Add potting soil – it’s best to go with a potting mix for flowering plants as this will help ensure whatever you choose to plant receives proper nutrients.

And now for the best part – actually planting in your new pots! Choose a variety of plants to make up your garden: some excellent options are different types of ivy, spider plants, petunias and golden pothos. To complete the effect, hang your pots from the railing at varying heights for added aesthetics; these plants in particular create a lovely textural effect as they grow and add a lush element to even the dreariest fire escape!

What are some of your favorite things to plant in a concrete jungle? Have you experienced any issues with growing in apartments that you can share with first time gardeners?

Mike Tuma works at a Home Depot in the Chicago area and writes for the Home Depot website. Mike writes on outdoor products, ranging from wood chipper tips to the latest and greatest in chainsaws.

I am in love with Pinterest. I love everything about Pinterest. I love the pin descriptions, I love the images, and I certainly love the recipes. (Not trying to brag, but I am pretty good at eating.) I have found so many delicious recipes on Pinterest, I feel like they were made just for me, or at least with me in mind. What I don’t love, however, is the need to run out to the store and drop almost 5 dollars on the “fresh” herbs that my latest pinned recipe calls for.

I started to feel victimized and taken advantage of by all of these “fresh” herbs, not to mention all the money I was spending on them. Things were starting to get out of control; I’m not Emeril for goodness sake.  That’s when it dawned on me to grow my own herbs. If Wal-Mart could do it, why couldn’t I?

Living in an apartment, I do not have the responsibility (or luxury depending on your view) of running outside and tending my own garden. Because of this, I researched which herbs I could easily grow inside my apartment.  Here’s a list of the top three that I came up with:

1. Basil: Almost every pasta recipe I pin (and I pin a lot of pasta recipes) calls for fresh basil. (Raising basil requires little light, which is helpful in a small living space with limited access to sunlight.)
2. Fennel: This herb adds a very strong and distinct flavor to your dishes. Let’s not forget about the pretty bonus – the bright yellow flowers! Also, they’re edible if you get hungry enough. (Fennel also requires little light.)
3. Oregano: It almost seems mandatory that one out of every five recipes call for this herb. This is great news for me, because oregano is actually preferred dried out as opposed to fresh. Awesome! One less thing for me to remember to keep alive.

There you have it. If you are not lucky enough to have a personal chef or copious amounts of money, then give growing your own herbs a shot. You may find that, not only is it rewarding, it’s possibly easier than you may have originally thought.

Hi! I’m Jamie, I blog over at C.R.A.F.T. and I’ve lived in numerous rentals, most recently this south Florida apartment, we called Sunny. I’m here to tell you, you can make your rental cute and organized, and get this… you can do it on a budget. True story! This is the last blog of my 3 part series for ForRent.com to share my super simple solutions to make your rental apartment/ house an organized, oh so pretty space for you to call home.

So far we’ve organized the heck out of the bathroom and the office nook. Today we’re doing laundry rooms, kitchens, and closets! Whahoo! After today, I’ve basically organized your whole house… you’re welcome! For today’s post you need these, lots of these:

Wire baskets are your friend. You can find them at your home improvement store for $6 or so. The one in the picture above hangs on shelves. I love wire baskets because you can take them with you when you leave. Here’s how I’ve used the magical shelf hanger in the past:

Laundry room: If you’re lucky enough to have shelves in there, use ‘em! I’ve got 2 filled with outlets and laundry paraphernalia. You’ll also notice wire basket shelves on the top shelf. Love those too. (See more than you’ve wanted to know about a person’s laundry room.)

Kitchen Cabinets: I put things like water bottles, tupperware lids, and kitchen gadgets in them.

And here’s another handy dandy version of the wire basket. Just look at this beauty, she gives under the sink a new life with a snap of your finger trip to home improvement store!

Under the sink in kitchen or bathroom: It gives you so much more space and best of all, it’s Easy (that’s right a gave easy a capital E)!

Closets: You can use either type of wire baskets in your closets. The wire hanger works wonders for belts, scarves, clutches… you name it!

These wire baskets will rock your rental organizing world, promise! You really can’t own enough of them, and the best part is… you can . I probably have 15 or so, and I have no doubt I (and you) will use them again in my next home.

Hi my rental living friends! I hope last weeks post gave you some good ideas to jazz up your rental bathroom. This week, we’re moving on to the office, AKA cluttered desk in the corner of your living room or bedroom. If you’re new here, I’m Jamie, I blog over at C.R.A.F.T. and I’ve lived in numerous rentals, most recently this south Florida apartment. I’m here to tell you, you can make your rental cute and organized, and get this… you can do it on a budget. True story!

We’re tackling the desk/ office nook today. In a rental, the trick is to buy/make things that are super easy to take down, pack up, and move to the next spot.

Tip 1. Magazine files: I know, I know… they are called magazine files, but you can file any papers/ spirals/ folders, I promise. Since I work from home, these were a life safer. Here are some inexpensive, pretty magazine files that could be used on Amazon. Give one to each member of the family or divide them up just for you! I’d like a few more labeled: “Scan me, please” and “Pay me, now” for documents that need to be scanned into my NeatDesk and bills and tickets I need to pay.

Tip 2. Wall pockets: If you need to save desk space, wall pockets work wonders. These wall pockets come with adhesive strips that can stick to your wall or you can use tacks. I don’t recommend them for books or magazine, but for paper these suckers are greatness. Also, instead of using the adhesive strip that comes with the pocket, I always use Command picture hanging strips because they will not tear paint off of your wall, and I want my deposit back, ha!

Tip 3. Labels: I’m a label maniac. It ensure that everyone in the house is clear as to where things go. No excuses! I like chalkboard labels because they’re cute and changeable! Go ahead, stick ‘em on everything.

Tip 4. Closet turned office: According to the Los Angeles Times, pocket offices are trendy. That’s great news for renters! If you have a free closet, add a desk! In a rental, I would try and utilize the hanging space with something like a shoe organizer to vertically hang things like scissors, tape, stapler, and pens. Taking the closet doors down will give you more space too. But, don’t just go ripping the doors out, please, please ask. You want that deposit back, don’t ya? So far in my rental experience, the landlord has kindly removed the doors for me (for example, in my FL closet).

Tip 5. Pictures and cute stuff: We all need a little fun when working in the office, and let’s face it, you don;t want everything filed away where you can’t see it! I’ve got a few good rental solutions for that. 1) Glass top on your desk: You can see in the pictures above, I bought a piece of glass to cover my desk. It’s basically a giant picture frame and it protects the paint job! 2) Framed web: (See pic below) It’s easy to make. All you need is a frame and yarn. Add pictures, instant cuteness, and clear up your desk space. 3) DIY cork board: Fill any frame with wine corks for an instant cork board. Lean the cork board up against the wall or use Command picture hanging strips!

And there you have it, 5 simple tips to make take control of your desk and even make it fun. I’ll be here next Monday to show you the power of the wire shelf, and why I love them so much. Here’s a little hint.

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With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, ForRent.com wants you to LOVE where you live. And what better way to discover the love of your apartment, then to have your dream Valentine’s Day in your apartment? ForRent.com is giving away a $500 gift card to one lucky renter to help make their perfect Valentine’s Day in their apartment come true.

This giveaway is fun and easy! Tell us how you would spend your perfect Valentine’s Day in your apartment, by simply following the steps below.

So what are you waiting for? Enter today, and you could be celebrating this Valentine’s Day in some serious style. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

See ForRent.com’s Valentine’s Day in Your Apartment rules.

Most apartment dwellers are in one of three categories. You’re totally in love with your space and you can’t wait to host your next shindig. Your space is ‘meh’, just okay and it’s always in the stage of being updated. Your living quarters make you cringe inside because you feel as though you’ve just walked into the ‘Lost and Found’ and it’s less of a paradise resort and more a last resort, if anything.

Your intentions may be to have a pin-worthy space, but every time you try to spruce things up, you face- palm instead. Not to fear, whether your apartment could use minimal tweaks or a complete overhaul, it’s so much easier to get started knowing your décor preferences. Home Good’s Stylecope created a fun and interactive approach of diagnosing your taste. Even if you don’t believe your horoscope reading is spot on, it is incredibly accurate when deciphering your décor personality.

Is contemporary more your style?  Or does industrial suit your personality?  Here are some great ideas.

Try it for yourself, you’ll either be pleasantly surprised or you’ll receive confirmation that your creativity is in a category fit for you!

Once again, we are excited to have Jamie from Crafty, Scrappy, Happy as our guest blogger this week sharing her tips on how to spruce up a space on a small budget.

I LOVE making over my spaces. I can never seem to stick with a look for very long. In fact, it seems like just yesterday I was putting the finishing touches on my office space, and only months later I am making it over again. But it is hard not to do when you find the perfect simple elements to transform your space. First thing’s first: Start with a statement piece. Something like the HUGE mirror that is now hanging above my over-sized farmhouse table that serves as my desk!

The space prior to my makeover looked light and white.  So, it has always been my goal to find the perfect mirror to complement the space a bit more.

And I finally found it. Although it was meant to be used as a full length mirror, the size is perfectly scaled to pair with the desk.  The best part about adding a huge mirror to this space is that it adds light and depth into an otherwise dark space. It reflects the light from the windows on the opposite side of the room and allows us to enjoy the view no matter where we are in our space!

After finding the mirror (statement piece), the next step in a makeover is to find items and accessories that will complement the look. For my makeover, I was wishing for a more mature office ambiance.  So, I grabbed a mix of vintage and new items that could create the serious, yet intriguing, environment… and as you can see, the accessories fit perfectly with the look and feel of the mirror!

I love the look of my newly made over space!  It’s true that a statement piece and a few accessories can completely transform a space.

It’s amazing how just a few changes can drastically change a space.  Just as in her last blog post, Jaime was nice enough to write down a list of the items she used, and where she got them.

Mirror: $150.00 Home Goods

Vintage Encyclopedias: $4.00 each Thrift Shop

Vintage Typewriter: $50.00 Antique Shop

Globe: $15.00 TJ Maxx

Lamp: $30.00 TJ Maxx

Jaime is a small town Wisconsin girl, who loves to create, craft and decorate in her free time….and then blog about it {of course}. Jaime, is the crafty gal and voice behind the blog Crafty, Scrappy, Happy. She is a newly graduated dentist who crafts and decorates in her free time!

How does your city rank when it comes to being mobile savvy? ForRent.com pulled the top 10 cities that had mobile visits in 2012, and what we found may (or may not) surprise you!

As a society, we are on the go more than ever so the way we receive our information is ever-changing to meet our demands. According to Nielson Wire, 74 percent of Americans ages 25-34 are proud owners of a Smartphone. In a recent poll we conducted on Facebook, an overwhelming amount of Smartphone users (73%) are using Android phones over iPhones. And you better believe we are doing more than just talking on our phones! In 2012, ForRent.com had over 15.8 million visits from mobile devices*. This is what we call a game-changer, and ForRent.com is changing the way renters are searching for their next home.

Renters are socially savvy- they know exactly what they are searching for, and they don’t want to wait to search. Using the ForRent.com mobile apps, you can view tons of property photos, videos and even the surrounding landscape and cityscape with our integrated augmented reality. No one knows the benefits of our mobile products better than the people living in our top 10 mobile markets.* Here are the top ten cities along with some fun facts about each area.

1. LA-Tops both our list as well as the list for the Most Expensive Homes for Sale.
2. Dallas- Appears home buyers flocked to this great city in early 2012, according to the quarterly report for second quarter.
3. Chicago- According to our reports, Chicago is one of the three cities going green with improvements such as environmentally-conscious conservatories, museums, planetariums, galleries, zoos and aquariums
4. New York- This fine city tops the list for beautiful parks for its famous Central Park with nearly 9,000 park benches to sit and watch the countless entertainers.
5. Atlanta- Looks like renters flocked to this great city in early 2012, according to the quarterly rental report for our second quarter. And it’s no wonder why with plenty of opportunities for young, recent graduates to seek employment.
6. San Fran- The Golden Gate Bridge isn’t all this city is known for; according to the Spooky Spaces Spooky Places report. San Francisco also has a haunted background with attractions like the Chambers Mansion. And with a median list price of a single family home for sale at a whopping $810,000, it’s no wonder why most would choose the option to rent in this city.
7. Washington DC- In addition to be the nation’s capital, Washington DC also happens to be one of the best cities to celebrate the holiday season as well as being a big sports city with major teams like the NFL Redskins, MLB Nationals, NBA Wizards and NHL Capitals.
8. Denver- You can live the life in Denver with over 200 parks including a 314 acre City Park and a large network of public community gardens, in addition to over 14,000 acres of mountain parks including Keystone Resort and Rocky Mountain National Park.
9. Seattle- Another city known for its environmentally friendly efforts, Seattle’s city government is modifying roads, buildings, drainage systems, water systems, and improving general ecosystem health in anticipation of the environmental effects of climate change.
10. Columbus- Their mix of cultures has earned Columbus the label of a “typical” American city. The area has been widely used by corporations as a test market for new products.

Technology will always be striving to keep up with the demand of how consumers want to receive information. Those who thought the mobile movement was just a trend can now be satisfied with an overwhelming amount of data saying otherwise. Mobile is not just a trend; it’s a way of life.

How does our list of top 10 cities pair up with your guess? Did your city make it on to our list?

*Reporting pulled from Ominiture from January 2012- January 2013.

We are excited to have Jamie from Crafty, Scrappy, Happy as our guest blogger this week sharing her tips on how to spruce up a space on a small budget.

This weekend I transformed yet another one of my spaces with a pop of color and some serious pattern!  It is fun to see what a difference that color and pattern can do to make the space look so much more inviting.

This is what my space looked like prior to my makeover.

I have to admit, I liked the space a lot, but it wasn’t until I added a few pops of coral that I really really loved the space.

I always try to establish a color scheme by choosing a staple color (in this case aqua), then surround that color with other neutrals, BUT then, add a pop of unexpected contrasting color as a complement.

A great way to make a statement in your space is to add pattern and texture.

I have a theory that as long as you mix the scale of the patterns you are incorporating into your space, you can’t go wrong!

Every great space needs great accessories. I love that this giraffe is a bit eclectic, but still a sweet addition to the space.

I like that the space is comfortable and usable, and beautiful at the same time!

As you can see, the outcome is absolutely beautiful as well as livable!

If you love what you see, Jamie was nice enough to provide a breakdown of what she used, where she got them, and how much her “pop” items were.

 

Giraffe: $15.00 Target

Coral Vase with Flowers: $18.00 Target

Tray: $25.00 Target

Throw: $25.00 Target

Vintage books: $2.00 each Thrift Shop

Chairs:  $100.00 each TJ Maxx

Just to recap, lets look at these amazing before and after shots.  With just a few minor changes, you can really create an entirely new space!

Jaime is a small town Wisconsin girl, who loves to create, craft and decorate in her free time….and then blog about it {of course}. Jaime, is the crafty gal and voice behind the blog Crafty, Scrappy, Happy. She is a newly graduated dentist who crafts and decorates in her free time!

Is your couch, handed down from sweet Aunt Edna, circa 1976 ready for an upgrade?  Did that shabby-chic duvet cover, complete with matching throw pillows not make it under your tree this year?  Whatever your space is lacking, ForRent.com wants to help revamp it with $1,000!  That should help start your New Year off with a bang!

So, what would $1,000 do for your space? ForRent.com is excited to announce the New Year, New Space sweepstakes!  Come visit the ForRent.com Facebook page from January 14, 2013 – January 31, 2013 and fill out a quick, simple entry form for your chance to win a $1,000 gift card to Amazon. Be sure to “like” our page as well, so that you can be fully enrolled for your chance to win.

The New Year is yours, so make it a great one! Remember to enter by January 31st for your chance to win $1,000 to enhance your space!

 The New Year presents us with opportunities for a fresh start.  New Year, new home and new organizational space!  You know that pile of clothes, accessories and plethora of hair products?  They aren’t going to sort themselves. (Where’s Mary Poppins when we need her?)

Instead of dreading this time, embrace it with a simple approach: compart-mental-ization. See what we did there? Sure, it may be easier to just throw everything in on big box or container but as far as daily functionality goes, you’re making more of mess than anything.

Tips to remember:

-No matter the size of your space, think about the things you use/wear on a daily basis. These are the items that take priority in the organization process.

- Purge as you go. Remember the dread of spring cleaning? Put those stellar multitasking talents to work and get a head start by pitching and ditching the stuff you don’t need while organizing. (It’s okay to let go!)

- Donate. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.  Answer your societal calling to help your fellow man and give all of the good condition items you don’t use to your local donation center.

Once you’ve gotten these (easy) first steps out of the way, you have not only gotten organized, but you’ve gotten a head start spring cleaning and have done a good deed. How’s that feel?

It’s that time of year again! The New Year is here, we survived another “ending of the world,” and it’s time to set our goals for the coming year. In a recent Facebook poll, we asked people what they had resolved to do in the New Year. Here are the top five responses:

1. Self Improvement. Sometimes the hardest changes to make are the changes to yourself. Some common areas of self improvement are reducing stress, being a better person, taking time to appreciate your surroundings, and being thankful for what you have. You can also throw things like volunteering into this category since charitable work is good for you as well as those you are helping! (Charitable work ideas.)

2. Get Healthy. Whether that means exercise, eating right, having wellness exams or some combination of the three, getting healthy is a good resolution for everyone. (For more apartment friendly exercising tips, browse through our Exercising in Your Apartment blog.)

3. Focus on Family. Nothing is more important than family, and building close relationships with the people you care about is extremely important for your general well-being. Something as simple as housework can be a great way to bond with loved ones, or you can go out for a fun activity as a group! (Weekend activities.)

4. Get Money-Wise. Any time of year is a great time to get your finances under control. Paying off debt, budgeting and making sure you know where your money is going are great ways to get yourself financially secure. It never hurts to consult a professional either! (Money saving tips/money saving ideas.)

5. Get Organized. Organization helps with so many aspects of your life, it is no wonder this is in the top five! Household organization, scheduling, making lists, there is no end to how you can make   your life easier. Take a look at this article for more tips on organization: (Stay organized.)

Even though these are the five most popular resolutions, there were some others that came close. Finding a job, doing well in, or going back to, school, and making big purchases (car, house, etc.) also make the list. Did your resolution make our list?

Surprise Storage Ideas for Your Bathroom- By guest blogger Tim Eyre

Since the floor space in apartment bathrooms is often at a premium, make your walls go to work for you. Mount a shelf above the door frame as a high perch for spare towels, surplus toiletries, and extra toilet paper. For the convenience of a vanity cabinet when you’ve got a wall-mount sink, add a floating shelf just below the drainpipe; you can stow baskets of toiletries, towels, and cleaning supplies down here. Got a blank wall? Hang three or four stylish towel bars, one above the other, with about a foot between them. Secure several square or rectangular baskets from the rods using black plastic cable ties. The baskets are useful for holding hand towels and washcloths, small sundries, toilet paper, and magazines.

With some creative storage ideas, it’s possible to utilize a small living space to the fullest, without compromising the ability to host friends and family or keep the items on hand that you desire.

Tim Eyre works in the self storage industry, regularly traveling to see locations like San Jose storage facility. In many locations, like the storage units yard in San Diego, Tim helps his customers store seasonal equipment when it is not being used for outdoor activities or home improvement projects.

Photos by:

k. l. macke

Vegan Feast Catering

In late October, Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast hard, leaving almost 8 million families throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut without power and thousands without a place to call home. We were inspired by one family in particular and had an opportunity to help support the Correa family of Staten Island.

ForRent.com and Homes.com partnered with bestselling author and actor/entertainer Steve Harvey and The Steve Harvey Show for a special episode, which aired on December 6, 2012, dedicated to helping this family devastated by the superstorm Sandy. We were honored to help the Correa family by committing to cover rent costs for their temporary Staten Island rental home for the next 12 months, surprising them with the donation during the episode.

ForRent.com Partners with The Steve Harvey Show to Give Back this Holiday Season #pinspiration

“There are a lot of special families that deserve our help,” said Terry Slattery, president of Homes.com and ForRent.com. “When we learned about the Correa family and their loss, Homes.com and ForRent.com wanted to step in and help in any way we could as they work to rebuild their lives and we encourage people to continue to donate.”

The holiday season is a good reminder of the things that are important in our lives. It’s a time spent with family and friends and brings to mind what we are thankful for. And for many, it includes helping others in whatever way possible. We are proud to be a part of a company that moves quickly to help those in need; this holiday season we hope to inspire you to do the same. Contact the Red Cross to learn about ways you can help victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Watch the Steve Harvey show episode clip:

The holiday season is here, and with that being said, Homes.com and ForRent.com are excited to launch their first ever Instagram Challenge!

We want to see this holiday season through your eyes! We challenge you to join in the fun and participate in our Home for the Holiday Photo a Day Instagram Challenge!

The rules are simple:

• Participate as often as possible… Each day in December has it’s own challenge! {Click the image to download and print out your very own Home for the Holidays Challenge calendar}
• Upload your image to Instagram using the hashtag #HolidayHomeChat and tag @aptsforrent and @homesdotcom.
• If you are not on Instagram, that’s okay too! Email your daily photo to contest@forrent.com.

At the end of the contest, we will deem one user the winner, and present them with a $300 Visa gift card!

How awesome is that!?! So hurry, our Home for the Holidays Instagram Challenge starts this Saturday, December 1st!

For a more in depth look at our rules, check out our complete legal document here!

The holiday season is here! With that said, Homes.com and ForRent.com are excited to launch their first ever Instagram Challenge!

We want to see this holiday season through your eyes! We challenge you to join in the fun and participate in our Home for the Holiday Photo a Day Instagram Challenge!

The rules are simple:

• Participate as often as possible… Each day in December has it’s own challenge! {Click the image to download and print out your very own Home for the Holidays Challenge calendar}
• Upload your image to Instagram using the hashtag #HolidayHomeChat and #DE and tag @aptsforrent and @homesdotcom.
• If you are not on Instagram, that’s okay too! Email your daily photo to contest@forrent.com.

At the end of the contest, we will deem one user the winner, and present them with a prize pack valued at $100!

How awesome is that!?! So hurry, our Home for the Holidays Instagram Challenge starts this Saturday, December 1st!

For a more in depth look at our rules, check out our  complete legal document here!

ForRent.com is at it again! We love the tailgating season so much that we want to know what are your favorite go to recipes for a tailgate? Our #TailgateFever campaign runs until the end of the September and one lucky fan will score the ULTIMATE TAILGATING PACKAGE worth over $2,000! We’ve also provided some additional yummy recipes and fun tailgating party ideas in our Free Tailgating Guide…

But wait! There’s more!!

Southern bell, entertaining expert, and tasty book author Courtney Dial Whitmore {insert Oprah Winfrey announcer voice}, yes the very one from Pizzazzerie, will be co-hosting a Twitter chat with us tomorrow Tuesday September 18th at 8pm EST. We are so excited about this! Get your recipe questions ready for Courtney as we will have her all to ourselves and she will be available to answer any recipe/tailgating/entertaining questions you may have! Courtney has provided us with some beautiful (and delicious) blogs such as Gridiron Punch and Touchdown Taco Bites.

So come chat with us and grab some amazing tips that will help get you ahead of the “game” for this exciting tailgating season, as well as the quickly approaching holidays. We will also be giving away some fun prizes to a few lucky guests!

We look forward to chatting with you tomorrow! Make sure you follow us on Twitter @AptsForRent and Courtney @Pizzazzerie and join us on the chat by following hashtag #TailgateFever. A service like Tweetchat or Tweetdeck makes participating in chats easy & fun to follow. Hope to chat with you soon!!!