Apartment Blog

ForRent.com would like to bestow a wish on all our friends with the following Irish Blessing this Saint Patrick’s Day!

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

Source: corsinet.com & ireland-information.com

Are you throwing a Valentine’s theme party this year? Do you need some ideas? Check out our five tips for throwing an awesome bash this year!

Tip 1: Invitations

Depending on the formality of your party, you can choose official invitations, emailed invitations or just verbally announce. Either way you choose, make sure it’s using the holiday colors and verbiage (lots of LOVE) while also setting the tone for the party.

Tip 2: Décor

Obviously you’ll want to stick somewhat to the color scheme of Valentines, like red, white and pink. Incorporate these colors in many of the decorations to give your party a truly lovely look. You might want to think about streamers, plates, napkins, cups, table cloth and of course the party staple balloons! And as I mentioned in our ‘cheap decorations’ blog, you can always make a lot of your decorations by using construction paper, colored plates cut out in the shape of hearts, or print out images on your computer. It’ll add just a bit more flair while not depleting your funds!

Tips 3: Food/Beverages

This is where a lot of your budget is going to be spent. You could do the usual finger foods for the party, i.e. chips, dips, wings, etc. Or you could do a dessert buffet! Give your guests all the treats they can take! J For beverages you can have the normal soda, water, etc. Or you can have a theme drink like ‘lovers punch’ or something of that nature.

Tip 4: Entertainment

You’ll want your guests to be entertained during your party. So make sure there are plenty of fun games for everyone to be involved in, music for the background and/or dancing as well as crafts for any children involved or adults that particularly enjoy it! But if you’re having an informal gathering where everyone knows everyone, then it may not be necessary to do all this. Just let everyone mingle!

Tip 5: Gifts

If you are going to be doing games, make sure there is a prize for each of the winners. You could also do door prizes or a gift exchange. And don’t forget little party favors as a thank you for the guests attending.

Did these ideas help? Will you incorporate them in your Valentine’s Party? I sure hope so!

Look at this little guy! Isn’t he so cute and pathetic? I almost seem cruel for making him wear an outfit like this, huh? Well let me tell you, after reading some tips on how to keep my pet safe in the winter, I’m actually doing a GOOD thing by dressing him up like this!!

As the weather is starting to get colder, don’t forget to protect your animals too! The little guys and big guys alike need looking after so they aren’t hurting this chilly season. Here are a few tips for you to take into consideration while looking after your pets.

Tip 1:

Keep your cat inside!! This is very important during the winter because outside cats tend to go where it is warm and that may not be the safest place; i.e. under the hood of a car? How would a cat even get here? This obviously poses many dangers to them as they can become seriously injured or killed. Also be sure and clean up any left over antifreeze as it is lethal for dogs and cats!

Tip 2:

Never shave your dog down to his/her skin during the winter. It goes without saying that without their coat, they won’t have any warmth on their body. Also make sure that after a bath, your dog is completely dried off before going outside.

Tip 3:

Consider clothes for smaller animals. Okay, so to go along with my Bailey (up top); this is actually recommended for small dogs’ with short hair because they get cold so easily. I have even read that putting boots on dogs (regardless of size) may be recommended because their paws get cold and walking on the damp cement can actually hurt them.

Tip 4:

Never leave your animal alone in a car. This is not safe. Even though he/she is not specifically outside, they can still freeze to death!

Tip 5:

Consider their food consumption. If your animal isn’t getting as much physical exercise as he/she usually does (in the summer months), be sure and reduce the amount of food you give them to avoid any gaining of unnecessary weight.

Our pets are apart of our family, so make sure you are keeping them safe and healthy this winter season. For more information on how to keep your pet safe, visit ASPCA.org or visit ForRent.com to find pet-friendly apartments!

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Why desperately shopping last-minute for the perfect gift of course; which just so happens to be the subject of this holiday-themed movie.

The story line is about a workaholic dad, Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who is trying to get the hottest toy of the season, Turbo Man action figure, for his son Jamie (Jake Llyod) on Christmas Eve. Of course, all the stores are out of it and have been since Thanksgiving!! As Howard races from toy store to toy store, he runs into mail carrier Myron Larabee (Sinbad), another neglectful dad hunting for the Turbo Man doll. Arnold Schwarzenegger has many humorous scenes in which he is attacked by a rogue band of elves and angry mothers at a mall and let us not forget he is also in a super hero costume!

Although this was not my first time watching Jingle All the Way, I still found it enjoyable to watch with the holiday inching forward. Arnold Schwarzenegger is amusing as a suburban man trying to undo all his wrongs by getting his little boy what he wants this year. Throughout the movie we are all rooting him on to beat the odds and get the toy! I found it to be a fun seasonal treat that will thoroughly entertain you and your family.

Source: Star Pluse

Don’t let the excitement of the holiday season make you vulnerable to theft this holiday season. Here are some tips to help you avoid identity theft and protecting your home.

Deter thieves by safeguarding your personal information

○ Make sure you shred any financial documents and paperwork before you throw them out.

○ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through email or mail unless you know who it is you are working with

○ Don’t carry around your Social Security card or write it on your checks.

○ Keep copies of your receipts when purchasing gifts.

○ Never tell anyone your PIN for the ATM and don’t write it down on your card!

○ To be extra cautious you can always sign up for a credit monitoring service so you can view changes that occur on your credit report.

Protect your home from potential criminals

○ Be cautious about locking the doors and windows to your house. Also don’t forget to lock your garages and sheds.

○ If leaving for an extended period of time, make sure your neighbors have a key to your place and pick up your mail (if you don’t already have it held at the Post Office)

○ Have lights set up to be on automatic timers.

○ Don’t hide spare keys near your door (i.e. under the rug, above the door, under a rock, etc.) Burglars know this trick!

○ And don’t leave descriptive telephone answering machine messages. (Like they did in Home Alone) It just lets whomever (even telemarketers) know that you will not be home for a certain period of time.

Make sure you are safe this holiday season by protecting against identity theft and other holiday crime.

Source: Federal Trade Commission

So you’ve found you’re new apartment. Exciting!! You are unloading the rental truck with all your things and you start to notice all the boxes pile up. After you’re all done, you realize that you have more stuff than you have room to put it in!

When things seem to look cramped in your new place, you need to start thinking creatively. Here are some tips to help you maximize your small space.

Build up. Living in a 900 square foot apartment that feels 600 square feet? Look for unique ways to store your items. At many local retailers, such as Target or Walmart, you can purchase artistic and eye catching storage units. This will help you eliminate the clutter of the everyday items you use while also saving some square footage. Another method for building up would be to loft your bed or add bed risers. You’ll create space under your bed for additional storage while disguising it from your guests.

And don’t forget to use the wall space! The four walls you have in your room can serve as decorative elements. By utilizing the space on your walls, you are avoiding the clutter on your furniture (i.e. desks, bookshelves, etc.), hence giving the appearance of more room. So purchase a few inexpensive wall shelves to put your little knick-knacks on and purchase photo frames that hang up.

Also, try to find multifunctional pieces. A perfect example would be a futon. They serve two purposes, as a couch and a bed. In a studio apartment this would double as your bed and entertaining area. Or in a one bedroom apartment, you’d be making space for overnight guests. Another multipurpose piece is storage trucks or ottomans. While providing storage inside, it will still serve as additional seating in your home.

Another neat trick to invent more space in your small apartment is to fool your guests’ eyes. Mirrors is a perfect example of how to do this. Place one or several mirrors on the wall to make the room appear larger. Another tool that creates this illusion is a false window.

I know for my home I’ve used some of these tips, how about you? Have you put bed risers in your bedroom to use the space underneath? What about decorating on the walls to save space on your furniture? Do you have any more ideas that I have listed? I’d love to hear how you maximized your small space!