Apartment Blog

Are you experiencing some difficulty decorating your apartment? As I’m sure you already know, decorating a small space so that it looks good and works well can be a challenge. There are several factors to take into consideration when you’re trying to figure out the style, space limitations, paint restrictions, budget, etc. So I’ve compiled some quick apartment decorating tips that should help get your creative juices flowing.

While you’re focusing on the aesthetics of your room make sure you remember it needs to be functional as well. You’ll need places to store your mail, groceries and paperwork. Whatever requires your daily attention must be readily available! You can have organization without sacrificing your style just by having colorful/patterned/textured containers to store those items in. Various shelving units also help with organization. Multi-functional pieces, such as storage ottomans which provide seating and storage, are a bonus as they make your smaller space work better for you.

If you’re in an apartment like mine, you aren’t allowed to paint the walls. This makes it tough to express your true design. However, there are plenty of alternatives to paint for putting color on your walls. For example, you can do a temporary mural, a large framed poster/artwork, fabric, etc. One thing I’ve tried at my apartment is cling stickers. I found them at the Dollar Store! In my guest bathroom there are little shells and fishes swimming on my walls! It’s completely different than any other decorative element I’ve tried, but it works and best of all: they don’t hurt the walls! So don’t be afraid to think outside the box when you are decorating your space.

Given that you may or may not be able to paint, accent pieces play an important role in getting the maximum impact. In any room you’ll notice the items that carry the most weight, meaning the items that have more vibrancy or add an interesting element to the space. They can include lamps, vases, curtains, pillows, etc. Whatever your motif, add an accent color, shape or pattern with these items; it’ll provide the extra glam that you’re looking for. For example, a paper lantern floor lamp or a unique arch lamp will create visual interest while being functional and cohesive to your design.

I hope these tips help you on your way to creating your stylish apartment. Do you have any more useful ideas to share? I know we’re all in the same boat trying to find unusual decorating ideas with our restrictions, so let your ideas flow!

Green doesn’t just have to be the color for your party, make it the theme!! Green living can extend to how you entertain! Making it green is easy on the environment and easy for you to do! Mimicking the tips we’ve already given you for St. Patrick’s Day Party Ideas, we’ve matched some eco-friendly ones. Check out these tips:

Tip 1: Invitations
As I always suggest, send out electronic invitations. Besides giving your party a more casual tone, you also save on paper that is just going to be thrown out later.  Or if you’re party is going to be formal and dictates having an invite, try to use recycled paper invitations.

Tip 2: Decorations
Just for the sheer expense, I always try to recommend fun crafty ideas for holiday decorations. Take a look at our St. Patrick’s Day Party ideas. But it turns out, not only will these save you money; they are also more environmentally friendly! Making your decorations would be a creative and a fun thing for you and your friends or kids to do.  And as much as it hurts, my favorite party staple that I always recommend–balloons–is actually pretty bad for the environment! They often end up in the ocean where they are consumed by sea life, which eventually die from balloons blocking their digestive system. So looks like all my ballooning days are over! 

Tip 3: Food & Drinks
A cute and easy idea to avoid waste is serving finger food. By serving finger food, you alleviate the need to have utensils or plates.  Your guest can just have their little sandwiches, cheese & crackers, cookies, chips on napkins.  And if you want to save on purchasing cups, offer your guests canned or bottled beverages. You can recycle them when they are done!  Wow, this tip allows you to save on a little bit of money as well! Cha-ching!

Tip 4: Entertainment
If you’ve read our blog about St. Patrick’s Day  Party ideas then you know we suggest doing contests, having music or a movie playing in the background.  These ideas don’t require too many materials. But another idea I’d like to add is doing Karaoke! You don’t necessarily have to have a machine (although it helps), but just grab a bunch of your already ‘tipsy’ friends for some movin and groovin and perhaps a little singing!  This should make for a lot of entertainment!! 

While we are making suggestions about how to make your St. Patrick’s Day party more eco-friendly, please remember these tips can certainly be used for your other parties.  If you’re having a Birthday celebration soon, think about using some of these ideas. Not only are you helping the environment but you also may be saving some money in the process!! Bonus!!

Source: Progressivekid.com

So this year you want to host a fun green filled St. Patrick’s Day party, huh? Well, follow these tips and you’re sure to not disappoint!

Tip 1: Invitations
As always, we start our hosting parties with letting the guest list know who, what, where, when, etc. These invitations can be hand crafted, store bought or emailed! Chose whichever suits the party you’re throwing or guests attending. Regardless of the medium chosen, have the St. Patrick’s Day theme clear with lots of green, shamrocks, leprechauns, etc. Think of clever phrases or jokes to get a rise out of the receiver, such as: ‘Knock Knock, who’s there, Irish, Irish who?, Irish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!’ Ha ha ha!!

Tip 2: Decorations
Think green and silly when it comes to decorations for your party! Shamrocks and leprechauns are a must on the walls and windows. Take a look at our St. Patrick’s Day Crafts blog for ideas on how to create some of your decorations or go with store bought ones. I always advise using balloons as I think they scream party! But additional decorations would be needed on the buffet table such as green table cloth, napkins, cups, confetti, centerpieces, etc. Also make attire a decorative element by having everyone wear green and leprechaun hats!

Tip 3: Food & Drinks
Keep the green theme going with your food too! You can have green cookies, green M&M’s, chips with guacamole, fruit that’s green, green beverages, etc. Let your imagination run wild! And if you can’t think of enough foods that are green, you can always use food coloring! The obvious drink choice for a St. Patrick’s Day party is beer. Traditional Irish beers, such as Guinness or Murphy’s Irish Red Ale, would be served. If your party does have alcohol please be responsible for all your guests. Have someone as the designated driver for those that drink or offer guests to stay the night.

Tip 4: Entertainment
A must in every party is to have entertainment for your guests. You can have contests such as a limerick contest, St. Patrick’s Day games or just music or videos playing in background for noise. A suggestion would be having the music/movie coordinate with the theme, i.e. St. Patrick’s Day party having Irish music or one of the Top 10 St. Patrick’s Day Movies playing on your T.V. Either way, you’ve got to have something fun and interactive so your guests won’t be bored!

With these four tips your St. Patrick’s Day party should be a blast! Your guests will have a smashing time and you’ll be regarded as the best host! Enjoy!

Source: ehow.com

Do you and your sweetie want to go away somewhere for Valentine’s Day but can’t because of money? Then why not go to destination YOUR HOME!! If you can’t go somewhere for a romantic weekend, why not create one in your apartment? Here are some ideas to help you decide how you want to decorate your ‘paradise’ this year!

Pick an Idea or Theme! If you and your honey are beach bunnies and would love to go somewhere warm and exotic, why not decorate your place for the tropics? Or if you would prefer a smokey mountain retreat, decorate like a log cabin. There may not even have to be a specific theme besides Valentine’s Day. The decorations could simply be the atmosphere of love. The possibilities are endless!

Prepare Your Apartment! So you’ve come up with an idea of how to decorate, so make sure you prepare your setting. Valentine’s Day is one day when it’s okay to go ALL out!! Because all the special touches let your ‘special someone’ know how much they mean to you. So if you’re planning a tropical get-a-way have some flowers, island themed decorations, bikini, etc. If you’re planning on doing Valentine’s as the theme be sure and use lots of flowers (even a bouquet in the bathroom for a surprising touch) and balloons!

Set The Mood. So you’re preparing your apartment with all the appropriate décor, be sure to set the mood using candles and/or music. It can play with your theme too, beach music for beach theme. Or love songs for Valentine’s theme. (Of course love songs will work regardless of the theme given it’s for Valentine’s Day!) Another idea is to strategically place a setting in front of the fireplace of your apartment. Whatever you choose keep in mind you want to try and create some intimacy and magic!

Food/Beverages. You can really use this topic to your advantage, make it whatever you want! If you both have a specific cuisine you like, prepare it (or order it in…). J Or go with the theme that was picked (i.e. island food for beach theme, or heartier meals for a mountain/camping theme). It’ll be an extra something special and an expression of your love!

Have some Pre-Planned Entertainment. This is where your island retreat can really take off! Plan to do a Hawaiian dance for your sweetheart! Or should you be celebrating Valentine’s Day, watch his/her favorite movie (mushy or otherwise)! Have some portion of the evening dedicated to whatever your sweetheart would like to do! This is the ultimate gift you could give your ‘special someone’.

One year I decorated my boyfriend’s room with posters, streamers, balloons, a teddy bear and a giant card. You would have thought I gave him a new entertainment system by the way he reacted. He was so surprised and appreciative that I would think to do something like that! So trust me, your sweetie will enjoy the surprise and it’ll be a fun memory for you as well! J Happy Valentine’s Day!

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!

You’ve seen recent posts about how you can do more to protect the environment and conserve our resources, such as recycling and reusing. But what other efforts are being done around you that you may not even know about? Did you know that apartment communities are making great strides to improve their communities to increase their ‘going green’ efforts? It’s true!

It all starts with construction. Recycled materials can be used, low VOC paints, carpets and other indoor products are making their way as well as heating and cooling systems that are geothermal based (meaning it draws upon the earth’s temperature to supplement traditional systems). Many products are out there for construction companies to use, such as biodegradable linoleum and industrialized recycled polmer (for carpet tiles).

So why aren’t all apartment communities being converted using more environmentally friendly efforts? Well that’s a simple answer, money! “Green construction is often looked at as costly and can seriously hurt the project’s bottom line. Using environmental design is normally estimated to cost as much as 15 percent more than traditional jobs[1].”

Even so, the costs for going green may increase for the developers but they do the exact opposite for the tenants. Having more energy efficient & water saving devices in the apartment community will help drive down costs for residents, which is ultimately what every renter wants!! And given the increased demand of environmentally friendly communities, I’d say resident’s voices are being heard. Many renters expressed that they would pay more in rent if they would be living in a building that makes efforts to conserve and recycle. Because when you think about it, having those amenities will actually save you more money in the long run with reduced electric and water bills!!

So ask your apartment community if they’re doing their part!

[1] Daily Record, The (Baltimore), Jun 25, 2004 by Ezra Fieser

Okay, so I was searching on the web and I found this cool article on MSN.com. (I copy and pasted the text for you below.) As you all know, my boyfriend and mine’s favorite Christmas movie is the Grinch. Read what the article says about Grinch lovers like us and figure out what your favorite Christmas movie says about you!!

Article:

By Margot Carmichael Lester

Your new guy says he can’t get through the holidays without watching A Christmas Story at least three times (he even has the leg lamp). Or it’s your new lady friend who sings all the tunes from Santa Claus Is Coming to Town in the shower. We asked pop culture mavens Alexis Bondoc, columnist for IntrepidMedia.com, and Ian Williams, an author/director/filmmaker, how a person’s all-time fave Christmas show reveals his or her dating M.O. Read on for some intriguing insights!

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Alexis: The fella who never misses this show is probably a classic guy who already knows how to dress and laugh. Slip him a CD by Vince Guaraldi (who did the jazzy numbers on the show) as a gift.
Ian: If your girl loves this show, deep down, she may want to don a black turtleneck and get existential—this show has a message. But she always has time to dance (who can resist that music!) and maybe she can make clouds of dirt like Pigpen.

A Christmas Story
Alexis: Aww… He’s got a wistful, nostalgic sense of humor and can probably remember every Christmas morning growing up. But, more importantly, there’s more than a slight chance that he didn’t get that one certain gift that every other kid on his block got — the Radio Flyer wagon or the super-cool robot set — and can still remember that deprivation NOW. Will you be the one to indulge him now?
Ian: Your romantic partner is something of a happy medium: corny, yet cool. Not cool in a desperately hip way, but subversive enough to keep things interesting. She hasn’t forgotten what the wonders of childhood were like—and doesn’t want to.

Bad Santa
Alexis: If this is your guy’s favorite seasonal show, then hold your horses. This guy is the Anti-Santa who would probably be happy to make a bunch of gift deliveries with a bottle of Jack Daniels. His ideal vision of Christmas probably involves telling little kids they don’t need Barbies or that Mickey isn’t a real Mouse and that he lives next to a 7-Eleven instead of the North Pole. Run, run, run. Unless you’re happy spending your time with the embodiment of Life’s Little Destruction Book…
Ian: Most likely, your lady was waiting for a movie like this long before it came out. Finally, someone told a Christmas story without much of a moral… and with lots of cringing along the way. Not one for nostalgia, your girl probably wants to order Chinese food rather than prepare a feast. If you are equally dark in your outlook, well, merry, merry!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Alexis: You don’t have to worry about this guy at all. He’s offbeat, sure, but he’s got a good heart. He probably loves celebrating Christmas with a delightfully creative and witty sense of humor instead of tradition. He’ll probably surprise you with completely novel ways of marking the holiday season.
Ian: The girl who loves this one is a sucker for ritual, and why not? We all know what happens to the Grinch, but the magic is in the retelling. The Whoville song is treacly and boring, but the Grinch’s theme, with jazz glissandos and rich baritone, make it a yearly must-see. But you must ask this woman: Does she identify with the Grinch… or the Grinch’s poor dog? That will give you some important clues!

It’s A Wonderful Life
Alexis: If your guy likes Frank Capra’s all-time classic, you can put good money on the fact that he’s as classically appealing as Jimmy Stewart—and probably as thoughtful, too. Thoughts count a lot with this kind of guy; make sure yours are up to snuff.
Ian: Like Crowded House sang, “Wherever there is comfort, there is pain,” and don’t your baby know it! She gets It’s a Wonderful Life as it was meant to be: not a sing-songy holiday card, but a deeply sad reflection on dreams deferred. She’s a deep-thinker… and probably a keeper.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Alexis: Any guy who picks this stop-animation classic is probably as unique as little Rudolph is. He probably celebrates Christmas — and lives his life — with a playful and creative streak. I mean, this is a guy who lives for the island of misfit toys and the Bumble! He’s probably quite a character.
Ian: Yikes. Easily the most anesthetized and goofy of the Xmas specials, Rudolph has the subtlety of a “Hang in There!” cat poster. Repetitious and cloying, it goes down like a bowl of red frosting. Your girl might be cute, but she’ll put antlers on your dog and giggle like she was the first to think of it. Consider yourself warned!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Alexis: The guy who loves this one is manly enough to really get down with Christmas and the classics, especially if he’s a Fred Astaire fan. This guy truly loves the holiday. You will celebrate every possible tree-lighting, sidewalk chorus group, eggnog-pouring moment, and you will do it with a smile on your face.
Ian: If your baby’s favorite is this one, she’s probably a Goth chick. No other Santa origin myth is quite so dark. Sure, Fred Astaire narrates, but St. Nick as an unwanted orphan? Hunted like a criminal? We knew Santa’s psyche was complicated, but we didn’t know he needed therapy.

Now, we’re not saying you should take any of these interpretations as the gospel truth. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. But you should learn a little about yourself. What’s more, adding these insights to other information could help you figure out if you and your sweetie have a future full of holly-jolly Christmases together—or if your holiday honey will leave you feeling like your heart got run over by a reindeer. Ho ho ho!

Margot Carmichael Lester’s work also appears in Go magazine.

Christmas time brings a treasured tradition for me-Gift Wrapping. I just love to gift wrap presents (for Christmas as well as other holidays). But during the Christmas season is when I really get to strut my creativity.

In my house, I’m the gift wrapper. I even wrap my own gifts from other family members (taped securely of course). Something about taking a plain box and wrapping it in holiday colors/themes, adding some decorative elements and putting it under the Christmas tree gives me such joy! So I wanted to give all you last minute wrappers a game plan as there are only a few more days till Christmas!!

Okay, so in order for you to wrap the most amount of gifts in a little amount of time you need to set up a gift wrapping station. Here’s what your station needs to have:

Wrapping paper

Now while I love to wrap gifts, I still have a budget so I rarely spend a whole bunch. I usually buy gift wrap at the Dollar Store or Target where I get great deals. Now for paper you have a variety of colors you can choose from. You could pick whatever colors your décor is, specific symbol or theme of Christmas you love (i.e. Santa or Snowmen), or choose metallic wrapping paper that are colors of the season. (Bonus: if you get plain red wrapping paper it can double as your Valentine’s Day wrapping paper too!)

Gift Bags

Plain, colored, with or without handles, gift bags are terrific for giving presents that don’t have to be in a box or that have multiple items. I usually purchase these at the Dollar Store as well because I am able to get two for a dollar (which if you go to many other retail shops they can be up to $3.99!) Plus, with a little bit of ribbon, you can dress up any bag to be festive! (Which brings me to the next items at your wrapping station….)

Ribbon

I usually use curling ribbon for my gifts because they are inexpensive and I can create a unique touch by using a variety of colors and curling the ends. But there are many other ribbons you can use to decorate the gifts you are wrapping, such as: Wired ribbon, silk ribbons and more! Whatever you like best, make sure you have a lot of on your station so you can add a little embellishment to your gifts.

Tissue Paper

When lining gift boxes or bags, cushioning delicate items or for actual wrapping paper, colorful tissue paper will add some holiday colors to your gifts. I also get these at the Dollar Store as many sheets of paper are…you guessed it…..a dollar. I can get a variety of colors depending on which will coordinate best with my wrapping paper. And buying a few bunches will last me well into the next year.

Tags

I like to splurge a little on the tags because I think of them as the final touch on the ‘masterpiece’. I have some that are little cards with envelops, some I create from scrape booking leftovers and others that are holiday stickers. The actual gift and the ornamentation will determine which tag I use. But these are a must on your wrapping table as they identify who the gift is for and who it is from.

So now that you have your essentials for decorating beautiful holiday gifts, here are a few more tools you’ll need to complete your wrapping station.

○ Scissors

○ Tape

○ Pens (have a variety of colors and/or metallic)

○ Baskets (should you have any gifts that need to go in Baskets)

○ Cellophane (for baskets, if needed)

As you scramble to wrap your holiday gifts this season, I hope these tips provide you with some organization to make the process a little less stressful! Happy wrapping!

So yesterday was our office Holiday Cookie Exchange. Several people from our department brought in their favorite holiday goodies. If you or someone in your office is thinking of doing this too, here are a few tips:

1. Invite the entire department, quad or group to participate.
2. Ask each guest to bake enough for the exchange and perhaps a few extras for people to take home to their families.
3. Avoid duplication of cookies by asking guests to tell you (or whoever is organizing it) what they are bringing.
4. A neat idea is to ask others to choose a recipe that is traditional to their background. That way everyone learns about traditions from another culture and/or ethnic group!
5. And of course a great present to everyone (besides the yummy treats you bring in) are the recipes so others can use them for their holiday feast this year!

We had a nice selection of treats for our exchange. Chocolate Chip w/Mint, Candy Cane Jo Jos, Sugar Cookies with holiday decorations, Pistachio and Macadamia Nut cookies, Grandma Kisses and so much more! Here are a few recipes from those that participated so you can try to make them!

Reindeer Poop:

Ingredients:

1- box of Chex cereal (any flavor)

1- stick of butter

1- bag of semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

Powdered/confectioner sugar

Directions:

Melt together the butter, chocolate, and peanut butter on medium. Pour evenly over cereal then cover with powder sugar. If you want to do this in a big Ziploc bag, it may make shaking it around to evenly cover a little easier!

Mint M&M’s & Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Toll House Cookie Dough

Mint flavored M&M’s

Directions:

Leave cookie dough at room temperature for at least 10 minutes so it’s soften. Greece baking pan(s). Take a slice (or scoop depending on the size of cookie you’d like) and put in as many or as little mint M&M’s you’d like (more M&M’s will give it a bigger mint flavor). Roll repeatedly in your hand for form a ball. Make sure all the M&M’s are surrounded in dough (although some can be on the edges). Put mixture on cooking ban and bake for 11 minutes at 375 degrees (leave in longer if you’d like it crunchy versus soft and moist)

Do you have any additional Holiday Treat Recipes you’d like to share? Any you learned from your Holiday Cookie Exchange?? Let us know!

Okay, so I’m pretty sure a lot of you have seen Elf starring Will Ferrell. If so, you should have quite a bit to comment about, but let me put my two cents in first.

The basic story line is this: A human orphan is raised as an elf in Santa’s workshop for thirty years before he finds out he’s not really an elf! Once he finds out the truth, he decides to go on a journey to New York to meet his father (James Caan) and spread around holiday cheer. Buddy the Elf, ‘What’s your Favorite Color?’ is played by Will Ferrell who is willing to do absolutely anything to get a laugh including a breakfast feast that would make anyone’s stomach ache. And the child-like imagination of Buddy will have you laughing continuously in scenes such as: taking gum off the railings of New York’s subways, waving to people hailing taxies, and getting that ‘Special Someone’ the perfect gift! It is what makes us all think twice about how an outsider may view our ways of living. And I wouldn’t be spoiling the movie to say that on his journey Buddy falls in love with a girl (Zooey Deschanel), reconciles with his dad, and finds a way to save Christmas.

I give Elf two thumbs up! I loved it. The untainted spirit of Buddy the Elf is something this world could use a lot more of. His unconditional love and forgiveness of others is something I wish I possessed. And of course the true meaning of this movie and so many others during the holiday season is you just have to believe. Family and teenagers alike should love this movie! I know it’s definitely one of my Christmas Classics!