Category: Apartment Living
5 Ways to Prepare for Thanksgiving Now
Thanksgiving is officially less than 2 weeks away! If you are hosting this year you are probably in full-preparation mode already! Save yourself some time on turkey day by getting some things checked off your list now.
1. Order your turkey (if you haven’t already.) It’s risky to assume that you can go to the grocery store and pick up a turkey that’s the proper size for your dinner. Call ahead and order one now.
2. Buy all of the non-perishable items now. Don’t fight the crowds the week of Thanksgiving and spend hours in the grocery store. Shop for items like canned goods, baking supplies and beverages now.
3. Make a list of the items you’ll need to cook. Figure out how long each item will take (and at what temperature.) This will give you a great game plan for what to prepare first on Thanksgiving day.
4. Find your linens and place settings. If you store your fancier items away, pull them out of hiding now and make sure nothing is broken or damaged. Iron your cloth napkins and tablecloths early!
5. Order your centerpieces. If you are planning on having floral arrangements on your tables, go ahead and place the order now. You’ll want to be sure you can pick them up the day before your big event.
5 Fall Balconies We Love
It’s that time of year! Time to decorate your home with pumpkins and scarecrows. We love when our residents decorate for the seasons so we’ve compiled a list of 10 great fall balconies to give everyone a little inspiration this year!
Creativity Corner Presents….DIY Penalty Flags!
Before you get together with friends and family to watch football this weekend, watch this video for a great craft idea. You can join the refs in making calls right from your living room with these DIY penalty flags!
5 Tips to Get Your Family Organized this Fall
September can be a hectic time of year. We are no longer jetting away on tropical vacations or relaxing on the lake. Instead, we are getting our kids back to school and preparing our home for another busy year ahead. In order to lower stress levels and keep things organized while making the seasonal transition, read these great tips!
1. Keep a calendar. Some people like to use their cell phone calendars, others like a hand-held planner. Whatever your preference, start recording dates for important meetings, football practice and piano recitals before you forget.
2. Organize your documents. Get a file cabinet and designate specific folders for important documents. Bills, medical charts, permission slips, etc. They can all find an organized place to live.
3. Meal plan. Spend some time on Sundays planning out your family meals for the week (including lunches) so you aren’t looking for quick fixes in a rush during the week.
4. Cook extra. If you are cooking a big meal, double the recipe! You can freeze your extra food and easily thaw it out for dinner on a busy week night when you have a lot on your schedule.
5. Give everyone a job at home. Chores not only teach responsibility, they can be helpful to you! Delegate the laundry sorting and dishwasher emptying to family members to take some of the load off yourself.
7 End of Summer Party Themes
We’re certainly not wishing summer away but the unofficial end of the season is quickly approaching! Celebrate the end of hot, summer days by hosting your family and friends for an end of summer party with these great ideas!
1. White party – Have all of your guests wear white to celebrate the end of summer! Labor Day is quickly approaching and a lot of our white clothes will soon get packed away.
2. Luau – Nothing says summer more than a Hawaiian-themed party! Buy some leis and drink out of coconuts outdoors.
3. Fiesta – Host an end of summer fiesta by serving frozen margaritas, chips and salsa and guacamole to your friends.
4. Beach party – Live near the ocean? Now’s the time to host your friends for an end of summer event on the sand! Setup some volleyball nets, lounge chairs and umbrellas and catch some rays before September gets here.
5. Garden party – Host your friends outdoors in your garden for fancy finger foods and fun! Fresh-cut flowers and fancier attire will make this event feel elegant and fun.
6. Sunday brunch – Soak up the sun by serving your guests a summer, Sunday brunch! Fresh fruit, mimosas and french toast will sure to be a hit.
7. Classic BBQ – Fire up the grill and serve your guests some classic BBQ foods one last time. Finish the day with s’mores and some backyard games.
10 Easy Ways to Pay it Forward
In the spirit of our Princeton Gives Back contest beginning this week, we wanted to share with you all 10 easy ways you can “pay it forward” on a daily basis! Read the list below and share with us which acts of kindness you practiced!
1. Say what you’re thinking – Walk by someone and think “I love that shirt.” Instead of keeping it to yourself, tell them! Giving a compliment can brighten someone’s day.
2. Pick up an extra coffee. While in the drive thru line in the morning, ask the cashier to add the bill for the person behind you to your order.
3. Give up some food. There are probably some items in your pantry that you can do without. Throw them in a box and drop them off at your local food shelter.
4. Offer a helping hand. See someone struggling to get on the bus or having a hard time carrying their groceries? Give them some assistance.
5. Not in a rush? Check to see who’s behind you in line at the grocery store and offer them your place. A mom shopping with kids is sure to appreciate this!
6. Take a picture! See someone taking a “group selfie?” Offer to take the photo for them. They’ll be grateful and have a better photo.
7. Feed the meter. Have some extra quarters floating around your car? Take a minute to feed someone’s meter so they can avoid getting a parking ticket!
8. Leave a little extra. Next time you’re dining out, think about leaving a little extra tip for your waiter or waitress. Write “pay it forward” on the check so they can continue the cycle.
9. Hold the door. See a mom or dad with a stroller in the parking lot? Try getting ahead of them so you can hold the doors.
10. Write a positive review. Love the place you live or the shop you order pizza from? Visit their Facebook page or Yelp account and leave them some love. It will be sure to make them smile!
Tips for Hosting a Great 4th of July Party
We can’t believe Independence Day is right around the corner! If you are planning to host a celebration for the 4th keep reading to learn our tips for throwing a great 4th of July party at your home!
1. Decorate in red white and blue – People love getting decked out for the 4th of July so make sure your home is looking Patriotic for the event. Get red, white and blue tablecloths and cups and blow up matching balloons for color.
2. Set up an activity for kids – Remember this post we wrote last year? (DIY 4th of July Parade Wands) Take a look and learn how the kids at your party can make some 4th of July parade wands to stay busy.
3. Have plenty of cold beverages – July 4th is notorious for being hot! Make sure your guests have plenty of cold drinks available to them to stay hydrated. Fill a few coolers and label them with what’s inside so people don’t have to dig through them to find what they’re looking for.
4. Make festive desserts – A red, white and blue trifle or star-sprinkled cupcakes? Why not make both? Your guests (especially the kids) will love devouring these.
5. Make room in the shade – Have plenty of umbrellas and shaded areas available to your guests so they can step out of the sun if needed.
6. Add a sunscreen and bug spray station – If your party is going to take place outdoors, think about filling a bucket with sunscreens and bug sprays for your guests to use. Place them in a central place that’s easily accessible.
7. Dress the part – Pick up some fun items from your local party store for your guests to wear. Think beads, glasses and hats that are inspired by Uncle Sam!
5 Tips for Keeping a Tidy Workspace
Whether it’s your desk at work or the one in your home office, it’s important to keep your work space clean! Stacks of paper, pieces of mail and other items can really start piling up causing a cluttered mess. Follow these five steps to keep your desk neat and tidy every day!
1. Clean your cluttered piles weekly. Designate a time of the week (maybe Friday after lunch) to spend some time going through your piles of paperwork and other clutter and put things back in their place. Shred anything that is unwanted to get rid of it for good.
2. Make sure everything has a home. You can purchase stack-able, plastic holders for all of your desk supplies at your local office supply store. You will feel much tidier if all of your pens, flash drives, notepads etc have a place to call home.
3. Clean your keyboard and wipe down your work space weekly. Use an air duster to clean the keyboard and wipe down your desk and phone with a disinfectant.
4. Use file cabinets. Misplacing important documents can be easy to do if you don’t have a proper filing system in place. Hang some folders and start organizing your paperwork to keep it out of sight.
5. Start labeling. Whether you like to use a label maker or you trust your own penmanship, having things labeled will certainly give your workspace a sense of organization. You can label your trays for outgoing mail, our drawers on your file cabinet and your folders.
7 Daily Chores to Maintain a Tidy Home
Keeping a clean house can be both tedious and tiring. Sometimes when we let our messes take over they can get out of hand and we spend hours of our free time cleaning. Keep reading to find out seven household chores you can do quickly each day to ensure a clean house all week long.
1. Make the bed first thing in the morning. When your bed is made right after you wake up your bedroom will instantly feel tidy and you will get a simple task out of the way bright and early.
2. Empty all garbage cans. By collecting all kitchen, bathroom and bedroom trash before you head out for the day, you’ll ensure an odor-free home when you return.
3. Make sure the dishes don’t pile up. If you refrain from throwing dirty dishes in the sink by either hand-washing them or putting them in the dishwasher they will never pile up.
4. Pick up after yourself during the day. If you tend to leave a trail of clutter, make sure you put items in their place when you’re done using them. (i.e. put your shoes in the closet, hang your keys on a hook, fold your blanket and put it away in a closet).
5. Don’t let the laundry build up. If you have a house full of people, make sure to do one load of laundry daily. This way your dirty clothes will never get out of hand and overwhelming.
6. Run the vacuum. Once you’ve had dinner and the day is winding down, take five minutes to vacuum the floors (especially if you have pets!)
7. Wipe down bathroom surfaces. Before you hit the sheets at night give your bathroom a quick wipe-down. Make sure there are no toothpaste or soap stains left behind on the sink!
How to Make Your Flower Arrangements Last Longer
Whether you cut flowers from your own garden or pick up a bouquet at the local grocery store, flowers always look great inside the home. It’s a shame when our arrangements start to wilt and look withered after only a couple of days. Here are some tips for making those beautiful arrangements keep their beauty a bit longer.
1. Add a little soda. This may sound crazy but the sugar in sodas (clear ones work best) will help your flowers live longer. Next time you have a glass give the last sip to your flower arrangement!
2. Aspirin. A common and well-trusted method of keeping roses and other cut flowers fresh longer is aspirin! Crush up a tablet and dissolve it in the water before adding your flowers.
3. Boiling water. This trick doesn’t work for all cut flowers but hydrangeas for example are known to wilt quickly. If yours are looking sad, remove them from the vase, put them in some boiling water for 30 seconds. Replace them back into the vase and within a few hours you’ll see them come back to their original beauty.
4. Flower food. This one seems obvious but it certainly works! Typically flower bouquets will come with a packet of flower food but if not you can purchase some at your local flower shop to have on hand.
5. Just add ice. If your flowers are starting to droop, try cleaning the water and adding an ice cube. The chill will perk your arrangement back up in no time.