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January 2016

AS_Alarm-ClockYou are there, in bed, enjoying the most beautiful slumber imaginable. Your dreams have whisked you away to a tropical oasis where <a horn blows in the distance> you bask in the brilliant <the horn blows again> sunshine sipping on a <there that annoying horn is again> delicious cocktail <horn> that is…

Suddenly you awaken and realize that the annoying horn is your alarm clock, ushering you into another day.

As usual, you hit the snooze bar a few times before begrudgingly going about your morning routine. Running slightly late as always, you pull away from your apartment community wishing you had another hour (or two) of sleep. You join the deluge of other daily commuters in the daily trek across the freeways that monopolize their work weeks. You try to daydream your way back to paradise while staring at the smog emerging from the vehicle in front of you.

AS_Cleaning-FurnitureIf you are renting furniture for your home, or looking at furniture rental as an option for the future, take a look at these simple steps to keep your rented furniture looking as good as new.

Cover it up

Your dining room or kitchen table is most often the site of gatherings with family and friends, and thus susceptible to spills and scrapes. In order to keep your wood table looking its best, consider using a tablecloth or placemats when you’re enjoying a meal. If an accident happens and someone spills a glass, be sure clean up the spill immediately.

Location, location, location

AS_Holiday-DecorationsAs we head toward the end of January, it may be slightly embarrassing to admit that you’ve still got decorations from the holidays decking the halls of your home. If you’re an apartment renter, the prospect of squeezing that artificial tree back into the corner of the coat closet may seem especially daunting. Whether you rent a one-bedroom apartment or a studio, have no fear! Here are 4 space-saving tips for how to pack away the holiday chaos in an orderly fashion.

Tip #1: Use old egg crates to store ornaments

Looking for a quick and easy way to store fragile ornaments? Simply take an old egg carton out of the fridge and place an ornament in each cranny and close the lid! Your ornaments are protected and organized in a snap! It no longer takes professional boxes, bags and tissue paper to store the tree décor.

Tip #2: Use leftover cardboard boxes to wrap up lights tangle-free

AS_Cherry-PieNational Pie Day – January 23 – is nearly upon us and who doesn’t love pie? The four most popular American pies hail from these four great cities, so here is a little more about what apartment living in these cities is like:

Boston

Home of the Boston Cream Pie, Boston is also known for its art and history as well as its sports teams. Apartment dwellers here can go to the famous Fenway Park to see the Boston Red Sox play whenever they want. This city also has fabulous public transportation – the MBTA – and is known for its top schools and healthcare. In addition, this is a wonderful city for foodies, with top-rated restaurants such as La ‘Espeliar and Atlantic Fish Company. Thanks to its significant Irish population, Boston sports a number of fantastic pubs within walking distance from apartment buildings and near public transportation.

Seattle

Minneapolis, MinnesotaWhether you’re enduring a freeze or a flurry of flora, Uptown Minneapolis is the perfect place to explore in every season. Here are 4 things you can’t miss in this marvelous Midwestern neighborhood.

  1. Once Upon a Crime Mystery Books

Lovers of true crime and classic whodunnits alike shouldn’t miss this little underground bookshop in the heart of Uptown. Peruse the 800-square-foot front room loaded with everything from perennial bestsellers to local authors. If you don’t mind a little dust, ask about the bookstore’s annex, where you’ll find vintage copies and first editions of more favorites.

  1. Icehouse MPLS

AS_Lint-RollerClutter in any apartment can make a space seem smaller, but a messy one-bedroom apartment can start to feel tiny fast. Fortunately, renters who take a more laid-back approach to tidying up can still keep things neat. Here are 5 cleaning hacks that will help even the laziest renter maintain a tidy living space.

  1. Don’t Tackle It All in One Day

The prospect of doing a big cleaning spree in a single day can seem overwhelming—and if you’re busy, downright impractical. Rather than carving out long periods of time on a single day, distribute your cleaning tasks throughout the week. Clean up just the bathroom before you go to bed on Monday. Sweep the kitchen and put away the dishes after dinner on Tuesday.

ApartmentSearch_American-FlagThis Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we celebrate the expansive variety of ages, cultures and backgrounds of all Americans. The apartment industry, especially, provides fair and equal housing to all persons, regardless of factors like age, race or sex. There really is an apartment for every demographic group and every life situation, including:

Baby Boomers

The new Baby Boomers don’t just sit around the apartment after their children move out. Instead, they are increasingly choosing urban apartments, where they can walk or bike to enjoy restaurants, shopping, plays and other activities.

Generation X

The children of Baby Boomers, or Generation X, are very practical, self-reliant and independent. They know that it makes financial sense to rent an apartment versus home ownership – where maintenance and repair expenses are constant. Generation X is also a very social group, and apartments allow them the freedom to spend time with their friends.

Millennials

Cheerful woman lying on sofa holding a grey kittenSnuggly though they may be, house cats aren’t always the ideal roommates. However, whether you are bringing home a new kitten for the first time or you are moving to an apartment with a long-time furry friend in tow, there are a few measures that you can take to keep your apartment cat-friendly. Use these 5 tips to cat-proof your apartment so you and your cuddly companion can coexist in peace.

several lamps lighting up an apartmentWhen hunting for an apartment, the unit’s layout, location, and amenities are usually the main priorities. However, after you move in, you may realize the lighting situation is not ideal. In fact, lighting problems can overshadow the other great features of your one-bedroom apartment. Fortunately, there are a variety of creative solutions to fix these. Check out our list of the most common lighting problems, along with several ideas for brightening things up.

Young woman checking her credit scoreWhatever the size of the apartment you’re applying for—from efficiency to two-bedroom apartments to lofts—you’ll probably have to undergo a credit check when you submit your application. Because landlords are trying to find out whether you would be a reliable renter, they look at your report for things like debt, consistency, predictability, and your previous rental history. But what happens when they actually go to check that report?