Welcome to 2016! A new year brings new opportunities to improve your lifestyle, including bettering your current apartment – or maybe even moving to a new one. This does not mean that you have to spend a lot of money. In fact, you can dramatically improve your apartment lifestyle and save money simultaneously, by starting the year right and following a few simple apartment lifestyle hacks.
Great home staging for an apartment can be the difference between a quick turnaround and a sluggish sale. When a prospective tenant walks in, they should instantly feel at home in the space, and an effective home staging job can make that happen. However, there are some common blunders that you can make when setting up an apartment. Take note of these top 5 mistakes, and you’ll be on your way to a successful partnership.
Whether you’re looking to store 7 bikes creatively in your garage, or just trying to save some space in your studio apartment, finding the perfect bike rack can be a daunting task. But the truth of the matter is that if you’re willing to spend a little time assembling or even building your bike rack from scratch, a lot of creative options are available.
Here are five bike storage ideas for all the bike enthusiasts in your life, varying from easiest to hardest in terms of execution.
1. For The “Creative But Busy” – The Bike Shelf
If you’re looking for a bike rack that’s easy-to-install, requires little assembly, and looks pretty neat, the Bike Shelf is a good option for you. Half-bookshelf and half-bike rack, it’s perfect for studio apartments or people who tight on space in general. After minimal assembly, the Shelf can go right up on the wall. It’s your choice what to put on top, but users usually opt for a few books.
Starting with a clean slate in your new apartment? Before you buy or rent furniture, take advantage of some savvy smartphone apps that can help you plan your furniture’s layout.
Redecorating your living room shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg! If you are looking to overhaul your living space or recently moved into an entirely new space, keep these modern interior design tips in mind.
If you’re looking to add something more colorful to your living space, patterns offer a fun way to mix it up. The trick to working with patterns is to stick with the same color scheme. So if your pattern has greens, blues, and grey, have a few solid color furniture pieces to anchor down the space.
Hey pal, put a cork in it! In your apartment decorating, that is. Corks aren’t just for popping champagne and making bulletin boards. Saving corks from bottles can pay off in some seriously awesome DIY décor. From one-bedroom apartments to townhouses, here are 5 ways any renter can finally put all those leftover wine corks to good use.
Halve the cork vertically, then make a ¼-inch horizontal cut on the rounded sides of your two cork halves. Place the halves flat side down, and ta-da! It’s a couple of tiny cardholders. Host a dinner party and put them to good use—make place cards for your guests, or put out hors d’oeuvres platters and name all those unusual-looking cheeses.
Whether you just rented a new one bedroom apartment or you’re still in the process of searching for the perfect place, you’ve thought of simple ways to make your space unique to your tastes. When it comes to walls, you’re dying to do away with the same old blank and boring standard. You’ve thought about applying wallpaper, but that takes too much time; time you’ll have to put back in to taking that wallpaper down just to get your security deposit back. Adding a fresh coat of paint is always an option, but that takes effort you’d rather not exert for the same thing you had before: walls that are all the same color. Womp womp.
Noisy neighbors are a common complaint for apartment tenants. However, if you complain about your noisy neighbor, it’s likely that they say the same thing about you from time to time. Even if you have carpet flooring, sometimes you need to take additional steps to keep your apartment soundproof. If you tend to listen to a lot of loud music or play motion related video games, it might be essential for you to limit your sound and stay on your neighbor’s good side. Here are a few tips on keeping the noise level down in your apartment:
There are two kinds of renters who need an interior designer: those who want an apartment that looks stylish and put-together but don’t know the first thing about how to get there, and those who have a vision in mind and need help executing it. There are some relatively affordable options for either type of apartment dweller, and they are actually fairly distinct from each other. To keep your apartment redesign from looking like a home makeover show gone wrong, think about these tips as you hunt for your perfect interior designer.
If you are an interior-design newbie and what you need is a vision for your home’s redesign, start by finding a designer that fits your overall sense of style. The best way to make sure that your designer fits that category is to look at the work they have already done. If you can find a designer that has a website and a portfolio, that can be an easy job. Think about the things you already like about your apartment’s design, and look for those traits in a designer’s portfolio.
Whether you’re expecting a baby or are in need of a redesign now that your infant is growing older, there are plenty of things you can do to make your apartment more kid-friendly. From furniture changes to finding a whole new apartment, think about these things as you start to redesign a family-friendly apartment.
After all, this is where your baby will be spending the most time—and consequently, so will you. Invest in a good, easy-to-use vacuum if you don’t have one already; get comfy, stain-resistant rugs for the living room and bedroom; and consider putting a few floor pillows down for your own comfort when it’s time to play.
Since many apartments don’t have a private yard or patio, you can always take advantage of your apartment’s playground or other communal area.