There were 405 deaths and 3,025 injuries due to fires in apartment buildings in 2015 (NFPA Statistics). If a fire breaks out in your apartment building, think before you freak—learn what to do, how to protect yourself, and how to care for those around you.

It’s that time of year again! Summer is coming to a close, which means it’s time to swap beach bags filled with pool stuff for backpacks filled with school stuff. Between gearing up for classes, moving back to campus, and adjusting to a new schedule, there’s a lot to handle.

If you think furnished apartments aren’t on-trend, think again. Living stylishly is one of the many advantages of renting a furnished apartment! From picking throw pillows to the season’s cutest patterns for your doormat, find out how to flip any furnished apartment into a home that feels absolutely fabulous.

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.

Start with the floors.

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.

Think outside the apartment.

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.

The fall university semester is quickly approaching. While many students will be returning to their on-campus resident halls and dormitories, many upperclassmen choose to separate their lives from the chaos of on-campus living. Some have simply outgrown the trappings of the freshman life and are more focused on their studies. Some have families of their own, and need a comforting place to bond.

These students are starting to realize the benefits of off-campus living, including traditional apartments and apartments that offer quad-style living. Some of the many benefits that off-campus living provides include:

1. Privacy: Students are able to better focus on their studies because they have a higher quality of life and significantly fewer distractions from roommates, nosy RAs, and others. Apartments – even those that offer quad-style living – offer much more privacy, allowing students to do what they are paying heavily to do: learn.

Have you forgotten what the bottom of your sink looks like? Have you taken to using plastic forks because you can’t find your cutlery? Do you hold your breath when you open your (smelly) fridge? Do you avoid opening your kitchen cabinets for fear of a Tupperware avalanche?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be in need of an apartment kitchen intervention. The good news is that there’s hope for any apartment kitchen, no matter how messy it may be. The bad news is that you’ll have roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty to put things right. So go on: grab some gloves and consult this list for some handy kitchen rehab tips.

One Step at a Time

Overwhelmed? Don’t be. Tackle one area at a time, my friend, and soon you’ll be on your way to kitchen rehabilitation and a better apartment life.
Start with your refrigerator and freezer. If your foods and beverages are all jumbled together, it can be hard to locate the right ingredient when you want it… or locate the source of that unusual smell. Empty your fridge of everything expired, give the shelves a good scrub, assign each food group a section in the fridge, then rearrange your food so everything is visible. While you’re at it, follow these useful tidbits: