Tech-Safe Holiday Travel

(Image courtesy of yаrl)

We live in a tech-savvy age. It’s not often you walk down the street to see people not using cell phones, ipods or other electronic devices. Though it’s great to stay connected, all those essential gadgets can become a burden when traveling.

This holiday season, don’t get hung up in your travel plans because you forget to prepare your electronics accordingly. This article from apartmenttherapy.com offers a few great tips to make sure that you, and your devices, can travel with ease this year. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Take An Ebook Reader. If you read quickly enough, spending a few hours in an airport will mean that you'll probably end up finishing that paperback you've got in your backpack. Ensure that you'll never miss out on an opportunity to read by taking a Kindle or an iPad with you filled up with books.

2. Skip Lines By Using Electronic Check-In

A lot of people prefer dealing with airport staff when checking in, but it's very quick to go the DIY route by using the electronic check-in booths that are available in any number of airports.

3. iPods and Earbuds Are Your Friends

Shut the world away thanks to your music player. iPods retain a charge for quite a long time, making them our go to music player.

4. Don't Overpack With Too Many Electronic Gizmos

Stick to a winning combination, like a music player with an ebook reader, or headphones with a portable video game console. Don't carry everything with you, as you'll probably end up not using most of it.

5. Pack All Electronics In Your Carry-On Luggage

Yes, your backpack might get heavy, but this ensures that you won't lose them while you're traveling. You should also pack your heaviest clothes in your carry-on luggage. You can get away with a backpack and a rolling carry-on bag without any problems. I've packed an Xbox 360, a Nikon D200, and two laptops in my carry-on luggage without a cinch.

How To Banish Closet Clutter

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Throughout the year our closets find ways to fill up. We find new clothes and shoes that we have to have, we have older pieces that we can’t seem to let go, we use our closet as a catch-all for things we can’t seem to fit anywhere else- after awhile all these items pile up and create a mess that it’s impossible to sift through.

No matter how full your closet has gotten over the last few months, cleaning it out doesn’t have to be a nightmare. This article from storagefront.com walks us through some simple tips to clean out the items you don’t want and to keep everything else organized. Keep reading to learn some of these simple tricks:

Before you do anything: set aside seasonal pieces

A few years ago, I committed to purge my closet of half of my clothes. It was May. Naturally, it was much easier for me to part with coats, boots, sweaters, and scarves than with typical summer wear. I was immensely proud of myself – for about four months.

There are certain articles of clothing and pairs of shoes that are definitely seasonal, even if you enjoy the occasional light cardigan in the summer. Before you can consider selling, donating, or gifting your unwanted apparel, set aside anything that weather wouldn’t want you wearing for the next several months.

Where can you put seasonal items when you don’t have a basement or garage? One option is to box them up and set them somewhere in the closet, all while making sure your method is tidy. Another possibility is to store them in a climate-controlled storage unit. A 5x5 space is often compared to a walk-in closet, and you can easily search for nearby, affordable units. Whatever you decide to do, keep the clothes safely tucked away for a few months until you can revisit them with better judgment.

Recruit a buddy

How many times have you decided to get organized, only to find yourself suddenly labeling everything as having sentimental value? After you’ve safely stored your out-of-season clothes, bring a friend over while you clean out your closet.

Even if you and your friend don’t wear the exact same size, chances are that she could fit into plenty of your tops and maybe even some shoes. Whip up your friend’s favorite lunch, pop in a movie, and make an afternoon of your project.

The trick here is to get your friend on board with your goals. Let her know how many things you’re looking to get rid of or what standard you’ll be using to decide each item’s fate. She can help you out by keeping you accountable to your goals. What’s in it for her? She gets to keep anything she likes from your “sell/donate/gift” piles.

Use the “six month” box

Peter Walsh of Extreme Clutter suggests a nifty hanger trick to help you realize which of your clothes do nothing more than collect dust. My “six month” box follows a similar premise, but provides an immediate pay-off of a more spacious closet. Consider which one you like better – or come up with an experiment of your own!

This box (or, more ideally, plastic storage bin) is different from your out-of-season box. It’s the designated spot for clothes that you’re on the fence about. While your friend helps you decide which clothes you don’t want to keep, you’ll run into pieces that you just don’t want to part with. You may be telling yourself that you’ll fit back into that skinny pair of jeans someday, or that you’ll love that top once you sew the button back on. Whatever your hesitation may be, set the item aside in your six month box.

What follows is simple. Say that you’re getting ready one day and you can’t find that floral ¾-sleeve top that you’re suddenly in the mood to wear. Go grab it from your six month box. After you’ve worn it and washed it, put the top back in your closet as normal. Follow this process for six months; if something comes out of the box, it can stay out of the box. At the end of six months, you’ll see which clothes you didn’t think about, chose not to wear, or simply forgot about when out of sight.

In my experience, I’ve never felt remorse for anything left in that box after several months. Periodically I’ll grab something from it, see something else I like, but never come back to actually wear it. When I come back to that box after six months, I’m always more than ready and willing to part with what’s in it.

Turkey Dinner Without All The Hassle

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Thanksgiving is a great holiday to spend with families and friends, but if you’re hosting the festivities this year, things can get a little hectic. Between trying to set the perfect table, cook a meal that everyone will love and entertain your guests, the day will fly by in no time. Thankfully, there are a number of useful gadgets you can use on Thanksgiving this year to make your party planning a little easier.

To relax a little more on the holiday and spend quality time with your loved ones, you can always rely on your favorite devices. This article from renters.apartments.com lists a few great tips and tricks to get you through the holiday without losing your mind. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Timer. Do you own a smartphone? It probably has a timer on it. Charge that sucker overnight because it’s going to get a workout on Turkey day. Set your alarm early—turkeys take a long time to bake (how long? See aforementioned Grandma), and then use the timer to actually time the things your recipes tell you to. This is Thanksgiving, people. It’s no time to start winging it.

2. Oven mitts. This is the one I usually remember I should have purchased when the oven door is open and I need to pull something out before it catches fire. Get two of them and keep them in a drawer next to the oven.

3. Two knives. You really should have more than two knives, but at minimum you’ll need a carving knife and a paring knife. Anything you can’t do with one, you can manage with the other. Just don’t let any chef-types see you dice vegetables with a paring knife. It gives them chest pains.

4. Roasting pan with handles. This may have to be a new purchase if you don’t have one already, but it’s a key part of baking the turkey. Invest in a good one that can be used on the stovetop as well so you can make the gravy right in the pan. *Handles are important. That bird weighs a lot and it’s much easier to manipulate if you’ve got a good grip.

5. Meat thermometer*. Gravy is your friend if you’re a chronic over-cooker, but why not prevent yourself from drying out the bird altogether with a meat thermometer? Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (be careful not to hit the bone) and remove it when the temperature reaches 165 Fahrenheit. *Some turkeys have a thermometer already sunk into the bird. Just keep an eye on it and when it pops up, it’s done.

6. Cookie sheet with rimmed sides. You’ll use this for everything from baking cookies to roasting vegetables to baking spiced nuts for an appetizer. Get one with rimmed sides—it really cuts back on the mess.

7. Big serving spoons. You’re going to have a lot of drippy, creamy side dishes, not to mention gravy. These things don’t lend themselves to being served with forks or grapefruit spoons. Three is good—four is better.

8. Casserole dish. This should be sturdy, possibly inherited from your mother and oven- and microwave-safe. It should also have a lid. Any other features are just gravy.

9. Measuring cups. If you don’t already own a set of these, you should be seriously questioning your ability to prepare an entire Thanksgiving meal. They make some that flatten for easy storage, which are great for the tiny drawers in most rental kitchens.

10. Tin foil. If push came to shove, you could theoretically make your entire Thanksgiving meal in tin foil alone. It wouldn’t go great, but you could swing it. At the very least you’ll want foil to cover warm side dishes while the bird finishes up. It will also come in handy for sending guests home with leftovers. If you’re feeling ambitious, wrap up the food and then use some extra foil to fold the packet into the shape of a turkey like some kind of swanky restaurant. Now you look like a pro.

Hosting Thanksgiving in your apartment is a big undertaking, but it’s easier and more fun when you ask your guests to pitch in and help out. Ask attendees to BYO bottle and side dish (and maybe even an extra kitchen chair) and you’ll have a terrific meal with plenty of reason to celebrate.

Living The Solo Life

(Image courtesy of Evil Erin) 

For the first part of our lives we all spend time sharing our spaces. As children we live with our parents and we may have siblings living with us. In our college years and early twenties many of us have roommates that share our apartments with us. So, it’s understandable that when moving out on your own for the first time the sense of freedom can be overwhelming. It’s exciting to be king of your own castle, not have to answer to anyone about how late you’ve gotten home and not having to worry about cleaning up anyone else’s mess.

Though there are some major benefits to living on your own, it is easy to quickly get caught up in a negative routine as you test the bounds of your new-found freedom. This article from renters.apartments.com outlines a few pitfalls first time solo apartment renters fall into. Keep reading to learn how to keep the balance when living on your own for the first time.

Keep your apartment clean. It’s easy to keep dishes piled up in the sink or leave your shoes in front of the door when you don’t live with anyone else. Try to establish good habits and set aside time to clean up and make your apartment a space you’re proud of.

Express your style. Have some fun with your apartment and paint the walls in your favorite colors and arrange the furniture how you see fit. You don’t have to worry about compromising your style by living alone so embrace your sense of design.

Be aware of how much time you spend in your apartment. When you live alone it can be easy to hibernate in your apartment. Make it a priority to plan a couple of nights out each week to keep a healthy balance of staying social and having your alone time.

Stay safe. Be aware of your surroundings and make sure your locks are working properly, test your smoke detectors, and keep a fire extinguisher on hand. Better safe than sorry.

Befriend your neighbors. Get to know your neighbors and establish a sense of community with your neighborhood. Whether you need a cup of sugar, or have an emergency, it’s nice to know who’s next door.

Get a pet. If you miss having some company in your apartment, look into adopting a pet from your local animal shelter. A dog or cat can be a welcoming comfort to come home to.

We hope these tips help you enjoy living alone in your apartment!

Ten Simple Steps To An Easier Move

(Image courtesy of Meathead Movers)

Unfortunately, moving is never easy. There are always too many things to get done, and it never seems like there is enough time to accomplish them. Thankfully there are a few steps you can take to relieve some of the stress during your moving day.

Keeping your move organized will help to combat the stress of relocating. This article from renters.apartments.com offers some quick and simple tips to keep your move as seamless as possible. Keep reading to be reminded of a few simple tricks to keep you organized and stress free!

Make a List

It’s easy to forget things during a move. Stay on point by printing out custom inventory and moving checklists from the Internet, so you never miss a step, like informing your in-laws of your move.

Get Boxes for Free

Why pay for something you’re going to recycle once you’re done moving? Go to your local grocery or liquor store a few weeks before your move and ask if you can help yourself to some of their leftover boxes.

Pack Smart

If you have a long trip ahead, you need easy access to food, drinks, hygiene supplies, medicine, and a change of clothes for everyone. Also, pack an “open me first” box full of important tools and cleaning supplies.

Label Your Boxes

Make detailed labels on each box so you know what room they go in and whether or not the items inside are fragile. This helps prevent your priceless china from turning into dust.

Donate or Sell What You Don’t Need

Lighten your load by donating any seldom-used items to a charity or selling them in a yard sale. This reduces your clutter, and your unwanted items go to a good cause.

Change Your Address

Change your address online or in person through the USPS at least seven to ten days before you move or else you’ll miss out on some important mail.

Research Your New City and Neighborhood Online

It’s never too early to uncover the dirt on your new town — like the weather, traffic, and the best places to blow off a little steam–so you know what to expect before you settle into your new home.

Set up or Transfer your Home Services

Check to see if your existing home service providers are available in your new area. If so, schedule a service transfer. If not, you are going to need to find a new one. Movearoo can help you find which TV, Phone, or Internet service providers are available in your new neighborhood. Make sure you set your cancellation date for the day you move out and your install date for the day after you move in. This way you aren’t going too long without service but you also don’t have to deal with it during the pandemonium of your move.

Take Notes and Make Measurements

Measure the width of doors and hallways, to prevent nicking walls and woodwork when carrying large objects through your home. Also, take note of what goes in each room before you move everything in.

Clean and Paint, Before You Unpack

Finish any painting and cleaning before you unpack your boxes and situate your furniture. This allows your house to be thoroughly cleaned and you won’t have to cover your furniture to keep it paint free.

Replace Your Locks

Keep your family and your possessions safe by changing all of the locks. This eliminates the risk of strangers having a key to invade your home.

Good luck with your move! Print off, or refer back to this list as much as possible so your move goes on without a hitch.