Every now and then I pick up some great tips and ideas to help give my place that clean, gleaming feel with as little stress as possible. Cleaning and keeping your apartment in tip-top guest shape can be an overwhelming thought when you are limited for time. Then, sometimes, no matter how hard you clean and try to keep your place in shape, it just gets out of shape again…

Here are a couple of tips to help you keep your place suited for visitors and keep them from going “Ewww.”

Sparkling Mirrors - I used to get so frustrated that every time I cleaned my mirror, it always ended up spotty. Turns out I was doing a major thing wrong. I was spraying the mirror directly with Windex rather than on a clean lint-free cloth. To get sparkling results in your mirror cleaning spray commercial window cleaner on a lintless cloth like an old T-shirt and wipe down the mirror. Dry immediately with another clean lintless cloth to prevent streaking. Do this once every couple of weeks and you’ll be sure to impress when your guests are glancing back at themselves.

Handle the Wobblemeister- Have a wobbly chair or table? Don’t pull the restaurant fix and shove a folded napkin or sugar packets underneath. A much better solution is to re-use old corks. Just take an old wine cork, cut a horizontal slice, and place it underneath the leg of the chair or table that is doing the wobble-wobble.

Fresh Flowers- Don’t receive flowers as often as you’d like? Let your man know he needs to pick up his game and then try extending the life of the ones you do get. A common solution for this is to make sure and cut the stem of the flower at an angle rather than straight across , but for even better results and a longer lasting flower, add a little bit of sugar and a small amount of an acidic ingredient like Sprite, which allows for better water absorption. But…you should still get on your man about stepping up his game…

I hope you take these tips and are able to use them in ways you’ve never used tips before. You better not start calling me “Martha!”

For more tips on apartment living, check out ApartmentHomeLiving.com.

1. Cup of Sugar- The age old “Cup o’ Sugar” routine is a great one and always works. Even if you don’t need the sugar, just pop next door with an empty measuring cup at a reasonable time and politely introduce yourself and ask if you could borrow a “cup of sugar.” This works best at dinner time. Do it any earlier and you’ll just look silly. And don’t stand around talking for too long either, get the sugar, exchange names and greetings, and get back to your apartment. This opens up the conversation route for the next time you pass each other and you no longer have to put your head down and act like you are making sure your laces are tired.

2. The Community Areas- Hit the fitness center, the clubhouse, or the laundry room at your community. Areas that are commonly visited by the other residents. Strike up a conversation with someone who looks friendly and receptive. Who knows, you may make an awesome friend. If you have a dog, take them out walking often. People love making friends with dogs and their owners. Just don’t hang out by the dumpster…that’s just weird…and stinky.

3. Hang Out On The Patio - Get some lawn chairs and chill out on your patio or balcony whenever you have a nice day. Chit chat with the passer-by’s. Just don’t hoot and whistle like a construction worker. Nothing is more offensive and is a very easy way to NOT make friends.

Hopefully, you will have a few new friends in no time and you’ll find that most neighbors aren’t Apartmental like the ones in the video. Who knows, maybe you are my neighbor? Come and meet me!

For more info on apartment living, check out ApartmentHomeLiving.com

Community laundry is such a joy.

Really though, having laundry centers in your apartment community is a huge, HUGE bonus over having to go to the laundromat next to the stop and go. Although some communities actually offer laundry hookups and even washers and dryers in their actual units, most other communities offer on-site laundry centers.

There are a few really great benefits to having a community laundry center. Check it out:

1) Money Saving- Running the washer and dryer at home is convenient, but it eats up electricity and if you are constantly washing loads, you will run up your bill quite quickly. Not only that, but if you have the connections, but don’t have a washer and dryer yet, they can be quite expensive and a pain to lug up to a second or third floor apartment.

2) Noise Prevention-Then there is always the unbalanced dryer that bangs around and can cause all kinds of disturbing noise through out your building. Do you really want to be the cause of all that noise?

3) Meet People- Honestly, if you are an outgoing person…its a good place to meet your neighbors and make friends in the community.

4) Time Saver- If you can get into the laundry center when noone else is in there, you can start a few loads at once and save time by washing several loads at one time!

5) Maintenance-- If a washer or dryer breaks, it’s not your responsibility to get it taken care of.

So keep things clean and don’t be afraid to use your community laundry center. Make sure to bring a book, laptop, or good conversation topic while you wait. AND REMEMBER YOUR QUARTERS!

I think it’s time for me to wash and dry!

For More info check out: ApartmentHomeLiving.com

Have an empty corner in your apartment that draws attention away from the rest of the room because its just soooo…empty? Or have an empty corner that you just want to fill?

Here are a few simple ideas to help fill in the blanks.

Plant Life- Putting a potted plant in a corner will always accent a room, add oxygen and fill the void, but requires work. I found out the hard way that plants can take day to day care almost like a pet. You have to water it, trim it, talk to it….well maybe not talk to it, but you get the idea.

The Random Chair- We’ve all seen it used at one time or the other. Someone places a chair in a corner. Maybe this chair was orphaned from a set or maybe it is an antique, but it always serves as a practical corner filler. You could even put a stool there. Some may think its out of place, but others will choose to have a seat.

Let There Be Light- Setting a tall floor lamp will not only fill the space, but also help add ambiance and lighting to your apartment. This is probably the best way to kill a dull corner and one of the most common. The best part is that it is relatively inexpensive if you are shopping at the right places.

Bookshelves- You could also purchase a corner bookshelf or 3 Tier Corner Metal and Wicker Shelf and place that in the corner to store books, DVD’s, collectables or anything else you’d like to display to your apartment guests.

Know of any good corner filling ideas? Leave them in a comment and let us know! Share, Apartmentite, share!

See ya!

For more info check out: ApartmentHomeLiving.com

It’s perhaps the least thought of room in your new apartment, yet far and away the one that almost everyone who visits will remember the most –the bathroom! Yes, whether your floorplan allows for a closet-size commode (complete with crescent moon cutout on the door) or a gigantic bath suite fit for a king (including a throne!), your bathroom is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who enter.

First things first – get cleaning pal! There are few more off-putting things than a grimy sink coated with hard water soap scum, although your don’t-look-directly-at-it toilet is in close contention. Get some heavy-duty cleaner (something with bleach is ideal), and get scrubbing. Drop in ‘toilet cakes’ can be a great way to keep your bowl so fresh and so clean, but if you have pets be sure and read the label, as many are hazardous to animals. And a plunger is NOT an optional accessory! Buy one and leave it there, the more expensive the model the better (it will pay for itself with one disaster-avoiding use).

Some unsightly issues might be beyond your control; odds are good, for example, that your apartment community manager might frown on you tearing up the floor tiles. Try adding a new floor rug instead – you’ll be amazed by how much it livens up a drab floor. Try and avoid clutter around the sink by purchasing a small item holder. You can find very fashionable ones at stores such as Target that are perfect for collecting your toothbrush, comb and razor into one stylish carousel. Remember, the under-sink cupboard is there for a reason, so hide bulky items such as the hairdryer and curling iron out of sight.

Towels are something most people use every day but never feel the need to update, so ditch that Spuds Mckenzie beach number you’ve had since 1987 and get some real thread count going. Consider throwing on a new coat of paint and add a matching new shower curtain and you’ll be amazed at the results. Last but not least, add a scented candle for some pleasant ambiance, and you’ll finally have ana apartment bathroom worth bragging over.