#Apartment Hacks: When In Doubt, Throw It OUT!

This summer along with your closet clean out, decluttering bedrooms and storage spaces, add cleaning out your refrigerator and freezer to your to do-list. Way deep inside your freezer can look like an ice-crusted igloo; scary yes but cleaning this out at least twice a year means more space and a tidier looking kitchen.

Prevent Food-borne Illness.  As soon as you leave the grocery store with your items, you have to start thinking about ways you will store the. Checking the labels will be your first step as food with closer expiration dated should be closer to the front of your fridge in order to be used faster.
Make sure your refrigerator is set at 40 degrees or less and your freezer should be 0 degrees or less. To properly check; put a thermometer inside each compartment.

Food Storage Do's & Don'ts.  Food kept too long or at improper temperatures can become contaminated with bacteria, which can cause illness. Here are tips on how to properly store food in refrigerators or freezers:

• Wrap any food item tightly with at least two layers of freezer wrap before you put it in the freezer to store it.
• Allow eggs to be stored inside the cartons; not inside the refrigerator door.
• For fresh produce, do not wash it until you are ready to use it. Store them inside perforated plastic bags and make sure they're used within a few days.
• For enough air circulation, do not overfill compartments in your fridge or freezer. This will maintain the proper temperatures.
• Leftovers should be stored in covered containers within two hours of cooking. You should eat leftovers within a 3-5 day period. 
• Always remember to check use- by or sell-by dates on food packages. These dates do not apply once the package is already opened.
• Put raw meat on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, in a plastic sealed bag by itself. This will prevent any cross contamination onto other foods. 

Remember: it is also important to keep a regular schedule for refrigerator clean outs. Wiping down spills immediately when they happen to prevent permanent stains. Using a once a week schedule to clean the interior walls, shelves, with cleaning solution will help keep your refrigerator spotless!



Apartment Resident #LifeHacks was created in 2018 by Grady Management, Inc.  Grady Management was founded in 1965 and continues to provide a full service residential, commercial, and consulting real estate firm in the greater Washington and Baltimore metropolitan area.  Learn more from our website or Facebook page.

Maintenance #LifeHack: What to Do If You Notice a Leak in an Apartment?

A Step by Step Maintenance Guide

No matter in an apartment, town house, or single family home, leaks may occasionally occur inside the home.  When a leak occurs inside an apartment, follow these steps to remedy the situation:

Try to contain the water and identify the source.  If water is all over the kitchen floor, perhaps the sink is leaking.  If it is on the bathroom floor, perhaps it is the toilet or tub.  Try to contain the water to limit water damage and try to determine the source of the leak.

Submit a service request.  When living in an apartment community, residents can and should ask their management team for help and assistance when needed.  A leak is definitely a situation in which a resident should contact the maintenance team, and as soon as possible! 

Contact maintenance again if the problem arises.  Again, don't waste any time reporting leaks.  If you notice the leak again, report it immediately to the maintenance and management team.

Apartment Resident #LifeHacks was created in 2018 by Grady Management, Inc.  Grady Management was founded in 1965 and continues to provide a full service residential, commercial, and consulting real estate firm in the greater Washington and Baltimore metropolitan area.  Learn more from our website or Facebook page.

#MaintenanceHack: What to Do When You Have a Maintenance Request

One of the perks of renting an apartment is that you generally don’t have to deal with the hassles of repairs and regular maintenance. If something breaks or goes wrong, a simple email or call to your landlord usually gets the problem fixed.

And problems do happen. The dishwasher leaks, the heater doesn’t heat, or the air conditioner only makes noise. A maintenance request helps ensure that your landlord (or the building’s management company) does something about the issue in your apartment home.

To make sure the issue is addressed properly and in a timely fashion, your maintenance request should contain useful information and be thorough. The more helpful and specific the information, the more likely your maintenance request receives an appropriate resolution.

In an apartment building, the landlord is responsible for looking after and cleaning all tenant common areas. This includes areas such as the lobby, halls, elevators, stairs, laundry and garbage rooms. The landlord also cuts the lawn and shovels the snow.  However, you are responsible for cleaning inside your apartment home.

Your landlord is responsible for repairs in all types of rental housing. This includes repairs to heating, plumbing, electricity and appliances that come with the apartment (for example stoves, refrigerators).
If you or your guests cause damage to the unit or building, you are responsible for repairing it.  The resident needs to keep the house premises clean and should inform the landlord about any damages as soon as possible, and not cause any damages to the premises except for the natural wear and tear.

Report maintenance issues promptly

Call your landlord or property manager shortly after you’ve noticed an issue. Read your rental agreement to ensure you call the right party.  Be sure you have the direct number to the onsite leasing office.  Why not program this number into your contact list for quicker access to maintenance?
If the situation is an emergency, such as a broken pipe causing a flooded bathroom, look for an emergency maintenance phone number on your rental agreement, and call it immediately.   You will want this number than the number you used when you were calling for leasing information.

If it’s not an emergency, let the landlord or site manager know whether the maintenance team can enter your apartment while you’re away. If you prefer to be home when the work takes place, offer a block of several hours in which the work can take place.

You may not see the importance of a leaky faucet, but the affect this has on utility costs can be major.  Don’t ignore these types of maintenance issues as doing so could lead to even bigger issues.

Welcome to Apartment Resident #LifeHacks

#LifeHacks for Apartment Residents

Welcome to our #LifeHacks, a blog maintained by the Grady Management team!

Grady Management, Inc. is excited to write apartment living tips specifically for current and prospective apartment residents.

What will this blog be about?

This blog, which will be posted twice a month (on alternating Tuesdays), will detail topics such as:

• Furniture and decor ideas to make the most of apartment living spaces
• Apartment maintenance tips and #LifeHacks
• Time saving tips for apartment residents
• Seasonal apartment living ideas

Who should read this blog?

Anyone who resides in an apartment community should find these tips, ideas, and posts informative and interesting!  In addition, anyone interested in decor ideas, seasonal tips and recipes, and easy to perform home maintenance suggestions will also enjoy the features of this blog.

How can this blog be read and accessed?

This blog can easily be read on this blog platform, Blogger, via this URL: https://apartmentlifehacks.blogspot.com/.  This blog will also be posted regularly on the Grady Management Facebook page and Google+ profile.  In addition, blog users can follow Apartment Resident #LifeHacks via email address.  The "follow" icon is located on the main page of this blog.

Any additional questions?  Comment below!

Don't forget to read Grady Management, Inc.'s other blog project: Grady's GreenLiving Tips!

Apartment Resident #LifeHacks was created in 2018 by Grady Management, Inc.  Grady Management was founded in 1965 and continues to provide a full service residential, commercial, and consulting real estate firm in the greater Washington and Baltimore metropolitan area.  Learn more from our website or Facebook page.