#ApartmentHacks: Trick or Treating Tips for Apartment Living!

Living in an apartment has so many perks! Apartment buildings aren't only beneficial for adults but also for children. If you think about it- apartment buildings are the perfect places to go trick-or-treating: You get all the candy without having to brace the cold! Here's why you should be convincing the other parents to join in on the fun!

Dress up your door: Trick-or-treaters might not stop to knock on your door if they don't think you're home- so be inviting and festive! You can go the traditional route and get a jack-o-lantern outside. Or add cobwebs on the door frame! To get extra spooky add some flickering lights or a hanging ghost from the door!

Get in the spirit yourself:  Picture this- you knock on someone's door and yell "Trick or treat!" and receive candy from someone dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. What a letdown! Don't be boring on this exciting day. Plan to dress up in a creative costume that they won't expect.

Don't neglect the inside: In addition to your outdoor decorations, you have to spice up the inside as well! While trick-or-treaters might catch a glimpse of inside- they should be wowed by what they see! Add a nice spooky touch that they won't sure to forget.

Spread the word: Trick or treating in your apartment building won't be half the fun if you still have leftover candy sitting in your bowls! Reach out to your leasing office and see what they have planned for the holiday. Make sure you get involved to spread the spirit of fun to everyone in your building. Let your neighbors know you'll be passing out candy so they can stop by with their children!

Remember to have fun! Spooky season is here. 

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.

Tips for Hosting a Party in Your Apartment

Follow These Tips to be the Host/Hostess with the Most/Mostest

Here you are in your studio or 1-bedroom apartment, and you’d love to throw a party — just like your friends do in their big suburban houses, with everyone from your cousin-in-law to your uncle’s mechanic invited — but how?  You can do it — if you just plan properly. Follow these tips and you’ll be the host/hostess with the most/mostest, even in your cozy digs.

Type of party

A dinner party works well in any size apartment. Invite only four to six people, which will keep the cooking manageable. Make it informal: if you have a small place, guests will probably see you cooking, and they will be eating in the living room. A nice one-pot pasta dish or a casserole with a salad and crusty bread are simple combos to balance on your lap. Add some wine and a chocolate dessert and everyone is happy. And don’t forget to have some games or a movie for after dinner; some organized fun later can make the evening last long into the night.

A pre-party can also work well. If you and your friends are all going out dancing or to a big sporting event, you may want to invite everyone over for drinks and some nibbles beforehand. You’ll provide a laid-back atmosphere, and you won’t have to invite too many people. It’s another perfect situation for a party in an apartment.

Or, you can go for a bigger get-together. Even some apartments can fit 15 people or so; you just need to make sure you’re not over-inviting. Generally speaking, the better you know the invitees, the more likely they are to come. So, if you want to have a party with about 15 people, invite around 20 of your closer friends. Contact them directly, and make sure you get a response, that way you’ll be able to keep the guest list manageable.

Avoid mass emails to large groups of classmates, your colleagues or your entire softball team. These types of invitees are difficult to predict — sometimes none of them will come, or they’ll come en masse — and with a small space, you can’t take that risk. An overcrowded party can lead to damage to the apartment that puts your security deposit at risk as well as your continued residency.