#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.

#ApartmentHacks: Keeping Your Home Cool Without Air Condition!

Its that season where we gravitate to finding ways to cool off quick! Air conditioning might be the first idea that pops up in your brain, but what if there were alternative ideas from turning on your air conditioning when you want to cool down? Here are five ways on how to keep cool at home during the summer time without racking up on your electric bill:

1. Keep your blinds closed.  This tip might seem very simple but over 25 percent of unwanted heated comes straight through your windows, and installing shades can save you up to 7 percent on bulls and dramatically lower your indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees.

2. Install black-out curtains.  Black-out curtains block out sunlight while naturally insulating the rooms where they are installed. These neutral-colored curtains with white plastic backings can reduce heating gain by upwards to 30 percent.

3. Closing off unused doors.  Air can circulate through an entire room so being smart about your doors is very important. Closing doors will prevent cool air from permeating these areas during the hottest part of the day. You want to capitalize on thee cooler night hours too, by letting air glow naturally through your home.

4. Buy a fan. Utilizing a fan during those warmer months can help cool you down faster. Fans circulate in a particular area of the room and can be controlled by you at any second. Using fan is cheaper in the long run and you can use it year round if need be.

5. Swap your sheets. Not only does switching out your bedding seasonally put a nice twist to your room, but it is also a wonderful way to keep cool. While textiles such as flannel sheets and fleece blankets are perfect for insulation, cotton is a smarter move for the warmer months as it breathes easier and stays cooler.

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.

#LifeHacks: Eight Tips That Promote Healthy Sleep Routines

Get A Good Night's Sleep

Sleep hygiene may sound unimaginative, but it just may be the best way to get the sleep you need in this 24/7 age. Here are eight simple tips for making the sleep of your dreams a nightly reality:

1) Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, Nicotine, and Other Chemicals that Interfere with Sleep

 As any coffee lover knows, caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake. So, avoid caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, and some pain relievers) for four to six hours before bedtime. Similarly, smokers should refrain from using tobacco products too close to bedtime.

 Although alcohol may help bring on sleep, after a few hours it acts as a stimulant, increasing the number of awakenings and generally decreasing the quality of sleep later in the night. It is therefore best to limit alcohol consumption to one to two drinks per day, or less, and to avoid drinking within three hours of bedtime.

2) Turn Your Bedroom into a Sleep-Inducing Environment

 A quiet, dark, and cool environment can help promote sound slumber. To achieve such an environment, lower the volume of outside noise with earplugs or a "white noise" appliance. Keep the temperature comfortably cool—between 60 and 75°F—and the room well ventilated. And make sure your bedroom is equipped with a comfortable mattress and pillows. (Remember that most mattresses wear out after ten years.)

 Also, if a pet regularly wakes you during the night, you may want to consider keeping it out of your bedroom.

 It may help to limit your bedroom activities to sleep. Keeping computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your bedroom and sleep.

3) Establish a Soothing Pre-Sleep Routine

 Ease the transition from wake time to sleep time with a period of relaxing activities an hour or so before bed. Take a bath (the rise, then fall in body temperature promotes drowsiness), read a book, watch television, or practice relaxation exercises. Avoid stressful, stimulating activities—doing work, discussing emotional issues. Physically and psychologically stressful activities can cause the body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with increasing alertness. If you tend to take your problems to bed, try writing them down—and then putting them aside.

4) Don’t Be a Nighttime Clock-Watcher

 Staring at a clock in your bedroom, either when you are trying to fall asleep or when you wake in the middle of the night, can actually increase stress, making it harder to fall asleep. Turn your clock’s face away from you.

And if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep in about 20 minutes, get up and engage in a quiet, restful activity such as reading or listening to music. And keep the lights dim; bright light can stimulate your internal clock. When your eyelids are drooping and you are ready to sleep, return to bed.

#LifeHacks: Three Resources Every Resident Should Know

Apartment residents are familiar with this scene: it's move in day, and a once empty apartment is now filled with boxes, furniture, and more.  Now is the time to decorate and personalize the apartment!  But where to start?  And how to make the space both organized and unique?

Residents looking for apartment specific decor and cleaning #lifehacks can always read this blog for tips and ideas.  But, residents may want additional advice.  This week, Apartment Resident #LifeHacks wanted to feature several additional online resources specifically for renters:

Apartments.com blog: The Apartments.com blog features regular posts about apartment decor and organization specifically for renters.  The blog also details money saving advice and moving strategies for those looking to relocate to an apartment community.

Apartment Guide Blog: The Apartment Guide blog features weekly posts about topics such as moving into apartment communities, decorating various floorplan options, and cleaning appliances and features in apartments.

Apartment Therapy: Apartment Therapy is an online resource that focuses on decor and design tips for apartment residents.  The tips featured in this blog span across a variety of topics such as "DIY" design strategies and ideas to decorate studio apartments.  Apartment Therapy also runs an active Pinterest page with additional design ideas.  

Are other digital resources great for apartment residents?  Let us know in the comments!

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.

Seven Apartment Cleaning Hacks That Will Change Your Life

Easy Cleaning Tips for Apartment Residents

If you are like most people, you don’t look forward to cleaning your apartment.  But with these easy do-it-yourself cleaning hacks, you will have your place sparkling clean in no time.

1) Treat Your Microwave to Lemon Water

A proper scrub down of your microwave can be exhaustive, time-consuming and plain old gross, which is where cleaning hacks like this five-minute microwave cleaner come in handy. Cut a couple of lemons in quarters and place them in a glass dish filled with water. Heat up until the water starts boiling, hit stop then let the whole thing sit for a minute or two.
When you open the microwave door, you’ll notice a billow of steam, which has loosened up the gunk and grease lining the walls of the microwave. Take a sponge to the mess and wipe it away with almost no effort.

2) Dust Ceiling Fans with a Pillowcase

Ceiling fans are great for circulating cool air in your apartment and reducing your energy costs.  But there’s no getting around it: Cleaning your ceiling fans is just a part of apartment life. No matter how agile and bendable your duster is, reaching the tops of those blades is a task meant only for skilled aerial artists.
The average Joe can dust ceiling fan blades with this simple cleaning hack: Place an old pillow case over one of the fan blades, and slowly pull it backwards, wiping the dirt and grime off as you go. Move on to the next blade and the next, leaving a shiny, crud-free surface along the way. Then, just throw the pillowcase in the wash.

3) Knife-Clean Your Air Vents

Hate your dusty old main air vent? Poke it with a knife.
Take a clean towel and moisten it with warm water (avoid using too much water, as it can cause rust), then wrap it around a butter knife to create an excellent tool for getting between the shingles. Make sure to hit all the vents in your apartment– even the ceiling vents.

Five #LifeHacks for Living With Pets in an Apartment

Make Sure Pets are Happy and Healthy in Apartment Communities
 

Many people consider dogs and cats a member of their family.  Apartment communities may be "pet friendly", which means that residents can reside in their apartments with pets.  Below are five #lifehacks specifically for living with pets in an apartment community:

1) Pet Exercise: Whether a long-time or first-time pet owner, it is important to understand that many pets, especially cats and dogs, need exercise to stay happy and healthy.  Apartment residents may not have a backyard that pets can explore, so it is important to research local parks or green areas nearby to explore with a pet.  Residents should make sure their dogs are getting enough walks during the day.  In addition, cat owners should set up a "cat tree" or scratching post in an area of the apartment so cats can scrape their claws when needed. 

2) Routines for Pets: All pets like routines, so apartment residents should try to establish a daily routine for dogs and cats and stick to it.  This can include setting up a regular walk time for dogs.  For cats, this can include cleaning out the litter box the same time every day and setting out wet food at the same time as well.  

3) Pet Noise: Pets will occasionally make noise.  Living in an apartment, it is important to understand the many apartment communities have "quiet hours" or "courtesy hours" in place in regards to excess noise made during the nighttime.  Apartment residents who are pet owners need to remain cognizant about any loud barking or meowing that occurs at night.  Try to soothe pets at night with pats or treats to reduce any excess noise. 

Three Time Saving Tips for Apartment Residents to Remember in 2018

Ways to Save Time When Living in an Apartment Community

Think about the 2018 year: it just started, but there is a lot to do.  New resolutions have been made and goals have been set.  This time of year, it may seem like a bother to waste unnecessary time when there is so much to get done.  When living in an apartment community, residents can easily save time by following three simple steps:

1) Pay rent online: Many apartment communities allow residents to play rent online from any computer, tablet, and/ or mobile device.  This can save a lot of time, as residents no longer need to stop by the leasing office to drop off rent checks.  Even more time can be saved if residents set up automatic, recurring rent payments online.  Grady Management offers online rent payment options at all of our communities.  Learn more online.

2) Submit online service requests: Garbage disposal not working?  Tub drain a little slow?  Blinds a tad askew?  One great benefit of living in an apartment is that the community maintenance team is around and available to assist in home maintenance.  If any appliance needs adjusting, it takes a quick phone call, correspondence, or visit to the leasing office to fix it.  Some people prefer phone call communication or in person visits.  But it saves a lot of time to submit service requests online.  Many apartment communities provide digital service request forms allowing residents to specify what the service request for, what room it is located in, etc.  Grady Management offers an online service request form on our the official website.

3) Contact community team online: Apartment residents often have questions or comments about their apartment communities and the community team members are happy to assist!  In addition to phone calls and office visits, many communities have emails and to online website forms that residents can easily complete and submit.  These forms are sent directly to community team members for response.  On the Grady Management website, the Contact Us form is located here. 

Do you have time saving ideas for apartment residents to try in 2018?  Comment below to let us know!

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.

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.