The post Maintenance Q&A for Your Apartment Home appeared first on Bradford Place Blog.
]]>What should not go down the garbage disposal?
What items can I store in my utility closet?
Why do I have partial power in my apartment?
What do I do if I come home late at night and I’m locked out?
Can I call someone if there is an emergency in my apartment?
What is considered an emergency maintenance request?
Can I submit an emergency request online?
Who should I call if my neighbors are noisy?
Should I turn off my a/c or heat when I leave town?
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]]>The post Ways to Introduce Yourself to Your Apartment Neighbors appeared first on Bradford Place Blog.
]]>The days of bringing baked goods to new neighbors are in the past. Now, breaking the ice can be downright intimidating, especially in an apartment community. Everyone wants to have a strong relationship with their neighbors. Who else can you rely on to watch over your home when you’re out for the weekend? Good neighbors make our lives easier, and it helps everyone feel like part of a community.
Whether you’ve been in your apartment community for years or you’re just moving in, you might need some extra help finding the best way to introduce yourself. Yes, it can be awkward at first, but there are easy ways to make it less intimidating. Are you ready to make a change and turn your neighbors into people you feel confident running into in the hallways?
Smile Often
This is the easiest way to meet people, but also the most often overlooked. How often do you walk between your apartment and your car looking at nothing other than your phone screen? Put that phone away and be aware of your surroundings. Not only is this a great habit to get into in everyday life, but it gives you the chance to meet people.
Smile as you pass people in the hallway. Introduce yourself, and let them know where you live. You don’t have to take up any more time than that, but your neighbor will remember your friendly hello going forward. This is how you start breaking down those walls.
Connect Online
This is the digital age, so it’s no wonder neighbors have taken to social media. With the NextDoor app, you can be sure you’re only seeing posts for the people immediately near you. While connecting online isn’t a substitute for real-life interaction, it is a great way to put names to faces. If you have any questions or ideas for the community, this can be a great space to ask.
Go to Events
Neighborhood events are the perfect chance to actually meet people. Not only do they sometimes involve free food (yum!), but you’re likely to run into someone new. Be active at these events, and ask the community if you can bring baked goods or a food dish to share. Food will always make people eager to talk to you. These events are designed to bring the community together. Don’t keep putting off Friday Night Socials and holiday feasts.
Be Respectful
Finally, one of the best ways to meet your neighbors on the right terms is to be a good member of the community. Every apartment community has a set of rules, most of which are for the peace and respect of everyone who lives there. Nobody likes the neighbor who blasts music until 2 am or the person who always leaves trash outside their door.
The same goes for your property manager. Many property managers also live on-site, and this is a great way to get to know them when you see them out during the day or at events. However, never impose your questions or concerns on a property manager after hours when they’re no longer on duty.
Another common problem is renting your apartment through Airbnb when you’re not in town. This might seem like a good way to make extra cash, but it exposes your community to unknown tenants. Your property managers might be alerted through a service like Rentbelly, so it’s never worth the risk.
Following the rules might not get you very far on its own, but without it, you’ll have the hardest time making a good impression on your neighbors. The more you can learn to respect the rules, the more pleasant your community will be as a whole. As long as you smile, put yourself out there, and are an asset to the community, your neighbors will welcome you.
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]]>The post Tips for Apartment Home Living with Kids appeared first on Bradford Place Blog.
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Organization is vital.
When it comes to apartment spaces, sometimes even the most spacious set up can feel cramped when there’s clutter. Naturally, kids are messy folk so it takes a super family to keep it all on lock.
Pro Tip: Get furniture that doubles as storage and invest in plenty of shelves. The more you can tuck away the better.
Photo courtesy: (L) xoyos.com (R) pixabay.com
Being on time is hard. This just in: that’s totally normal.
Keeping up with different schedules is harder than it looks. Once you’re in a regular routine and find your niche, it’ll feel like clockwork. But until then (fingers crossed that day comes), remind yourself that practice makes perfect.
Pro Tip: Buy an actual alarm clock and don’t just rely on your smartphone. By simply setting a few alarms throughout your morning, you’ll have extra motivation to get up, find the clock, and remind yourself to get going on a task. It’s not a bad idea to set reminders on your phone as a backup…. after all, this isn’t the dark ages.
Purge what you don’t need.
This is no time to hoard those socks with holes in them or that toy your kids haven’t touched in months. Sometimes you have to accept that no amount of strategic storage will cut it when you just have too.much.stuff.
Pro Tip: Find your local donation service and go through all your things at least once every two months. Give away anything which your family doesn’t have a blatant sentimental or practical use for anymore.
Plan plan plan.
Keeping a visible planner can really help kids conceptualize time management and what they have going on that week. This should be displayed in a family space, such as the kitchen, and as detailed as your family is comfortable with keeping consistent.
Pro Tip: DIY a dinner schedule so older kids can know what to expect and you can plan your grocery trips or budget how much you can spend on a dinner out on the town. When you know a few days in advance what your family’s meals will be that week, you can pre-pack or pre-cook meals with far less stress.
Work space vs. living space
The key to productivity is having a set work space that is comfortable and organized. This is important for little ones too…plus, establishing an area for them to do homework helps you out with clean up time.
Pro Tip: Set up a work space for your kids like you would for yourself and it will make them feel like they’re being a grownup. Whether this is for homework or for play, it will ensure your space looks like it has a purpose and isn’t another play area with cluttered toys lying around.
Whether you’ve been doing this like a champ for years, or might consider trying one of our tips for the first time, know that we understand the importance of family and always hope you are happy and healthy in your apartment home.
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]]>The post Thanksgiving in an Apartment Home appeared first on Bradford Place Blog.
]]>Get creative and make use of every square foot of your home’s counter and floor space. Depending on how many people you plan to host, strategically planning ahead of time and re-arranging your home will allow you to live out the “more the merrier” lifestyle.
- Hang string lights and decorations rather than focusing on an elaborate center piece. By freeing up your table and counter top space, you can serve more food and drinks while keeping festive. Hint: Hang a festive Autumn wreath inside your home as a simple way to set the tone for the season.
- Instead of worrying about ironing a table cloth that will inevitably get dirty, buy craft or butchers paper and decorate however you choose. Great for kids and adult doodlers, plus you can use this to label any food that’s sensitive for dietary restrictions.
- Seems simple, but try to prepare as many meals ahead of time as possible. It also doesn’t hurt to require guests to bring their own side dishes while you’re in charge of the main course. Once guests arrive, you won’t want to be running around still cooking pies!
- Clear your floor space and designate an area for guest’s personal items. If furniture can be moved to your bedroom, clear it out so you can have optimal space for entertaining.
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]]>- Fill up water bottles and freeze them the night before. Use these as makeshift ice packs, and when they melt you can drink the water! Cooler space is sacred so don’t waste it.
- Buy a helium balloon or invest in getting your team’s flag. Fly these high and proud so friends can find your spot with ease.
- Serving potato salad or coleslaw? Set it out in a decorative bowl. No one will know you bought it from the grocery store that morning.
- Supplies that will help in a bind: toilet paper, duct tape, permanent marker, hand sanitizer.
- Make your own Bloody Mary bar or deck out your hotdogs with lots of toppings. Use a 6-pack cardboard container to carry all of your sauces.
- Walking Tacos are a hit for all ages. Cook beef with taco seasoning the night before, heat it up however you choose the day of, and set out all the toppings people could want. Set up is simple, so it’s a win-win situation.
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