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The Apartment Dude asked:


As apartment dwellers, we “Live for Fun.” Looking for some ideas to inject a little more fun into your lifestyle? Now you’re talking. Here’s a list of what makes apartment living fun, from A to Z…

Apartment living = freedom.

Balconies. Sublime.

Community events to socialize and spot the neighborhood hotties.

Dinner parties with neighbors and friends. No place like an apartment to find your inner Rachel Ray … or Emeril … or just nuke a Hot Pocket and kick back on the couch.

Extreme apartment makeover? Chose your own style, décor and feng shui that puppy.

Fact — you can (and should!) protect your stuff with renter’s insurance.

Gotta get some exercise? Hit they gym. It’s right downstairs.

Have a drink. Invite some friends. Hang out.

If it’s broke … not your problem! Maintenance will fix it.

Just a hop, skip and jump away from shopping centers, restaurants and of course “Targét”.

Kitchen with a fully-stocked snack cabinet? Heaven.

Laundry services? Convenient in your place or, if you share a laundry room, hide those skidmarks!

Many apartment communities are pet friendly. Bring a pooper scooper and you’re golden.

Nightly summer BBQ with fun-loving gang from upstairs and down the hall. Dogs are on!

One night stands in the privacy of your apartment? Aweeeesome.

Pool, fitness center, complimentary breakfast and tennis courts. Plenty of apartments offer these great

services. Find one!

Quality movie nights, TV show fan club groups and board games (no shame in “Taboo”). Be a kid.

Rock star parking directly in front of your building.

Sex. Fact: Apartment dwellers get it on more. Did we mention ***?

Trash pick up at your door or just down the hall ….take the smell outside!

Use your space as a fitness factory. Grab those free weights and sweat to the oldies in privacy.

Visitors welcome 24/7-or not. It’s your place, your rules.

Wireless internet signals picked up from your neighbors. They’re clueless.

Xebec is an actual word that starts with X. We could have gone with x-ray or xylophone but everyone does that.

You can walk around ***** and no one will ever know. Remember, blinds closed please.

Zzzzz…in your own bedroom, complete with an attached bathroom and walk-in closet. YES!

Want to become part of this elite group of fun-loving apartment dwellers? What makes you happy is very much about you. That’s why Apartment Home Living offers an online matching service to fit your specific needs.

Live for fun. Visit ApartmentHomeLiving.com and click on our “live for fun” tab to see other ways people are living for fun in their new apartments. Then join ‘em!

The Apartment Dude asked:


In most (if not all) apartment communities, burning candles is actually against the rules. Naturally so, because if you are burning candles, you may be putting an entire building and not to mention several people’s lives at stake. Sound severe? It’s not. Fires caused by candles happen more often then you’d think.

All it takes is a small gust of wind, a cat, or your uncoordinated-clumsy boyfriend to knock over that pretty smelling yankee candle and make the whole building go up in flames. That reminds me….did you sign up for renters insurance yet?

If candles aren’t an option you are definitely still in luck. There are several great alternatives to having yourself a little burning wick with melting wax. Check it out:

If it’s a fine scent that you’re after, try Glade® PlugIns®. They come in a ton of different smells that keep your place smelling way better than a measly apple cinnamon candle. Lamp oils or incense are also great options for spreading a little scented love around your apartment. The best part of all of these: none of them use an open flame!

I truly hope that you aren’t trying to go George Washington on me and read by candlelight, but if you are indeed needing the candles for light…please work your way into the present century with an invention called the “light bulb” You could go with electric candles, lamps, or a night light if you are needing to get around in the middle of the night. Needing it for mood lighting? Try opening the blinds a little and letting the moonlight spill in or use the calming iridescent glow coming from your computer monitor. Okay, I’m kidding about the monitor, but you may even want to try using small track lighting with dimmers. They can set the mood really well too.

And if you are using candles for heat…please…PLEASE…use something that can actually provide you with real warmth like your central heating unit.

When you actually think about it…candles really aren’t that practical…so I figure…who needs ‘em? Those archaic-old lighting utensils belong in a wax museum.

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

The Apartment Dude asked:


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

The Apartment Dude asked:


Hey Apartmentites! Brianne here, your apartment decorating and style expert, and I want to share with you a little insight on making your apartment fit the mold of the motto at Apartment Home Living.

Okay, so at this point I think it is safe to admit that there is a huge variety of things that people “Live 4″ out there, but one specific “live for” is our motto around here and it rings true with just about everyone…(except those sad and forlorned emo-kids.) We (most of us at least) Live for Fun!

So why not let it show in your apartment decorations too? Here are a few simple ideas to help you decorate your apartment to reflect playfulness and energy.

1. Keep the Dining Area Simple- Try a small wooden table and don’t decorate it too heavily. Allow the wood grain to shine and show off the simplicity. Let all the attention be put on the furniture. It becomes cheaper for you and makes a bolder statement. Avoid bulky drapes and let the sun shine through using light fabrics and light colors on the windows. You want you kitchen area to feel fresh and rejuvenating. The light provides energy!

2. Extra Space Can Be Great- If you have a ton of extra space in your apartment, turn some of it into an area for you to do the things that you really enjoy. Whether its a game station or a reading spot, maximize your storage and space possibilities by building shelves to house your favorite games, DVD’s, or books! Nothing says “fun” like having a space that is purely meant to celebrate what you do for “fun.”

3. Mirrors and Candles- So you want to have some really energetic, expressive, and fun walls but not sure how to do it? Easy. Take a bunch of left over or old mirrors and attach them to a wall at varying levels first. Right there, you suddenly have created an “open” feel that goes beyond fun and free. Then if you are feeling like really make the place great. Take a ton of candles (if allowed in your lease) and place them on small shelves in front of each mirror. It gives off a classic almost Victorian type feel in a fun and energetic way!

4. Accent Wall!- Don’t waste the time and energy painting an entire room. Instead, roll one solid (and very bold) color of the most important wall in a room and let it draw all of the attention. In your living room, make this either the wall behind your entertainment center or couch. In your bedroom, make it the wall behind the headboard. In the bathroom, make it the wall with the mirror. Remember…everything on that wall is going to stand out more, so don’t put your ugly old stuff there.

5. Put Your Life Into Your Environment- You should always have your apartment reflect yourself. In fact, it should be a spitting image! If you have a bold, bright sense of humor, using bright colors and letting in lots of light can really help match your apartment to you. One of my friends once framed a dozen different jokes and hung them all throughout his apartment. Everywhere you went…you could have a laugh. If music is your thing, how about framing cd inserts and hanging them throughout. If you can’t express yourself through the way your apartment looks and feels, when can you?!

If you follow these simple tips and have a little fun while decorating, your place will feel incredible in no time with energy and tons of flowing freedom!

For more info on the apartment lifestyle, check out ApartmentHomeLiving.com

The Apartment Dude asked:


Here’s the happs: Everybody wants to have a wonderfully pristine place to lay their heads. If cleanliness is next to godliness, than entering your new, clean abode should be like a religious experience. So what can you do to insure you’re about to move into a spotless apartment?

I’ve been through this about umpteen times, so I have some pretty solid advice for you. So listen up!

First and most important is a personal visit. Go on a tour of the actual apartment you’ll move into. Or as Kenny Rogers might suggest, “just drop by to see what condition their condition is in.” Any place that shows you an apartment that’s dirty should be a red-flag. Are the walls coated with a fresh coat of paint? Are the counter tops and kitchen floors so glisteningly clean that you want to eat off of them? Have the carpets cleaned? To see an apartment lingering with the stench of cigarettes and carpet that rivals turf after a rainstorm should concern you. You may want to steer your attention to a place that has carpet that makes you just want to take off those shoes, run your toes through it, and breath in that fresh new apartment aroma. That’s more like it!

Oh! Make sure to check out the exterior. Don’t be afraid to judge the book by its cover in this situation. Are the buildings freshly painted? Do stairways or fences need repair? What about the landscaping? If you drive-through at night, did they “leave the lights on for you?” Generally, a very well kept community contains incredibly kept apartments.

You’ve also should check with the people that have been there. Visit with the residents. Ask about their experiences and how management responds to issues or maintenance requests. Then be clear and concise with your future property manager. Ask straight forward questions regarding their cleanliness standards and turnaround time on maintenance requests.

Just an extra hint: If you’d like to have something changed or fixed before you move in, make sure to put it in writing, and give it to them in person. Always remember that when something is in writing, it is usually always remembered!

I’d even go so far as to check an online at

Apartment Home Living to see if anyone has posted anything about the place you may be about to call home.

So that’s about it. You follow those simple guidelines and I guarantee that you will end up living in a place that you will love laying down your head and calling “Home, sweet, home.”

Visit ApartmentHomeLiving.com for more information on apartments and living for fun!

The Apartment Dude asked:


Fees will range depending on the rules set by a particular community, but as a general rule you will find the following fees in place at most apartment communities. Be sure and keep yourself a handy copy of your lease agreement as that little packet of paper should contain information on all the fees that you may have to watch out for. We, at Apartment Home Living.com, have put together a list of the most commonly seen fees and fines to put you in the know of where your money may go.

1) Application fee- On some properties it’s low, some it’s higher. Some even waive this fee as a move-in special, so be sure to ask. This is a one-time fee when you apply for an apartment, but still a fee none the less.

2) Deposit- This isn’t technically a fee, but is still a cost to factor in when moving to a new place. In most cases deposits go up proportionally by the size of the apartment, but the amount determined for the deposit ranges from community to community. If you are looking to save some cash in this area be sure to shop around at different places and find out what the deposits are. If you are lucky, you might even find a $0 deposit special and not have to pay a dime here.

3) Pet Fee/Deposit- Chico may have only been $20 from the Wal-Mart parking lot when you picked him out of that litter of tiny barking black and brown muzzles, but he may set you back $200, $500, or even $750 for a pet fee/deposit. Sometimes you will even find that you may have to pay a monthly pet rent to keep little Chico at your apartment. A pet fee or pet rent is usually non-refundable, while if only a pet deposit is required you may have a chance of re-cooping that money as long as Chico doesn’t do any damage to the apartment. Usually the cost of cleaning the carpet will more than likely be taken out of the pet deposit however.

In terms of fees or rent pets are sometimes negotiable. There may be factors that help influence the cost related to your little mongrel. If Chico’s a cat, De-clawing may give you a lower rate. A lot of communities are more flexible on their rules regarding cats. Make sure and ask lots of questions and weigh the options.

4) Late Fees- Invest in some sticky notes to remind you to pay your rent on time. Unfortunately, there are generally hefty fines accessed every time your rent is late after a certain period of time as defined by your lease. It can go up to $50 a day in some cases, with usually a maximum amount at some point (right before you’re evicted). So it’s very important to get that rent in on time.

5) Garbage, Patio Fees- You should try to always keep trash from sitting by your door or on your porch. Many communities access fees for unkempt property, including trashy doorsteps and patios. Saving a little spending money and getting a little exercise is definitely worth the extra steps to the dumpster.

If your community offers a trash pick-up service, make sure to only leave trash outside of your door on the designated days. Putting it out on the wrong day may end up in a fine.

6) ***** Fine- Walking the dog around the community’s courtyard, make sure to pick up after the dog. It’s much better to bag now than beg later.

7) Parking Fee- Most apartment communities include free parking stickers, but occasionally some do have fees to obtain one.

Key/Lock Replacement Fee- It happens to all of us at some point in our lives. We lose our keys. Most apartments will access a fee to replace a lost or stolen key as well as an additional fee to change the door lock for your safety.

9) Noise Violations/ Fines- Having a bunch of parties? If the neighbors complain about the noise to the police, you may be looking at a hefty noise violation ticket. The apartments may also have a fine or other type of corrective action for noise pollution. It’s important to have a lot of fun, but try to keep the noise down a little.

10) Redecorating Fee- After you move out, if the apartment isn’t left in the exact condition it was when you moved in there will more than likely be a redecorating fee. Usually this is deducted from your initial deposit return amount and covers and repainting, carpet cleaning, general apartment cleaning, etc that needs to be done after you leave. If you extensively damage the apartment while living there, you may be looking at charges that exceed the deposit amount. The best advice is to clean like your mama would approve before you move out.

While these seem the most common fees and fines found amongst the growing number of apartment communities, there may be additional ones to be aware of. Make sure to look over the lease well and discuss any concerns with the leasing agent before you sign it. The best way to avoid fees is to know about them first.

For more info on this and many other apartment issues visit Apartment Home Living.com .