One of the beauties of apartment living is enjoying the upkeep without having to do any of it! At 1st Lake Properties, all maintenance is taken care of for you.
You don’t have to even step inside one of 1st Lake’s New Orleans apartment rentals to see all the work that goes into making it a lovely and clean place to live. The grounds of each property are beautifully attended to, including the walking paths, pool and picnic areas, and everything in between.
Being a renter allows you to sit back and really enjoy the space you live in without the worry of yard work or making repairs – instead, you can leave it to the experts! One of the other upsides to renting an apartment instead an entire house is the lower utility bills. You will save on your energy bill with 1st Lake’s energy efficient kitchen appliances and with less space to heat or cool, depending on the season.
A renter of one of 1st Lake’s Kenner, River Ridge or Metairie apartment rentals in the New Orleans area can take comfort in the fact that they can always count on coming home to a care-free living environment that’s part of a smooth-running operation. 1st Lake employs their very own architectural, construction and property management companies, so you can rest assured that all work is done with the utmost pride and care.
If you aren’t already, take advantage of the dedicated and responsive customer service you’ll find living at one of the 1st Lake apartment communities. The attentive staff will be there to help with any issues, unless they’ve already been resolved before you even noticed!
In the spirit of giving, 1st Lake’s Citrus Creek apartment community has hosted a number of thoughtful and charitable events over the past few months at their apartment community in River Ridge.
Back around Halloween, Citrus Creek gave all residents’ pets a special treat for the holiday. This was carried out in conjunction with Hickory Knoll Veterinary Hospital which donated small bags of treats for cats and dogs. The staff at Citrus Creek then distributed the treat bags along with a toy and a special note made out to the pet. The idea was that each pet would get a toy to do tricks with and a treat to enjoy. All the pet owners at Citrus Creek were extremely appreciative, and touched that their pets were thought of in such a special way.
With the holiday season upon us, Citrus Creek is hosting a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank and a pet food drive for the Animal Rescue of New Orleans. All residents that donated food to either drive by November 30, 2012 were then entered to win a $50 gift card to Fox & Hound English Pub-Grille in River Ridge.
With so much goodwill going around, the residents at the Citrus Creek River Ridge apartments are sure to be in the holiday spirit!
These days, it’s practically normal for most people in New Orleans to get fewer than 8 hours of sleep. With people working longer hours and leading busier lives, the old standard of 8 hours is getting harder and harder to many to get consistently. Whether or not you’re able to squeeze in the proper amount of hours into your sleep schedule, getting restful sleep can be just as important as the length of time you sleep.
Here are a few ways to ensure that you get a more restful sleep, no matter how many hours you get in, to help you feel refreshed when morning comes!
Many people depend on some sort of background noise to get to sleep, whether it be the TV, stereo, or a fan. However, this noise, while it may be soothing and help you get to sleep, can cause disturbances while you’re asleep. The brain will continue to process what it’s hearing, and you may find yourself not as well rested in the morning. Beyond disrupting your sleep, distractions such as the stereo or TV can keep you up longer than you need to be if you find yourself paying attention to them.
Drinking caffeine too close to bedtime can keep you awake and alert longer than you may like. While many of us depend on caffeine throughout the day, whether it be coffee or soda, it can remain in your body for up to 14 hours! If it’s at all possible, try to avoid drinking caffeinated beverages anywhere from 4-6 hours before bed, depending on your reaction and tolerance to it.
Many people try to use alcohol to get to sleep as well. While it may seem like a quick and easy way to relax before bed, alcohol can actually cause you to toss and turn in your sleep, which will leave you feeling more exhausted in the morning.
Try not to go to bed hungry, but don’t eat anything too filling or heavy right before bed. Generally, a good rule of thumb to use is to avoid eating anything from 1-2 hours before going to bed. If you need a snack before bed, try eggs, or peaches. The old trick of drinking milk before bed to help go to sleep is actually true as well. Milk contains tryptophan (much like your Thanksgiving turkey), which helps to promote sleep.
While worries and stresses may tend to pop up in your head when you’re trying to rest, your bed should remain a stress-free zone. Allow yourself to keep your mind clear, and deal with stresses tomorrow. Reading, taking a warm bath, or meditating to get your mind off of the day’s events can help you get in a more relaxed state of mind before bed-time.
While cuddling with your dog or cat may be a great stress relief at the end of a long day, when they move around at night it can cause disturbances in your sleep that leave you feeling tired in the morning. If you want to have some time with your furry friend, do so before you turn in, and then allow yourself the privacy and comfort of an animal free bed!
Shop local! Bedding Plus is a family-owned subsidiary of Doerr Furniture, one of the oldest and most respected furniture stores in New Orleans. They have mattress stores throughout southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, convenient to all of our apartment communities.
We all have one – that little, or maybe big, spot in our apartment used for miscellaneous items, otherwise known as junk. Whether it’s a drawer, a closet, or even a room, it doesn’t have to be junky. It may be the designated place for things that don’t belong anywhere else, but it can still be organized.
This space allotted for random household items, if left unkempt for too long, can quickly become a big mess. If that’s the case, step one is to completely empty the contents and start fresh. Throw out anything that is trash, broken, or that you simply don’t have a need for anymore.
Once you’re left with what you want to keep, it’s time to start organizing. Most things end up in a junk drawer because they don’t make sense anywhere else in the apartment. Take those things and sort them according to function. Are they tools? Office supplies? Personal items like matches, magnets, chalk, pens, etc? Insert or install dividers into the drawer or closet and place the groups of items into the individual sections. That way you’ll be able to find what you need quicker instead of searching through a bunch of clutter for that one little piece.
Take these steps to turn your junk drawer into a tidy one for all those knickknacks that you might start using more once they’re organized, clearly visible and easier to find!
1st Lake’s apartments communities in Mandeville, River Ridge and Slidell Louisiana have plenty of cabinets and large closets that make organizing extraneous gadgets that much easier.
So your lease will be renewing soon on your apartment – what should you do? 1st Lake Properties has an automatic renewal of your current lease term which makes staying much easier, no need to take time out of your schedule to sign the same paperwork!
Contact your leasing office if you wish to terminate your lease upon expiration to fill out a written notice. Notice to move out of your apartment must be done timely and in writing. Good communication with the rental office will ensure you a better apartment experience. Before making the decision to move, consider all the possible consequences of moving out.
First of all, apartment hunting can be a long, difficult process, so if you are in an apartment you like, that’s affordable, and in a desirable location, there’s no reason not to stay! Remember location is the key to great apartment living. Consider the costs that it takes to move, time it takes to pack and logistics of paperwork, new policies and a new landlord – staying in your current apartment can avoid a big headache.
Make sure when you sign your lease agreement, that the renewal process is understood.
At 1st Lake Properties, we’re committed to providing the best living experience possible for our residents and are confident that with all the great New Orleans area locations, special offers, amenities and resident services, you’ll always want to renew your lease with 1st Lake!
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
