Gifts For Mom That Won’t Bust the Bank

It’s impossible to put a price on moms and mother figures; they’re just so precious to us. But when it comes to gift-giving, it can be overwhelming to find just the right gift at a price we can afford. So we crafted six thoughtful gift ideas that don’t break the bank.

1. Breakfast In Bed

Start Mother’s Day off strong by making her favorite breakfast. Awaken mom with a gentle knock on the door and the scent of fresh-brewed coffee wafting through the air. Deliver her meal on a tray (and for extra brownie points, add fresh flowers!). Mom will love the royal treatment! Need breakfast inspo? Country Living has plenty of recipes you can try.

2. Handwritten Note 

Your mom knows you love her, but take a pen to paper and remind her of all the reasons why. It might seem like a simple gift, but we’re pretty sure she will treasure it forever! Hallmark has some tips on how to write a sweet note to mama.

3. Give Mom A Day Off

Give your mom a break by sending her to her favorite restaurant or cafe with a gift card. While she is out enjoying time to herself, you can clean her house or run her errands. Find out how to pull off giving Mom a day to herself here (with some extra ideas too!). 

4. Create a Photo Book

Find your favorite photos with Mom and create a photo book. You can make one for only $15 at Artifact Uprising.

5. A Spa Package

Pamper your mama with a spa package. Whether you want to pitch in with others and pay for a spa experience, or if you want to DIY for Mom, we can help. Learn how to make your own spa package here. 

Now you are ready to show your mother just how much you cherish her without stressing about spending lots of money!

 

---

The City Where Creatives Live

In Thrillist’s latest article, The Best American Cities for Creatives (That You Can Actually Afford to Live In), guess who ranked top 15?

That’s right! Nola is booming with opportunities for creatives to work and live without busting the bank. 

With such an influx of incredible people making the move here, we’ve been adding even more apartments and even better amenities! From resort-style pools with poolside food delivery to free bike rentals, it’s even more enticing to make your home here. Not to mention, all of the incredible attractions throughout the Greater New Orleans area like biking paths and Farmers Markets!

But if you’re like us, you prefer having the option to head into the city when you want to, while dwelling in the suburbs for your day in and day out routine. For that reason, we have bark parks and outdoor fitness centers, movie rentals and more, so you never really have to leave if you don’t want. Plus, all of our communities are just a short drive from some of the best shopping, dining, and entertaining you can find! 

Need help looking for a new apartment? We’d love to help. Just head to our homepage and start your apartment search today! Or, you can take our apartment quiz to find out which apartment size is just right for you!

---

Which Apartment Should You Rent?

---

Spring Cleaning: How To Deep Clean Your Apartment

It’s springtime, and that means it’s time to give your apartment the deep clean it deserves. Soon, you’ll be having family gatherings and dinner parties with friends, and the relaxed housekeeping techniques you used during your winter hibernation will need to change.

Read on for the best ways to deep clean the rooms in your apartment.

The Living Room

Your living room is a notorious location for dust. That’s why dusting is priority number 1 here. 

Using a duster, dust the living room from top to bottom. We mean that literally: start by dusting the corners of the ceiling, move to picture frames, tabletops and furniture, and then thoroughly dust the baseboards. After you’ve systematically dusted the room, move on to the door frames. 

Next, use a rag, water, and furniture polish to scrub down any chair/couch legs and tabletops. Once you’ve cleaned all the hard surfaces, use your vacuum hose attachment to remove debris from all cushions and crevices. Next, vacuum the carpet and mop any wood flooring. 

The Kitchen

First, use the same dusting process you used in the living room.

Next, explore the refrigerator. Chances are you’ll need to throw out some expired food and clean some spills. Scrub the interior of the refrigerator thoroughly, and wipe it down with a dry towel.

Using disinfectant, scrub all appliances (stove, oven, microwave, etc.) with the same care that you cleaned the refrigerator. Afterwards, disinfect all kitchen surfaces so that you can cook in a sterile environment. Finish cleaning the kitchen by mopping the floor. 

The Bedroom

Winter coats, furry sweaters, thick scarves–these things can take up a lot of space in your closets and dressers. Fold ’em up in an air tight space bag and place them on the top shelf of your closet! Have items you know you’ll never wear again? Pack those up too and bring them to your local donation center.

Next, your bed. Let’s clear the air and admit: we’ve all shoved things under our beds right before company comes over. But today is the day you tackle that beast. Take a few minutes to climb under there and remove any items you find. You might just stumble upon that other sock you’ve been looking for or that sandwich you made a few weeks ago (we won’t tell). Trash what’s trash and re-organize what’s important.

Curtains and carpet: we hope you clean these items more than just once a year, but in the event that you don’t, it’s time to start. Give your carpets a deep vacuum to remove any pet hair, human hair, dust, and dirt. There’s nothing like fresh vacuum lines marking the trail of your cleanliness. Curtains are the next thing you will want to vacuum. Grab your handheld vacuum for this task. Then from top to bottom, bust that dust!    

The Bathroom

Dust all necessary items, just like the living room and the kitchen.

Use a glass cleaner to make your mirror shine! Disinfect the counters and sink.  Scrub the shower/tub area with a mild cleaner like distilled vinegar, and use mildew spray if necessary afterward. Wash or replace your shower curtain if necessary.

Tackle the toilet bowl with toilet bowl disinfectant. Make sure to clean the handle and seat. 

Last, mop the floor, and enjoy your fresh bathroom!

Other Resources

There are plenty of other sites that have great tips on giving your apartment a deep clean. Try Apartments.com, BuzzFeed, and U-Pack for more great cleaning advice.

Seeking a Fresh Start?

Explore our list of communities today to find your ideal home today!

---

Four Furniture Staples for Small Apartments

Sometimes a studio apartment is all you really need. But such small spaces can create bigger challenges when it comes to storage. 

So we did a little digging and found four furniture staples that will make your apartment ultra functional! 

1. Floor Lamps {with Storage}

Not only do floor lamps provide an additional source of mood lighting (which you can never have enough of!), but they can also be excellent sources of storage!  Let those vertical lines work for you by selecting a floor lamp with one, two or three tiered shelves. By stacking toward the sky, instead of side-to-side, you will clear valuable floor space and gain essential room for books, a laptop or a cup of coffee! Like what you see below? You can snag it here. 

2. Wall Organizer 

The great thing is, no matter what size apartment you live in, you have walls! By adding a few wall organizers throughout your home, you’re guaranteed to gain more storage and up your organization skills. When it comes to placement of your wall organizer, our first go-to location is right next to your front door. By placing a wall organizer near the place where you enter and exit for the day, you give yourself the opportunity to load and unload your day’s essentials in one place. No more rummaging around the house wondering where you left your keys this time. Our advice: purchase an organizer with a couple of different functions — a hook for your keys, a basket for your mail, and a shelf for your wallet. This prevents miscellaneous, yet vital items from being strewn about your home. Want the wall organizer below? Click here.  

3. Magnetic Towel Bar

This one makes us all giddy inside. Why? Because it’s a stroke of pure genius. For most of us, our bulky refrigerators don’t exactly scream stylish. BUT, many of us have funky, fun dish rags that do! That’s one of the reasons we love this nifty find. Just slap this magnetic towel bar to your fridge, neatly place your cutest hand towels over them… and voila! Not to mention, this tool actually keeps your valuable counter top space free for the other stuff you really need. Oh and one more thing: by having a place where your towels can hang, you also have a place where they can dry if need be. We think Wayfair hit the trifecta with this one. Find it here, if you agree!  Want even more storage? Take a look at this kitchen organization rack from West Elm.

4. Storage Beds

Who knew a bed could be even more than just a snuggly oasis for rest? We did! By purchasing a platform bed with built-in storage, your comfy corner of the world can double as a highly functional source of storage. Plus, these purchases can be more cost-effective than you may think. Or if the built-in drawers aren’t your thing, just simply getting a raised platform bed will give you the space to slide your own set of storage boxes under there. Want to search this bed and others like it? Here’s the link. 

There you have it! Four ultra-functional furniture pieces for your apartment!  

Need a New Apartment for All This Great Furniture You’re Getting?

Visit our website to find one! 

---