As spring transitions into summer, the days will get longer and warmer. Summer is also the season of backyard cookouts, leisurely afternoons and pool parties. And whether you’re entertaining guests every week or prefer to relax in solitude, summer is the perfect time to update your home’s decor.
Read on for a few of this year’s summertime decorating trends!
Floral prints are “in” right now, and summer is the perfect time to incorporate them into your apartment’s decor. Whether it’s shower curtains, throw pillows or rugs, floral prints add a pop of nature to any room.
Check out The Spruce for more ideas!
If you’d like to bypass floral prints and go for the real thing, we encourage it! Placing flower arrangements around your apartment is a great way to create a summery atmosphere. Make sure you use warm colors for an upbeat, cheerful vibe.
Other plants, like an ivy tree, can make your apartment look lush and tropical. According to The Spruce and Pinterest trend data, climbing plants are very popular this year.
Mixing bright colors together will make your apartment feel vibrant and in the spirit of the summertime. House Beautiful Magazine suggests starting with neutral tones to “ground” the room, such as neutral colors for walls and bedding. Then, use items like cushions, rugs and curtains to bring bright pops of color to the room.
Geometrics are also trending in 2018. One way to include geometric patterns into your decor is through artwork. Whether you purchase a piece of art or get creative and make one yourself, hanging geometric artwork on your walls allows you to incorporate bold design elements without permanently affecting your walls. Check out House Beautiful’s recommendations if you’d like more information.
Now that you know some of 2018’s biggest summer trends, get busy decorating!
Whether you’re cooking for a large group or just for yourself, saving time in the kitchen is a wonderful thing. It means more time spent with family and loved ones, more time for productivity, or maybe just more time for relaxing by the pool. And as the old saying goes, “time is money.”
So we’ve put together a small list of cooking tools that will make your life easier, both inside and outside of the kitchen.
Let’s start with waking up. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not treat yourself to a gadget that will help you eat a nourishing meal without missing a beat. Breakfast sandwich makers allow you to prepare a fresh breakfast — complete with eggs, your choice of meat, and other ingredients of your choice — that you can simply grab and go on your way out of the house.
These are small tools that will constantly come in handy. Place the garlic in its tube, roll, and suddenly you’ll have peeled garlic.
This is an essential tool for any kitchen. A sharp knife will allow you to slice and dice produce quickly, saving you lots of time while preparing your meal. Make sure you know how to keep your knife sharp.
Immersion blenders are incredibly useful for quickly making smoothies, pureed soups, and sauces without leaving a mess behind. Check out this tutorial to learn more about why an immersion blender is such a useful kitchen appliance.
A colander is a perforated bowl used for straining liquids from food. Using a colander is the fastest way to drain pasta, and they’re also a great container for washing vegetables.
Having a large variety of whisks will allow you to specialize and expedite your whisking duties. For example, Bon Appetite suggests using large whisks for foods in large pots, medium whisks for soups and sauces, and small whisks for salad dressings.
A sharp, resilient vegetable peeler will save you immeasurable amounts of time preparing any meal that calls for vegetables, and its ability to evenly remove vegetables’ outer skin will improve your presentation as well.
Heat resistant spatulas are wonderful for mixing, stirring, and scraping pans. They are also great for quickly and evenly spreading condiments on bread, which makes for a lovely sandwich.
Measuring cups with handles attached allow you to quickly scoop ingredients like sugar and place them directly into whatever you are cooking with. Make sure you purchase a variety of cups for large and smaller measurements.
Trying to open a jar that won’t budge is one of the most frustrating problems that occur in the kitchen, and even if it doesn’t affect your meal, it can certainly derail your good mood. Grab one in the kitchen aisle the next time you’re at the supermarket, and save yourself all that trouble once and for all.
If you’d like a list of even more tools, check out the official website of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Foodal, and Cooking Light. Now that you know how to save time in the kitchen, enjoy the summer with all the time you have left over!
According to some studies, over half of the apartment renters in the United States own a pet. Living with pets can be a challenge, but for those of you that have pets, you know that it is well worth it to have your best friend around. We’ve created a list of tips to make living with a pet in an apartment an enjoyable experience (for you and your neighbors).
Read on for more info!
One of the most important parts of living with a pet is making sure they have a routine for bathroom breaks. Establish routine times to take your pet outside, and train them where it is acceptable for them to go to the bathroom. If your pet develops a routine, your chances of coming home to a mess are greatly reduced. This keeps your apartment clean and your guests happy.
When it comes to cats, make sure you place litterboxes in a relatively private place.
Allowing your pets to expend their energy will make your home much calmer. Certain high-energy breeds of dogs need exercise, and they love playing fetch and other games that require large amounts of space. If your job doesn’t allow you the time to take your pet outside to play very often, you can hire a professional dog walker to take care of it for you.
If you haven’t bought a pet yet but are planning on it, do some research and choose a breed that is well-suited for apartment living. Smaller, calmer breeds are ideal for apartments since they require less space to expend energy. Additionally, some breeds have more energetic personalities and aren’t advisable apartment pets unless it’s certain that you can provide them with plenty of time to play and exercise.
Before you allow your pet into the apartment, make sure it is safe for them. Inspect rooms at their level, making sure there isn’t any hazardous electrical wiring or harmful objects available to them. Place any clothing items that you don’t want to be chewed on in a location your pets can’t reach. Also, check out this list of potentially harmful plants and make sure they aren’t in your apartment.
Once you’ve taken these simple steps to make living with your pet safe and enjoyable, welcome them home! If you’d like more information on apartment living with pets, check out these great resources: Pets Best, BarkPost, and TripsWithPets.
The Louisiana summer is fast approaching, and you know what that means. Soon, temperatures will exceed 90 degrees, and everyone will be trying to beat the heat.
The most important part of battling the summer heat is preparation. Read on for several tips on how to prepare for hot weather this year!
The first step in servicing your A/C is changing your filters. Air filters that are obstructed by debris cause your cooling system to work harder, increasing the potential for malfunction. 1st Lake requires residents to change their filters every 30 days, and we offer filters free of charge.
If you have ventilation problems in your home, all the hard work you’ve done maintaining a clean air filter won’t matter. A simple check for drafts in windows and doors is the first step to addressing any issues. If you find any, notify management to take the next steps in protecting your apartment.
Finding cracks and drafts is also the first step to protecting against bug invasions. During the summer, bugs come out of hibernation and are more likely to find their way into your home.
It is recommended that thermostats be set between 75° – 78°. Turning the A/C below these settings only makes the unit run more and use more electricity. Also, turning your unit off during the day will only cause the unit to run longer that evening, as it will have to cool down the whole apartment before it reaches a comfortable temperature. This can also lead to higher energy bills and potential unnecessary A/C repairs.
Summer is a season to enjoy time with friends and family. Pool parties, outdoor cookouts, and leisure time will all be much more satisfying if your home is taken care of and prepared for the summer heat. Now that you have everything in order, enjoy the sun!
Whether you live in a suburban neighborhood or a residential apartment community, it’s important to maintain a good relationship with your neighbors. A community that displays an understanding of neighborly etiquette is sure to be a happier one.
Read on for some tips about how to be a great neighbor!
The first step in ensuring a good relationship with your neighbor is to create one. Introduce yourself to your neighbor, and if it feels appropriate, offer them a welcoming gift. On a day-to-day basis, say a simple hello if you see them outside or around the community. This will create a feeling of mutual warmth and respect, which will come in handy if a problem or conflict arises in the future.
This one is pretty simple. Being conscious of your noise level at all times is an important part of being a good neighbor. Put yourself in your neighbor’s shoes: how would you feel about your schedule being disrupted by noise at an inconvenient or inappropriate hour?
Maintaining a general standard of cleanliness inside and outside of your apartment maintains a uniformity of hygiene and visual appeal within the community. Don’t be the neighbor to create a problem with pests, or become an eyesore with a dirty balcony or exterior!
Make sure you always follow any community regulations regarding pets. Get them vaccinated, and keep them leashed so they don’t disrupt your neighbors’ personal space. It’s also a good idea to let your neighbors know that they are free to come over and speak to you if your pet is bothering them, or if they have any other concerns.
Be sure that when you park, you’re not causing future difficulty for other vehicles around you. Loud music late at night and revving the engine are not conscientious. Also, keeping your voice at a reasonable level after you exit your vehicle is a good idea.
Take these tips into consideration in order to become a better neighbor! We promise that developing a good relationship with the people in your residential community will make life a lot easier. And if you would like more tips, check out The Spruce, wikiHow, and HuffPost for more great information!
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
