A small kitchen inside a one bedroom, studio or even a bigger unit that’s lacking proportion can pose a challenge. Making meals for one can also present a predicament. But don’t let a modest-sized kitchen, single occupancy or both deter you from cooking delicious and healthy meals. It can be done! Here are a few tips to guide you through cooking in your apartment.
Even the tiniest kitchens can be optimized!
Restrictions are always a drag, but they also allow for creative solutions. One of the most useful tips to follow is to utilize your wall space. Instead of crowding your counters with appliances, install metal shelves and stock them with all your spices, kettles, cookbooks and small appliances. For additional organization, stack dividers like wooden or plastic boxes on the shelves filled with all your kitchen wares.
With all the space that an oven and refrigerator can take up, there can be little left for the rest of your equipment. Keep in mind smaller, nifty items that can replace more heavy duty commercial machinery. Some of these brilliant culinary creations include a slow cooker that can replace giant pots of soup or stewed meats, a mini-food processor and a hand-held mixer.
There are a few rules of thumb to follow if you plan on just cooking for yourself. First, if you plan on purchasing produce, make sure that you get seasonal vegetables that won’t rot in 24-48 hours and store them properly. For produce that isn’t seasonal, there’s nothing wrong with getting it in canned form, like canned tomatoes or canned beans.
Use small cooking dishes for portion control. If you’re roasting something or making a casserole, use a small pan or dish to cook it in. That way you’re not left with a ton of leftovers that will just end up in the trash can. If you do want meals to stretch throughout the week, cook dishes that easily reheat, like soup or pasta.
Breakfast for dinner! An eggcellent option for cooking for one is to make a scramble of eggs, roasted veggies and goat cheese with a side of wheat toast, or any other dish involving eggs. Organic, farm fresh eggs will keep for a decent amount of time in the fridge, and can turn into a hearty, tasty meal.
Spring is most certainly in the air, and for some that means blooming flowers and buzzing bees, and for others it means deep, detailed cleaning and taking inventory of one’s abode. Yes, it’s that time again for spring cleaning.
The spring cleaning tradition, whether or not you’re on the messy or neat-freak side of the spectrum is always a good annual practice. Spring is all about fresh starts and rebirth, so your apartment should mirror that. Besides regular chores like putting clothes or dishes away, sweeping and cleaning the bathroom; this is your chance to pay attention to detail and store, sort or get rid of extraneous clutter.
Use this guide as a checklist for items that aren’t usually on the cleaning to-do list:
If you accomplish all these tasks, you’ll be well on your way to being completely spring cleansed! Other than looking shiny and new, your living space will be rid of dirt and dust that you may have not even been aware of that can make you and your guests sick. So tie your hair back, put on those yellow gloves and spring into action!
For some, roommates are a source of happiness and comfort, and for others they can be a pain in the neck – it all depends on good or bad roommate relations. In order to avoid having – or gulp – becoming a nightmare roommate, these seemingly obvious yet continually violated fundamental codes of conduct must be adhered to.
This should be a no-brainer, but paying rent and utilities not only on time but in full is the most essential key to sharing a living space with someone. Apartment Therapy recommends, rather than attempting to divvy up bills based on who watches more TV or uses more Internet, just splitting utilities straight down the middle. When it comes down to it, everything should even out in the end, more or less – so it’s best to split apartment bills 50/50. As far as rent goes, it should be common knowledge to pay rent when it is due in its entirety. 1st Lake Properties offer residents the convenient option to pay rent online. If there is ever a problem, both the other roommate(s) and landlord/property manager should be notified well in advance.
Paying rent and utilities is the bare minimum of maintaining good roommate relations. Just like parents teach their kids growing up, making sure chores aren’t left undone is pretty crucial to keeping the peace around the house. At the very least, any mess caused – whether it’s dirty dishes or clutter in common spaces – should promptly be cleaned up, but it’s also helpful and considerate to do things like take out the trash, change light bulbs, sweep, mop, and help with areas that benefit everyone.
If anyone ever has a problem, big or small, with their roommate, it’s best to address it from the start so that it doesn’t escalate to an even bigger, recurring issue. Besides communicating problems, just keeping roommates in the loop on anything that might also affect or concern them is good practice. Some people have to work really early or really late, so letting roommates know about guests coming over or any potential disturbance is a nice and important gesture.
There are other subtle behaviors that can make or break a good roommate relationship, that often are discovered through experience, but these three basic tenants will make all the difference.
All 1st Lake Properties are pet friendly and welcome tenants who adhere to the pet policy. Having a pet is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Caring for a pet is more than just adding another sentient being to your family. It means taking the animal into your home, with a commitment to providing all the necessities for its well-being. This can be achieved by being extra-sensitive to all of an animal’s needs so they are happy. This includes exercise. It’s important that dogs get regular exercise to work the stress and stiffness out of their muscles, as well as to promote an over-all healthy and happy attitude.
Dogs rely heavily on daily routines to maintain structure in their own lives. Without it, disruptive behaviors manifest in the form of howling, whining, barking, chewing, and aggression.
To deter this kind of destructive behavior, be sure to follow these simple tips:
Decorating your Metairie apartment with local art is a wonderful thing to do! Buying local art helps support local artists within your community, and it adds a regionally distinct flair to the aesthetics of your apartment.
One of our favorite local artists is the eccentric French sign-maker Simon Hardeveld. You may have seen his work all around town – in bars, restaurants, homes, and shop fronts. Simon has made a name for himself by capturing the essence of the city’s informal wisdom on his signs, which add a relaxing and cheerful atmosphere to any space.
Where can you find local art? The best places to shop for and purchase local art are at festivals and weekend markets. Two local markets that consistently feature arts and crafts booths are Freret Market, and OCH Art Market.
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
