If you’re entertaining at home this Thanksgiving, it’s important to provide your guests with as much personal space as possible. All of our apartments at 1st Lake Properties are spacious and modern, but we know how easy it is for your space to feel more stuffed than a turkey when hosting friends and family.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of tips for spatial optimization during the holidays. Read on to learn our favorite hosting hacks!
Thinking vertically is one of our best tips for Thanksgiving. Maximize space on the dinner table by using tiered plates to hold appetizers and desserts.
This trick even works for the turkey, too: carve it ahead of time and separate white meat, dark meat, and legs on a three-tier display.
If your dining table won’t accommodate all of your guests, use other flat surfaces as well. Consoles, sofa tables, and nightstands can all work as alternate eating spaces or food displays. This allows you to create intimate areas throughout your space instead of cramming your guests into one giant table.
Folding tables and chairs from a party rental store can also help you maximize space on a small budget. Whatever you choose, drape coordinating linens over mismatched tables to transform them into a cohesive unit.
We get so used to seeing our stuff in the same place, it’s easy to forget it’s not bolted down! Rearranging furniture is a fun, free, and instant way to transform your home at any time of year, but during the holidays it can be a space-saving trick.
Push couches against the wall or move them to a different room altogether during dinner. Other rooms in your apartment can serve as temporary storage units, leaving you maximum space for entertaining.
Your ironing board works great for extra counter space, and a spare side chair positioned near the front door is ideal for letting guests set down their purses and bags when they come in. These two tricks help free up space and make the most of precious square footage at the same time.
A nice, cool space with proper air circulation will ensure that your guests are comfortable, even if your apartment is a little bit crowded.
Smaller apartments can heat up quickly with the oven going and extra guests mingling about. Keep everyone happy by being mindful of the A/C — turn it down a few notches and adjust accordingly throughout the evening!
Contact us today to learn more about our private gated apartment communities!
Do you find yourself practically playing a game of Tetris to fit all of your groceries into your refrigerator? Whether you have a smaller fridge or just more refrigerated items than you know what to do with, don’t stress.
There are ways to create more space to make room for everything that needs to be refrigerated. Start with these fridge organization hacks, and read on for the best places to store everything inside your refrigerator:
There are ways to create more space to make room for everything that needs to be refrigerated. Start with these fridge organization hacks, and read on for the best places to store everything inside your refrigerator.
This is a quick and easy fix for products that are taking up more room than necessary. Many products like rice or prepared food come sealed in a bag inside a large, bulky box. By eliminating the packaging, less space will be needed to store the item in the refrigerator.
Chances are, you have a lot of products that have been sitting in your refrigerator, neglected for a long period of time. Most likely these items include salad dressing and condiments, wilting produce, half-empty bottles of flat soda, frozen popsicles or prepared meals, just to name a few. Make a habit of routinely cleaning out your fridge to throw out the items that have expired or spoiled.
To keep the surfaces of your refrigerator clean, lay down some easily removable cling film on each shelf of your refrigerator to catch spills and crumbs, and remove them and replace as needed.
Smartly utilize your refrigerator space by separating different types of food in designated baskets, like condiments, greens, dairy, fruit and meat. Label the containers to keep to a consistent system going and for quick and easy access.
Did you know that there is a correct method for organizing your fridge and making the most out of your groceries? Follow these tips to maximize your food’s freshness and save money in the process!
Store things like cookbooks, paper towels and appliances on top of your fridge. NEVER store bread, wine or produce on top of your refrigerator.
The door is the warmest part of your fridge, so use it to store products that aren’t as sensitive to temperature, such as confinements and sauces, juice, pickles, sodas and bottled water.
The upper shelves of your fridge have a consistent cold temperature perfect for storing leftovers, drinks, ready-to-eat prepared foods and herbs.
The lower shelves of your refrigerator are the coldest part of your fridge, which makes them ideal for keeping your milk, eggs, dairy products and raw meat safe.
Your refrigerator has two crisper drawers for a reason. These are made for storing fruits and vegetables separately.
There are certain things you NEVER want to refrigerate, including tomatoes, onions, squash and potatoes.
Many items in your kitchen pantry can be stored in your fridge if you prefer, like nuts, peanut butter and almond butter, flour and natural oils. Some medications and beauty products are also best when refrigerated.
1st Lake Properties offers spacious kitchens with modern appliances at our many convenient New Orleans area apartments that will make refrigerator organization a breeze.
A common challenge for renters is space constraints. It may seem like your apartment can’t fit all of your stuff, but there are ways that you can make everything fit comfortably with the space available that you may not have thought of. Enter these awesome storage ideas.
Maximizing the space you have is key. One of our favorite solutions for storage in a small apartment is making use of vertical space.
It’s easy to use up the available horizontal space in your apartment, but often times there is a lot of leftover vertical space that can be utilized. Here are the best ways to use vertical space in your apartment.
Free standing shelves are not only portable, convenient, and rental-friendly, but also a great space saver! They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be used in any room in the apartment, including the kitchen for extra dish or appliance storage, the bathroom for towels and toiletries, as bookcases, or in the closet to store shoes or clothes that won’t fit in drawers.
Punctuate a blank wall with a leaning, ladder-style bookshelf. (Photo via Woodstock Furniture Outlet)
A ladder-style leaning bookshelf can be an easy, modern way to add some extra storage furniture to a bare wall – use it to display decorative items or store books.
Another great way to use vertical space especially in your kitchen is with under-shelf storage baskets. If there is a lot of room between the shelves that are already built in to your cabinets, simply attach an under-shelf basket to create more storage space for additional items.
Under-shelf baskets are a great way to harness vertical space and add more storage. (Photo via ApartmentTherapy.com)
If you need more space to store glassware, there are also under-the-shelf stemware holders that are a convenient solution.
One thing we sometimes forget is that we have plenty of space on our walls for storage. This can be easily and safely used by placing shelves along the walls to use that vertical space to its capacity.
There’s more to storage than meets the eye with these clever items.
Give storage a lift when you use bed risers — they’re affordable, easy to use, and add valuable inches to store items under your bed. Adding height is also a great way to give the illusion of more space: your bed will look and feel more regal, and you’ll benefit from the added storage beneath.
Storage beds have built-in storage within a hollow portion of the bed frame. Many feature drawers along the bottom for a look that is both attractive and incredibly functional. Use the added space to store bedtime essentials like blankets or pajamas.
Ottomans are a great addition to a living room — you can bring in new colors and prints at an affordable price, and if you choose a storage ottoman, you can also add a little more practicality. Storage ottomans are hollow on the inside with a removable lid for easy access. Stock yours with living room items like games, remotes, or blankets.
Looking for a new apartment? We have many excellent and spacious choices for metro New Orleans apartments and in Mississippi!
De-cluttering is often at the top of our to-do list at the start of a New Year – it’s the second-most popular New Year’s Resolution. We know the tried-and-true tactics (tackling one room at a time, donating items, etc.), but The New York Times alerted us to a new method we hadn’t considered. Their article “Kissing Your Socks Goodbye” from October of last year focused on a Japanese organization expert and her two simple tips for creating a clutter-free home.
Rather than getting mired in questions like “Have I worn this item in two years?” or “Do I have a specific upcoming event where I will need this item?” expert Marie Kondo advises her clients to ask themselves a simple question: “Does this item bring me joy?” The other tenant of her de-cluttering technique is that we do not need additional storage – our homes already have adequate storage for everything we need.
Try using the joy method next time you de-clutter. Plan to take a close look at your things and see how they make you feel. Sure, that old sweatshirt might be threadbare, but if it takes you back to a time and place that’s memorable for you, we say keep it! Do you furrow your brow when your eyes land on that dress with the tags still on? If you feel guilty for not wearing it yet, it’s certainly not bringing you joy: donate it instead.
Consider smaller items, too – you may have a picture you love but it’s in a frame that doesn’t spark joy within you. Toss the frame. You can reframe the picture in a frame you love, which will only amplify the feelings of happiness and joy you associate with the photo itself.
If this method feels too unconventional for you, then it’s not bringing you joy! Skip it in favor of more traditional de-cluttering tips: our blog features plenty of posts designed to keep you organized.
The bathroom is a great place to relax with a soothing bath or steaming hot shower, but it’s also one of the biggest hubs for clutter. Bathrooms often lack ample storage, and with so many bottles (medicine, shampoo, body wash) requiring designated space, it’s easy for clutter to take hold. Read on for pretty, easy bathroom de-cluttering tips you can take to make your bathroom a place of respite, not mess.
Just like the kitchen, there are many great bathroom décor options to implement in your apartment. There’s always a need for more hooks in the bathroom for towels, robes, etc. and damage-free hooks, like those sold by Command, are perfect for adding more hanging options. Wire mesh organizers are excellent bathroom design solutions for the vanity, as are caddies for the shower to neatly consolidate all of your toiletries.
Towels – This is probably the first thing that comes to mind when furnishing the bathroom. You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of hand towels and larger shower towels. Before you make your purchase, think about what color or design would complement the look of your bathroom and the other elements, including the shower curtain and bath mat. Find something that matches your personality, whether it’s a funky pattern, solid subdued color or bright multi-toned color scheme.
Bath mats – When shopping for your bathroom suite, make sure to get a bath mat to lay down in front of the shower to absorb excess moisture. Think about the rest of your bathroom design and pick a color or pattern that meshes well for a cohesive bathroom design.
Storage caddies – These toiletry containers come in handy for organizing shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razors, sponges, etc. all in one place so it’s easily found and accessible.
Toothbrush holder – This is an essential vanity item to store your toothbrush in a place where you won’t lose it.
Soap – This is a no-brainer, but hand soap has really reached a new level over the past few years. Brands like Mrs Meyer’s offer incredibly fresh fragrances like basil.
Shower Curtain – Here’s another chance to showcase your own design aesthetic and personality. No matter if you prefer a basic shower curtain or a creative, whimsical design, there are plenty of patterns out there to choose from.
Flair – Don’t be shy with your bathroom design! Add flowers, pictures, art, and anything else to put the finishing touches on this room in your apartment!
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Related posts: Must Know Refrigerator Organization Tips, Apartment Spring Cleaning Checklist, How to Clean a Refrigerator: 5 All-Natural Fridge Cleaning Hacks
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
