Craigslist Savvy: How to Buy and Sell to Decorate Your Home
April 27, 2009 in Homekeeping
Craigslist is my preferred place to shop for furniture, even over buying new. Here are tips you need to know to buy the good stuff and sell the clutter.
Read more...Rental Re-do: Lighting Switcheroo
April 3, 2009 in Homekeeping
The crown jewel of our former apartment, a reminder of how our rent was cheap, and what made us stare and wonder, “What were they thinking?” –This chandelier.
Read more...Rental Re-do: How to Build a Baby Closet from a Boring Bar
April 1, 2009 in Homekeeping
A wet bar is not my favorite feature in an apartment, especially when the kitchen sink is only twenty feet away. We didn’t need a wet bar, we needed closet space.
Read more...Ready to Retire the Washer
March 11, 2009 in Homekeeping
Recently the washing machine has started… lurching. You know how it sounds when the load is unbalanced and you think it’s about to die? I keep wondering if this laundry load will be the last.
Read more...Quick Color Makeover: The Play Space
February 20, 2009 in Homekeeping
Problem: the walls are apartment-beige, and we can’t paint them.
Supplies needed: dish towel, small curtain rod (the dish towel was one I had, and the curtain rod was $2)
Since the dish towel was hemmed, I simply pushed the curtain rod through the hem, and then mounted it to the wall.
The color and texture define the space [...]
Read more...Good to Own: Useful Tools
February 18, 2009 in Homekeeping
Helpful tools every household should have:
1. Plunger. One time my neighbor borrowed my plunger. I must admit, it was weird when he returned it. Have your own. Don’t be that guy.
2. Screwdrivers. Don’t buy a cheap set of twenty screwdrivers. Pay more for the strong kind with tips that don’t wear down. Get two [...]
Read more...Simple Home Improvement Projects Anyone Can Do
February 5, 2009 in Homekeeping
Photo by Ella’s Dad
We’ve been apartment hunting for the last several weeks, and some places definitely look better than others.
We saw one recently I wasn’t too thrilled with. I told Doug I thought it looked crummy, but then he reminded me it’s exactly how our current apartment looked when we first moved in!
Details do matter, but [...]
Inviting the Fresh Air In
January 12, 2009 in Homekeeping
Photo by batega
Do you “air out” your home? I mean opening up the windows to let fresh, new air inside.
I do this a lot when the weather is nice. I especially love opening the windows after it rains when everything outside is fresh and clean.
In the winter when it’s freezing outside, though, or in the summer when [...]
Christmas Decorating at Our Home
December 12, 2008 in Homekeeping
If you could come over and visit this morning, you’d get to see our Christmas decorations. And have some coffee. There’s always coffee.
Hanging Christmas ornaments is one of our favorite traditions, but in our apartment there is absolutely no room for a tree. We do the next best thing: our collection is displayed on a garland [...]
Read more...20 Tips to Stay Warm in Your Apartment
November 17, 2008 in Homekeeping
Photo by sporkist
Sometimes the ideas I see for staying warm at home don’t seem to apply to me. Add insulation to the attic? Hmm. Put in efficient storm windows? I don’t think so.
If you live in an apartment, there are still simple ways you can stay warm. It’s even more important if you live in an [...]
