Blog Posts

Budget-Friendly Ways to Freshen Your Space

Every home needs a little refresher every once in a while. It's easy to get comfortable and caught up in the rat race of life, but sometimes all you need to do is take a breath and give your space that refresher it has been craving! You don't need lots of money; just a little time, elbow grease and creativity. Here are a few budget-friendly ways you can get started. Declutter, Donate and Clean Start fresh by getting rid of anything you don't need anymore. A good rule of thumb is if you haven't used it in six months, you don't need it anymore. Freeing up that extra space will leave you more room for the things you love and use on a regular basis. Create Special Spaces Create a little corner to do the things you love the most. Add a table lamp so you can enjoy your space no matter what time of day. Little spaces in your home that serve a specific purpose for you always make you cozy and comfortable in your space! Spruce Up Writing Desk Corner Replace Your Curtains Freshen up your space by changing out the curtains in your apartment. You can find budget-friendly panels, or for a fraction of the cost, consider using flat twin-size bed sheets as an affordable alternative. Add Pops of Color Bring pops of color into your home decor. You can use acrylic paint in the color of your choice to match your current color scheme, or go crazy and change it all up! Spruce Up Yellow Tulips Add Fresh Flowers Fresh flowers always bring a sense of freshness to your home. Splurge every now and then on the flowers that catch your eyes! If you aren't a flower kind of person, you can always use succulents for a more easily maintainable fresh element in your home. Change Out Linens Bathrooms and bedrooms are often disregarded; freshen up those spaces with a new set of sheets or towels. It's amazing what swapping out the colors in your linens can do for a space. Spruce Up Industrial Farmhouse Bathroom Shelves Make a Bold Statement Choose a wall in your home and add something bold. Don't be afraid to take one small space and do something more daring than you normally would. This will change the whole look of the room! Consider using something colorful, hang up some 3D art, get creative and make your own item, or just go big! Twin Ridge https://www.forrent.com/blog/decor-for-the-home/budget-friendly-ways-freshen-space/

Unusual Everyday Storage Solutions

Bags or baskets, vintage magazine racks and beautiful ceramic dishes - even vegetable crates. With a little imagination, ordinary objects can look fabulous when creatively used as home storage solutions in the bathroom, kitchen and living room. Neat Bathroom Storage Solutions Pretty vinyl bags are perfect for bathroom storage; tissues, flannels, soaps and bathroom products can all be hidden away. The bags are washable and light, so if you haven't got enough shelving or cupboards, they can just be hung on wall hooks. Baskets are really versatile. They're lightweight, attractive and roomy. Store toilet paper rolls or towels, or whatever you fancy - these ethnic-inspired baskets will add interest and storage solutions to any bathroom. Cool Kitchen Storage and Display Attractive ceramic dishes display and store fruit and vegetables, and they also pack a "wow" factor - the food becomes part of the look. This artist plan chest is a wonderful way to create a working surface and island unit in a kitchen, and it also divides the cooking from the dining areas. Any large, low chest could be employed in the same way. Floating kitchen shelves (with no visible means of support) are ideal for displaying baskets and boxes filled with stuff. The small bulb box and the Spanish vegetable crates are too pretty to put in the bin, so fill them with fruit or a selection of teas or pasta - whatever you like. These translucent glass vases are also perfect for displaying fruit and spaghetti. Cute Living Room Storage Vintage magazine racks look fabulous filled with books, pens and notepads - and they act as a great telephone station. Take notes or have a cup of tea; magazine racks are not just for magazines. In fact, anything can be utilized to store your stuff as long as it's pleasing to the eye and fits in with your decor and your taste. Storage is all about putting things in order; be creative in your storage choices. A vase need not be just for flowers, and when a crate is emptied of its vegetables, if it's pretty, then use it - don't throw it away! https://www.forrent.com/blog/apt_life/unusual-everyday-storage-solutions/

3 Signs of a Good Property Manager

Many of you are starting the hunt for your first apartment. You've thought about location, your budget, your "must haves" and your deal breakers. However, one item that people often overlook when they are apartment hunting is making sure that they also pick the right Property Manager. A bad Property Manager can totally ruin your first apartment experience. But here are three signs of your next home is managed by a good Property Manager: 1. Responsive and keeps open communication with residents. When your dishwasher breaks, or you're having pest problems, a good Property Manager will be responsive in a timely manner. They usually handle repairs and keep you in the loop. Remember that some problems may be your responsibility if they are so specified in the lease. For example, some rental agreements will list home appliances that will be the resident's responsibility to repair or pay for repairs. So before you overload your washing machine with three weeks' worth of clothes, check up your rental agreement first and know what you're responsible for, and what your community is responsible for. 2. Respects your privacy. A good Property Manager will understand that while you are renting out their apartment, you are creating a home for yourself and deserve privacy and respect for boundaries. Except for emergency repairs (burst water line and like), a respectful Property Manager will give you notice if they need to stop by the apartment and will schedule the visit so that you can be home. They will not make changes to your apartment without asking you, or give negative feedback about your decorating style or how you are using the space, as long as you are not in violation of your lease. It's important to establish this boundary with them early on and a good Property Manager will respect that. 3. Explains your rental agreement clearly and answers your questions honestly. Are you in charge of your own utilities? Which ones? Do you have a grace period for late rent? Where are you allowed to park a car if you have one? A good Property Manager will write out the rental agreement very clearly so that everyone is on the same page for what the rules are, and what the expectations are. If you ask a question about the lease, look to see if the manager answers a question easily and honestly. If their answer is vague, maybe they are hiding something? Do they avoid questions? Nothing is worse than finding out that something is written and finalized in the lease when you didn't mean to agree to it. Make sure you understand everything and know what you're getting yourself into. When you're moving into your first apartment, you are probably also starting a new job or new school and you have enough to worry about without having to deal with a bad Property Manager! Do your homework and if you feel uneasy about renting from a particular place, move on. It's ok to wait until your find a place where you feel more comfortable with the landlord. You may even need a reference from them later on in life, so pick someone you can get along with and trust! Luckily you've found Twin Ridge , and you can rest assured that the building, manager and staff are up to par!

Pool Safety and Fun Tips

Summer has rolled around again and everyone's minds are on having fun in the sun - particularly in our community pool! Though it's easy to forget, keeping basic safety in mind can ensure that you, your family, and your guests have a great time while staying safe. Know Before You Go Learn CPR. Being prepared is important, especially if you'll be taking kids to the pool. Although we have a lifeguard on duty, it never hurts to know it yourself, just in case. Review the rules. Make sure you're aware of them and let your guests or children know. Discuss pool safety with your kids. If you have kids they're going to want to spend a lot of time at the pool. Ensure they know how to use the pool safely, and discuss potential dangers. What To Pack Plenty of drinks. Summertime heat and sunshine can easily cause dehydration. Be sure to have plenty of cold, non-alcoholic drinks on hand. Sunscreen. Keep an appropriate level of sunscreen on hand and reapply throughout the day - particularly if you've been swimming. Life jackets or flotation devices. If you're not a strong swimmer, or your kids are just learning, these can provide some extra safety. At The Pool Stay close to children at all times. Even if they have flotation devices or are "good" swimmers. Don't run. Pool decks can be slick and falls happen easily. Keep an eye on the weather. Summer storms come up quickly. If you hear thunder or see lightning, seek cover immediately. Having fun at our pool is one of the great things about summer. By keeping safety top-of-mind, you can ensure everyone has a wonderful season in the sun. Twin Ridge http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/apartment-pool-safety/

Container Gardening

No matter how small the space, growing your own garden is easy when you use containers. Even the smallest of apartments can grow herbs, fruits, veggies and flowers with a little know-how, so it shouldn't be a problem here at Twin Ridge . Read on to find out how you can turn your apartment space into an urban oasis. What's going to grow best? Whether you're considering diving into full-on farmer mode with a bumper crop of vegetables or taking the flowers and foliage route, knowing what grows best in your area can save you both time and hassle. For example, apartment balconies in Georgia may experience longer exposure to sunlight and heat, whereas apartments in Washington may have cooler temperatures and rain. Check out this link to find out Baltimore's Best spring gardening. How much space do you have? Though you may have visions of harvesting endless tomatoes, the space you have is going to have a lot to do with what you can achieve. With container gardening, you can get creative with your space using hanging planters and shelves as well as available ground space. Additionally, plants such as fresh herbs and succulents can take up minimal room, and can even be grown in a windowsill. Top Tip: Think vertical when planning your apartment garden, including hanging planters, shelves and larger windows. What can you spend? Buying all the gear you need to start a garden can get expensive quickly, so thinking outside of the planting box can save you money. At the most basic, you'll need a trowel, potting soil, containers and plants. However, you don't need to make it expensive. Look to using buckets, discarded desk drawers or other pieces to create funky, inexpensive containers (make sure to create drainage holes though). Your apartment community may have gardening tools you can borrow or check out. Like a particular plant but can't afford it yet? Ask the owner for a cutting, then place in water to sprout and replant. Top Tip: Creativity is key with your garden. Look for ways to repurpose pieces for planters, sales on plants, or borrowing equipment. What else do you need to know? It's possible to have a great garden in almost any space as long as you're willing to get innovative. Here are a few more tips that will help you to get the most out of your new space: ? -Most plants like to get at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Check the label when you buy, or ask for advice from your garden center for suggestions based on how much light you get. ? -Some of the best vegetables for container gardening in a small apartment space are chard, lettuce, cherry and bush tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, green onions, Asian greens and herbs. ? -Not every plant needs its own separate container. Try pairing a climbing plant with a plant that's lower to the ground, or create an herb garden by planting a variety of herbs in one large pot. ? -Be sure to water your plants regularly. Additionally, plant food can be extremely helpful to container garden plants.

Moving Tips

Did you know summer is the most active season for moving? Tis the season indeed, and here at Twin Ridge we've already noticed the influx of interested renters! So many find moving to be stressful, while we're over here excited to welcome new residents to our community. But whether you're a first time renter or a renting veteran, you should utilize the tips below to help make your move less stressful: 1. Use Your Friends If you have friends or family that live close by, ask for their help. This will help save on movers since most relatives and friends won't mind being compensated with drinks and food. They're people that you can trust with your valuables, which will help you stress a little bit less. 2. Hire Movers If you don't have friends or family close by, hiring movers can also be beneficial. Although this will require monetary compensation, most movers come insured, meaning if something happens to your items, you will be paid for the damage or loss. Be sure to read the fine print on a moving contract to understand their hours, pay and, most importantly, if they offer everything that you will need. 3. Get Organized From grouping items together in boxes to having a labeling system, being organized during a move can cut stress down more than you think. At least group everything that you'll need within the first day or two of moving into the same box so it is all easily accessible and you won't have to dig for individual items in multiple boxes 4. Pack Smart Packing up, unpacking and everything in between can be the main source of stress for many people. If you're packing breakables, make sure that they are packed with packing paper or bubble wrap to ensure nothing gets broken. You could also consider packing your fragile items with clothing so it takes care of two things at once. Another helpful tip is to pack small amounts over the course of a week or two, instead of trying to pack up your entire life the night before a move. Although moving can be a daunting task, taking your time and making sure you're organized in every way possible can make it better. Moving should be an exciting time, not one to worry about. What are some other tips you have that have helped make your move easier? Share your ideas so others can take advantage!