Author Archives: admin

Sharing Spaces…and Chores

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Having a lot of roommates seems like it could come in handy when it comes time to clean up and do chores around the house, but don’t be too quick to lessen your own workload because of that. Everyone is different and has different habits, so working towards taking care of the same thing (your home) can get tricky. You all need to be mindful of the fact that you’re living with other people, and be responsible with doing your share of the household chores.

We’ve all seen friends and we all know that Monica and Rachel are the classic example of roommates who are very different, but they always made it work. Just because you and your roommates go about doing things differently doesn’t mean that there need to be any issues! Take a night of the week where you can all sit down and figure out which chores you all need to partake in and figure out how to divide them. Make some sort of a “master list” with all of the chores that need to be done every single week (or day) and divide it up. Make sure you have things like dusting, mopping, sweeping, wiping fans, emptying the dishwasher etc. You can all try and compromise to pick chores you prefer, and then divide up the rest of the work. This way everything is split up equally and one person isn’t stuck taking care of your home. Maybe you can set “standards” of some sort as to how things are done so that everyone can be happy. For example, you can all agree on loading all the big dishes on the bottom of the dishwasher, or making sure not to use pure chlorine when cleaning sinks. There all kinds of little things like this that people do differently, so setting a standard way to do this keeps everyone happy. If you aren’t happy with something, speak up! It’s silly to keep these things to yourself because you’re going to have to deal with them alllllll the time.

It may seem a bit excessive, but you and your roommates should consider putting things on a sort of list that you keep up for all of you to see. This can help when you start forgetting who was responsible for what chore, and whether your own was done. Having it as a constant reminder will make you more inclined to do it so that you can check off that you’ve done it. A chore list can also serve as a way to get a routine going; who knows, you may end up not needing it after a while!

TLDR; do your chores.

chores

(Indoor) Garden Party

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September is officially upon us, meaning it’s time to say hello to fall, and goodbye to summer (and summer gardens). No need to worry though, we’ve got you all covered as far as starting your indoor garden for fall. Having an indoor garden is easy and a great option if you live in an apartment or house where you don’t have the opportunity to have your own outdoor foliage.

The cooler weather doesn’t mean you need to forego your garden all together, starting an indoor garden is a piece of cake. Unless you’re looking into setting up a garden with a UV light (which is also very doable!), find a spot in your home that gets a lot of sunlight. Windows, windowsills, and glass doors are a perfect spot to set up. Try to pick a spot that you know you’ll see regularly, so you don’t forget to water your plants. Watering is something you need to consider when you’re picking the right pots to use, too. Considering that your plants will likely drain some water, pick pots that have a tray of some sort to catch the water and ensure that no damage is caused. Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to pick what kind of plants you’ll have in your indoor garden. Flowers are a bit tricky because they’re all pretty seasonal and require more care, so you want to try to focus on herbs. Herbs are great because you can choose some that you use regularly, so you won’t have to buy them every week at the grocery store. Parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary are all common household herbs that can easily make up your indoor garden. All of these can usually be purchased at your local grocery store or gardening center (try Home Depot or Walmart) so you won’t have to search far and wide to get your garden together.  Having a few of these grouped together will also help brighten up any room and add some life once the darker months are in full force.

Aside from looking nice, there are a few different benefits that you can take advantage of if you have an indoor garden. As we all learned in elementary school lessons on photosynthesis, plants release oxygen into the air, so having plants indoors will help increase the oxygen levels into your home. Indoor gardens also provide you with a natural purifier, meaning you can get rid of the noisy (and unnatural) air purifier you’re currently using. The soil in the plants pulls in everyday toxins from the air, and converts them into food for the plants, so it’s a win-win situation. Now that you’re getting rid of your air purifier, you can also go ahead and get rid of your humidifier, too; having plants indoors can create a natural humidifier from the water vapor that they release. Seeing as the cold months can bring dry skin, respiratory issues, and colds, you may want to consider making a mini garden in your bedroom to help you fight these inevitable battles.

garden

#CollegeCorner – Proximity

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The days of living in a dorm are (finally) over and you need to find a new place to spend your college years at…where to look? Having lived in a dorm, far from campus, and close to campus, I can definitely say that you get the best experience living close to campus.

Whenever there’s anything going on with my university, it happens on campus. A lot of people think that because you’re no longer living in a dorm you automatically become disconnected from whatever is happening at your university, but this isn’t the case at all. Living close to campus, but not in a dorm, allows you to experience on-campus activities with the freedom of having your own place.

Close proximity is also great because you won’t have to drive or catch the bus to campus, you can walk! I’ve saved hours of time by walking to class instead of looking for parking; you’ll definitely thank yourself on the days you want to sleep-in. The close proximity means you’ll also be close to the library, food court, gym, basically all the places on camp that you frequent.

Finding a place in close proximity to campus is also a really easy task, probably easier than finding a place far from campus, or ending up with a good dorm. Most property managers lease places close to campus because they know that that’s what students want. Take advantage of the fact that you’re gonna have tons of options and find a place that you know will make your college years great.

college

Property Manager Monday

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Due to the nature of the arrangement, you’ll most likely be dealing with the management personnel from the property you live at pretty frequently. They’ll be the ones handling your rent, your maintenance requests, and the overall experience living at that property. It’s hard to know whether or not you’ve found yourself a good property manager until you move in, so it’s important to do some research before you get yourself in too deep.

Check reviews online to see what previous residents of that property have to say about the management. The internet can reveal all sorts of things that you wouldn’t find out from visiting the property and speaking to the management. Ask around and see if anyone you know lives at that property and talk to them about their experiences with the management; have they had trouble getting in contact with the property manager? Do maintenance requests take a long time to fulfill? Does the management reach out to residents? Is the community well-equipped? These are all things that you should know before making the decision to move there or not. The management may come off as super nice and helpful, and that may be the case, but you really won’t know how residents are treated until you move in.

If the management at the place you’re interested in runs more than one property, check it out and see what it’s like. Consistency is very important, and you want to find a property manager that is consistent in making residents happy.

property manager

Keep it Clean

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As someone renting a home, you’re not liable for all of the same maintenance things that a homeowner is. Because of this, you’re responsible for a different set of things, as stated in your lease. One of the most important things in the lease agreement (aside from rent, duh) is making sure that you take good care of your property and leave it as your landlord first rented it to you. A huge component of making sure that your property is maintained well is by keeping it clean.

Appliances pretty much fall into the group of things that we use regularly, so they should be cleaned regularly. Though it depends on the specific terms of your lease, it’s usually your landlord’s responsibility to make sure that your appliances are working well, and repair or replace them when they’re not. However, your landlord is not responsible for the daily cleaning and daily maintenance of said appliances. Things like microwaves, refrigerators, ovens, etc. are used pretty regularly, so you should be cleaning them often, too. If you don’t clean these things regularly, you’re gonna have a whole lot of cleaning to deal with when you move out. While they probably get more dirty than others, kitchen appliances aren’t the only things you should be cleaning. If you want to make sure that your dryer is functioning right, make sure you regularly remove the lint from it. Not only does this allow it to work properly, but it also helps prevent a fire happening from the buildup.

Amenities You’ll Be Glad You Have

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When you’re looking for a new place to rent, the amenities offered aren’t really the first thing that you factor in to your decision making process. Though a lot of amenities aren’t really absolutely necessary, there are a couple that you’re gonna be glad you didn’t compromise.

amenities Having a washer and dryer in your unit (or somewhere on the property) is something you should definitely look for when you’re trying to find a new place. You may be thinking that it won’t be a hassle having to do your laundry at your laundromat, and it may not be (at first), but it can be very inconvenient at times. Imagine that you have a huge interview and an hour before you need to leave you spill something on your shirt…big problem. If you don’t have a washer and dryer, you’re going to have to hit the laundromat and end up being late; with a washer and dryer readily available to you, this can be avoided. If you have kids, having a washer and dryer in your home or on your property can save you the hassle of having to find a babysitter or drag your kids back and forth when you need to do laundry. Basically, if you have the option to get a place with a washer and dryer, go for it.

Parking is also something that a lot of us tend to overlook when looking for a new place. You’re not going to want to walk far to your car, so try to find a place with parking that’s close to your unit. If you like to entertain, parking should definitely be an amenity you look for in your new place; your guests aren’t going to want to walk super duper far to get from their car to your door, and they’re definitely not going to want to pay to park, either. It seems silly to think of parking as being so important, but think about how happy you’ll be when you don’t have to lug your groceries all around your complex.

Downsizing – Size Doesn’t have to Matter

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When you’re looking for a new place, there may be a chance that you’re forced to compromise size for something else (like an awesome location). You shouldn’t be scared of downsizing! Embrace the situation and take it as a chance to change up your home, and life.

Since you’re going to have to reduce the amount of stuff you had from your previous home, make it a point to clean your life up. Get rid of clothes that you haven’t worn in over six months, because you most likely won’t end up wearing them. If you’re iffy about letting your stuff go, consider consigning it! This is an awesome way to earn some extra cash (that can be put towards your new home) and also a great incentive to get rid of even more. When you downsize, you really have choice but to get rid of things, so make the best of it that you can.

Take advantage of your newly acquired smaller space and make an awesome organization system. You know all those cool Ikea and Container Store closet systems? This is the perfect time to finally get one! A smaller space isn’t bad, it provides you with lots of room to be creative in your organizing. Think of it as a chance to finally make those Pinterest organizational DIY projects that you never really needed before.

downsizing

Spring Cleaning in the Fall

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There’s a constant notion that spring is the time of year when we’re supposed to clean up our homes and make a totally fresh start. What a lot of people don’t realize, though, is that fall is also an awesome time to clean and change your home!

What is it that sets fall apart for this kind of thing?

Well, fall is when college classes start up for the year, and when kids are packing up all of their stuff to move into their new dorms and homes. For this reason, this is the time of year when you’ll find more organization systems, cleaning supplies, and furniture in stores than any cleaningother time of year. College students need to stock up on stuff for their dorm rooms, so stores take advantage and of this and fill up their shelves with these items. Thinking of redoing your closet? Wait ’till dorm season starts and you’ll probably have way more to pick from than if you decide to look at a different time of the year. Stores will highlight cleaning supplies especially (parents want their kids to clean!), so a lot of the time you’ll find things like multi-purpose cleaning wipes and scrub brushes on sale. Stores like Target and Walmart are great for these kinds of finds, making it super easy for you to establish a totally new cleaning season for yourself.

Another often unnoticed benefit of cleaning is your relationship with your landlord. When a landlord notices that you care about keeping your rental clean, he/she will see you as a tenant that will protect the property owner’s investment. So, be sure to let your landlord know when you intend to spend some time cleaning, maybe even ask if the landlord can provide some cleaning supplies or tools for you to use.

To take it a step further, your landlord might be willing to pay for paint or other supplies if you agree to do the work. So, let your landlord know that your really care about your rental home, and the next time you need a favor from your landlord, you might have some additional leverage.

If you are really busy, and can afford it, maybe you should hire a cleaning service to do the work on a weekly basis. BE SURE to let your landlord know about this, because it is not a good idea to let just anyone into your apartment, and you could be violating your lease conditions. Besides, giving someone your key could get you into other trouble or end up with you losing some possessions if the cleaning person is untrustworthy. By the way, that is a good reason you should have renter’s insurance!

Additionally, there are cameras that can monitor the inside of your apartment (via phone), and they are usually under $200.00. This way you can keep an eye on anyone inside your rental, and also comes in handy if you have an unattended pet.

At tenant.rentals, we are busy setting up relationships with reputable companies that provide cleaning services in your area. Here are some suggested companies.

Sublease, anyone?

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So, you’re living happily in your apartment with three of your friends, when you suddenly get a great job offer that requires you to move cities…what’s the problem? Your lease doesn’t end for another six months and you can’t pay two rent checks each month. At this point, subleasing seems like the best option for you, and it probably is. How can you make sure the sublease process goes smoothly for you and your roommates?

We recently gave you the lowdown on subleasing, so you should pretty much know the basics of the process. Now, the task at hand s finding a subleaser who will fit in well in the dynamic if your home. Even though it’s your responsibility to find someone to take over your lease, your roommates should contribute to the search so that they can find a roommate that they know they’ll be happy with. Maybe you can ask around and see if any mutual friends need a place, or your roommates can post on their social media accounts that they’re looking for a new roommate. Whatever the case is, the whole process is easier for all of you if they help out.

Like we said before, it’s important to find someone who you can trust to take over your lease; but it’s also pretty important for your roommates to trust them, too. You’re not going to be living with whoever takes over your lease, but that shouldn’t mean that you care about who lives there. If the person who takes over your lease doesn’t feel comfortable with your roommates, they may encounter some issues along the way, and may even stop caring about taking care of your room and doing their share of the housework.

roommates