One of the biggest attractions of living in an apartment is the fact that major repairs are handled by someone else. If something catastrophic should happen, it won’t cost you a dime to have it fixed by a professional, but that doesn’t mean that you get off Scott free from any household responsibilities. From changing light bulbs to air conditioning filters, the average apartment resident is still responsible for a whole host of minor repairs each and every week. Here are a few common sense tips if this is the first time living on your own.

If you are lucky enough to have an air conditioning system, you may be responsible for changing your filter once every month or once every few months, depending on the system you have. Before you run out and buy what can be an expensive filter, you need to check the type of filter that you need. Remove the vent grating with a screwdriver and pull out the filter that is currently in place. Along the spine or the top of the filter should be a style or type. Write it down and take that piece of paper with you to the hardware store where someone can show you the different types of filters they offer. When you are ready to replace it, simply slide the one you purchased in place just like the one that was there originally. Make sure you change the filter as frequently as needed as they can get clogged quite quickly, especially if you are a smoker.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, apartment repairs, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent

When it comes to picking out the perfect roommate, each of us has different priorities that we want to satisfy. Some of us choose to partner with a roommate that is a night person or morning person, while others want someone who works for the same company so they can save on gas by carpooling every day. No matter what standard you choose, it always helps to have a roommate that likes the same music, movies and television as you, especially if neither of you have a television of your own in your bedroom and you are forced to share a set in the living room. Here are a few tips you can use to settle roommate disputes when it comes to music and television.

If you only own one television, the person who brought the set into the apartment and owns it is going to feel like they have the right to watch what they want, when they want it. It is going to be up to the other person to make sure they ask in advance if they can watch a favorite program. A small, 13 inch television from most stores these days is well under $100 and it can solve many a television conflict, especially if the two of you have nothing in common when it comes to programming.

In the case of music, it all boils down to a matter of respect. Make sure that the two of you don’t crank up your music so loud the other person can hear it when you are in your personal space alone. You not only need to respect each other’s personal space but also your neighbors so that you don’t elicit complaints that could end up getting you evicted. Considering there are so many other important areas in which you need to be compatible with your roommate, liking the same music and television really isn’t that important, but it might be a good idea to talk about these things before the two of you move in together.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, movies, music, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent, television

So, you’ve finally finished moving into your new apartment. You have boxes strewn everywhere and the idea of unpacking has your already aching muscles screaming for mercy. What you need is a way to make your empty, strange new apartment feel like home. Here are a few essential tips to turn your new living space into a home.

While having your favorite overstuffed chair or your mom’s quilt on your bed is nice, you can’t use those things around the clock. Wall hangings, on the other hand, are something you see every time you move around a room or from room to room. That’s why experts always recommend hanging things on the wall that make you think of home first, not last. They instantly transform the blank, empty canvas of your walls into a warm and welcoming mosaic of memories that make you feel good every time you see them.

Some people take forever to decorate new rooms once they move and while it is understandable to want to take your time and get it right, there is one decoration that should be put up as soon as possible. We all have one item, whether it be a knick-knack, a painting or a silly gift we got once that makes us smile and laugh. When you pack that special item, make sure you mark the box it’s in so you can find it the very first night you move it. Place it out in the open, even if it is on top of other boxes, so you see it while you unpack and decorate. This is your link to the past and your guide for your new space all in one!

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, decoratings, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent

For some people, the way they choose to eat can be comparable to the way they worship. Many vegetarians and vegans are dedicated to their lifestyle choice and will seldom put up with living with someone who is going to be preparing meat or purchasing/storing/preparing animal products around their food, but if you should happen to move in with someone who is vegan or vegetarian, there are some common sense tips you can follow so that there aren’t any problems.

First off, make sure you properly divide up your storage space in the cupboards and in the refrigerator so that none of your food products are touching in any way. Since most meat items are prone to drip, it would probably be a good idea for the meat eater to take the crisper drawer in the bottom of the fridge and maybe the bottom shelf, while the vegetarian or vegan can get the top shelves. The same pattern can hold true in the cupboards, although you may need to get a small stepstool for the higher shelves. Once an iron clad organizational system is worked out, you won’t have to stress about food items coming in contact with each other.

Next, make sure that all dishes are done as soon as meals are eaten so that the vegan or vegetarian roommate doesn’t have to prepare their meals with meat soaked dishes everywhere. This is a respectful idea to follow, no matter what your roommate eats. Since the size of most apartment kitchens are shrinking rapidly over the years, the amount of counter space and food prep area is almost non existent. Make sure you run the dish washer or clean your dishes as soon as you are done eating for the day.

If you have a separate pantry for food storage, talk with your roommate about how to divide up the space. You could have one person take over the kitchen cabinets and the other take the pantry so your food is segregated even more.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent, vegan

If you have ever lived with another person before, whether it is a lover, spouse or just a roommate, you know that happiness is all about respect. If the person you are living with respects your personal space, your quite time and your personal things, than the arrangement is almost always positive. One problem that more and more roommates are having to deal with is a conflict in living styles due to one person being a morning person and the other being a night person. This kind of conflict can arise simply because the two roommates are naturally like this or it can be due to conflicting work schedules. Either way, respecting the other persons needs is very important, otherwise, you will both end up looking for other roommates sooner rather than later. Here are a few important tips.

Just like in any friendship or living arrangement, communication is key. Make sure that your roommate understands that you have a conflicting time issue so that the person who is up late at night watching television knows to be quiet and the person who gets up early in the morning doesn’t make a racket. The only way to get a situation like this to work out long term is to ensure that everyone knows how everyone else feels at all times.

If your conflict is due more to work schedules, put up a grease board or a work schedule on the fridge side by side so the two of you can check up on a daily basis on what the other one is doing. This way, you will know when you have to be quiet and careful and when you can relax and not worry about it. No one sets out in advance to be loud, noisy and disrespectful; it is almost exclusively due to poor communication.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent

If you have recently moved to a new city, getting to know people can be tough. The friendly community that used to greet people in cities is long gone, and people can now live next door to each other for months or even years and not know each other’s names. If you are lonely and need to make friends, there are some things you can do. Let’s take a look.

For most folks, getting a pet is the obvious choice; however, fewer and fewer apartment complexes are allowing pets. Smuggling a pet into your apartment is never a good idea since you could be evicted if your landlord finds out. It can be impossible to hide the yip of a small dog or the massive shedding of a cat, so don’t even try it if you aren’t allowed to have pets. If you are, you should consider the responsibility that goes with having a pet. You’ll have to feed your pet and clean its box if you have a cat or walk it if you have a dog, including when it’s raining. If you aren’t ready to take on the full responsibility, don’t get a pet.

Most people wouldn’t consider getting a roommate unless they absolutely have to, but if you are on the hunt for friends that live close to you, you could try throwing a themed holiday party to meet the folks in your building or at least on your floor. You can even emphasize on your invitations what your interests are, such as sports, so you attract people that you are most likely to be friends with. It can be a bit awkward at first, but it will pay off in the end when you have more friends than you know what to do with.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, lonely, pets, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent

If you live in a large enough apartment building or apartment complexes, it is almost inevitable – your path will cross with someone who you find absolutely irresistible. The question is how can you meet that person and get to know them better without appearing like a creep. While there is no fail safe method since everyone reacts differently, you can try out these popular methods and hope for the best.

The most obvious thing to do is to hold a housewarming party or some other themed party and invite select people from your apartment building, along with friends and coworkers so that your new love interest doesn’t feel singled out or uncomfortable. When he or she arrives, make a point to spend as much time with that person as possible until you either hit it off or you are stopped in your tracks. Either way, you’ve swung for the fences.

While it can appear a bit creepy, if you can see your love interest apartment from yours, try to leave for work or for the store at the same time so you “accidently” run into each other on a regular basis. Take those moments to talk and see if you have anything in common. After you’ve spoken a few times, volunteer to give her your phone number and see if she calls. Again, all you can do is try.

One final method you could use is to simply knock on your love interest’s door and see if you can borrow something. It is better to make it something that you don’t need to return, like a cup of sugar or something similar that is commonly asked for but doesn’t appear to be odd. If you are greeted with a strange look and a door slammed in your face, give up and don’t try again.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, neighbor, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent

Many people don’t realize it, but unauthorized use of a wireless internet connection is a major crime punishable by fines and even jail time. It is up to each and every one of us to secure our wireless Internet connection so that only you or you and your roommate can use it, otherwise, you could be held legally responsible for any activity that occurs on your line, including the downloading of illegal materials or criminal computer hacker activity. Let’s take a look at a few simple things you need to keep in mind.

First off, if you are only using desktop computers, and you don’t have any wireless connections to worry about, then you have nothing to worry about. The only people who need to worry about the security of their connection are those using a wireless router to connect to the Internet.

As tedious and boring as it might be, you need to read the instruction booklet that comes with your router. You don’t have to be an Internet or computer expert to secure your router, all you have to do is to pick an encryption level and set up a login and password that you will need to remember and give to your roommate, assuming you have one.

There are several different levels of encryption that most routers have. Some require 64 bit encryption but really good routers give you the opportunity to use 128bit encryption, which is much harder to break. You will be responsible for coming up with two passwords, one to log into your router and than the password for your encryption. They don’t have to be overly complicated, but you should choose a number pattern only you will be able to figure out. It is also a good idea to change your passwords every now and then just in case someone should happen to figure them out.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, internet, Landlord Disputes, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent, wifi, wireless

For centuries, wine has been one of the most popular drinks in the world and although many people still consider it to be a snooty, elitist beverage, the truth is that most adults enjoy a glass of wine now and then and if you are a big time wine connoisseur, you might be interested in hosting a wine tasting party in your apartment. It can be a formal or casual event, depending on the theme you want to go with. Here are a few tips you can use to make your first wine tasting party one to remember.

With every great wine goes a great meal. You don’t have to whip up a feast worthy of a five star restaurant, but you do want to provide something that goes with the wine you taste. If you sample a red, you probably want to go with beef or game, while a white would command chicken, fish or something similar. Cheese is often used at wine tastings because it helps to cleanse the palette, but cheese doesn’t automatically go with every type of wine, so do your research first to be sure you have your combinations down pat.

You will also want to provide some background and information on the wine that you taste. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, most wineries now have their own websites that allow users to print out excellently written descriptions of the wines you are enjoying. You can read the descriptions allowed and then pass on a glass to everyone at the gathering.

Most importantly, you want to monitor how much everyone has had and make sure that those that have had too much get home in a taxi and not behind the wheel of their own car. Since you hosted the event, you would likely be held responsible for any accident that might happen.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Entertaining, Find a apartment, Landlord Disputes, neighbors, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent

There is an old saying that goes something like, “The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.” Anyone who is married to a man addicted to technology can vouch for this, and one piece of technology that most men can’t live without is a home theatre system. While these systems can make everything from sitcoms to action films feel like they are really happening right in your living room, they are a major cause of noise problems and resentment among people living in apartments. Here are a few home theatre system survival tips.

While it is tempting, and likely human nature, to go for the biggest and best system out there, try to restrain yourself and simply get one that provides better sound quality than your television alone. You don’t need the system with 12 speakers for a room that isn’t that big to begin with. The first step in being a responsible neighbor is self control.

While the wireless home theatre systems are a bit more expensive than their corded counterparts, the set up time is practically zero and you don’t have to spend the next ten years worrying about tripping over wires that aren’t buried properly. You should spend your time enjoying your new home theatre system, not tripping over cords.

Before you buy that system you’ve had your eye on, check discount online retailers to save even more. Stores like TigerDirect, NewEgg and even Amazon have prices most brick and mortar stores can’t beat.

Technorati Tags: Apartment hunting, Apartment rentals, Apartment Tips, apartments, apartments for rent, Find a apartment, home theatre, Landlord Disputes, rent, Roommates, Rooms rent