Listen to this articleApartment living is heating up, with over a third of Americans currently living in a rental. Many people aren’t used to this type of living, though! If you’re moving into your first apartment and aren’t sure what to expect for yourself: here are the top ways to adapt to make the most of your apartment!
Make A Green Space for Yourself
Most people who move into an apartment miss the yards and green space they had before the move. Although you can’t put a garden in your living room without possibly messing up the flooring, you can create a space with plants for yourself.
Utilize your balcony if you have one, set up an open shelf in front of your best west-facing window, and create a space for plant life. If you’re new to keeping indoor plants, it’s important to research each plant to ensure it’s not toxic for any pets or children in your home and pay attention to how much water they need.
A Boston fern may need water every other day, but some succulents don’t need water more than once a year. Good research can allow your plants to live longer, which will improve your mental and physical health.
Ensure That You Clean and Declutter Often
Clutter is terrible for mental health and can take a huge toll on how much usable space your apartment has. Take time every week to clean everything, sweep, vacuum, run laundry, and wipe down every surface. Although you should still do dishes and regular cleaning throughout the week, it’s important to try and push as much work as possible into keeping your apartment clean.
Try to go through and declutter, or look at what you own at least once a month. If you find an area is getting cluttered with items you don’t use or don’t want, it’s okay to take the time to deep clean and clear out this area. Donate, sell, or trash anything that you don’t see yourself using. The less clutter you have, the larger your apartment will feel.
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Get To Know Your Neighbors, and Be Friendly
Your neighbors will just be a single wall away, so try to get to know them! Although you can’t guarantee you’ll be friends, being friendly will ensure you have someone to go to if you need help or that they’ll check in on you if they notice something is off. Being familiar with them ensures a safer living situation. Although apartments for rent in Portland, Oregon, may not feel like they need this level of safety, everyone can use it.
Set Aside the Money You’re Saving
By renting, you’re automatically saving a lot of money you’d be spending as a homeowner. Try to set aside an amount of money every week that can go straight to what you’re not spending on home repairs and maintenance. Although this number can be hard to track, a couple of hundred dollars a month can often cover it. Allow this savings to build up over time so that you can have a safety net or a nest egg, that you can spend on more enjoyable things!
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