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Do you want to keep your winter heating bills down? Focus on your windows.
Apartments Have an Advantage But…
Apartments have the advantage of being surrounded by other apartments. This means instead of having four walls and a roof exposed to the cold like a house, you have someone else blocking the cold on most sides. This natural insulation means you have to run your heat less than a house of the same size as your apartment.
Still, your windows are a major source of heat loss. If you want natural light, that means having glass that doesn't do much to stop the cold.
Window Curtains Keep the Cold Out
Window curtains provide an extra layer of insulation to your windows. It works just like the insulation in your walls or using a personal blanket when you're cold. The curtains help block the heat from going outside and the cold from getting inside.
How to Hang Curtains in an Apartment
When you live in an apartment, you can't make modifications like you could in a house. Even things that you're allowed to do could cost you money to undo when you move out. Drilling holes in your walls is one of those things. Here's what you should do instead.
- Measure the width of your windows. Don't measure the glass, but the space in between the walls on each side of the window.
- Look for a curtain tension rod that matches your measurement. This is a curtain rod that uses a spring instead of screws to stay in place. You just twist to extend the pole until it fits snugly in the wall.
- Buy curtains. The color is up to your tastes, but you want them to be long enough to reach the floor. That's because cold air will fall as it hits the curtain. This will keep it behind the curtain instead of spilling out across your floor. The width should usually be twice as wide as your window for the proper folded look.
- Hook the curtains onto your curtain rod, and put it in place.
To learn more about our energy-efficient apartments, stop by for a tour of our Raleigh, NC apartments today.
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Are you ready to decorate for the holidays but worry about your pets wrecking things? Here are a few things you can do to stay pet safe for the holidays.
Hang Tree Ornaments Out of Reach
Christmas tree ornaments are tempting for both dogs and cats. In addition to not wanting to get your ornaments broken, you don't want your pet to get hurt on the hooks or broken glass.
Make sure you hang any ornaments out of their reach. You can do this by moving them to higher branches or by using a stand that elevates your Christmas tree. If you need to fill empty space at the bottom of your tree, use extra lights or garland that's wrapped too tightly to get knocked off.
Skip the Candles
Between jumping cats and dogs banging into furniture as they run around from excitement, candles are too much of a fire hazard to safely use during the holidays. If you like the look, use an electronic candle or fairy lights in a jar to get the same effect.
Protecting Your Christmas Tree
When you put up your Christmas tree, your dog may confuse it with the trees outside, and your cat may see it as a new place to climb. When you first put it up, you'll need to closely supervise them and teach them to stay away.
Since they don't listen to you all of the time and will probably still play around it, use a sturdy, weighted base to make sure that they can't knock it over.
Section Off a Room
If you've gone all out for Christmas and don't want to risk your pets doing anything at all, you may want to make a room off-limits for the season. Use baby gates or other barriers just like you would at any other time of the year.
Give Them a Distraction
Your pets will be feeding off all of the excitement and want to participate as well. Give them a new toy or something to climb in to redirect their attention in a positive way.
To learn more about the pet policies in our Raleigh, NC, apartments, schedule your tour now.
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Getting your home ready for Halloween is fun, but using an abundance of decorations that are only good for one day can seem like a waste. To prevent this feeling, you should choose decorations that will be good for at least the entire fall. That way, you can celebrate Halloween without having to store or throw out your decorations the very next day. Here are some ideas for accents that will be good for both Halloween and then entire autumn season:
Dried Cornstalks
A bundle of dried cornstalks makes for a great fall decoration. They speak to harvest time, which is a longstanding seasonal celebration. To make them fit for Halloween in particular, all you need to do is put an old shirt around them for a scarecrow-like effect. Take the shirt away after the day is over to revert to a general fall display.
Orange Gourds
Unlike carved pumpkins, gourds are very long-lasting. They're also popular for Thanksgiving as well as Halloween, making them great for extended autumn displays. If you want your gourds to last even longer, use thin-shelled ones. Hollow them out like you would a pumpkin, removing as much flesh as possible, but don't carve a face into them. Then, dip the hollowed-out gourds in bleach before letting them dry with their lids off.
Fall Foliage Wreaths
Make or buy fall foliage wreaths that include long-lasting elements like dried grasses, wheat sheaves, fall leaves, and pinecones. For Halloween, add a few miniature pumpkins, and then take those out to switch the wreath back to a display that'll be good for the rest of the season. If you add fresh elements to the wreath, just remember to remove them before storage.
These are just three of the many possibilities for decorating apartments in Raleigh, NC in ways that are good for both Halloween and the rest of the season. Brainstorm more by considering popular fall imagery and considering how you can add or remove oranges and blacks to allow it to transition between the two purposes.
To see some great apartments to make your new home this fall, just stop by our offices. We'll be glad to show you around.
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Now that autumn has finally arrived, you're undoubtedly looking forward to the typical trademarks of the season. For instance, few things taste better than that first sip of pumpkin spice latte or a glass of your favorite fruit cider. If you're like most residents of apartments in Raleigh, you're going to be enjoying seasonal favorites on your dinner table as well. Naturally, you'll want your tablescape to reflect the spirit of the season. The following are just a few ways you can make a perfect autumn floral arrangement.
Mum's the Word
An autumn tablescape isn't complete without at least a few mums in the picture. Mums typically reflect the colors of autumn leaves and bloom profusely in the fall. A handful or two of mums in a mason jar works well for a casual accent, but you can also mix them up with tree twigs containing vividly colored autumn leaves. To create a more formal ambiance, place a couple of white or yellow mums in a classic bud vase along with a sprig of pink baby's breath. Don't be afraid to use your creativity to craft custom floral arrangements using mums. They can easily go from casual to classy and anywhere in between, and as an added bonus, they're one of the most long-lasting cut flowers.
Say it With Sunflowers
Sunflowers make a seasonal statement when used in dining table centerpieces. Although traditional centerpieces are far too top-heavy and cumbersome to work well on most tables, modern hybrids are smaller and better suited for display in interior spaces. They also come in a variety of colors in addition to standard sunflower yellow — you'll find them in shades of cream, yellow, orange, mahogany, and scarlet. If you've got the room, group a bunch of them together for a totally dramatic look. For something less imposing, choose a single sunflower and place it in an attractive vase on the center of the table.
Our apartments range from studios all the way to three-bedrooms. Please reach out to us at your convenience for more information on enjoying life in our community.
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How you feel can sometimes be as much about your internal attitude as your external circumstances. When your home is full of light and color, it's a simple way to boost your mood. Now is a good time to take your cue from the season. The light from the summer sun can sometimes remind us that our homes are dreadfully dark by comparison. If you're tired of coming home and squinting, here are a few ways to brighten up your apartment.
Change Your Lampshades
Lampshades can have a drastic effect on how you see the light in your home. If you swap out your darker lampshades for lighter ones, there will be more general light in the room but less localized light around the bulb. So as long as you don't need brighter light on one focal area (like the surface of your nightstand), you can buy lighter lampshades or even take them off altogether.
Go for Pops of Color
If the lighting in your home isn't the problem, then perhaps it's a combination of dark furniture and accessories in the rooms. Even if you're averse to bold or showy decorations, color doesn't have to be overblown to be powerful. Bright cushions on the chairs around the kitchen table or a new piece of artwork in your living room can instantly give each space a new feel.
Swap Out the Curtains
Natural light is always going to be best for your psyche. It's not that artificial light is bad for you, it's just that you do need to feel the warmth of the sun. If your curtains are standing in the way, you may need to choose something a little less opaque. Transparent curtains may sacrifice a bit of your privacy, but they can really make a difference in your mood and the way you perceive your apartment.
The apartments in Raleigh, NC don't need a major makeover to get a little brighter, and in fact, may need very little to make a big change for you. If you're looking for an apartment with a little more light and space, The Tribute has just the space for you. Call us for a tour of our available units!
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When you make the decision to move into an apartment, you are accepting the fact that you are going to be living in limited space. Even the largest apartments in Raleigh with the most spacious and open floor plans are still inherently limited by the nature of what an apartment is. A lot of people look at downsizing as the process of pushing what you have in a larger space into a smaller space and doing without, but this is the wrong way to look at the situation. When you do make the decision to move from a large area into a smaller apartment, you need to completely reshape your furnishings to fit the new space.
Bringing oversized furniture into a small apartment is hands-down the number one way to make your apartment feel cramped, small and uncomfortable. Even if you have furniture that you love and find super comfortable, it may not be the right fit for your new apartment.
Here are some guidelines to consider when planning out your new space:
- Take into account how much floor space you have before determining what sofa you bring into the living room. While a sectional sofa may be comfortable in a large house, its size can make it difficult to walk around or have accent tables in an apartment. Going smaller with the sofa is a great way to make your space feel larger.
- Think minimalistic when looking for accent furniture like bookshelves and tables. While large, handcrafted oak tables may be beautiful and sturdy, they are going to be difficult to get in and out of an apartment, and they may dominate the room once they are in place.
- Keep everything in proportion. You need to make sure that your furnishings appropriately balance your living space. One piece of furniture should not overpower the home.
When living in an apartment, it is a good idea to cut down on as much clutter as possible, too. Reduce how many books, toys and trinkets that you have out as this will open up the space considerably. Collector items are also not always conducive to making a living space feel light and open. For help finding the perfect spacious layout for your next home, contact us.
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If you're seemingly running out of space in your apartment bathroom, you may be wondering what steps you can take to get better organized and maximize the space available to you. Aside from going through and making sure you don't have any unnecessary items taking up space in your bathroom, there are some other tips worth following.
Consider Stand-Alone Shelving
Installing shelving in an apartment bathroom can not only be a pain, but it may even be a violation of your rental agreement. Fortunately, there are plenty of stand-alone storage options that don't require you to drill or nail into the walls. Consider, for example, a stand-alone shelving unit that adds useful shelving and cabinet space above your toilet. Making use of vertical space with these types of stand-alone solutions is a great way to maximize storage without taking up a lot of additional floor space.
Invest in Storage Containers
If your bathroom vanity seems cluttered and disorganized, some quality storage containers can go a long way. Wicker storage baskets are a great way to store and display your towels and washcloths, and basic plastic storage bins can go a long way in organizing the insides of your vanity drawers and cabinets. By making sure everything has its own place, you can get rid of a lot of clutter and create the illusion of a more spacious bathroom as well.
Use an Over-the-Door Organizer
An over-the-door shoe organizer is a great "hack" for adding storage space to any bathroom. The compartments designed for shoes can be easily used to store things like extra shampoo bottles, hair products, hair brushes, slippers, and other essentials. Not to mention, these are very inexpensive and easy to find. In fact, this is a storage hack that you could use in just about any room of your home that could use more organization.
These are just a few ideas for making the most of the space in your apartment bathroom while getting things more organized in the process. Looking for apartments in Raleigh, NC with generous bathroom sizes and so much more? The Tribute has so much to offer. Contact us today to find out more about our floor plans, amenities, and current availability as well!
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Following a few simple tips will help declutter your apartment, make it spacious again, and get things organized. The clutter problem always seems to evolve as time goes by. If you do not tame the clutter monster, it keeps growing until one day it seems overwhelming. However, you need not let it go that far. There are many clever ways to reduce clutter and manage it in the long run.
Utilize hidden storage
City apartments often don’t have too much extra space. Bigger homes in the suburbs sometimes also lack the proper setting for extra storage even in large rooms. That is where the handy hidden storage comes in. You can add it by using built-ins that open up to offer storage. You can purchase ottomans that also have the top of that provides extra storage. There are couches and poufs that open up and this hidden storage space is perfect for hiding away little things that clutter up space.
Add funky baskets
Baskets are great for managing clutter in your home. You can add baskets in your living room to put all toys in one place for kids. Baskets can be used in the bathroom to place towels in an aesthetically pleasing way. You can also use baskets in bedrooms to put extra beddings or throw pillows and other little items like pillowcases that always seem a little misplaced.
Toss things you don’t use
Decluttering will only remain a far dream if you are not willing to toss items you don’t use anymore. Clean out junk from drawers and get rid of stained clothes and old books. Basically, any items you no longer use and are lying around occupying space needs to go. This allows you to create extra space to arrange the items that are useful to you.
You can begin to declutter a little at a time. Take your time with each room identifying what it really needs and gets creative with your solutions. After you are through, you won’t believe how spacious your apartment looks. To explore our spacious, easy-to-organize apartments, don’t hesitate to call us. Enjoy being a resident at the Tribute apartments in Raleigh, NC, as we are always here to serve you.
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Finding those perfect vintage items can be a thrilling experience. But once you get them home, you may be wondering how you can best use them in the decor of your Raleigh apartment. If you have made some great vintage finds, check out tips for using them to spruce up the decor in your apartment.
Use Vintage Books as Lamp Bases
If you have some vintage books that you would like to display in your apartment, you can get them to pull double-duty by helping them lift short lamps up to get better light and using them as decorative bases. Grab two or three of your favorites, place them on the end table and situate a simple lamp on top.
Decorate With Vintage Tunes
Put those classic tunes to good use by displaying your collected vinyl on the wall. Make sure to use hangers that won’t damage your walls on the vinyl and affix the records in a unique pattern on an open wall space.
Use Old Milk Crates for Shoe Storage
Take your found crates and turn them into something functional and useful. Give them a fresh coat of paint or refinish the wood, and set them by the door as a place to toss shoes when you walk in. It will keep them out of the way and is also open, so it can allow them to breathe.
Turn Vintage Cans Into Floral Centerpieces
Whether it is an antique gas can or an old farm milk jug, you can create a beautiful focal point with it in any room. Clean it up and keep the original color, or give it a fresh coat of paint; then place bright flowers that blend with the color of the can to create a pop of color to entry tables or an entryway. You can even add a colorful ribbon for an extra touch.
Follow the tips above to turn your amazing vintage finds into one-of-a-kind decor for your apartment. Need a place to repurpose and decorate with your vintage items? Stop into The Tribute Apartments today to find the perfect floor plan to accommodate your unique items.
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