charity:water

Happy 5th Birthday to. . . us!

It’s true – we launched in September of ’05 and we’re still alive and kicking! We’re going to be hosting rad giveaways later in the month  as a small way of saying thanks for being awesome – before then we have a small ask for you.

If you’ve found value in any of our posts, we’re not looking for donations for My First Apartment.  Instead, we’re asking that you consider donating what you might have donated to us – to charity: water, a non-profit that brings clean, safe water to developing nations. It can be a 5^th birthday present, per se.

Why charity: water?  Because this non-profit that could has already helped more than 1.27 million in 17 countries. This September, charity: water is looking to raise 1.7 million to bring clean water to 90,000 of the poorest residents of the Central African Republic. People who spend hours each day walking to get clean, safe water.

Sound overwhelming? Not so! It costs only $20 dollars to give water to 1 person for 20 years. AND, 100% of your donation goes to the work (not admin).

But, seriously, feel free to give just $1 (we know, most of your $ is going towards moving out!). It’d make us feel all warm and fuzzy and show that ya’ll value the writing we (happily!) do for you:)

Plus, how cool would it be if we can brag about how totally sweet our readers are?

Should you feel so inclined, you can donate on our charity: water profile page, where you can also learn more about the people your donation will help.

Thanks in advance, guys. You rock.

charity: water 2010 September Campaign: Clean Water for the Bayaka from charity: water on Vimeo.

Related posts:

1. The First Two Things to Decide Before You Start Your Apartment Hunt
2. How to Make your Bathroom So Clean it Sings
3. My handicap? Still being in Chicago when I need to apartment hunt in New York!

Dealing with Bad Landlords

So,  you’re out of your parents’ house and out of the dorms on your way to freedom.  Almost.  The apartment seemed too good to be true when you first found it, but it no longer is.  Unfortunately, it is very common, especially in college towns, for landlords or property management companies to take advantage of younger tenants.  I have dealt with many such people and learned the hard way how to protect yourself and get what you deserve.

Start Building Protection Against Future Problems at Move-In.

It almost goes without saying, but make sure you document EVERY LITTLE THING that could possibly be wrong with your apartment – even if it is something that can’t be fixed, such as a stain on the countertop.  Use your cell phone to take pictures when you find something wrong.  You’ll need these records when your landlord blames you for the problem and tries to keep your security deposit, or bill you for damages.

Let’s start with the basics.  Sign for your keys and document the number of keys given.  If they look bent, most likely they will break shortly (from experience), so ask for new ones. 

Walk into your living room/dining room area.  Check the ceiling for any repaired damage and document.  Are there any hooks left on the wall that weren’t removed?  It doesn’t matter if it’s been painted over, still – write it down.  Any chipped tiles/baseboards/missing or stained grout?  What condition is the carpet in?  If it’s rather worn – write it down.  Ensure all lighting fixtures, outlets, and switches are undamaged and in proper working order.  Closely inspect your door knobs and doors, walls where they may have damaged, windows (glass, locks, verify all will open and stay open), and window coverings.  One tricky one is to look through the peephole; commonly this will get painted over.

When you get to your kitchen, test every burner on the stove plus the oven.  Then inspect for cleanliness.  I’ve actually moved in to an apartment where two burners didn’t work!  Inspect your refrigerator and freezer for cleanliness, dents/dings.  Ensure all your cabinets will close and latch, and all drawers glide smoothly.  Verify there are no stains or chips on the counter top or in the cupboards.  Check your dishwasher (I have had one full of dirty water upon move-in), sink, faucet, and sprayer.  Finally, inspect windows, electrical outlets, etc. as you did in the living room and dining room.  Make notes of any problems.

In the bathroom, verify that toilet flushes and fills properly, and is leak free.  Check the shower, note any mildew in or around the tub, and verify that the faucet hardware is all in proper working order.  Do you have a towel bar(s) securely affixed to the wall?  What about a toilet paper holder?  Again, verify the basics of the room.

Your bedroom check is going to be about the same as the living/dining room.  Make sure you make a note of the smallest imperfection. 

If you’re lucky enough to have a balcony or porch, inspect this as well.  If you have a wood balcony, verify it as well as the joists if you are on an upper floor (the under parts).  I had one at one point which ended up collapsing because they would not fix the joist.  Thankfully, nobody got hurt.

When Something Goes Wrong, Keep Your Cool. 

Ever hear the old saying, “You can attract more bees with honey than vinegar?”  Approach your landlord / property manager with a friendly tone, and just say you need to get something fixed.  As long as you have a decent property manager, this is all it will take.  However, if it doesn’t, you may need to take more serious action.

Get to know your maintenance person (if you have one) and remember to tip him.  I once went without heat, because the girl in the office said the maintenance guy was offsite.  However, when he came back, he stayed late to fix my heater because he knew me.
* Once you know your maintenance man and he knows you’re a nice person, go directly to him with your problem.

Document every instance you contact the property manager with a problem.  If they don’t want to fix it, don’t give up.   Do not raise your voice, just take a firm stand. If they still won’t repair it, review your lease.  Find the address to the building management company (or landlord’s home address), look online to find a demand letter template, and write a demand letter.  Explicitly state what the problem is, the dates and times you have reported it to management, and the denial to fix it.  You must send this certified mail WITH a return receipt.  Unless the problem is serious (lack or heat or water, for example), the first time give them 30 days to fix it.  Second time give them 15 days.  Third time give them 7 days.  Use certified mail with return receipt every time.  At this point you can take them to court if nothing has been done.

I hope you will find a nice apartment with a good management company, and you will never have to deal with problems.  However, the odds are that you will at some point deal with landlord who just doesn’t care.  The key is to try and remain calm and pleasant, but firm.  You will get your requests completed much quicker than if you act overly aggressively.

Related posts:

1. Understanding Your Lease Obligations
2. Wow, that wasn’t so bad.
3. Stop that Check!

Free Craigslist: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Free Furniture

Once I signed my lease, I revelled in the idea of finally having my very own space to live in, free of parents or nosy RA’s who just “wanted to be my friend.” But the novelty quickly wore off, and I suddenly realized how empty my apartment was.

The idea of furnishing an apartment is a very daunting one when all you’ve managed to save in the past couple of months is 200 dollars and a handful of savings bonds you would much rather reserve for the inevitable dirt-broke post-college year (or two). Luckily, it’s possible to get everything you need on the cheap when you know where to look.

Flea Markets and Thrift Stores: A classic, yes, but you need to make sure you go to the right flea markets and thrift stores. In New York City, the Greenflea or the WilliamsburgFlea Market are not the best choices if you’re trying to savemoney. At the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene, on the other hand, my roommate found a very nice mirror to hang in her room for a mere 10 dollars. When if comes to thrift stores, steer clear of places that call themselves “vintage.” You’d be better off going to Kmart if you want to save money. Stick to Salvation Army or try thrift stores in the outer boroughs. Suburban areas will easily provide you with the best options. Consider a day-trip, or if you’re moving to a city for the first time, get as much as you can before you leave. I went to the local flea market at home and got an end table and two lamps (all very high quality) for 45 dollars total. And the Amvets at home had gorgeous, floor-length curtains for 3 dollars. 3 dollars!

Friends and Family: Keep an ear out for any news of friends, friends-of-friends, distant relatives or even passing acquaintances that are moving. I got my brother’s old bookshelf and dresser because he went to grad school in England. When my mom moved, my cousin got her entire living room set. A friend of mine a got a free couch from another friend who, for one reason or another, didn’t need it anymore. One note on getting furniture from friends and family, I consider this the ONLY acceptable way to get free mattresses or upholstered furniture. At least in this situation you know where the furniture has been, so that weird stain is just from the time your friend spilled red nail polish on the couch cushion. Plus, bed bugs. Don’t mess around when it comes to them.

The Street: Lots of great things can come off the street. Just be careful. I stick to items I can thoroughly clean, preferably with bleach. It’s also best to look around the 1^st of the month. You’ll be surprised to see how many people just don’t feel like dealing with furniture they don’t want anymore and toss it on the curb. We nabbed ourselves a nifty leather ottoman the day we moved in.

Free Craigslist:Ah yes, Craigslist, the Mecca of thrifty shopping. It’s wonderful, but it’s also a lot of hard work. You need to act quickly, usually impulsively, in order to beat the millions of other people also trying to score the free 27-inch TV—which usually gets nabbed within minutes. You have to travel all over the city, because most items come with the “you pick it up” requirement. And you have to endure quite a few stares on the subway when you wheel a full-sized desk onto the train. But it’s free, all 100% no-strings-attached free! And I developed some fabulous arm muscles carrying all the free furniture up five flights of stairs.

Related posts:

1. Kelly M’s tips for furnishing from Craigslist “free”
2. Furnishing your apartment… How much will it cost you?
3. Apartment Beautiful: Wall Decoration

Blinded by the light (and the gym, doorman and parking…)

24/7 air-conditioned gym. Charming doorman. Spacious laundry facility. Elevators, a parking garage, smiling tenants, and a bowl full of colorful candies on a polished table in the lobby.  I was sold, following around the real estate agent smugly. “Look at me,” I thought to myself. “Getting the dream apartment on my first try.”

The real estate agent opened the door to the apartment and motioned for Kelly and I to enter. The living room was a small, windowless box, flanked by an impossibly narrow galley kitchen. Two large bedrooms faced outdoors. Moving briskly, I blew through the living room and spent my time marveling at bedroom features. Big, clear windows, a hardwood floor, and freshly painted walls.

Meanwhile Kelly scrutinized the space, testing lights and faucets and asking the real estate agent tough questions. She inquired about the living room and the sub-par cabinets in the kitchen. We finished our viewing and Kelly and I debriefed. “I’m SOLD,” I declared. Kelly didn’t feel quite the same way. She brought up details I didn’t even see– the inconvenient floor plan, cabinets that were unreachable because of the fridge, mold in the room corners and more.

I thought about it for a minute– and she was completely right. I could not have gotten a more positive first impression of the building, but it was only that– a first impression. After a month, 6 months, a year at this building, would I still notice the polished tables and candy bowls? I doubt it. I’d probably be frustrated that I couldn’t have dinner parties or lie in morning sun in my living room. Or even reach my dishes in the kitchen, for that matter.

A lesson to you hunters,  one I’m sure you’ve heard once or twice: all that glitters is not gold. And this glittery deal was certainly not sold.

Related posts:

1. DC real estate woes
2. Apartment Hunter’s Checklist
3. Moving to Manhattan!

Never fear, there are definitely plenty of other cool, inventive ways to make your new place feel like home.

Personally, I still think color is still key – and there are tons of other easy ways to add color sans paint.

Greetings From My Living Room Wall

What you’re looking at to the left is actually my living room — I couldn’t paint so I hung a nice, exotic tapestry on the wall ( it’s not actually faded — need a new lightbulb!).  I also hung picture frames ($10 each at Brooklyn Flea Market) with colored paper. Most cities have garment districts so that’s definitely a good bet in terms of where to find interesting fabrics.  Chinatowns can also have some great fabric stores — especially the one in Boston!  And if there’s an Indian store selling sari fabric you’ll have amazing choices.

Apartment Therapy also suggests framing wall paper samples and or/paper from the Paper Source, another easy, cheap way to make art. The site has plenty more DIY ideas, including creating an art hanging structure, which, to be honest, kiiinda intimidates me but I’m sure you, lovely readers, are far more crafty than me!

Apartment Therapy also suggests adding a rug and it’s definitely a good one idea – although rugs can be more $$ than one might originally think. Normally, I’d suggest Craigslist, but with bedbugs being rampant (they even attacked the Empire State Building!), it may be wise to wait until a friend/family member wants to get rid of a rug to ensure it’s safe. You can also find  some good rugs at Target where they run even cheaper than at IKEA.

Finally, something I’ve always wanted to play with - wall decals. Blik has some really cool options, no matter your needs.  One living room idea is their Sweet 16 — aka 16 fun color circles.   But, wait, there’s more! A neato bedroom option, should you not have the $ for a headboard, takes the form of a variety of decal headboards.

What do you guys think? Any other cool, easy ways to add non-permanent color?

Related posts:

1. Swankify your New Apartment — Starting with a Fresh Coat of Paint
2. U-Haul, eek, part 2
3. More ways to use your walls!

Neighbors are friends not foes
Whether you have that loud jazzercising neighbor above or chain smoker neighbor to the side, it is time to make a new friend. Your neighbors can be your greatest assets or dividing factor. So here are a few helpful hints to create a connection (who knows they may be less likely to report you when your stereo gets too loud!):

1.       Learn their name, and greet them once in a while! People feel more cared about when you use their name.

2.       When you first move introduce yourself and maybe give them a cute gift. Think a pound of sugar, in case you ever need a cup of it!

3.       Don’t gossip about your neighbors, as they will most likely find out. Like your momma always said, “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

4.       Lend a hand. It speaks volumes if you can help out your neighbor move their new TV or watch their dog for the evening.

5.       Be considerate of your noise as this is usually the #1 complaint, and if you are courteous to them they are more likely to do the same.

6.       Invite them over! Hospitality is a great way to show you care. And you might find out that they are just as addicted to coffee as you are.

Related posts:

1. The Wait Begins
2. Add These to Your Apartment Hunting Check List
3. How to throw a bangin’ housewarming bash

T-minus 10 days and counting ’till moving day.

The lease has been signed, deposit paid, roommate secured, furniture bought (but not yet assembled), a moving date selected and I have a new address to call home. It’s official, I am moving into my first apartment. I am living out the dream we’ve all had since we were kids: growing up, moving out and living by my rules, my way. I couldn’t be more excited, or more surprised at how quickly the big day is arriving. I didn’t think I’d be here a year ago today, but the entire process has been easier than I thought so far. (Minus the heavy lifting and late nights packing). 

I suffered a year of dorm living (along with Hernando, Normand, Sandy and Fez, the cockroaches that frequented the room) and the horrors of living in one tiny room with a complete stranger. We had different study habits, different schedules, different standards of cleanliness and different levels of sanity. Just kidding! (Kind of.) Even in a shared space I can honestly say I had less than 30% of the room. While I found it necessary to bring only the necessities (fridge, microwave, clothing, books, bedding, etc.), my roommate at the time thought packing her entire childhood into our living space would make the tiny dorm feel more like “home”. I went to bed each night being stared down by a creepy, toothless grinning picture of my roommate at 5 years old and plush “Twilight” vampires threatening to snuggle. That is, if I could shut my eyes with the blinding neon pink theme that was eating away at our walls. 

Needless to say, this wasn’t the ideal living situation. Communal bathrooms and all. 

Meanwhile, outside of my dorm life, living in my friend’s basement in Atlanta wasn’t really working either. Going back and forth every two months from Atlanta to Memphis and back again was getting expensive. I didn’t belong anywhere. I needed a permanent residence, a place to settle. I was ready to put everything I owned in one place and call it my “home”. I was tired of just visiting, going from place to place just long enough to pack my bags again. It was time, I could feel it in my bones. With the price of on campus living rising significantly in Fall 2010, it made sense to get a place off-campus. This was my chance! It was the bright neon sign flashing before my eyes saying, “Go for it!”, and I had the perfect roommate in mind! 

I met my roommate, who we’ll call “Will” for his privacy (yes, as in “Will and Grace”) at the University of Memphis. We lived on opposite sides of the same dorm building and would often meet up late nights and trade dorm-living horror stories over Mountain Dew and doughnuts down the street from campus. We didn’t really get close until we experienced two-hours of “moving your body like a river” together in our Theater Performance class, looking to each other for support with goofy grins on our faces, trying to suppress the masses of giggles and snorts trying to escape. I couldn’t see myself taking this leap independence with anyone else, I needed someone who’d keep me laughing. We may be the less lavish (and less co-dependent) version of “Will and Grace”, but our little apartment might as well be Barbie and Ken’s dream house…. which surprisingly, wasn’t that hard to find. 

Our apartment is just a few blocks from campus. It has all hardwood floors and big windows that let in lots of natural light. Our kitchen and dining/living room are on the first level, and the bathroom and 2 bedrooms are upstairs. It was just big enough for the two of us. $625 a month including water between the two of us. Not bad. We took a tour of one of the apartments together, initially as a joke back in May. As we walked through the apartment and began discussing what life off campus would be like, the idea didn’t seem so far-fetched anymore. We immediately expressed interest, which I believe was the secret to our successful apartment hunt. By June we were signing papers and come July I was sending out my new address to everyone I knew. And just like that I had an apartment! 

So, I’m sitting in my room and taking it all in, but looking around, I can’t envision the mountains of boxes flooding my bedroom unpacking into the layout of my new place. It’s a little overwhelming. I can’t say that it’s easy leaving the city where you were born and raised to move forward with your young-adult life, but I have no regrets. I know that this is exactly what I need to do. It feels right.

Related posts:

1. Mercedes Finds Her Dream Off-Campus Apartment
2. Moving to an off-campus apartment
3. For the Love of God Pick a Roommate You Will Get Along With

Living with a Shared Kitchen

Sharing a kitchen will always be a challenge. Use these four tips to make shared kitchen living manageable and deal with these common issues:

1)      Sharing food

My first roommate and I made the mistake of making a joint grocery list and splitting the bill. We quickly discovered we didn’t eat the same amount or kinds of food. Instead we created a cabinet of universal food (olive oil, spices, flour) and bought everything else ourselves.

2)      Dealing with small spaces

My former roommates and I were avid cooks. Unfortunately our kitchen was as big as a mid-size bathroom. Inadequate cabinet, fridge, and counter space make creative storage necessary. We solved the problem by using a bookcase in a living room corner to store non-refrigerated goods. A mini-fridge next to the bookcase dealt with essential fridge spillovers.

3)      Keeping the dishes under control

The easiest way to eliminate piles of dirty dishes is to simply have fewer dishes. Cut down your dishware by at least ¼ and put the extras in storage (or give old stuff away). It makes a difference.

When I lived with seven flatmates in Madrid, it was impossible to keep people accountable for washing dishes. Instead we instituted a system of requiring roommates to keep dirty dishes in their bedroom if they didn’t want to wash them right away.

4)      Handling the fridge

Throw out old food. It doesn’t matter if it’s yours—if something is past the expiration or noticeably spoiled, toss it. Chances are your roommate forgot it was there and she won’t want to eat bad food.

Related posts:

1. Girl vs Rank, Disgusting Fridge
2. How to furnish your first apartment without breaking your budget or losing your mind
3. One year later

Dowd makes that point that it’s the experience of living with different people that hardens one up for the Real World of difficult coworkers and all the other difficulties of life. All she and her college roommates could all agree on eating was, apparently, corn (did she also walk 10 miles in the snow everyday to get to class?!)

As someone who’s had her fair share of lovely and awful roommates, her concerns also sound pretty illogical to me. The idea, that young college freshman wouldn’t experience adversity just because they have a copacetic roommate is pretty removed from reality. Um, what about the rest of the 1,999-40,000 other students on campus left to deal with? Let alone professors and employees/bosses at after school jobs? Growing up is damn, hard!  I worked at our newspaper during school and, believe you me, I met plenty of weirdos covering campus-wide and Boston events.   Give a kid some peace, Maureen.

One of the blessings of a first apartment, if making your own choices that work for you — no more housing match-up or parental micromanaging.

Should you look for someone with diverse tastes to be friends with? Most certainly.  But, should you try to intentionally try to find someone of various different tastes to be your roommate? No way. It’s hard enough living with another human being, let alone one who prefers rap to your country, has different perception of clean, or wants friends over often if you prefer the quiet company of tea and a novel.  That just sucks for everyone.

If only the rest of life was so easy, that we’d NEED a difficult roommate to ‘wise up.’

Related posts:

1. Lesson learned: Work out the roommate “What Ifs” before moving in
2. How to break-up with a roommate
3. Decorating and furnishing when you and your roommate have different styles

“I decided to attend the University of Wyoming after I graduated from a community college. I definitely did not want to live in the dorms. So I started looking for a house or an apartment. Searching for an off campus apartment is  hard, especially when you are not anywhere near the campus when you need to look. So, when I first started my search for the perfect apartment, I made a list of things I wanted. I wanted my new apartment to be in a nice location, not too far from campus, but not far from downtown Laramie. I stumbled upon this apartment complex that seemed too good to be true.

The complex is called Campus Habitat and there are a few complexes across the US but the only one anywhere near Colorado or Wyoming is in Laramie, WY. They were offering some incredible deals: furnished or not furnished, gift cards upon move in, a highly discounted rate for early sign up, and the thing that I was the most excited about, a free tanning bed! I know, I know. Tanning isn’t good for you and it will cause cancer, but I live in Wyoming. The winters call for jeans and snow boots almost all year! So a tanning bed in my apartment complex was something to consider.

This complex is run sort of like a dorm. You have four roommates and two baths. However, everyone has their own bedrooms (with full beds!) we share a kitchen and the living room. Now, I’ve heard some horror stories about roommates that haven’t paid their end of the bill, that was something I was concerned about, however at this one, everyone pays their share to the manager. No worrying that  you will have to come up with all the rent!

I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop though. It sounds like a fairytale…fully furnished, washer and dryer in each complex, a hot tub, all utilities included… All for $389 a month, so I guess next week I will find out if this is too good to be true. Until then I’m going shopping for my new place. I can’t wait to live on my own.”

Related posts:

1. Moving to an off-campus apartment
2. A new condo- on the first floor
3. When Dealing with Sublets, Get Everything in Writing