Sharing Common Areas with Your Apartment Roommate

You may find that it’s easy enough to keep up your own room in your apartment, but what about maintaining common areas? Read on for our guide to maintaining harmony in shared spaces in your home with a few simple maintenance habits.

Set the rules
Whether you and your roommate are new to each other or are moving together into a new place, laying the ground rules early is a must. That doesn’t mean you need to create a draconian lists of do’s and don’ts, but it does require thinking carefully about the habits that drive you or your roommate crazy, and then getting those details out in the open. Living with a roommate requires compromise, so be reasonable and willing to work out differences for your mutual benefit.

To share or not to share?
Often, the biggest roommate disputes revolve around food. Money can be saved when roommates pool funds to buy in bulk, but if one of you has a significantly larger appetite than the other, someone will feel short-changed. Similarly, if one roommate has special dietary needs, whether by preference or due to food allergies or a health condition, be sure to respect the other by either not cooking certain foods on shared pots and pans or by not eating the other’s vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, peanut-free, wheat-free or kosher food and beverages.

Everybody cleans
Another area for potential conflict is having a different tolerance for messiness than your roommate. Coming up with a regular cleaning routine and sticking with it can help by ensuring that common areas get clean before you or your roommate can get squeamish about the disorder. The best way to keep the workload fair is to have each roommate clean up after him or herself every day and then split the work on cleaning common areas such as the bathroom or kitchen.

Spend time together
The easiest way for petty resentments to get out of hand is for communication to break down. Don’t let that happen! Even if you and your roommate each lead separate, busy lives, find a way to do something fun together regularly, whether it is going to the farmer’s market, seeing a movie, or having a dinner party. Creating a bond through shared experience is the surest way to maintain a happy household.

Don’t let squabbling over common areas spoil your relationship with your apartment roommate. Create clear, reasonable rules at the beginning of your time together, and share in the work and enjoyment of your apartment. You’ll never regret the effort to make your home a happy one.

We have a Winner!

Congratulations to Zahra and her family in 2c for winning the HD Camcorder this holiday season!
Enjoy recording your memories!

This picture collage created with Smilebox

Holiday Party at The Square

We really enjoyed having everyone come to the office for crafts, gift wrapping and food yesterday!

Thank you for joining us for the holidays!

Prepare your Apartment for Winter

When winter weather hits and temperatures start to drop outside,

your apartment will get chilly, as well.

Use these tips to help prepare your apartment for winter,

and protect yourself from the cold.

Reverse ceiling fans
Running your ceiling fan in reverse in your apartment can keep you more comfortable in winter weather. Since hot air rises, your ceiling fan can push that warmer air back down onto you. Just flip the switch on your ceiling fan. If it’s in reverse, you’ll see the blades going counterclockwise when you look up at it.

Help your heating system
An efficient heating system will cost you less. As you prepare for winter, you will want your HVAC system to run smoothly and efficiently. Apartment management should take care of scheduling appropriate, regular inspections of important equipment. (You might inquire with management when your unit’s system was last assessed.)

You can also help your heating system to work more efficiently by wrapping your hot water heater in a special blanket. Available at home improvement stores, hot water heater blankets run about $15 and insulate a heater to improve its efficiency — that’s a pretty big deal considering that nearly 14 percent of your energy costs go towards providing hot water.

Winterize the fireplace
Turning the thermostat down and cranking up a warm fire can save you big bucks on heating bills. Your apartment fireplace should be number one on the list of amenities to check as you prepare for winter.

When you first use the fireplace, pay close attention to ventilation. If you notice smoke in the air or a strong smell of smoke, you might inquire with your apartment community manager about the process for having your fireplace inspected.

If you do not plan to use your apartment fireplace, make sure the damper (a piece of metal that keeps out cold air) is securely closed.

Prep for zone heating
Think about where you spend the most time in your apartment, and purchase heaters to keep those areas comfortable. Zone heating gadgets might include an electric blanket, a space heater, or a towel warmer — any device that allows you to focus heat where you need it, instead of using extra energy to warm a larger space.
Close off infrequently used areas.
Why should your laundry room have to be as toasty as your living room? Keep infrequently-used rooms and closets closed off during winter weather so that your heater can work more efficiently.

Insulate windows
Window insulation kits use shrink-wrap plastic sheeting to seal off drafts. This inexpensive investment could end up saving you money during a cold winter. Adding heavy drapery around your windows also cuts heating costs. Have maintenance plug up gaps.

Windows aren’t the only drafty places in your pad. Check for cracks and gaps on the outside of your apartment near windows and also inside your unit around outlets and doors. Check with maintenance staff to caulk any large leaks. You can also purchase door draft stoppers to help stop cold air from seeping in through cracks.

Set the thermostat
If you’ve got a programmable thermostat, prepare for winter by setting it to heat your home only during the hours you’re there. It’s much cheaper to turn the thermostat down during the day when you’re at work and back up when you get home, rather than keeping your apartment warm 24/7.

Turning the thermostat down just three degrees can save you money. That’s why utility companies recommend setting your thermostat to 68 degrees. Even if you don’t have a programmable thermostat, you can still save money by adjusting your thermostat manually each day.

Check smoke detectors
Check your smoke detectors when you prepare for winter. While you’re at it, make sure your fire extinguisher is in working order, as well. Heating for winter potentially increases indoor fire hazards, so checking these devices now is a good idea.

Winterize yourself
Instead of turning up your thermostat, make yourself more comfortable with warm clothing. When it’s cold outside, dress appropriately for the weather. And get the right indoor garb for winter weather, too: sweat pants, slippers, warm pajamas, and a blanket for the couch.

Before you make any major changes to your apartment, of course,

check your lease and talk to your apartment property manager to

ensure you are not breaking any apartment community regulations.

Remember that a few small, inexpensive changes can help you stay comfortable

 and potentially save you money this winter.

Christmas Tree Safety

As you deck the halls this holiday season, be fire smart.
A small fire that spreads to a christmas tree can grow large very quickly.








Picking the Tree

• If you have an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled, certified, or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant.
• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.

Placing the Tree

• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 1-2" from the base of the trunk.
• Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
• Add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.

Lighting the Tree

• Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini string sets and a maximum of 50 bilbs for screw-in bulbs.
• Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
• Always turn off the tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

aFteR the HoLidayS!
Get rid of the tree after the holidays or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home. Check with your local community to find a recycling program. Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and make them last longer.

FACTS

1. Each year, fire departments respond to roughly 200 structure fires caused by Christmas trees.
2. Two out of five home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems.
3. A heat source too close to the tree causes one-quarter of the fires.

We're Ready for the Holidays!

Sumter Square is good to go for the holidays!

We just couldn't wait!

_____________________________________________________________________

Come by the office anytime between 1pm-7pm on

December 15, 2010

for our HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

• Free Gift wrapping by the staff (5 presents maximum)
• Tons of Food & snacks
• Hot cocoa & cider
• Crafts for the kidsCamcorder Drawing at 6:45pm!

WHAT WOULD YOU WIN THIS YEAR?

 Insignia HD Camcorder & 4GB Memory Card this year

Be sure to come by the office anytime before December 15th, 2010

 to enter your name into the holiday drawing!