Category Archive

apartments

How to hide the ugly: 5 cheap tricks for renters

My husband and I live in a rented flat in central London. It’s small. It’s a space that we can’t really personalise too much — we have no idea how long we’re going to be here (could be three months, could be a year). We’ve had to work with what we’ve got, and I’m happy to say that little by little over the past couple of months it’s really taken shape. How have we turned a dull, boxy flat with dirty walls into a space that we actually enjoy? A few cheap tricks…

How do you reheat leftovers without a microwave?

We just moved into a lovely older house that we’re planning on renting for at least a year. It doesn’t have a microwave, and I’m inclined to keep it that way. I am seriously at a loss, however, for how to heat up leftovers — especially meat — without making them rubbery and dry. Any tips for this erstwhile cook?

How we made our DIY wall-mounted cat tree

We recently moved and had to ditch the old cat tree after two years of love and abuse. It plain fell apart in the process of moving so we started the hunt for a new tree. We wanted something sturdy, affordable, and something that wouldn’t take up too much room. Problem was, the cat trees you typically find on the market are made out of cheap plastic and particle or composite board. After some research, we decided to use the wallspace to the side and above our couch to create a wall mounted cat tree using a mixture of shelves and including a scratching post.

Our one-bedroom condo in Seattle: Home to four people and a kitty living well

We’re a family of four that love living in a pretty small space. Our condo is 730 square feet, one bedroom and one-and-a-half baths. We didn’t intend to stay here, and I certainly never expected to end up loving small space living or a minimalist approach to possessions but this home has taught me the value of both and shaped the expectations I put on myself for how I want to show up as a home maker in the world.

On the other side of the door: What it’s like to be an apartment manager

I have been fortunate enough to work from home for the past two years. I currently work as an apartment manager for my apartment complex. While I love my job, and no matter how much insane shit I deal with every day, I would never trade it for the world. That being said, there are times when it sucks to be an apartment manager…

How to make an affordable, condo-friendly fireplace: no chimney needed!

“Bryan S” turned a SEI’s wall-mounted, gel fuel fireplace into a realistic fireplace, hearth and all, PERFECT for condos or even rentals.

Here’s how he pulled it off, according to the photos and notes he uploaded to this Amazon listing…

10 life lessons learned from my first apartment

Attention young Offbeat Homies: At some point, you will cease to live with your parents or in a dorm room, and will very likely live in a cheap apartment, quite possibly with roommates. I hit this particular milestone my Junior year of college, and here’s what it taught me…

How do you weather/bug proof a rental apartment?

My husband and I live in an apartment that we love, except for the bug problem. We have a large gap in our door where they keep coming in. I’ve done some research about sealing the gaps, but it all seems geared to people who own their home. Any advice for bug and weather proofing for the renting Homies?