Get Happy At Home In 2015

(Image courtesy of Pink Sherbert Photography)

The New Year is just around the corner and with it comes the perfect time to make a few small changes for a happier and healthier 2015. This year, don’t forget to remember your unique San Diego apartment when it comes to making your 2015 resolutions.

Though we’re sure you love spending time in your beautiful apartment, there is always room for improvement. If you’re looking for ways to enjoy living in your apartment more, or to just feel more comfortable at home, we can help. These nine ideas from writer, Adrienne Breaux, at Apartment Therapy will have you shrugging off your at home stress in no time! Don’t believe us? Keep reading to see for yourself.

1. The idea that your home has to be perfect all the time

Sticking to a cleaning schedule, having everything in its place in your entryway's landing strip, folding the laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer and never having even one dirty dish stacked in the sink are all great things to aspire to (as well as whatever else might be on your "perfect" home list), but cut yourself some slack. Life gets in the way. Sometimes you need to take care of you before you take care of the laundry. Striving for your own personal ideals is fine as long as you leave room to be human every now and then — and remember to not beat yourself up or point out the negatives when guests come over.

2. Feeling like you need to be more cheerful or seasonal than you are

We advocate decorating your home for the seasons — we think it makes the year going by much more noticeable and enjoyable. But hey, if you've never been a Halloween kind of person, don't stress yourself out wrapping your front yard bushes with fake spider webs just to keep up with the neighbors. Enjoy the seasons in your own way — as small as simple as it means to you.

3. Thinking your home has to be finished to truly enjoy it

Spoiler alert: Your home's probably never going to feel "finished." Never completely, anyway, as homes tend to always be in a state of evolution. So waiting until it's finished to enjoy it? Futile. Learn to strike that balance of aspiring to a better a home for yourself (plan ahead for projects efficiently) and meditating on being grateful for the home you've got right now. And learn to ignore those things you don't love that can't be changed in order to focus in on the things you do love and make your home enjoyable.

4. Feeling like you have to DIY

We think tackling home improvement projects by yourself is a great idea! It's a fun way to save money, customize something in your home exactly how you want it and get that feeling of accomplishment when you're done. But it's not for everyone. Don't feel bad one bit if you just don't have the skills or desire to DIY something. If you want to learn, make time. If you don't have time, don't feel bad about calling in reinforcements.

5. Feeling guilty that you don't entertain more

Yep, we do think you should be sharing your home more. If it's a place you love to be in and that inspires you, filling it with your friends is another way to add richness and beauty to a home you've worked so hard creating. But work sometimes takes over your life. Or family drama just takes up a lot of your energy. If you want to entertain more but never do because of fear, then yes, get rid of those self-imposed limitations and get to entertaining! But if you're not entertaining more because you don't want to, don't worry! For some people being a great guest is just as rewarding as being a great host.

6. Feeling insecure about other people's homes because you compare your style

Ahh Instagram. The greatest app for simultaneously being inspired and insecure at the same time. But it's not just your friends' houses that might be inspiring jealousy; soaking up ideas from designer or professional homes with budgets four times more than yours can go from inspiring to dejecting pretty quickly. So get grateful for what you have more often. Aspire to more, but don't worry about what you can't have. Remind yourself over and over that you're only ever seeing the best angles of other homes — not the corners full of kid's toys and clutter. Know that no one will ever have the exact home that you've created — because you've infused it with your own personality and there's no one else like you!

7. Avoiding problems around the house and making them worse

In home and in life, avoiding problems won't make them go away. Nine times out of ten, they'll make things much, much worse the longer you put off dealing with them. So whether it's talking about a conflict with your roommate or getting that garbage disposal fixed, take a deep breath, dive in, ask for help if you need it and get that uncomfortable task over and done with as quickly as possible.

8. Feeling like you need to define yourself by your possessions

This is pretty tough, actually, because people who like the look of design usually like stuff. And loving everything you've collected over the years is not wrong. But defining yourself by what you own — that can be a bummer. Because then people putting down your style will hurt a lot more. Losing any of those things (or needing to declutter them every now and then) will be painful and sometimes impossible. Cultivate a practice of loving everything you own — but not needing things. Declutter regularly. Be intentional with purchases. Get out of the house every now and then.

9. Putting everyone and everything's needs before your own

It's getting cliche to hear at this point, but it seems we all need reminding of it pretty often: Put your own oxygen mask on first, then everyone else's. Next year, get into the habit of putting yourself first — before cleaning your house, getting the kids to school, before work. This is a hard-to-hear task, and parents will often just not be able to accomplish it. But it's worth putting energy in. And one way you can work on this is by simply filling your daily schedule with you-things first, then filling around it. See the first idea above about perfect homes.

Rise And Shine

(Image courtesy of Phil and Pam Gradwell)

Waking up in the morning is no one’s favorite task - especially now that it’s getting cooler outside and the days are shorter. If you find yourself dragging in the morning, you’re not alone - one survey found that more than one third of Americans hit the snooze button before getting out of bed! 

Jump starting your morning and creating a few extra minutes before you leave for work doesn’t have to be difficult. If you want to put a spring into your step in the morning, simply follow a few of these tips courtesy of writer, Carolyn Purnell, at Apartment Therapy.

• Have a drink.

Drinking water as soon as you wake up will help stimulate the body and help you stay awake. I always keep a glass of water on the nightstand, ready for that morning sip.

• Program the coffee maker.

Relatedly, programming the coffee maker to go off so that coffee is ready for me in the morning is a big help. The sound of the grinding and the scent of the coffee are big pick-me-ups. If it's still too tough to rouse yourself for a cup, put the pot near your bed. There's nothing wrong with having a bit coffee in bed as long as you actually wake up to drink it and refuse the impulse to linger there for hours.

• Drink something before you sleep.

By the time your alarm goes off, you will probably have to use the bathroom and won't be able to go back to sleep comfortably.

• Don't allow yourself to reason with yourself.

This is probably my biggest wake-up mistake. I resolve the night before to wake up early, but of course, my groggy 6 a.m. brain tells me that it's better for me to get enough sleep or that the world will wait if I rest for five more minutes (which inevitably turns into forty-five). You can convince yourself of a hundred different reasons to stay in bed when you're still tired, even if it's not really the best course of action. Try to shut off all that "logic" and force yourself to make getting out of bed a physical, automatic routine. Train yourself to respond immediately to the alarm without relying on conscious willpower. This article suggests using daytime exercises to instill the habit of getting up right away.

• Have something to look forward to.

It's much easier to get out of bed when you focus on something you actually want to do instead of on the drudgery of what you must do. Try setting aside a few minutes in the morning for a ritual that will help you look forward to waking up. Maybe it's coffee in bed, the time to flip through a design magazine, or a shower with a special soap. Or, if there's nothing ritualistic that strikes your fancy, try to think of a getting-up reward the night before. Maybe you want to read another chapter in that book you can't put down, or perhaps you want to treat yourself to a fancier-than-usual breakfast. Whatever it may be, try to give yourself something that will help you start the day right.

• If you wake up before your alarm goes off, get out of bed.

If you go back to sleep or wait for the alarm, chances are, you'll feel drowsier. Follow your natural sleep cycles, seize the day, and embrace those extra minutes if your body tells you it's time to get up.

• Do something active.

You may not have the time or energy for a full-blown exercise routine every morning, but get your body moving somehow. Bop around a bit more than usual while you get ready in the morning or add a few minutes of jogging in place to the routine. I take three minutes to dance to whatever pop tune is striking my fancy. (Today's was particularly good.) If you can't even muster the energy to get out of bed, just force yourself to wiggle around under the covers or tense and un-tense your muscles several times to get your body in gear.

• Take a shower as soon as you get out of bed.

The water and change in temperature will get your circulation going. I also recommend a shower gel with mint or some other invigorating scent to help make you more alert. I've also heard of keeping a peppermint or lemon by your bedside to help facilitate the wake-up process through aromatherapy.

• Remind yourself of what you have to do.

Fixing these things in your mind at night might make it harder to relax and get to sleep, so it can be helpful, both as nighttime catharsis and morning wake-up, to note your to-do list on a small whiteboard or a piece of paper kept on the nightstand. It will help you feel at night like you have those things handled, or at least noted, for the following day, and it will give you more reason to get up in the morning.

• If none of this works, there's the obvious tip of setting the alarm clock across the room.

The Holiday Crunch

Image courtesy of Anja Leidel

It's that time of year again! We're counting down the days until Christmas and if you're like us, the holiday rush is on to get presents purchased wrapped and sent to family members that don't live super close.

Though many times people are concerned about budgeting when it comes to buying gifts, many neglect to think about the cost of shipping gifts to relatives and friends that may be on the other side of the country. If you're worried about getting your gifts there in time, and maybe saving a little money while you do so, take a look at these suggestions from writer, Taryn Fiol, at Apartment Therapy.

1. Save and reuse shipping packaging.

Starting around Thanksgiving, I like to save all the boxes and bubble wrap that come through our apartment. It's annoying having to find places to store the stuff, but I don't ever have to spend a cent on new shipping materials.

2. Ship directly from the web.

This one seems like a "duh" moment, but sometimes we all need a little nudge to point out the obvious. When you're buying a gift online, have it shipped directly to the recipient, instead of paying to ship it to your home and then theirs. If you're worried about keeping the present (literally) under wraps until Christmas day, see if the retailer offers gift wrapping, which usually means they leave the tell-tale packing slip out of the package. Or have it addressed to someone otherthan the giftee to wrap and place under the tree.

3. Consolidate.

Procrastination is a virtue, in this case. Wait until you've gotten gifts for everyone in the family, then ship them at once. Think about not only the people who live at a given address, but also who will be celebrating together. That means Granny and Aunt Linda's gifts can go to your parents' place. One large package will usually be less expensive to ship than many small ones, but do the math to be sure.

4. Ship as soon as possible.

Every year, Christmas is on December 25th. And every year, there are people at the Pack-and-Ship on Christmas Eve spending $50 to get their stuff sent overnight. By getting ahead of the game by at least a week, you can use the slowest (read: cheapest) shipping speed. It can be tough when you're trying to consolidate your shipments, but this is by far the best way to save on shipping.

5. Forgo the shipping extras.

Receipt confirmation, insurance and tracking numbers are all add-ons to the normal cost of shipping. Opt out of these extras at the counter and you'll certainly see some savings. This is great for inexpensive gifts that can be replaced. For anything valuable or one-of-a-kind, splurge on the peace of mind.

6. Shop around.

The US Postal Service is, in my experience, almost always the cheapest option for shipping packages. But it's worth a look at other services to make sure you're getting the best deal. UPS and FedEx, along with USPS, allow you to create accounts and print shipping labels online so you can compare cost without leaving your chair. For a run-down of the least expensive shipping options from each carrier, check out this informative post on Lifehacker.

Revamp Your Bedroom

(Image courtesy of Emily May)

If you're like us, your bedroom is the one place in your home where you feel like you can be completely unique with your design. Unlike the living room, bathroom and kitchen there's not nearly as much traffic that comes through - leaving the space almost completely to you.

If you're getting bored with your personal space, don't panic. There are plenty of ways to update your look without completely overhauling your decor. Just follow a few of these simple tips courtesy of Apartment Therapy and you'll be on your way to a revamped bedroom.

1. Paint the walls — or just one wall — in a really bold (but still soothing) color.

2. Add a colorful coverlet to your bed.

3. Layer rugs on rugs for an eclectic look.

4. DIY a big, puffy headboard for a super cozy look.

5. Hang an oversized piece of art above your bed.

6. Or hang a small piece off center, for a touch of the unexpected.

7. Or go one further and add a gallery wall behind the bed.

8. Choose traditional nightstands to add a little texture to a modern space.

9. Add an oversized plant.

10. If your bedroom is big enough, pull your bed away from the wall and let it be the center of attention.

11. Paint a smaller piece (like your nightstand) in an eye-popping color.

12. Hang a mobile above your bed, because why should babies have all the fun?

13. Pair two mismatched nightstands for a little contrast.\

14. Hang a rug (or a funky textile) over the head of your bed.

15. Use one or more low tables as a nightstand...

16. And lean art on top of them.

17. A simple bulb, with the cord looped a few times around a hook hanging from the wall, makes for a funky bedside light.

18. Hang a picture ledge over the top of your bed and use it to display a rotating selection of artwork.

19. Create an accent wall behind the bed with some funky wallpaper. (This one is 'Genuine Fake Books' by Deborah Bowness.)

20. Take the 'rug as headboard' look to a whole new level with an oversized sisal rug. (This one is from Eco Chic.)

21. Lean an antique ladder against the wall and cover it with string lights for some unusual atmospheric lighting.

22. Hang a metal wall sculpture above the bed. (Find one at an antique shop or on Ebay.)

23. Wrap a gallery wall around a corner.

24. Hang a curtain behind the head of the bed — it's easier than a canopy, but still gives a soft, classic feel.

25. Hang a mirror on the curtain for a little sparkle.

26. An Otomi quilt will bright up your room on even the darkest of days.

Deck The Halls

(Image courtesy of Gerry Kichock)

The holidays are here and no matter which you celebrate, the best way to get in the spirit is to decorate! Though it's easy to get excited about having a new space to update for the season, the fact remains that new spaces mean new holiday decoration traditions. If you need a little help finding the inspiration for this holiday season take a look at these quick tips from renters.apartments.com.

1. Choose a small Christmas treeFitting a big Christmas tree into an apartment can be difficult and make the place feel cramped. A small tree placed on a side table will create a festive mood just as well, without taking up too much space. Hang small lights and ornaments on it for a complete holiday look. If there is no room for a small tree, opt for some evergreen branches in a vase.
   
2. Decorate windows, doors, mirrors
   Adding Christmas lights, a wreath, garlands or other holiday decor to your windows, doors and mirrors won’t take away space from your apartment, but it will do wonders in making it feel more festive.
   
3. Use wrapped presents as decoration
   Kill two flies with one stone by using the wrapped presents for your family and friends as decoration until Christmas Day. That way you don’t have to worry about finding storage space for the gifts, or for the decor once the holidays are over. You can place the presents around your Christmas tree, on the floor, on book shelves, or on a side table.
   
4. Change things up with holiday colors
   Typical holiday colors are red, green and gold. Create a holiday color theme in your apartment by replacing your regular towels, pillows, blankets, napkins, table clothes, and dishes with any of these holiday colors. Needless to say, these items don’t need to have any Christmas embroidery for this to work, as long as the color is right.
   
5. Hang ornaments from furniture
   Instead of placing big holiday decor items around your apartment, hang ornaments on your existing furniture such as book shelves, kitchen cabinets, door knobs, and chairs to save space.

Ultimately, you don’t need to invest into any fancy holiday decoration that ends up cluttering your apartment. Just use a few of these ideas to give your space an easy Christmas makeover that adds holiday cheer without reducing your comfort.

Relax This Friendsgiving

(Image courtesy of Satya Murthy)

Due to travel issues and time constraints it’s sometimes difficult to make it back home to see our loved ones for the holidays. Though your family is with your in your heart this year doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy friendship and food this Thanksgiving!

Host a Friendsgiving this year with a few of your closest friends, or those that also can’t make it home to be with loved ones, and you’re well on your way to having a great time. Follow just a few of these simple tips from renters.apartments.com and you can skip the stress and just enjoy the evening.

Shop Early

Plan your menu and then hit the grocery store early and get everything you need. The only thing worse than traveling on Thanksgiving is going to the grocery store on Thanksgiving.

Prep Ahead

If you’re getting all fancy and making something like, say, homemade piecrust, be sure to make the dough the day before. Check your recipes and see what can/needs to be prepped in advance.

Don’t Forget to Defrost

Buying a frozen turkey? Don’t forget to take that sucker out of the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge well in advance of cook time (allow one day for every 5lbs of bird to thaw). And when it comes to cooking? Cook 15 minutes for each pound of fowl.

Embrace the Potluck

Enlist your guests to supply sides and desserts. No need to feel like you have to do absolutely everything all by yourself. You’re all in this together after all.

Have a Buddy

Or just have a friend or two hang with you all day and cook together. Few things bring friends together like trying to dress a turkey over mimosas on Thanksgiving morning.

Keep the Wine Flowing

Obviously. One of the glorious things about Friendsgiving is that you don’t have to be on your best behavior or worry about anyone judging you for how much vino happens to fill your cup.

Don’t Over-Plan

Unless your friends are super into schedules, leave the afternoon/evening open-ended. If it turns into an afternoon of watching football, great! If Cards Against Humanity comes out as whiskey starts being poured, great! This is your holiday, do whatever you want.

Think UnThanksgiving

At the end of the day, nothing says you MUST stick to a traditional Thanksgiving menu. If you decide you’d rather make Thai or Italian, go for it. Why not have a make-your-own sushi Friendsgiving and have everyone bring their fave ingredients?

You can do anything you damn well please on Friendsgiving – be creative and have fun!

Budget Your Gifts

(Image courtesy of m01229)

The holidays are an exciting time of the year! Not only do we get to spend time with loved ones that we may not have seen recently, but we also have the opportunity to share gifts with one another.

Though it can be tempting to lavish expensive gifts on all those you hold dear, it's important to be prudent during this time of year. It's all too easy to fall victim to the holiday spirit and spend much more than you intended.

Don't worry, though. Being careful with your money this holiday season doesn't mean you have to be a Scrooge. Take a quick look at these tips from Apartment Guide and you'll be on your way hiding all your gifts around your apartment.

A Little Preparation Goes A Long Way

By being a smart shopper every day, you will have more to spend when the holidays come around. Here are some easy steps to more savings.

• When it’s time to go grocery shopping, make a list. Get into the habit of only shopping for the items on your list and leave impulse purchases at the door.
• Do your online research in advance of a big shopping trip. When you know where the bargains are, you will save yourself a whole heap of time, effort and frustration.
• Make shopping rewarding. Use store coupons and rewards cards and sign up for email campaigns that will send advance details of sales.
• Pay yourself first! Grant yourself a weekly allowance and shop for necessary items guilt free. By paying yourself a weekly or monthly allowance you will avoid the very real temptation of a retail therapy blowout.

Basic Steps To Big Savings

There are many small measures you can take to reduce your bills and help you save for the holidays. When you leave your apartment for the day, remember to unplug all electrical items making sure that you don’t spend anymore on your electrical bill than you have to. This tiny step goes a long way to reducing your electric bill over the course of a year.

When you go to work, adopt a “cash free” day where you go about your day-to-day business without spending a single penny. This is easier than it sounds with a modicum of forward planning: plan your lunches around what’s already in the pantry or the fridge, and take a (reusable) bottle of water with you. Then make sure to put away the equivalent money you would have spent into a savings account.

Now that you have adopted basic budget saving tips into your day-to-day life, you will have a clearer idea of how much you have to spend on your holiday gift budget.

Holiday Shopping Tips

When it’s time to go shopping for your chosen gifts, take cash only. This important step will prevent you from being tempted to use credit to make your purchases. Adopt a stealth-like approach to your shopping trip, planning in advance the stores you intend to visit. Don’t be distracted from your mission; instead, make the purchases you have decided upon in advance. If necessary, you can always go back later and buy that impulse present if there is enough left over in your budget.

Use the envelope system for shopping trips. Make out a new envelope for each person on your list and place in the exact amount needed for their chosen present. Then if the product is further discounted at the cash register, you can put the extra money into a contingency fund.

If you choose to do your holiday shopping online from the comfort of your own apartment, keep an eye open for useful promotions such as free shipping codes or buy-one-get-one-free offers.

Finally, if you are forced to put your holiday shopping onto a credit card, it’s always a good idea to put it on one that will benefit you and your wallet. Use cards that offer cash back with every purchase.

Get Ready To Party

(Image courtesy of Oakley Originals)

The holidays are the time of year for celebrating. From Thanksgiving to New Years, now is the time to gather your loved ones together and have a good time! With all the joy and the fun to be had this time of year, it's sad to realize that many hosts get bogged down in the intricacies of having guests over to your place. 

The writers over at Apartment Therapy share your pain. That's why they've compiled this list of prep tips to insure you can enjoy your holiday party just as much as your guests! Keep reading to learn more. 

Plan ahead. While some of the best gatherings are spontaneous in nature, it never hurts to plan early, especially at this time of year. From bulk-buying booze to save money to cooking-and-freezing food ahead of time to save time, a day of prep here and there will make the lead-up to your party much more manageable. Consider your playlist, decor, lighting and coat storage ahead of time, in addition to the obvious food-drink-guests triad.

Have a (loose) theme.
Maybe not strictly necessary, but come on— everybody loves a theme! You might decide to play mainly 90s music or serve only Mexican-themed drinks; a theme doesn't have to be prescriptive, and can add to the fun.

Because my party's on a Sunday, I decided to give it a "holiday brunch" vibe; from scones and strata on the menu to an apropos "sweatpants and sequins" suggested dress code, it'll artfully combine (or at least that's the hope) two of my favourite things: lazy Sundays and partying with friends.

Do a signature drink.
People will bring wine to your party, that's a given. Have some beer in the fridge for those who don't like wine. Sparkling water and sodas for kids and those who don't want to drink alcohol, of course. But the real draw to the drink station should be unique to your party: something festive and fun, that you can make in a pitcher or a punch bowl so you don't have to be playing bartender all night.

It's all in the details.
It's the little things that make people smile, and that they'll remember when the hangover wears off. Decorate one wall with a "photo booth" backdrop for festive selfies, hang some mistletoe over the mirror in the bathroom, place strategic bowls of chips or plates of cookies around your home. Lighting is a big one for me: the more candles strewn about, the better.

Remember, it's just a party.
The whole point of a party is to spend time with your guests in the spirit of celebration. If one of the dishes is burnt or if the prosecco runs out early, no one will care. Chances are, no one will notice. Pour yourself a drink, put on your favorite track and go chat up a friend. You deserve it!

Is That Really A Good Deal?

(Image courtesy of Health Gauge)

We all get excited when we see a deal. Any average shopping trip can turn into a thrill seeking experience when you see a 'bargain' that seems to have come straight out of your dreams - but is it really a bargain? There are always those times when a deal can be 'too good to be true,' and it may be better to pass that deal by. These tips, courtesy of Apartment Therapy will help you separate the wheat from the chaff. Keep reading to learn more.

You don't need one of those

Do you really need this thing or are you tempted to buy it because it's cheap? Reality check: a good deal means you're getting the most out of your money; shelling out for something you just don't need is achieving exactly the opposite.

You wouldn't buy this one at full price

Even if you DO need this thing, if this brand or model is not one you'd buy anyway then you won't be happy in the long run. Don't make compromises to save a few bucks.

It doesn't come with all the same components/warranty as the full-priced model

Be wary of too-good-to-be-true prices that seem sketchy or items that don't match up with the specs of other retailers. Did you have some luck or did that thing fall off the back of a truck? You'll never know.

There's a catch

Maybe it's a rebate that makes it such a good deal. Are you really going to mail that thing in and follow up in eight weeks to make sure you've gotten your money back? Maybe you found a cheap price online but shipping will cost you big bucks. Where's good deal in that?

It will cost you something besides money

Black Friday deals, we're looking at you. Sure, you get a good deal but at what price to your sanity? Consider all the costs associated with a purchase. If you're willing to spend the time and energy it'll take to get that item then go for it, but make sure to account for those factors ahead of time.

Tell us! What are your deal-breakers when it comes to getting a good deal?

Keep It Safe This Halloween

(Image courtesy of liz west)

Tonight's the night! If you have little ones, we're sure that they've been excited for weeks to don their costumes and go trick or treating. Though there's alot of fun to be had on the spookiest night of the year, it's still important to be safe. These tips from apartmentguide.com will help you keep your little ghouls and princesses out of trouble. Keep reading to learn more. 

Pick the Right Costumes

The best outfits for your little creatures are ones that they enjoy, of course. But for safety’s sake, there are a a few things to consider when choosing your children’s Halloween costumes:
The outfit should be flame-resistant. If the costume is a popular classic, you can usually find review of it at online shopping sites like Amazon.
Make sure the outfit is short enough to prevent tripping and tight enough to avoid getting tangled.
Avoid masks that can make it difficult to see, breathe, or hear.
Make sure everyone, including chaperones, wears comfortable shoes.
Try to pick outfits that don’t include weapons because these can easily be misinterpreted at night. The only thing that should be in your trick-or-treaters hand is a candy bag and a light. Adding a prop in the other hand may make it difficult for him or her to juggle everything in tiny hands while holding onto you.

Meet the Residents

Before Halloween night, schedule a meeting among interested neighbors to find out who wants to entertain trick-or-treaters that night. By confining the evening’s festivities to your apartment complex, you’ll know everyone on the other side of the door.

In addition, you won’t have far to walk to hit several homes. Plan a route to the participating apartments that confines the kids to well-lit pedestrian pathways and avoids the parking lots and driveways. Set a start time and end time for all the trick or treating, preferably before the sun goes down.

Ask all the participating renters to leave their entry lights on and to put out a Halloween decoration, so the kids will know where to go that night–but warn against using candles or open flames, which can be dangerous. Recommend that they clear their outdoor entry areas so groups of kids can easily gather in front of their doors without hurting themselves or damaging property. Advise the adults to pass out only factory-wrapped candy or small toys.

Accompany the Kids

Even within the relative safety of the complex, a responsible adult should accompany the kids while trick-or-treating. If you have lots of children going, divide them into several groups, with each group headed up by two or three adult chaperones. Older kids may want to wander on their own, so make sure there is at least one fully-charged cell phone with them. They should also remain in a group the entire night.

Stagger group routes among the participating apartments to avoid inundating one place with too many people. As an added safety measure, make sure each kid and adult carries a flashlight, even if the complex is well-lit. There may be patches of dark that make it hard to see who is walking there.

Inspect the Goods

Tell your kids not to eat anything until you’ve had a chance to check it out. They may have gathered their bounty not only from the complex, but from school or from any business that might have been visited that day. Eliminate anything that is not in an original factory wrapper, such as baked goods, or in a wrapper that may have been tampered with. You’ll also want to watch how much candy your kids eat, or there may be some tummy aches in the morning.

Sponsor an After-Party

Ask your apartment property manager if you can throw a post-trick-or-treating partyeither in the community room or in an outdoor common area. Make the gathering a potluck and ask those who would have given home-cooked goods to trick-or-treaters to bring the edibles to the party instead. You can even have a costume parade and offer prizes to those wearing the most interesting costumes.

How To Be The Best Host You Can Be

(Image courtesy of Maegan Tintari)

We know that you don't want to hear it, but now that fall is solidly underway it won't be long until the holidays sneak up on us. With all the joy and get togethers that come with the holiday season, it's only natural that you'll have friends and family staying with you to celebrate.

Being a host is never easy - but that doesn't mean it needs to be stressful! Writer Maxwell Ryan from Apartment Therapy  shares 13 secrets to being the best host you can be, whether it's for the holidays or any time of year. Keep reading for the best tips to successfully host guests in your beautiful new San Diego apartment! 

The basic genius of this list is in the understanding that guests don't need or want to be pampered; it's that being a guest is, at its root, a deeply uncomfortable experience, and being a great host is about removing all of these discomforts so that your guest can relax and you can both enjoy sharing your home together. In addition, if you want to have frequent guests (or friends simply come to stay often) and not exhaust yourself, the more you can structure the experience the better off you all will be. Guests, like children, appreciate a clear orientation as well as a few good choices, as opposed a totally open situation.

And finally, there are really two kinds of guests in the world: those that have come to visit with you personally, and those that need a place to stay. While we may sometimes mix the two, it is this second category into which most guesting/hosting falls. It is helpful to remember this and pay attention to tip #4!

1. Eat or Wash: Upon arrival, always ask your guest whether they'd like to eat something or wash up first. This takes care of their most immediate needs, removes discomfort and gives them something to do right away.

2. Get Settled: Next, show them to their room and leave them to get settled and rejoin you after they wash up or need something to eat. Having a little alone time immediately after arrival is very comforting and useful.

3. Connect: After getting settled it's important to THEN sit down, share a drink, connect and go over the evening and days ahead. This is the true and proper time for greeting, and best done AFTER the first two steps. Do this too soon and you've got overload.

Take fifteen to thirty minutes to find out where your guest is coming from, what they're hoping to do during their stay and share with them what your plans are as well - even if they're your parents! This is not necessarily the time to launch into hours of conversation (unless you're both ready for that), but the time to get a good download, orient your guest and know exactly what the shape of the whole visit will look like.

4. Start With The End In Sight: Ironically, the most uncomfortable part of hosting/guesting is knowing the endpoint. Be sure to bring this up right away so that you are both comfortable about how long the visit will be and if your guest needs any help with his or her departure. Many guests worry about how to get back to the airport or train station right at their arrival, so it's good to bring this up now.

5. Be Consistent: If you always offer your guests the same treatment and the same orientation it's very comforting, and particularly welcome after a disorganized day of travel. I have friends in Chicago who always put me up in the same spare room and greet me in the same way, and I love it and feel like I know just what to expect.

6. Mi Casa Es Su Casa: The best feeling you can give your guest is truly that your home is their home, so make sure they know everything they need to know and don't need to trouble you too often. The next few tips speak to this.

7. Towel, Water, Bed, Bathroom: These are the basic needs of any weary guest. Make sure they have a towel on their bed, water by its side and a clear path to the bathroom you'd like them to use.

8. Kitchen Orientation: It's really nice to tell your guests to help themselves to whatever they need in your fridge, but also let them know how to take care of their dishes while you're at it. :)

9. Flowers: It's an extra touch, but placing fresh flowers in the room or by the bed where your guests are staying is super nice and spreads the message that you really honor your guest and their place in your home. It will also signal to them to join you in taking care of your home.

10. Allergies: These can be a real problem for some people, so - if you have pets - do let your guests know AHEAD OF TIME and give the room they're staying in an extra vacuum with the windows open. Extra care in cleaning can make a big difference, but bringing extra allergy medication may be necessary too.

11. Privacy & The Air Mattress: Even if you don't have an extra bed or bedroom, do what you can to give your guest a private space and a good air mattress (or sleeper sofa). I've slept on many floors with an air mattress in rooms with a little privacy from the main room and been totally happy, especially with really soft, comfy sheets!

12. Know Your Personal Goal: With every guest that comes into your home, be sure to know what you'd like to do with them personally before they leave and then schedule it with them. Visits can get rushed and busy, and it is super important to have a real quality connection with friends and/or family staying in your home. You'll both be really happy that you do.

13. Fold Them Into Your Life: With everything you do while you have guests, try to run your life as you always would and fold them into it. It's a great sign of trust that you can do this with them, and it will make both of your visits more enjoyable and more often to happen again soon if you feel like having guests enlarges your life instead of taking wind out of your sails.

Come On, Get Happy!

(Image courtesy of Jorge Sanmartín Maïssa)

The word home means differnt things to different people. For some of us, home is a refuge after a long day at work, for others it's a place where we spend time with loved ones and unwind. No matter where or what home means to you, the fact remains that we all want to feel a certain feeling when we get there.

Living in our San Diego apartments has their own particular benefits, but how great would it be to inject more joy into the time that you send in your luxurious home at Ariva? Writer Adrienne Breaux from Apartment Therapy offers us 8 fool-proof ways to get more happy in your home. What more could you ask for? Keep reading to learn how.

1. Give your home a good morning and good night
Don't roll out of bed onto a keyboard. Stop bringing your smart phone into bed to scroll Instagram until your eyelids get heavy. Set that alarm 10 minutes early to make tea or coffee and sit in your favorite spot in your home. You can use ten minutes after you wake up and before you go to bed any way you want (meditate, exist, water the plants), the point is don't just jump into your day's to-do list immediately. We know regular downtime helps us prepare and unwind from the day; use that time to intentionally make mentally and physically enjoying your home a daily pleasure.

2. Make and strengthen connections
Whether you live with a partner or a roommate, a home isn't just walls and furniture; it's the people you share your physical space with. While you continue to improve the beauty and function of your house, cultivate and strengthen the connections with the living elements of your home. It's telling them thank you when they take out the trash (even if it was their night). Having more patience when they leave their wet towel on the bathroom floor (again). It's sharing your gratitude and appreciation for their presence in your home. And don't forget your furry friends.

3. Don't let fear define how you use your space
If you're still one of those folks who doesn't invite people over because yourhome's not perfect, cut it out. Embrace how far your home's come, not how far it's got left to go. If you don't use your rooms to their fullest out of fear of spilling food on furniture or some other reason, stop that too.

4. Start a stay-at-home hobby
Occasional TV viewing is a fine way to spend an evening, but what if we decided to really have fun in our homes, rather than just mindlessly tune out? Picking up a new hobby that has you engaging in your home in a positive way could really impact it feeling more like a sanctuary than just a place you sleep and shower. If it's cooking, The Kitchn certainly has plenty of ideas. But maybe it's writing a letter to friends and using your desk for something other than take-home work. Perhaps it's using that chair in your bedroom usually draped in tomorrow's work clothes for catching up on your favorite novel. Don't just exist in your home — enjoy it.

5. Involve your home in annual traditions (or make up your own)
If you're one of the many whose home doesn't reflect the holidays or the seasons, consider reconsidering. Not transforming your home for every holiday isn't a crime, but you are losing out on the opportunity to involve your home in the annual celebrations of the calendar. It can make that "it's the end of the year already?!" feeling even stronger when you ignore the seasons. Bombarded by public displays of festivity when you go outside, it can make your home feel even less homey when you return. Not into the holidays? Make up your own things to celebrate, and incorporate things that you find cheerful — even if it's just twinkly lights and fresh flowers — in your home throughout the year.

6. Let nature in more
Plants, however small or impressive, are always a great choice. A view of a bird feeder or squirrels skittering through the trees works, too. Investing in good drapes, curtains, blinds or shades that operate well, so that you can close them for privacy but also open them wide to let natural light in (however much your home can get) are a must.

7. Commit to cleaning before you leave
Don't always put your home in the position of disappointing you when you walk through the door and face a mess. It's a tall order, especially when asked to commit to a few minutes each day to just sit and enjoy your home in the same post, but trust us when we say this is a great place to push yourself a little to improve.

8. Embrace imperfection (and remember you're not alone)
It's easier said than done, to not beat yourself up that your home isn't quite how you want it to look (and never seems to feel clean enough). It's easy to compare ourselves to impossibly perfect homes we spot on Instagram. As Brené Brown has said: “Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we're all in this together.” We all fail at DIY projects, don't vacuum as often as we'd like and if we're honest, have more like junk closets and rooms than just junk drawers. While we all aim to improve our homes (through the January Cure, perhaps?), let's remember to be kind to ourselves about our homes this year (even when we leave the house a mess or spend an entire weekend watching Netflix).

How are you going to try and make more joy in your home this year? What are the authentic ways in which you enjoy your home?

Mix and Match

(Image courtesy of Paris Sharing)

Whether you're just moving in with a new roommate or looking to update your style the choice between downsizing and mixing and matching can be a tough one. When coordinating two very different styles, your organized and perfectly designed decor can quickly become a mess - so what to do? Writer Eleanor Busing from Apartment Therapy has the solution to your apartment decor woes. Keep reading to learn how to mix and match your apartment style with confidence. 

When it comes to furniture, a mix of styles and periods, colors and materials is usually par for the course. Unless you are starting from scratch and can afford to buy every last thing in your home at once, it's normal that your aesthetic will evolve, and at any given time may include inherited items, hand-me-downs, "ok for now" pieces and ones you simply change your mind on later. These days, aneclectic look is one that isn't just occasionally inevitable, but also desirable. The confident mixing of different styles is a skill, so how do you go about acquiring it? Here are a few quick tips for mixing styles with aplomb in your home.

Keep it Monochome

Or at the very least, in the same color family. When the eye isn't distracted by contrasting hues, it can easily blend pieces of varying ages and styles. In the dining room above, the farmhouse table, mid-century seating and industrial pendants look perfect together, because they're all in the same white/silver range.

Or... Use Colour to Tie it Together 

When carefully applied, color can also make pieces of different shapes or scales play nice. The dining chairs in the table above wouldn't seem so perfectly matched if it wasn't for the green seat cushions on the end chairs. The lighting, which is all in the same orange/copper family, further unifies the room.

Look for Common Details

Sometimes, the smallest of details are what makes a room work. In the corner above, the unifying story is of vertical lines and metallics. A fairly basic traditional armchair is paired with a Moroccan pouf and a modern, sculptural side table, which echo each other's lines and finish. The striped, sequined throw cushion is the icing on the cake.

Let One Item Take Charge

Conventional design wisdom is that everything in a space should have a "friend" in style, shape or colour, and this may be true for smaller items like side tables and floor lamps. But when we're talking about centrepieces like sofas, dining tables and chandeliers, feel free to go for a one-off, statement piece. The sculptural blue sofa above sings in an otherwise traditional and wood-centric living room, leaving no doubt as to who the boss is.

Do you do much mixing at home, with the style, age or materials of your furniture? What are your best tips for an eclectic interior that feels effortless?

High Tech Kitchen

(Image courtesy of Marco Derksen)

With mobile devices on the rise, we challenge you not to find a new tech device in every room of your home - including the kitchen.

With instant access to the internet wherever we go, shouldn't we be using this ability to explore in the kitchen? Writer Elizabeth Giorgi from apartmenttherapy.com  breaks down the top five best ways to use your mobile devices in the kitchen - do you have any favorites that aren't on this list?

1. On-Demand Recipe Conversion: Ever find an amazing new recipe from another country but realize it's in the metric system? Recipe Convert is your new best friend. The free app lets you import measurements and gives you the conversions.
2. Watch Your Favorite Cooking Web Show: There are an incredible number of awesome web shows dedicated to the kitchen. Kitchen Vignettes from PBS Digital is a particularly inspiring one to check out.
3. Display a Menu: With Google Drive's Presentations, you can create an awesome menu for your guests and display it with complete ingredient listings. This way, food allergens are out in the open.
4. Skype Cook with a Food Professional: Many personal chefs and specialty food bloggers are now offering professional lessons through video chat. You can even cook an entire recipe together from each of your kitchens!
5. Create a Kid Zone: One of the challenges of entertaining with kids is that they don't tend to have a zone of their own. Get the kids involved with games like Cooking Mama, which gamify cooking so in a few years they can help out!

Best of Apartment Living In The Fall

(Image courtesy of Nesster)

Though we love apartment living year round,  (and who wouldn't?) we have to admit that the fall offers some unique apartment opportunities that are difficult to get a grasp on. Don't believe us? Keep reading for just a taste of the seasonal fun that awaits you in your San Diego apartment!

Great Company:

One of the great aspects of living in an apartment is the opportunity to reside with other people. Whether your roommate is your best friend or you randomly get paired with another person, the opportunity presents itself to become extremely close with the person living under the same roof. Having a roommate during the fall season is ideal. Whether you want to have some company to watch the big football game or the premier of the top new television shows, having additional company is definitely an added benefit as the weather starts to drop.

Coziness:

Having a home too big is a thing of the past. Walking into an apartment that is the perfect size is an ideal situation. An apartment offers a comfortable setting where you know that you’re not overpaying. Stacy Keibler had a famous quote where she said, “When I'm home, I like a cozy, comfortable, calming space.” An apartment offers top amenities at amazing locations for a reasonable price. A smaller home results in more social interaction among the members living in the same apartment. During the fall season there is a “coziness” element of living in an apartment community that can’t be matched.

Sense of Community:

Being able to constantly make updates on social networks provides rental communities with a way to better connect with their community. The fall is a time where apartment communities hold costume contests, pumpkin carving competitions and trick or treat festivities. Living in a rental community provides residents with the comfort of living in a tight-nit community. Autumn is a time when people seem to really connect with one another. It is easier than ever to follow updates from your apartment via social networks. Seeing pictures of cute kids in costumes or a couple with an amazing pumpkin decoration will bring a smile to the faces of all residents and allow for you to appreciate the sense of community at your apartment.

Flexibility:

Living in an apartment allows for less cleaning, less maintaining and mental freedom. This results in the freeing up of your schedule to pursue the things in life that really matter – whatever you want that to be. The fall is a time where you should be making pumpkin pie in your kitchen or cozying up on the couch with a warm blanket watching the game or your favorite television show. There are beautiful nature trails where you can see the changing leaves or Halloween parties to attend with fall seasoned beverages and pecan pie. Apartment living certainly provides residents with more time to enjoy the things that really matter in their life.

If you are living in an apartment with a close friend this autumn, take a moment to reflect on this memorable time in your life. It is a great time to appreciate the flexibility that you have, the sense of community by surrounded neighbors and the cozy feeling in your apartment with great company. There are many reasons to love the fall season. Living in an apartment is just one of them.

Fall Is In The Air

(Image courtesy of tibbygirl)

Okay, so maybe Fall isn't here quite yet, and we're sure there won't be many changes in the weather when it arrives, but that doesn't mean that you have to miss out on all the great activities the time of year has to offer!

Writer, Courtney Lochner, from renters.apartments.com has a few Fall-themed party ideas that are sure to get you in the mood for some spooky fun. Keep reading to get inspired. 

1. Pumpkin Caricatures.

This one is so fun and easy. Ensure you have a small pumpkin for each of your guests. Have your guests write down their name on a piece of paper. Put the names in a basket and have guests draw a name (ensuring they haven't gotten their own). Next provide colored permanent markers and instruct your guests to draw a caricature of the name they've drawn, onto the pumpkin. When finished, have fun as you all guess who is who! At the end of the night, each guests gets to bring home his pumpkin head.

2. Pumpkin Beer Tasting.

Stock up on pumpkin flavored beers and provide tasting cards for your guests to rate the beers. You can do blind tastings or regular tastings. The point is to try many different kinds, spark conversation, and find a new favorite! Great pumpkin ales to pick up:
Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale by Cigar City Brewing
Kuhnhenn All Hallows Eve
Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale by Stevens Point Brewing
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Ale
Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head Brewing
Night Owl Pumpkin Ale by Elysian
Finally - check out what your local microbreweries offer!

3. Ghosts in the Graveyard.

Tap into your childhood by playing ghosts in the graveyard. Okay, chances are you don't have a huge yard but get your party to walk on down to the local park come nightfall. Choose a place for safety, say the swing set. Next choose a one hunter who will count to sixty while the rest of the guests hide. The hunter must go on a search for the "ghosts in the graveyard." If the hunter spots a ghost, the ghost must chase the hunter back to safety and if he/she catches him/her before making it to safety, the roles are reversed. You'll be amazed what kind of adrenaline this game can conjure! And bonus--it's a workout!

Cook Smarter, Not Harder

(Image courtesy of Jeff Kubina)

For some apartment dwellers there's something relaxing about coming home after a long day and taking the time to cook dinner. Unwinding only gets better when you have the opportunity to savor the smells mingling in your kitchen and a take a few moments to prepare your meal. 

As relaxing as it can sometimes be, cooking can be a chore. When space and time are limited, preparing a meal can quickly turn from a relaxing treat to another obstacle in your day.Writer Mikaela Cowles, from renters.apartments.com, understands the balancing act that is cooking dinner and she offers a few suggestions to keep your cooking agenda as smooth as possible. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Bake Ahead

Typically, the small kitchen dilemma is particularly challenging when you’re hosting a dinner party. If your menu involves any sort of baked good, such as dinner rolls or cornbread, it’s best to bake them ahead of time. This might mean you bake them the evening before or the morning of.

2. Make Ahead

In addition to pre-baking your yummy goodies, I also love to utilize make-ahead dishes. These are the kinds of dishes that are best enjoyed after marinating. For example, broccoli salad, black bean and corn salad, and coleslaw are 10 times better after they have sat for at least a few hours. In addition, most bruschetta toppings are better when they’ve had a chance to sit, making them a great appetizer.

Note: This is currently my favorite black bean and corn salad. It can be served warm or cold. It makes a great salad, unique salsa and fantastic quesadilla filling.

3. Prep Everything in Advance

Before you start cooking, prep. Chop all your veggies, meat, fruit and herbs. Anything that needs to be cut, sliced or otherwise altered should be done before you start cooking.

4. Pre-Cooking Cleanup

Once you’ve prepped all your ingredients, clean up everything you can. Dirty dishes can hog a lot of your precious space.

5. One-Pot Wonders

My last piece of “small kitchen wisdom” is to not avoid the one-pot wonders. When I first started cooking, I though every meal needed to be a multi-dish extravaganza. But, there’s a lot to be said for the one-pot dishes that are packed with flavors and textures.

Cure The Smart Phone Hangover

(Image courtesy of Kārlis Dambrāns)

How often do you find yourself tossing and turning at night before you finally drift off? If you're like us, often during those long late-night hours of sleeplessness you pick up your phone to surf the internet.

Though it may be an easy way to calm your mind, we bet you wouldn't believe that spending time on your smartphone late at night may actually be the reason that you're having trouble falling asleep. Writer, Elizabeth Giorgi, from Apartment Therapy breaks down exactly how smartphones interrupt your sleep. Keep reading to find out why you can fall asleep faster and sleep deeper without your smartphone. 

Smarphone hangovers are the new thing in science. Last week I wrote a post about why I wasn't using my smart phone as an alarm anymore and it caused quite an uproar. Researchers at Michigan State University have found that late night use of smartphones (which may include using them before bed) have been scientifically proven to prevent easy sleep.

Here's what researchers at Michigan State University told the Telegraph about their research:
"Smartphones are almost perfectly designed to disrupt sleep," said Russell Johnson, MSU assistant professor of management. "Because they keep us mentally engaged late into the evening, they make it hard to detach from work so we can relax and fall asleep. ... The night-time use of smartphones appears to have both psychological and physiological effects on people's ability to sleep and on sleep's essential recovery functions."

The cause? The blue light the phone screen emits. I've found many of their observations to be true, despite trying a few other measures first, including using the sleep function on my phone for a while.

Further results will be posted in the Journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes soon, but I wonder if anyone out there would agree that they experience a "smartphone hangover" from time to time too?

Light Your Way To A Good Night's Sleep

(Image courtesy of Lisa Risager)

Tossing and turning at night is frustrating. There are a number of different reasons that we may not be getting the sleep we need when then sun is down. Reasons such as sleeping with your phone, procrastinating at bedtime or sleeping next to a serial snorer can be enough to ruin a good REM cycle for the night.

If you've tried everything to get your snooze on and nothing's working, the secret may be in the amount of sunlight you're exposed to during the day. Writer, Carrie McBride, from Apartment Therapy examines how moving your work space closer to the window can actually help you fall asleep at night. Keep reading to see what she has to say.

Researchers found a measurable difference in the length nighttime sleep between two sets of office workers: one seated near windows and the other seated far from windows or in windowless rooms. Subjects wore a device on their wrists that measured both daytime light exposure and sleep activity. The lucky workers near the windows were exposed to 173% more light during the workday and slept about 46 more minutes each night than their window-poor counterparts.

The study co-author called light "the most important synchronizing agent for the brain and body" and stressed the health benefits of daytime light exposure. So, if you have a home office, try to situate it near a window. If you can't, at least eat your lunch or take some calls near a window and take a walk in the sun if you can.

If your out-of-home office setting is too dark, try to get your co-workers on board to rearrange the office, change the shades or invest in some full-spectrum artificial light.

Fiat lux!

• Impact of windows and daylight exposure on overall health and sleep quality of office workers: a case-control pilot study. Ivy Cheung et al. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. June 2014 (must be a subscriber to read the full article).
• A good summary: You're Losing Sleep Just by Working in a Windowless Cubicle by Belinda Lanks on Bloomberg Business News.

Touchdown! The Perfect Preseason Party

(Image courtesy of Janet)

With the start of school one thing is certain - football season is just around the corner! We know it's just preseason right now, but it's never to early to start practicing the wave and dusting off your favorite jersey. 

Watching your favorite team pass and run their way to victory just isn't the same if your friends aren't there cheering with you. That's why renters.apartments.com put together this list of the essential items for your football get together. Keep reading to learn more. 

#1 - TV:
You won’t want to cut your grass without a lawnmower and you can’t watch a football game without a TV. The larger the screen the better, and the more people you invite just means the television screen size has to be that much larger to be able to support all of the eyes fixed to the screen.

#2 - Plenty of Seating:
Even if you don’t have the biggest space, coziness makes for a great atmosphere while watching football. Think of the student section at a college game, they are crammed into their seats and have a great time! In addition to the comfy couch, put some extra chairs and stools around your apartment with a visible view of the television. Also keep in mind, when it comes to football, people won’t mind standing, especially if there is good food and drinks in the kitchen area!

#3 - Cornhole:
What’s a party without cornhole? Having a store bought cornhole will surly bring out the fun in the party. Even better yet, a homemade cornhole will allow you to customize and create your own sides. This game will allow for some friendly competition and an activity fun for all ages. Most apartment communities have plenty of space in the parking lot or pool area, which will provide the perfect set-up for some good old-fashioned bag tossing!

#4 - Good Food:
Once you have the party all set-up and people start arriving, you will want to have food ready for people to eat at the time you have scheduled. A good idea is to have everyone bring a snack, fruits or veggies, drinks, or another side dish. This will provide a great supplement to your cookout. The most popular food during a sports game is cooked on the grill; hamburgers, hotdogs, bratwursts, and grilled corn are usually the fan favorites. To wash it all down, you will also want some nice refreshments.

#5 – Fun Games Associated With Scores:
Another friendly fun way of keeping the football game interesting is to introduce a prize component. With a group of 20 people, if everyone throws in a friendly bet of $5 into the pot, you then can separate the prize amounts with a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, or just have one grand prize for the winner. The object of the betting is to guess the score and spread score of each quarter, the first and second half as well as the final score. Points are determined at the end of each round (1st Qtr, 2nd Qtr, 3rd Qtr, 1st Half, 2ndHalf, and Final).

Bust out your favorite teams schedule, circle a big game and make sure to invite your friends to a football themed party at your apartment! If you follow the 5-tips for the perfect football party, people won’t forget the afternoon at your place. Hopefully your favorite team pulls off the win as this will just add icing to the cake!

Household Rules - Then v. Now

(Image courtesy of David K)

We all remember those rules from our childhoods that seemed to always stop us from having the maximum amount of fun - “No jumping on the bed!” “Don’t lay on the couch!” “Inside voices!” among others. Though at the time we may not have understood the reason for such austere behavior (I think we can all admit we broke them from time to time,) now those rules seem to make a little more sense.

Writer Dabney Frake from Apartment Therapy takes a moment to break down a few of the more popular rules from our childhoods that we may not have understood at the time - but definitely understand now. Keep reading for a quick trip down memory lane.

1. Making Your Bed

Then: Why bother? I’m just going to use it again tonight!

Now: Making your bed every morning correlates with better productivity. It has also been suggested that making your bed boosts happiness.

2. No Wearing Shoes in the House

Then: But I’m going back outside in 10 minutes!

Now: Once you think of the dirt that gets tracked in with every footfall, you also think of all the time you spend vacuuming the floor. Multiply that by all your family members’ shoes, and slippers or bare feet sound like a much better idea.

3. No Television After 10pm

Then: But Mom!?! Fantasy Island is on!

Now: Today, it’s not just TV but phones, iPads, video games and computers. Taking time to detox from tech, especially right before bed, reduces anxiety and helps you sleep better.

4. Turning Off Lights

Then: What’s the big deal?

Now: It’s the little things that add up, and turning off lights when you don’t need them is the first baby step to saving money and energy. It’s a new world of consumption, we have a new mindset about wasting energy.

5. No Elbows on the Table

Then: But it’s more comfortable to sit that way!

Now: Originally, elbows off the table prevented diners from hogging space and minimized the effects of bad hygiene (think stinky medieval times, before regular bathing was a thing). Now, it’s all about sight lines and letting people on either side of you talk without have to lean way, way back in their chairs. Plus, many still think it’s rude, so why offend your fellow guests at a fancy party?

6. Hanging Up Your Jacket

Then: Sorry, I forgot!

Now: A day’s worth of jackets on the backs of chairs, and shoes on the floor, accumulate quickly, which can rapidly turn to a house disaster zone. And, if the mess and clutter don’t stay in check, you can’t focus on the million other things you have to do. Today it makes sense to take a second to hang up your outerwear, and ask others to do the same.

Did your family have any rules you hated, but understand now?