Let’s Go To The Beach!

(Image courtesy of Kanasphoto)

Summer is here, and what better way to beat the heat and soak up some rays than a day at the beach? As natives to the area, we’re sure you know the best places to go to feel the sand between your toes, but just in case you’re missing one, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re ready for a relaxing day away from all the stress of your everyday life, (we know, moving in can be a hassle!) take a look at this list, courtesy of renters.apartments.com. Get your beach ball and your towel ready - we’ll see you on the waves!

1. Coronado and Imperial Beach combo visit. If you haven't driven along San Diego's Silver Strand, you can get a two for one beach day! Either jump on the 5 Freeway and head down to Imperial Beach or start by cruising over the Coronado bridge and head south. Imperial Beach is home to the annual sand castle competition each June where local residents and people from all over San Diego County come to watch the artistic spectacle. Visit this year and celebrate the Port of San Diego's 50th anniversary.

From Imperial Beach jump on the Silver Strand, the 7 mile long isthmus connecting IB to the "island" of Coronado. Once in Coronado, park along the famous Hotel Del Coronado. Take a tour through the hotel, then hit the beach. If you're ready to relax, lay back and watch the military jets come zooming through the clouds. If you fancy a walk along this serene strip of beach, be sure to stop in the "mini-dune" section to take a photo or two.

2. Del Mar State Beach. Great for a long walk when the tide is far out, body surfing or laying in the sun. Home to Seagrove and Powerhouse Parks, the train passes through the beach here- very cool view the kids will love. If you prefer your beach day on the move, walk along the train track up above and see surfers dotting the coastline down below. If you catch the sunset at this beach, be sure to catch a glance of the hot hair balloon riders off in the distance.

3. Mission Beach near Belmont Park. If you want to see it all, this is the happening spot on Sundays. Famous for Belmont Park, you can take the kids on a roller coaster ride on The Big Dipper overlooking the bay and beach and be back on the sand two minutes later. Known all over the world, people flock to play volleyball, surf along the wavy jetty, get a tattoo and people watch from the sand. If you need reprieve from the excitement, you can conveniently cross the street to the quieter bayside beach.

4. Moonlight Beach In Encinitas. If any San Diego beach could be considered the total package, this is it. The newly renovated beach area is reminiscent of Santa Monica's boardwalk area, but still with the chill down-to-earth vibe San Diego is known for. The beach has bathrooms, showers, a huge picnic area, fire pits, playgrounds and of course, a vast stretch of sand. Oh, did we mention the bathrooms and showers are clean! If you forget your lunch, not to worry, there's even a snack shop.

Keep It Clean

(Image courtesy of Bryan Maleszyk)

This is a problem that stretches back to our childhoods - the dreaded messy bedroom. What is it about the space that we sleep in that just seems to get so jumbled up all the time? If you’re having trouble keeping your room neat and orderly it can take its toll on your sleep habits and your ability to relax!

It doesn’t take much to keep your bedroom more presentable and comfortable. Check out these quick steps from apartmenttherapy.com to have your room looking it’s best in no time at all!

1. Change The Sheets There's just something about a freshly made bed that reminds me of my mother. It's like a linen-filled guilt trip that instantly makes the rest of the room more dirty and shameful. By starting here you're willing yourself to make everything else in the space amazing to live up to the crisp, clean standard that sheets set.

2. Remember that Everything Has Its Place One of the most difficult assaults that our bedroom undergoes is the constant struggle for everything to find its place. It's been admittedly more difficult since a recent move and so things have been slightly in upheaval — but by making sure all the little things have a home, it ensures they're not on your floor or furniture. Make a list of everything that hits the floor or top of your dresser for a week and work on creating a solid home for those things. Belts beware, you're about to get a permanent home so I'll quit stepping on you in the middle of the night!

3. Surface Clean Once a Week It's easy to forget about cleaning the surfaces in your bedroom. Schedule time during your week (a few minutes every Saturday morning, for example) to wipe down electronics, furniture, windowsills and mirrors. When you do it each week instead of once a year, it can happen on a commercial break while watching Top Chef even (though there's actually enough commercials on Bravo to clean your entire house by!). Done!

4. Pick Up After Pets In our house we have two dogs. One sleeps in her own dog bed, the other dives under the covers with us. It's easy to assume that as long as one of them isn't yacking up dinner that there isn't much to clean up after. They're easy-going laid back type dogs that don't require much maintenance — but the more I looked, the more I was wrong. I know my bedroom would be a healthier place if I took the time to vacuum the sheets, dog bed and floors every other day like I do my sofa (for the same reason). It would also help pick up the stray fluff from gutted toys. My bedroom isn't a dog cave, but things would stay fresher longer if this was implemented.

5. Thin Down, Throw It Out, Donate It Away It's easy to accumulate clothes, shoes, and accessories you're not 100% in love with. If you don't tailor your clothes then quite often you find yourself struggling to find things that fit just right. Often pieces in your closet will be a little short, a little funky, a little tight, a little baggy — a little "something" that makes you not 100% in love with them. Get them out, thin out what you have and let the things you love shine. You'll always be happy to get dressed and have less to put away or hang up. Our bedroom is extra guilty of this, but "enough is enough" and we're headed to the thrift store this weekend!

Find Your Vintage

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Now that summer is here, many people forego heavier drinks for light and fruity cocktails - but what get together would be complete without a fantastic glass of wine? If you’re like us, the idea of sipping a heavy red wine during the hot, sticky summer months just doesn’t sound appealing.

If you want to give your wine list an upgrade for the summer, this article from apartmenttherapy.com has just what you’re looking for. Peruse this list of light, fruity summer wines to find your next favorite!

Vinho Verde

In Portuguese this translates to green wine and it’s the perfect drink for hot nights in Lisbon. A young, tart white wine this one is a crowd pleaser as it’s easy on the palette and great for drinking in the sun or after a long day in it.

Caprice de Colombelle

This French wine is robust for a white and has great notes of pear that evolve on the tongue. It goes well with chicken dishes or Brie cheese. This wine is pretty widespread as far as its exportation in the States so ask your local wine merchant if they carry it (and if they don’t, to start to!)

Santo Wines

These Greek wines from the island of Santorini are all delicious! From the sparkling wine to the dry red Vedema (as seen in the image) these wines are Dionysius approved. If you ever get to Santorini, a visit to this winery is a must as it sits high on the hills giving a view of the entire island and the caldera.

Wollersheim Winery’s Prairie Fumé

This semi-dry white wine believe it or not comes from Wisconsin. Naturally yes, it pairs well with cheese being from the land of cheese, but the experts at Wollersheim Winery, who won Winery of the Year at the San Diego International Wine Competition in 2012, know what they’re doing. The Prairie Fumé has won more awards than we can list here, including, “Blockbuster Wine of the Year” for its delicious orange and grapefruit flavors. Pairs well with grilled foods, pasta and seafood.

Sineann Yates Conwill Vineyard’s Pinot Noir

You don’t have to say goodbye to reds in the summer but you will want to lighten your palette’s load. Do that with a great Oregon Pinot Noir, fruity and light but still with plenty of evolution as it travels down the tongue, this wine is one to savor on a special summer night – we recommend the 2012 vintage.

Do you have a favorite warm weather wine or recipe? If so, share it with us!

Rearrange For Spring

(Image courtesy of Wicker Paradise)

Cabin fever strikes at the most inconvenient times - even at the beginning of spring! If you’re tired of looking at the same furniture in the same spots, simply going outside may not be enough to make you feel better. There are plenty of simple solutions to keep your living space feeling fresh, even without an expensive trip to the furniture store to buy a new couch.

Simple changes in a limited space can make a BIG difference when it comes to home decor. If you’ve got some spare time, and are willing to put in a little bit of elbow grease, you’re living room (or bedroom, or kitchen, etc.) can feel brand new in no time. Follow these simple tips from renters.apartments.com to see what we mean!

Keeping a fresh perspective is key.

Have you ever noticed how different a room looks when you stand in a new corner, sit in a new chair or stand on a table to replace a light bulb? If your living room has been arranged the same way for multiple weeks, months or even years, it can almost be shocking to catch a view you haven’t seen before. It lends to the refreshing feeling of new and exciting, and it’s good to keep the room juices flowing for this reason- especially if no plans for moving are in your future.

Planning ahead isn’t necessary.

Rearranging on an impulse can be extremely therapeutic. The idea here is to think less, do more. The freedom derived from an act as simple as rearranging whenever you feel like it can take form in other parts of life as well. If we’re open to change with our things, perhaps we’ll also be more open to encouraging change within ourselves. So next time you come home to the same annoying couch/bike/TV combo, crank up some music and slide some things around.

Start with removing tables, chairs and lights.

Keeping these items in the other room will allow you to focus on larger placements such as couches, bookshelves and entertainment systems. The right setup for now will present itself much easier when the room is emptier- think about how fun arranging stuff in a brand new, empty apartment can be. Add the little things later, keeping light placement in mind throughout the entire process.

Use the process to downsize on stuff.

If you find that every time you rearrange, the same light gifted to you last Christmas gets put in the corner on a table and never used, give it away. If you love that trio of comfy recliners but one always seems to get in the way of your morning stretches, give one the boot and chances are you won’t miss it. Care for your things but don’t be tricked into relying on them. As our lives and needs change, so should the things we keep inside of our homes.

Do you have a favorite tip to freshen up your apartment that we missed? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Make Your Apartment Feel Like Home

(Image courtesy of Wonderlane)

There's something about visiting the place where we grew up that just feels like home. Maybe it's the smell of the place, or the familiarity - whatever particular aspect stands out to you, the fact remains that nothing feels quite as good as feeling like you're at home. 

The design of your apartment can speak volumes about how comfortable you feel there. If the furniture you have isn't comfortable, or randomly thrown together, it can make your apartment feel less inviting. Follow these simple tips, courtesy of renters.apartments.com, to start feeling at home in your new home!

Design for Use

The difference between a home and just another room is how much you really dwell in it. If you're ready to think of your apartment as a living space and not just where you crash at night, start designing your environments around their utility. Approach kitchen improvement projects around making it easier and more fun to cook and host company, tackle your bedroom as a pursuit of true coziness and relaxation, and think of your living room as a great leisure space just waiting to emerge from the blank canvas of the floor plan.

Color and Light

The cheapest, most functional way to establish a real decorative aesthetic is with careful color and lighting concepts. Look into whether your lease allows you to paint the walls. A fresh coat of the right color can really personalize a room. Even if you're not allowed to paint, you can start thinking of other kinds of decor along a color scheme that makes your home feel more intentional and personal. It's also a good idea to have plenty of lighting to open up each room and make the space feel more inviting.

Think Beyond the Now
Even if a given apartment is just a temporary arrangement, that doesn't mean everything in it has to be temporary as well. When you furnish and decorate your space, invest in items you'll want to see in your next home as well. By putting the effort and money into your belongings now, you'll feel literally and emotionally more invested in the space, plus you'll be less likely to have to start from the beginning the next time you move. Every chair, poster and candlestick can be the start of a continuous story, rather than just a lost chapter.

Add Some Life
Tending to your space or something within it is a great way to make your rental feel like home. When you're ready, bring a pet or some plants into the apartment so you'll have something you can help thrive in your environment. If you opt for something practical like a small garden of fresh herbs like mint and basil, you'll also have another reason to step into the kitchen and make your home a source of physical and spiritual nourishment. Apartment gardens are often as easy as a few potted plants on a windowsill, or even a small DIY project to install a floating shelf near a source of light.

Match the Mismatched

Especially when you're just starting out, it's pretty common to have a mishmash of furniture acquired more out of convenience than an eye for catalog perfection. Making a matching set just takes a little extra work, though. If you have wood, plastic or metal furniture, a fresh coat of paint can make them into companion pieces. Leather and fabric seating are good options for slip covers an upholstery, which will also increase the longevity of furniture that's either at risk of wear or is worn already. Taking on these small-scale DIY projects is not only a fulfilling and productive use of leisure time, it's also a great way to develop new skills that will serve you well when you're ready to take on larger home improvement projects in the future.

No matter how small your apartment or how short your stay, there are plenty of things you can do toimprove and customize your space. A little effort and TLC will definitely make your rental feel like a home you're happy to call your own.