Tips for Your First College Apartment

We can not wait to have you move into Stratum on Highland this fall!  Is this your first apartment?  We know this can be overwhelming, but take a look at these great tips before you move in this fall.  You can learn more at hackcollege.

Make a Checklist

It’s easy to think that you’ve got your bases covered when you first move in, but things will always be forgotten. Be sure to make a checklist of everything you need to do and get — including things on this list — in order to enjoy a less stressful move-in.

And you might forget some of the most basic tasks you need to complete, so be sure to have that list on you while you’re out running errands. For instance, getting extra keys made will ensure you never have any late-night mishaps.

Have a Move-in Budget

If you’re getting your own place, it’s going to get expensive fast. Any savings you may have had will likely be drained without some smart frugal moves and a tight move-in budget. The worst thing you could do is furnish your apartment with new things, especially since you’re in college.

Hit up Craigslist or family members for the essentials, including furniture, appliances, and even knick-knacks, to help you save money. You’d be surprised at how many great (non-bug-infested) pieces of furniture you can find for cheap on Craigslist. After all, spending an entire month’s rent on a new couch is ridiculous when you’re working a college job.

Speaking of appliances, don’t go overboard when you’re out shopping and find yourself with a juicer, ice cream maker, and smoothie machine. Your apartment likely has a microwave; beyond that a coffee maker andtoaster/toaster oven should suffice.

Write a Thorough Move-in Report

You should not even think about rushing through your first apartment move-in report. If there’s a crack in a tile, make sure you describe it in vivid detail. (For Game of Thrones fans, that means describing your apartment’s flaws like George R.R. Martin describes food.)

Taking pictures of any sort of pre-made damages upon move-in is also a great idea. Send those in to your landlord or complex manager to ensure you’re not falsely blamed and later charged for things they “missed.”

Don’t Wait to Report Problems

Upon arrival, it’s a good idea to make sure everything in your new apartment actually works. Your landlord may have maintenance come in for some last-minute fixes and that’s the perfect time to check for any other problems and get them sorted out.

If any additional problems present themselves soon after, don’t wait to report those to your landlord or management company. They’re more likely to give priority to your issues since you’re new.

Learn to Cook

If most of your meals in the last few years consisted of quick microwavables, dining hall pizza, and ramen, then you owe to your body and budget to learn how to cook. Not only will eating at home save you tons, it’ll give you the opportunity to eat healthier.

It is a big time investment, though, so you need to be willing to make time and not cave into the “busy” schedule excuse. Turn it into a thing by inviting friends over for a dinner-study session and have everyone split the cost of ingredients. There should be plenty of leftovers and you’re using that time to not only get schoolwork done, but to socialize as well. Multitasking at its finest.

What Household Items Do You Forget About?

Going through a routine everyday can make you forget about certain household items.  However, these items need replaced when they go bad.  Make sure you are not using bad products by reading over the list below.  We explain when items go bad and why you need to replace them.  You can learn more at apartment therapy.

1. Sponge — The thing you're using to clean needs to be clean! You can make it last as long as possible by washing after every use and allowing it to dry completely, but don't hesitate to replace it often (as in twice a month) or immediately if it develops any sort of smell.

2. Spices — Dig out all those dusty jars in your cupboard. If they smell bland then they'll taste bland and it's time to toss 'em.

3. Makeup — Yep, it's a bummer when it's time to ditch your expensive cosmetics before you've used them all up, but the last thing you want is to spread bacteria-laden lotions on your gorgeous face! Rule of thumb here: replace mascara after three months, foundation (and other liquids) at one year and powders after 2 years.

4. Sports Shoes — This is tricky because even if shoes look pristine on the outside (thanks to indoor gyms), the support they provide on the inside may have deteriorated without you realizing it. If your shoes don't feel as supportive as they used to (or you've put over 500 miles on them) then it's probably time to spring for a new pair. Remember, you're working out in order to make your body healthier, and well-functioning equipment is essential to keep you in top shape.

5. Toothbrush — Even through you use it everyday, it's easy to forget to replace your toothbrush (chances are you're using it when you're groggy in the morning or sleepy at night). Since you're wide awake right now, take this as a sign to pick a new one up on your way home tonight.

6. Water Filter — Water tasting a little tinny? Filters often degrade so gradually that we just don't notice. So do a careful taste-test of your water right now or simply switch out the filter and make the commitment to keep track of the time-to-change dates from now on.

7.Vitamins/Painkillers — If, like me, you're somewhat gun-shy when it comes to pill-popping, then that nearly full bottle of Advil may be long past its prime. Or perhaps, you're lax when it comes to your vitamin regime? All pills have an expiration date and, once passed, won't perform properly (and could very well be dangerous) so check your labels before you pop.

8. Fire Extinguisher — Even if you've never used it, over time a fire extinguisher can become de-pressurized, leaving it useless. The last thing you want is to discover that your extinguisher's a dud when you actually need it, so replace or have it serviced every five to ten years.

We're feeling better (and more prepared) already.

Happy Fourth of July and Trivia Questions.

We hope everyone has a great day celebrating the Fourth of July! Here is the answer to your trivia question.

Answer: Over an estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed today. That's roughly 1 dog for every two people in the U.S.

Did you get it right?

Stressed Out in Gift Giving Season

Are you stressed out with the amount of gifts you need to purchase this summer?  Graduations, weddings, showers, and the occasional birthday party can put stress on a well planned out budget. Apartment Therapy  has some great tips on how to take the stress out of gift giving.

It feels great to give gifts, though we could all do without the financial stress that comes with it. But finding great gifts does not have to be a source of anxiety if you take some time to plan and think through your gifting strategies. Here are some smart strategies for saving money on great gifts!

1. Do your research. If you have a particular gift in mind that you want to get someone, make sure you do your research and cross-reference all the stores online to make sure you are getting the best deal. Don't hesitate to use a coupon code or take advantage of sales. Getting a gift on sale does not mean you are cheap, it means you are smart!

2. Think ahead. My sister has this brilliant strategy that I am trying to adopt. She knows who she needs to give gifts to in the coming year and she keeps her eye out for special things to gift each person when she is out and about. She is able to find wonderful and meaningful things in boutique shops and thrift stores alike. These items are tasteful and personal, like a unique ring or a funny book, but don't need to cost her too much. In lieu of money, she is giving her time and mindfulness in finding the gift, which is what gift giving should be about. The recipient of the gift can truly feel the love and care that comes from such a habit.

3. Buy in bulk. When you come across a great gift idea that you know you will probably use again and again, buy some of those items in bulk! For example, if you like the idea of giving personalized his and hers coffee mugs for a housewarming gift like the one here, buy white coffee mugs in bulk so that you can use them when you need to without spending the extra cash each time. They can also be used as gifts for your kids' teachers, filled with homemade biscotti or mini muffins. Ideas like homemade lip gloss or refreshing face mists are also great things to buy in bulk for and would make fun birthday presents. And while I'm suggesting great DIY ideas...

4. Spend time, not money. Don't be shy about making your gifts! There are so many great tutorials out there for making beautiful handmade gifts; take advantage of them and try your hand at a few. As a recipient of DIY gifts, I can attest that these types of gifts are just as appreciated as store bought gifts, if not more, because they are unique, thoughtful and personal.

5. Give in groups. I am finding more and more that if you have a group of mutual friends with the giftee, it is a great idea to get one gift all together. This usually allows for a bigger gift that the person may not have received from individuals, and it can cut down on the cost for the gift givers. For birthdays, my friends and I have started to all chip in for a gift card to a place where we know the birthday girl shops. It alleviates stress, is very cost efficient, and allows the friend to buy herself that blouse or dress that she has been eyeing. This also seems to be a good idea for baby showers and weddings, where there are often big ticket items on the registries. For an easy way to figure out the money, look to an app like Venmo, where you can easily make and share payments.

6. Re-gift. I am firmly on "pro" side of the regifting debate. If you have received an item that you know you will never use but could potentially be a great gift for someone else, pass it along! I don't think re-gifting is appropriate for personal items or gifts where the giver expressed to you their personal intention for you to have the gift, but anything else is fair game.

7. Don't underestimate the value of a card. A thoughtful card goes a long way. Especially in this age of texts and emails, a personal card with a handwritten and heartfelt message is a nice surprise and can be sufficient in sending your birthday love. If you need some help in this department, look to apps like Postagram which allow you to turn your personal photos into post cards that will be delivered by mail.

8. Go virtual. Giving gifts online can be both a time and money saver. There are apps like Gyft, which allows you to manage and send gift cards to your friends. If this doesn't feel personal enough to you, giving the gift of an experience can be a great gift for close friends or for people that are hard to shop for. Giftly is a handy app that can help you with that, and they offer a huge variety of ideas that range from low to high costs. Also look to places like Groupon or Living Social, where you can find some great deals for experiences to gift. Another simple virtual gift that goes a long way is sending an iTunes album. These cost between $8 and $15 and can be great gifts if you know the person will enjoy the album you want to share.

Redecorating without Purchasing

Are you tired of the same look in your apartment? You do not need to redo every room in your house to get a fresh feel. A few adjustments with what you have can be the redecorating wish you are looking for. Apartment Therapy has more information about all of your redecorating questions.

Usually, when your space feels dull and boring, the first impulse is to buy something new. Stop! Before you plunk down for another throw pillow, try these tricks I often use when I'm styling someone's home and don't have the luxury of time to go out and buy the perfect little something.

Move the furniture: Moving the furniture can often solve problems in a room. Swap the position of the bed to a different wall (or try floating it to take advantage of a nice view), move the living room arrangement off the walls and into the center of the room. On a recent job, moving the rug just a bit so that the front legs of the couch rested on it made the room feel much more anchored and cozy.

Break up pairs: We've all been taught that the nightstands in a bedroom should match, that matching lamps should go on either side of the couch, that two matching chairs face a sofa. Yeah, yeah. Dull and boring. What if you broke up those pairs? Use one of those living room chairs in the bedroom, try one of those lamps in the kitchen, drag one of those nightstands to use as an entryway piece. Just because you bought two things together doesn't mean they have to, or even should, stay together.

Steal from another room: That throw pillow in the bedroom might be just what the living room needs to perk it up, that rug you've had in the dining room might work better by the front door, your living room console might work as a desk in your office. You can always put things back where you found them. While it might be challenging to move a couch from one room to another, accessories are easy things to swap in and out.

Regroup the accessories: Just because that vase has always had a place on the coffee table, doesn't mean it has to always be there. Move things around. Try grouping it with t two other vases you like (groups of three are particularly pleasing to the eye). Sometimes, something as simple as putting a nice pile of books on a coffee table with a plant on top of them, bringing in a bright throw, or remaking a bed, can perk up an entire room. Stumped for accessories? Think outside the box: a beautiful pair of shoes, like those bright pink heels you never wear but love, can be just as pleasing on a coffee table as on your feet; those mixing bowls from grandma might get more use on your credenza than they ever did in your kitchen; mismatched glasses can be used as vases and scattered around the house; a collection of neckties are interesting swung around a shelf bracket; a jar of earrings lets you enjoy them off your ears as well as on.

Edit: Most rooms have too much stuff in them. Try stripping them down to their basics (in the living room that would mean things like the sofa and the media center) and then layer things back in piece by piece. You may find that you prefer the room without a rug or that the lamp works better on the other side of the sofa. Taking pictures can help you get an objective viewpoint.

Swap rooms: Would your dining room work better as your living room? Maybe your office would make a better bedroom than your bedroom does. Living in a small space that only consists of one large room that has to multitask is no excuse. These spaces can still get stuck in a rut.

30 College Money Saving Tips

Do you want to live on wine tastes with a beer budget?  That is the the theme for most college students.  However, there are plenty of ways that you can save money and live well in college.  You can learn more by reading below or going to fastweb.

1. Buy or rent used textbooks and sell last semester’s books back. 

2. Don’t make impulse purchases. 

3. Never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry.

4. Limit the number of times you eat out monthly.

5. Cut out vices – smoking is terrible for you and expensive.

6. Always pay bills on time to avoid late fees.

7. If you have a credit card, pay it off as quickly as possible. (It’s good to establish credit, but a bad credit score follows you everywhere.) 

8. Walk, use public transportation or ride a bike instead of having a car.

9. Live with others so you can split rent and utilities.

10. Cut out expensive cable packages you don’t need.

11. Consider more basic phone packages and plans or plans that include unlimited texting with free incoming calls

12. Don’t buy the most expensive college meal plans. Figure out what you actually consume and get the correlating package.

13. Shop where they offer student discounts. There are so many places that offer discounts to students with a school ID. 

14. Look into a campus gym versus a gym in town. Many colleges offer memberships for free or at a reduced rate for students.

15. When planning meals, make dinner with friends and split the cost of groceries. Often times, you’ll be cooking too much for one person anyway!

16. Sell what you no longer use or need. There are plenty of stores and web sites, like Poshmark andCraigslist, where you can sell your used clothing, furniture or tech items.

17. Don’t buy unnecessary school supplies. Why buy cumbersome notebooks when you can type on your laptop? It’s better for the earth anyway!

18. Don’t buy books you will only need for a short period of time – check them out from the library instead.

19. Take advantage of what your campus has to offer in terms of activities, rather than spending money on going out. Many campuses have an array of museums, offer movie nights and other social events for cheaper or, sometimes, for free.

20. Skip expensive Spring Break trips – look into alternatives, like volunteering, instead.

21. Wait to get a pet until after college – a pet can become very expensive. Not only do you have another mouth to feed, but veterinary bills are costly. If you love animals, there are plenty of shelters that need volunteers.

22. Go to class. You’re paying for it and skipping is like throwing money out the window!

23. Drink water. It’s free and better for you, anyway.

24. Make your own coffee. While coffee shops are convenient, they charge hefty prices that really add up over time.

25. Open a savings account that earns interest. Credit unions have fewer fees and are great for students.

26. Use a free tool, like FinAid’s Student Budget Calculator or the one offered by Mint.com, to keep track of your finances. It’s harder to be frivolous when you see where your money is going.

27. Never take out a loan for anything that’s unrelated to your education. 

28. Don’t buy music. Use free services like Spotify or Pandora.

29. Look into class requirements and the options for testing out of classes. Why pay for a class you could easily test out of?

30. Consider becoming a resident advisor. Many get free room and board.

Time to Yard Sale

You are out of school for the summer time to have some fun. This means that it is time for an old past time. Yard sales will be popping up throughout your town, and we have found some great purchases that can save you money in the future. Grab your friends and head to the yard sale to save your household money this summer. Apartment Therapy has some great ideas for your summer vacation.

1. Rugs. Rugs are notoriously difficult to sell secondhand, which is why you will see plenty of them around at yard sale time. Head out for a few Saturdays, you are bound to find a new rug for the kids' room for under $30. I found one recently, a 5x7 foot 100% wool rug for $5! It had been passed over by others because one small corner was a little frayed - a problem easily solved by tucking it under a crib.

2. Furniture: Do you need to furnish your apartment? Yard Sales are the perfect opportunity to find a cheap piece of furniture for your new home.

3. Old Music: Have you always wanted an old record player or old music from your childhood you forgot about? This is the perfect place to find that old music for a decent price.

4. Entertainment: Yard Sales can be a great source of entertainment and a fun afternoon with friends. You never know what treasures you are going to find!

Moving Home For the Summer

Are you moving home for the summer after a great year at the University of Memphis?  The transition every summer from living on your own to living with your parents can be tough. However, we have some great tips on how to have a great summer without too many arguments. Keep reading and you can learn more at college life.

1. Set reasonable expectations. True, you may have been able to come and go as you please, leave your room a disaster, and have a new guest over every night while you were in the residence halls, but this arrangement may not work for your folks. Set some reasonable expectations -- for everyone involved -- before you even step through the door.

2. Set some ground rules. Alright, you may have to have a curfew so your poor mother doesn't think something terrible has happened to you if you're not home by 4:00 in the morning -- but your mom also needs to understand that she can't just barge in to your room without any notice. Set some ground rules as soon as possible to make sure everyone is clear on how things will work.

3. Expect a combination of a roommate relationship and a parent/kid relationship. Yes, you've had roommates for the past several years, and you may view your parents similar to them. Your parents, however, will always view you as their child. Do your best to keep this in mind as you figure out how things will work once you move back in. Sure, it seems ridiculous for a roommate to want to know where you're going every night. But your parents probably have a legitimate right to ask.

4. Set a time frame for how long you're planning on living there. Do you just need someplace to crash between when you graduate from college and when you start graduate school in the fall? Or do you need somewhere to live until you can save enough money on your own to get your own place? Talk about how long you plan on staying -- 3 months, 6 months, 1 year -- and then check back in with your parents once that time frame is up.

5. Discuss money, no matter how awkward. No one really likes to talk about money. But addressing the topic with your parents -- how much you'll pay in rent, for food, to get back on their health insurance plan, or if the car you've been borrowing needs more gas -- will help prevent a ton of problems later.

6. Have your own support networks ready to go. After living on your own or in the residence halls during college, living with your parents can become very isolating. Do your best to have systems in place that provide you with an outlet and support network that is separate from your parents'.

7. Thing creatively about how the relationship is give and take -- both ways. Yes, your parents are letting you stay at their place, and yes, you may pay rent to do so. But are there other ways you can help, especially if money is tight for everyone? Can you help around the house -- with yard work, fix-it projects, or technical support for the computers they can never get to work right -- in ways that will make your living relationship much more symbiotic?

8. Remember that the person who moves back in with your parents is not the same person who left. Your parents may have a very specific -- and outdated -- idea of "who" is moving back in with them. Take a deep breath and do your best to remind them that, while you left the house as an 18-year-old college freshman, you are now returning as a 22-year-old, college-educated adult.

9. Remember that time at your folks' is still an opportunity to build your own life -- not put it on pause. Just because you are at your parents', waiting until you can move out on your own, doesn't mean your life is on pause. Volunteer, date, explore new things, and do your best to continue learning and growing instead of just waiting for your first opportunity to move on to somewhere else.

10. Enjoy yourself! This may seem completely unthinkable if moving back in with your folks was the last thing you wanted to do. However, living at home can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to finally learn your mom's secret fried chicken recipe and your dad's amazing way with woodworking tools. Live it up and take in as much as you can.

American Flag Cake for Memorial Day

Are you going to a party on Memorial Day?  There is a great simple recipe that will produce a great dessert.  This will only take a few minutes to make, and everyone will be impressed with your contribution to the party. You can learn more at all recipes.

Rated: Submitted By: Allrecipes Staff Photo By: ChuckSeattle Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 3 Hours Servings: 16

"Unfurl the red, white, and blue with this beautiful, easy, and patriotic flag cake perfect for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or any favorite occasion. Assemble and frost the pretty cake and wait for the oohs and ahhs!"

INGREDIENTS:

3 (10.25 ounce) packages white cake mix 9 egg whites 1 cup vegetable oil 3 3/4 cups whole milk 2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract 2 tablespoons red food coloring

1 tablespoon blue food coloring 1 cup white chocolate chips 10 cups fluffy white frosting 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips, or as needed 2 tablespoons white sugar, or as needed 1 4-inch round paper or cardboard stencil

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and line 4 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
2.	Combine white cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds using an electric mixer on low speed. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. The batter will still be slightly lumpy.
3.	To make the red cakes, measure half the batter into a separate bowl and whisk in red food coloring. Evenly transfer the red batter into 2 of the 8-inch prepared cake pans; smooth tops of batter with a spatula. Transfer half of the remaining uncolored batter into a 3rd prepared cake pan; smooth top as before. This will be the white cake portion.
4.	Add blue food coloring to the remaining uncolored batter in the large mixing bowl; fold 1 cup white chocolate chips into blue batter until combined. Transfer batter to remaining prepared 8-inch cake pan; smooth top of batter with a spatula.
5.	Bake all 4 cakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from oven and place onto cooling racks until cooled completely.
6.	Run a knife around edge of each cooled cake. Invert cakes, remove pans, and peel off parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to trim tops of cakes flat and even. 7.Cut both of the red cake layers and the white cake layer in half horizontally. You will have 4 thin red cake layers and 2 thin white cake layers. 8. Place a 4-inch round stencil on top of 1 thin red cake layer; cut out a 4-inch red cake round. Repeat, placing stencil on 1 thin white cake layer to make 1 4-inch white cake round. Center the 4-inch round stencil on the blue cake; cut out and remove center portion covered by the stencil to make a blue cake ring. 9. To assemble the cake, you will need 2 thin 8-inch red cake layers, 1 thin 8-inch white cake layer, 1 4-inch thin red cake circle, 1 4-inch thin white cake circle, and 1 blue 8-inch cake ring. Reserve the leftover thin red cake layer and other cake pieces for making crumbs for decorating. 10. To assemble cake, place 1 8-inch thin red cake layer on a cake pan and frost the top generously with white frosting. Place the thin 8-inch white cake layer on top of the red one, and frost the top. Place remaining 8-inch thin red cake layer atop the white one. Frost the red layer. 11. Place the blue ring cake on top of the 2nd red cake layer and carefully frost the inside of the blue cake ring. Gently fit the 4-inch white cake layer into the blue cake ring. Frost the top of the 4-inch white center. Place the 4-inch red cake layer on top of the white one. Gently press small cake circles flush with the top of the blue ring. 12. Frost the entire outside of the cake generously with the remaining frosting. 13. Crumble red and blue pieces of leftover cake into 2 separate bowls. Score lines into the top of the cake's frosting with a kitchen knife to make a flag design on top of the cake. It should have a 2-inch square at the upper left for blue field and white stars, and 7 thick horizontal stripes about 1 inch wide. 14. Fill the square field at the upper left with blue crumbs and press 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips upside-down into the blue crumbs to make 'stars.' Fill the bottom stripe and every other stripe with red crumbs to make red stripes. Sprinkle white sugar generously into the white stripes to make them stand out. 15. To serve, cut cake into wedges. The inside of the cake will reveal its layers of red and white stripes and blue field with white chocolate chip stars in every slice.

5 Solutions for a Better Night's Sleep

Is your bedroom keeping you awake at night?  There are five reasons that may be the cause of your lack of sleep in your own home.  This blog has a list of those reasons. It also includes a list of possible solutions that could help you in your quest for a better night's sleep.  You can learn more at apartment therapy.

PROBLEM #1: ALLERGIES

Is your stuffy nose keeping you from getting shut eye? Seasonal allergies are one thing, but dust mites are with us all year round. Your bed is Disneyland for those little critters, who thrive on all the dead skin cells your body provides.

Fixes: Vacuum your room with a HEPA filter and clean your bedding as often as you can— including your pillows, which you can throw in the dryer for 15 minutes to kill off any existing bugs. Instead of scented detergent, use a few drops of eucalyptus oil in your laundry. Put hypoallergenic protective covers on your mattress and pillows. And lastly, strip your mattress before you go out of town to give it time to air out. (I won’t rile up pet owners by suggesting you ban furry loved ones from the bedroom, but it’s worth thinking about.) Read more onbedroom allergies here.

PROBLEM #2: LIGHT

Your room is too bright at night. Whether it’s coming from the outside, a nightlight, the television screen, or your blinking alarm clock, any light keeps your body fooled into thinking it’s not sleeping time.

Fixes: Buy really dark curtains, or add liner, to block out street lamps. Also turn off electronic devices and remove anything else that emits brightness. (If you’re worried about getting up in time, try covering your alarm clock instead.) Lastly, swap out higher watt lightbulbs in your bedside lamp for dimmer ones; these will aid the transition as you’re winding down from the day by reading in bed at night.

PROBLEM #3: TEMPERATURE

Some nights you're too hot, and other times, it's too cold. Sleep is induced when you are at rest and your core body temperature lowers. If your heat is on too high (or too cold for that matter), your internal thermostat fluctuates which leads to restless sleep.

Fixes: Everyone is comfortable at different temps, so experiment to find the right one for you. There's no right answer but cooler is generally better - start in the 65 degree range. There are always fans and blankets to help you regulate, but know that bedding material makes a difference too; memory foam pillows and mattresses, for example, are hotter than more traditional ones. If you are still having trouble staying asleep, look into bedding and pads that keep you cooler at night.

PROBLEM #4: NOISE

There’s the 5 am garbage truck variety that’s impossible to ignore. But when it'stoo quiet, the slightest disruption can reach epic proportions and you find yourself focused on that weird hum or dripping faucet. Either way, you need a way to soundproof your sleep.

Fixes: If it’s too loud, wear earplugs as a first resort. Or, try a white noise machine or app —or even a basic fan— to drown out any noises that violate your REM cycle. If it’s really bad, get as far away from the offending noise as possible. Either move your bed to another wall to dampen neighbor noises, or, if you have the option, try swapping your current bedroom with another room entirely. Read more on bedroom noise here.

PROBLEM #5: MATTRESS

Having a healthy, comfortable, supportive mattress is critical to a good night's sleep.

Fixes: Flip your mattress with the seasons, alternating between end-over-end and side-over-side rotation. If it's time for a new one, check out Danny Seo’sgreat tips on mattress shopping. A couple of years ago, Maxwell also experimented with different mattress brands for twelve months and wrote about it in his Year in Bed series.

Happy Mother's Day!

We wanted to take a moment to wish all the mothers a Happy Mother's Day!  Make sure to call your mom, grandma, aunt, or loved one today to tell them Thank You!

Five Cleaning Spots to Focus On

You have some time this weekend, and you are thinking about cleaning your apartment.  Here are five places in your home that often get ignored while cleaning.  Focusing on these places can give you that clean boost for spring and summer you are looking for.  You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.

1. Interior and cabinet doors
Interior door dirt is a strange thing. You hardly notice it when your doors have grime around the handles and edges from hands opening and closing them, but it's noticeable to guests. Grab a duster, a bucket of warm water mixed with a tiny bit of dish soap and a soft rag. After testing to make sure what you're using doesn't damage the door's surface (especially if it's painted) gently wipe away the residue left behind by hands after removing any dust first. And don't forget about your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors! I don't know about anyone else, but I always forget to tackle these, but when I do, I feel like I have a near-brand new kitchen and bathroom!

2. Light fixtures
We've written about this before. It doesn't take long, but cleaning out the poor dearly departed bug bodies in your overhead light fixtures will not only eliminate unsightly bug silhouettes but it will also allow a little bit more light to shine in (important for making smaller spaces seem more spacious).

3. Ceiling fans
Now's the time to clean your ceiling fans so they don't fling dust bunnies across the room when you turn them on when warmer weather comes. The best trick to cleaning these without getting yucky fan blade dust everywhere? Grab an old pillowcase, slip over a fan blade and dust into the pillow case, containing the offending dirt particles and keeping them falling to the ground (or your face).

4. Windows & blinds
I honestly never think to clean my windows. But man does it make a world of difference when I do. Remember, small spaces benefit from as much light as they possibly can get, and cleaning your windows will let more light in — more than you'd imagine! And dusty, dirty blinds are just unseemly and no match for a home you try to keep clean regularly. Luckily, folks with small spaces usually don't have as many windows to clean!

5. Baseboards
Yep, this was posted about last weekend. Did you tackle them then? If you did, you can totally skip this one because they're probably still pretty clean. If you still haven't tackled this often forgotten home chore, find your favorite tip in this post and then consider this chore! Again, smaller spaces means smaller square footage so you might not have too many baseboards to clean!

10 Commandments of Organization

Living in a small apartment and keeping organized can be hard.  Apartment Therapy has the ten commandments of keeping a small space organized.   Keep reading to learn more.  You are one blog away from having a clean organized apartment!

1. Build upwards.

The thing that has made the single biggest difference in how we utilize our space (besides caving in and renting public storage) was to custom build a wall unit, doubling as my office and bookshelves, that extends all the way up to the ceiling.

2. Take advantage of any dead space.

We purchased sliding drawers to take advantage of the space under the bed, have storage boxes under the sofa and have baskets to utilize the space over cabinets.

3. Find storage offsite.

This might sound crazy but our compromise between our Public Storage unit (which is a ways away) and in the apartment is the trunk of our car. Items like suitcases that are frequently used, relatively inexpensive and bulky tend to reside there full time.

4. Prioritize.

Even with the mild weather in California I rotate my wardrobe so that off season items don't take up precious storage space, and while I have a wish list of kitchen appliances I only purchase the ones I know that I will use almost daily. We also pared down the dishes in the cupboard to five of each item and put the rest of the set into storage.

5. Store things where you use them.

We keep the bottle opener and other bar tools inside the ice bucket on our bar cart, the roll of trash bags at the bottom of the wastebasket and since our kitchen is without a single drawer our utensils are stored in our kitchen table.

6. Be tidy.

I know it goes without saying but a little bit of clutter can look like a lot in a small space and a pile of laundry quickly becomes a mountain, doing a little, often, makes a huge difference.

7. Make it multifunctional.

Multipurpose items, like our dining table with built in storage and the desk we built into our wall unit help you get the most out of your space without leaving a huge footprint.

8. Buy pieces you don't mind looking at.

This might sound like an excuse but I always spend just a little more to get household items that I don't mind putting on display, this goes for everything from hand soap in pretty packaging to a stainless steel toaster, since I can see nearly everything all the time it's worth a little extra up front to avoid staring at something I hate.

9. Buy the smallest possible version of things like appliances.

While I would love a barista style manual espresso machine, our little pod operated Nespresso makes so much more sense in terms of space. Buying smaller versions of appliance may seem limiting but so is giving up the counter space.

10. Maximize the space you do have with space saving products.

Products like huggable hangers and vacuum bags that are marketed to the clutter prone? They are your best friend. Investing in things that help you utilize the space you have really do add up.

Cleaning Tricks for All Clothing Items

We have all had the stain in our clothing items that refuse to come out.  There may be a solution that you do not know about though.  Did you spill red wine on your dress at a party, or did someone spill it on your carpet? Don't let your favorite University of Memphis shirt get ruined by a stain.  You can learn more cleaning tricks at Apartment Therapy.

STAIN REMOVAL STAPLES

I find the best way to deal with stains is to be prepared. I keep my cupboard stocked with enzyme detergent (best for removing protein-based stains such as food or sweat), rubbing alcohol, baking soda, Borax, and clean absorbent rags.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

I also follow these general guidelines: 1. Never apply heat (iron or dryer) to a stained piece of clothing until the stain is completely removed; and 2. Read the clothing label for washing instructions before cleaning. If the stain is on upholstery or carpet, the goal is to dissolve the stain with a solvent (often water or club soda) and pull it out with something more absorbent than the upholstery/carpet, like a sponge or rag. If using a harsher cleaning agent, make sure to test for colorfastness before accidentally bleaching the dye out of the fabric.

Some of the most common and most annoying stains are from red wine, ballpoint pen ink, and vegetable oil. Here are some techniques for cleaning them up.

RED WINE ON CLOTHING

1. When discovered, immediately saturate the stain with club soda, cold water, or white wine.
2. Blot with an absorbent cloth.
3. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 1-2 minutes, then rinse in cold water and rub stain out.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until it stops fading.
5. Rub liquid enzyme detergent into the stain and let stand 3-4 minutes, then rinse in cold water. Do not use natural bar soap or stain could set.
6. If stain is still visible, apply a spot stain remover.
7. Launder with liquid enzyme detergent.

WINE ON CARPET

1. Blot up as much wine as possible.
2. Soak the stain in club soda or cold water. Blot, and if necessary, repeat.
3. Make a paste out of water and either Borax or baking soda. Rub it into the stain and let dry.
4. Vacuum, and if necessary, repeat.

PEN INK

1. Place stained fabric on top of an absorbent cloth. Blot with water or rubbing alcohol (whichever removes more ink) until no more ink comes off stain.
2. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric.
3. If stain remains, lay it out in the sun to bleach the rest of the stain.

OIL

1. Apply a laundry presoak or clear (undyed) dish soap.
2. Wash in the hottest water safe for fabric.

If you have any useful stain-fighting tips, please let us know in the comments!