From the Floors Up

Checklist for Your First Apartment

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Moving into a new apartment can be very exciting. Whether it is your first time renting or you are just looking to relocate, you want to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. Each apartment will come with different amenities and options. Try to get your list down to about 3-5 apartments you are considering. If you have too many, you will be overwhelmed, whereas not enough will not allow you to make an educated choice. You want to find one that is best tailored to your specific needs and wants. In order to do this, we created a comprehensive checklist to consider. Use a scoring system of 1-5. Let 1 represent not adequate, while 5 represents superb. Talley up your apartments at the end and discover the winner.

Location

One thing you should consider is the location of your apartment. What is the neighborhood like for your lifestyle? Are you near work and family? Try using this checklist on your apartment options.

  • Distance to work
  • Distance to loved ones
  • Distance from gas stations
  • Distance from freeway entrances or main roads
  • Distance from grocery stores
  • Safety of the community
  • Is the location quiet

Cost

Your budget will play a massive role in your apartment search and this goes deeper than just rent. Additional fees may add up quicker than you think. Here are some things you may need to consider:

  • Rent
  • Security Deposit
  • Water
  • Parking
  • Waste Management
  • Gas
  • Renters Insurance
  • Late Fees
  • Laundry

Appliances

Since we are looking at if your apartment offers laundry, we should consider appliances. Not all apartments come fully loaded. This may happen problematic to you. Remember to view all the appliances:

  • Laundry Machine
  • Dishwasher
  • Stove/Range
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Garbage Disposal
  • Services/Amenity

Services/Amenities

While everything in your unit may make a significant role, do not forget amenities. Look at services you plan on using–this can quickly create an outlier for some apartments:

  • Gym
  • Movie Theater
  • Pool
  • Entertainment
  • Convenient Store
  • Maintenance Office Hours

Before ranking everything, you should consider what is important to you. If you do not need a garbage disposal, do not make it a deciding factor on your list. If you are not looking for an apartment with a gym, do not add it to the list. Once you determine what is important to you, rank each item 1-5. This can give you a definite number ranking for each apartment. However, if you feel like you are in love with one option over another, always go with your heart. For more lifestyle and living tips, make sure to subscribe!

Fitness House Chores: How to Work Out While You Clean the House

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Part 1 – DISHES

At first, the idea of combining house chores with working out might sound like a method of torture. Most people don’t enjoy cleaning, and nearly everyone struggles to find motivation for exercise. Why in the world would any sane person want to do them at the same time? Because it’s a smart way to multi-task.

You could easily gain an extra two hours per day if you didn’t have to go to the gym after you’ve tidied up the house. Not only do you save the hour of exercise, you also recapture the time you would have spent driving to and from your gym. Furthermore, both activities are more likely to get accomplished in the same day.

Imagine, no guilt at bedtime about skipping one or the other! Most importantly, though, doing these two tasks at the same time translates into some serious fun. Just add your favorite music. You must be willing to sing and dance, and enjoy some air guitar on the mop or broom!

So, before you try the suggestions in this three part series load your favorite party playlist and let your hair down. You’ll get the best results if you also mute your phone. You’ll get a fantastic, uninterrupted workout, and the house will get cleaned in record time. 

 

“Dish Squat” – Each time you put away something in a lower cabinet, squat rather than bend. Keep your feet wide apart and use your glutes and hamstrings to raise and lower your body. Engage your core to stabilize your back, and don’t over extend your knees past your ankles. Challenge yourself to do one dish at time, so you can accomplish multiple squats. Dance between sets!

 

“Cabinet Calves” – Each time you put away something that is slightly higher than your natural reach, raise your heels off the floor three times to work out your calves. Do this with feet straight forward, then toes turned slightly in, and then toes turned slightly out. And of course, to the beat of the song!

 

“Balance Cutlery” – Improve your balance and coordination by standing on one foot while you place silverware in its tray. Alternate sides. Start with something simple like lifting your foot an inch off the ground, and then challenge yourself by raising it higher each time. You can also extend it in different directions to increase the difficulty. Engage your core actively if you start to wobble. 

Next read Part 2: How to work out while you clean the house – FLOORS 

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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