How To Make Your First Apartment Experience Magical

nolan aparmtent interiorGetting an apartment can be a daunting task, whether it’s your first time getting out of the house or your downsizing from house to an apartment.  Often times those that have rented an apartment look back on the experience and realize there were definitely some things that could have saved some extra work and worry. With that in mind, we want to help choosing your first apartment as magical an experience as possible.

What’s included? Always seek further into what exactly you’re paying for.

There’s nothing worse than being shown around the perfect apartment, fully equipped with a washer, dryer, dishwasher you name it.. Then moving in day comes, only to realise the last tenants took those with them. No one wants to pay out a bunch for the deposit, only to have to go and spend a bomb on what they thought they already had. This goes for bills too, make sure to check what’s included in the rent. You may jump at the chance of unrealistic cheap rent and think you’ve got a good’un , to then receive added on utility bills.

 

Setting a budget.

It’s suggested that no one spends over 35% of their monthly income on rent. Work out 35% of your income and start looking for apartments, at least then you know that anything over your worked out amount may be a stretch. Like above, don’t forget to look into exactly what’s included in the advertised rent, if utilities such as water and electricity aren’t included, make sure to take those into account too. Work out your new monthly expenditures and see if it’s affordable for you.

 

apartment_luxury-interiorWhat to search for – Narrowing down your search.

You should always start with a rough distance, whether you’re wanting to be closer to your parents house, school or work, it’ll help you narrow down your search for your perfect apartment. Think about whether you need a pet friendly apartment, laundry facilities or free parking. If this is going to be long term housing for you, thinking ahead at all of these points should make life a whole lot easier for you right from the start!

 

Knowing the in and outs and your rights.

Before you sign a lease or contract, make sure to read it more than once to make sure you really understand the conditions you’re agreeing to. Ask for a copy of rules and regulations to keep in case you need to go back on them later. Realize that different types of apartments have very different leases. For example if you are looking for student housing, the Weber State housing you choose may have a very different lease than a standard apartment complex. Here are a few things that are absolutely essential to know about before signing the lease;

  • The beginning and the expiration date
  • The rental price and information about your security deposit
  • The reasons for which your landlord can terminate your lease contract
  • Are there any penalties for moving out of your apartment before the expiration date?
  • Are there any responsibilities on your head for repairs and such?
  • Is subletting allowed?
  • See if you have to buy renters insurance
  • Is there a policy about guest visitors?

 

Inspect the apartment.

 

Yes, the apartment may look great, but it’s the hidden details you have to look out for. Whilst you’re viewing apartments, don’t just look, touch! Open draws, cupboards, doors, windows, anything! Try turning on taps, flushing toilets, turning on appliances and checking pipes. Notice a door coming off its hinges? Or windows not quite sealed properly? ..Write it down. It seems a little obsessive, but its little things like this that will be checked at the end of your lease, and may lead to you losing your deposit or paying for damages. Make sure to tell the landlord before you move in, so he can either fix them or keep them on file, as not to charge you for them later on.

 

It’s not all about the money though. Also make sure you check the noise levels, especially if you’re a student that’ll need to focus or just someone who enjoys a bit of peace and quiet. It’ll help you out in the long run. If you need further insight into what to look for, you can find out more at Apartment Guide.

 

 

If you stick with these points, you’ll be on your way to a magical experience in your very own first apartment, Good Luck!

Increase The Resale Value Of Your Home With A New Paint Job

Exterior Paint Magic

House Painting in Summit CountyThinking of selling your house this season? This is a daunting task, but with a little know how, you can get the most money for your house. The first thing you need to think about it curb appeal. How does your house look from the street? Many buyers will walk away at first sight if your house is not a shining, inviting and picturesque dwelling. Curb appeal has to do with landscaping and the overall look of the house. If your house has peeling paint, or is painted an unseemly color, you are probably not going to attract very many buyers. Enlisting the help of a fantastic roofing contractor in Park City is a good way to start increasing the value of your home, before you put it on the market.

Traditional Paint Jobs

The good old stand by is a warm beige color with bright white trim. A natural looking door completes this effect. This color scheme is easy on the eyes, and helps a home blend into any neighborhood. If you really need a splash of color add a little decorative trim somewhere but not too much. Additional outdoor light fixtures will also help your curb appeal in a conservative way.

Standing Out Just A Little

For a modern and artistic look in a conservative and quiet neighborhood, try varying the shades of one color. Use the lightest variant for the house color, a darker version for the trim and a complementary color for the door.

Modern And Exciting

If your neighborhood is a few clicks away from the standard cookie cutter suburban scene, go ahead and try this color scheme on for size. A stark white house color with white trim. However, paint your shutters grey, lavender, or blue, and give the door a fresh color pop. Make sure the door is complementary to the shutter color however. We can save the outrageous paint jobs for the outrageous neighborhoods.

Garden Magic For Small Spaces

Not all of us are lucky enough to have large, sunny backyards or garden plots available. Still, ample space should not be a limiting factor for anyone wishing to exercise a green thumb. Even if you live in a small apartment or shared dormitory room, there are plenty of ways a college student can get a few plants growing.

Container Gardening For University Students

This is the best way to keep your garden plants portable and in a controlled environment. Container gardens can be made out of anything. They can also be moved when the sun shines in through different windows. Terra cotta plant pots, old buckets, even large plastic yogurt containers can be made into little plant homes. Be sure to add drainage, then fill with soil and your seeds and voila! You have a personal garden plant ideal for small spaces.

Terraced or Tiered Gardens

small space gardensIf you have a small amount of space, but sill desire a high yielding crop, look into tiered garden ideas. You can buy an apparatus or build one yourself with a few planks of wood and a good plan. Tiered gardens are basically stairs with dirt inside them. They can be fashioned in many different ways, depending on your spacial parameters and stylistic needs.

Get A Grow Light For Your Weber State Housing

Many times, the most limiting factor for a successful apartment garden is available light. Especially in a basement apartment, light has a hard time entering the space with enough intensity to produce a healthy growing environment for most plants. Investing  in a plant light bulb, or a full grow light apparatus will increase your success immensely.

How to Make An Accident Go as Smoothly As Possible (Like Magic)

Front_end_car_accidentAlright, granted, if we had magical abilities we would never get into an accident in the first place. Preferably that is just what we want for every reader – for you to never get into an accident. However, we realize that accidents are just that, according to Webster – unplanned or not intended events that occur almost by chance. Yes, accidents happen to many of us, and while we can’t always control the event itself, we can control how we prepare and often times what happens afterwards to make it go as smoothly as possible – almost like magic.

Preparation Before An Accident

Every driver should take certain steps as soon as they own a vehicle to make any accident go smoothly (as well as be prepared in general for operating a vehicle. Most of us have heard from our parents and know these ourselves, but they often get left behind as updates are made. These steps include the following:

  1. Have your registration in the vehicle, easily accessible.
  2. Have updated insurance information in the vehicle, easily accessible, and preferably with your registration information. Be sure to have an insurance card or something in writing as many police officers will still want to see an actual card as opposed to a digital one you can pull up on your phone. Additionally, be sure to keep the updated insurance card. Depending on your insurance plan, they will be sending out updated coverage cards every 6 months or a year and it’s easy to forget to swap out the cards so that you have an up-to-date card with you at all times.
  3. Cell phone or a way to contact people in case of an emergency. (Of course we do not recommend using the cell phone while you’re driving, unless you’re trying to cause an accident and in that case there’s a whole separate conversation that needs to be had.)
  4. A camera. For most of us this will be our smart phone, but it’s also a good idea to keep a disposable camera with you just in case.
  5. Driver’s License. Hopefully you never operate a vehicle without this, but just to be safe, make sure you have it on you as well at all times.
  6. Keep a writing utensil and a pad in the car at all times. Generally this is just helpful overall, but comes in especially helpful after an accident.
  7. Keep an emergency kit in your car. With everything from flashlights, to flares or warning cones as well as light medical aids (band-aids, etc).
  8. Clean pair of underwear? For those of us that are a little older, we can remember our parents always recommending that we have a clean pair of underwear with us as well. I’m not sure if this is as essential as the above items, but it can’t hurt to have, although you may get odd looks if someone sees you open your glove box and you have a set of underwear in there.

After the Accident

Being involved in an accident can be one of the most traumatic events in our lives. For most accidents, minor injuries would be involved. For more devastating crashes, more severe injuries may be involved and we do not mean to make light of those instances whatsoever. While the steps/tips below are important no matter the accident, if the injuries are severe, that overrides any other steps that we would recommend. In the majority of accidents, there are few injuries and even fewer severe ones and we’ll be focusing on trying to make such accidents go as smoothly as possible.

  1. Assess the situation. Usually after an accident you may be shaken up and it’s important to assess the situation.
    1. Is everyone alright?
    2. Are you still in danger (in the road)
    3. Is the auto still drivable? Movable?
    4. Has 911 been called?
  2. Determine if there’s injuries and to what extent. This way you know whether or not to move someone and you can also let the dispatcher on 911 know.
  3. Get to safety. If people can be moved and the vehicle can still be driven or moved, get the vehicles to the safety of a shoulder, side road, or parking lot.
  4. Call 911. Obviously, this may be the first step depending on the severity of the accident, but if it can wait until you can move to safety, it is even better.
  5. Ensure that the other driver and passenger(s) are okay.
  6. Exchange information:
    1. Name
    2. Address
    3. Phone Number
    4. Insurance Company
    5. Policy Number
    6. Driver License Number
    7. License Plate Number
    8. Owner of Vehicle (If owner is different from insurance, find out relationship).
  7. Photograph and document the accident . Take photos of the vehicle, people involved, and location.
  8. File an accident report. Be sure there is a report filed even if the police aren’t called or don’t make a report unless there’s an injury, you can still file a state vehicle accident report which is available at the police station.
  9. Figure out what to do about your vehicle. What shape is it in? If it is still drivable this gives you more time to determine what kind of repairs you want to pursue. If it is not drivable it will be best to locate the best collision shop in the area and ask them to come and tow out. Be sure to check if they work with your insurance company as this can make the process much easier. Shops like Go Collision, one of the best shops for auto body Salt Lake City, work directly with your insurance company to insure a smooth process as well as guarantee their work for life!
  10. Call your insurance agency. They may have other insight and steps that they want you to take, but your safety and the safety of those around you is always more important.

By following the steps above, you will be able to make the aftermath of an accident go as smoothly as possible – almost like magic. Now once we figure out how to make the entirety of the accident disappear, that would be a real magic trick!