Author: Aric Billings
5 Ways to Make Your Apartment Closet More Organized
We’re all guilty of letting our closet get out of control every once in a while. To save yourself from making a mess and drowning in clothes and shoes in your closet, keep reading for our closet organization tips!
1. Get rid of what you don’t wear! Rather than letting old items take up space, clean out your closet at the end of every season and make a pile of clothes/items that can be donated.
2. Use baskets and hooks! Baskets on the shelves in your closet can hold smaller items like hats, gloves and purses. Hooks can be used to hold items like belts and scarves to keep them out of the way.
3. Get a shoe organizer! If you are someone who has a lot of shoes, try investing in a shoe organizer that hangs over the door to your closet to free up all of the space on the floor.
4. Avoid piles! If you fold clothes and start piling them on the shelves in your closet you’ll quickly start losing space! Pretty soon your pile will grow and become the home for items you don’t know where to store.
5. Use vacuum-sealed bags for storage! If you are normally keeping your winter clothes in the back of your closet during summer, consider investing in vacuum storage bags! You can store all of your sweaters and coats in the bags and then shrink the bags down and store on the shelves or on the floor to make space.
5 Ways to Make Your Living Room More Cozy
When we come home at night we want to kick off our shoes and relax in a place that is warm and comfortable. Does your home currently feel cold and uninviting? Try out these ideas for making your home a bit more cozy.
1. Invest in a soft throw rug. If your home has hardwood or tile floor, try adding a rug in the sitting area to make the surface softer and more comfortable to walk on.
2. Buy comfortable throw pillows. Sure those pretty pillows covered in sequins look nice but are they practical? Add some soft, fluffy throw pillows to your couch to maximize comfort.
3. Add a blanket. Whether it’s on the back of the couch or you have a basket full of them, make sure there are soft blankets available whether you or a guest want to curl up.
4. Think about scents. What smell makes you most relaxed? Is it lavender or sandalwood? Maybe it’s the smell of fresh baking apple pie. Add some scents using plug-in air fresheners or oil warmers to give your home a signature smell.
4. Low lighting is key. Try adding 3-way bulbs to your living room lamps so you can dim the lighting when needed. Low-lit rooms are more relaxing and cozy than bright, fluorescent ones!
10 Activities for Summer Vacation
By now the kids are all out of school and summer vacation is in full swing! Some days it’s too hot to play outside and some days the rain interrupts our plans. Here are ten ideas for activities you and the kids can try to stay entertained until school starts up again!
1. Visit your local library! A lot of libraries offer summer activities for children like story time or sing alongs. Take the kids and register them for a library card if you haven’t already. While there they can rent a few books to read over vacation!
2. Play mini golf! Mini golf is a fun activity for both kids and adults. Many establishments offer other fun activities like ice cream, bumper boats and live music too.
3. Visit a zoo! Whether it’s a small petting zoo or a large zoo full of wildlife, the kids will be sure to enjoy seeing animals in their natural habitats.
4. See a matinee! On a day when the weather isn’t cooperating, take the kids to see a movie during the day. Lots of local theaters serve a variety of lunch foods too so you can have lunch AND a show all in one!
5. Check out an indoor or outdoor playground! Depending on the weather there are both options! Maybe even call some friends and have their kids meet you so a group of you can all play together.
6. Plan a day at an amusement park! What kids don’t love rides, arcade games and delicious food? An amusement park has a little something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
7. Enjoy a pool day! Whether you live in one of our apartment communities that has a pool or your town has a local one, sitting poolside is always a fun summer time activity.
8. Create some art! Whether you do this at home or head to a local paint shop or pottery making class, the kids will enjoy unleashing their inner artist during their time away from school.
9. Visit a museum! Keep their minds moving over summer vacation by taking the kids to a local museum. Lowell has lots of textile museums and there are children’s museums in Boston and Acton, MA!
10. Check out the aquarium! Sharks, fish, turtles and penguins! There’s plenty to see at your local aquarium. Some places even have shows you can attend once you get there so you can see penguins getting trained and fish being fed!
5 Festive 4th of July Desserts!
Hurricane Arthur may be on his way but that isn’t going to stop us from celebrating the 4th of July up here in New England! Whether you are celebrating on the 4th or the weekend after, there will be plenty of cookouts and parties to attend! Want to bring a festive dessert with you? Check out these 5 Patriotic recipes!
3. Rice Krispie Treat Cheesecake bars
20 Days to a Clean and Organized Home
Did you know you could organize your entire home in 20 days? Sometimes when we think about the amount of cleaning and organizing that needs to be done at home it can be overwhelming. The best way to handle your organization is to tackle it one area at a time! If you designate one day (or even just a couple hours in that day) to one area you can have an organized and revitalized home in no time! Here’s our 20 day organization challenge list! Feel free to tweak it based upon your own needs. Remember…you don’t have to tackle these projects on consecutive days. Cross them off as you go and when you’re all done sit back and relish in the cleanliness:)
Day 1: Medicine cabinets
Day 2: Coat closet
Day 3: Under beds
Day 4: Laundry area
Day 5: Under sinks
Day 6: Fridge and freezer
Day 7: Kitchen cabinets
Day 8: Bedroom closets
Day 9: Desk or office
Day 10: Garage
Day 11: Patio or balcony
Day 12: Linen closet
Day 13: Kids toys
Day 14: Living room
Day 15: Car
Day 16: Bedroom dresser
Day 17: Nightstands
Day 18: Handbags or backpacks
Day 19: Pet areas
Day 20: Pantry
Creativity Corner Presents….DIY July 4th Parade Wands!
Watch the video below to learn a fun and easy DIY project your kids will love for the 4th of July!