How to Make a Basement Apartment Brighter

It’s not always easy to find ways to live in spacious and gorgeous-looking apartments. Many city-dwellers who want to stay in the city but can’t afford any type of residence, often opt for living in a basement suite – which is usually the cheapest option that can still compare to other apartments.

However, this type of home usually comes with a price – there’s barely enough light. Realizing that this is a big problem for many, we wanted to give you some expert advice on how you can make your basement apartment brighter.

More Light?

Yes, it does seem like an obvious solution which would negate the point of having this article at all. However, adding artificial light can’t always make an apartment feel brighter – at least not in a natural sense. What you can get though is the uncomfortable and claustrophobic feel of a doctor’s office, which is filled with a lot of artificial light.

The best solution here is to mimic natural light in any way you can. You can do that by strategically placing light sources and mixing them up. Make sure they are set both high and low and make sure that you’re using track lighting, up-lighting, and conventional lamps. Also make sure that you’re using stronger light bulbs that emanate white and warm white light, not yellow.

We can’t give you a foolproof system because it all depends on each apartment. Experiment enough, and you’ll find a way that suits your needs.

Paint the Rooms Using Lighter Colors

Besides light from light sources, you can also obtain it from paint. What you can do here is paint the walls using bright colors as they too can make your basement apartment look brighter. It’s best to combine light paint for the walls in combination with bright lighting.

The best colors to use here is regular white, creamy white, navajo white, light grey, and several other similar paint colors.

Appliances and Furniture Which Reflect Light

This method has been used since antiquity. Glass, stainless steel, and many other materials are known to reflect light, and having them in an apartment can undoubtedly brighten up the place.

If changing too many appliances and furniture pieces seem expensive to you, you can find an adequate substitution in mirrors. Simple mirrors with non-fussy frames can do the trick as long as you find a strategic location where they can reflect the most light.

Decluttering

We’ve saved the best for last. Best in the sense that it’s adequate and yet entirely free. All you need to do is declutter the place as much as you can.

The less cluttered your place is, the less claustrophobic and dark it will feel. All the light you have won’t get lost in various objects around if you don’t have them, it’s that simple.

Naturally, you don’t need to go overboard here. Try and store things that you don’t need in your apartment or those that you use only occasionally. Keep countertops clean and tidy. Make sure there is enough of that sleek facade. It tends to give the impression that the place is much brighter than it is.

The Bottom Line

All in all, there are many methods you can use that will help you brighten up your basement apartment. Just make sure you’re experimenting enough and that you’re willing to make changes in your life.

For more information, you can keep following our blog where we regularly post helpful articles for apartment renters.

How to Keep Your Apartment Cool When You Don’t Have an AC

No matter where you live, the summers can get quite hot. If you can’t handle the heat, you are probably doing a lot of things to keep the home cool. The best way to deal with this is to have an Air Conditioner, that’s for sure, but if you don’t, you’ll need to find other ways.

With that in mind, we wanted to give you some of the top recommendations for keeping your apartment fresh if it has no AC.

1.    Isolate the Apartment from the Outside

If the temperature outside is too high, it’s only natural to try and shield the inside of your apartment. You need to make sure that that temperature doesn’t affect your home and the best way to do that is to keep your windows closed from early morning and keep them open during the night – as long as the night is not hot as well.

Additionally, you should keep the blinds down if the sun is shining directly into your apartment. If that’s not enough, you can buy blackout curtains or blinds which block sunlight.

2.    Keep as Many Electronics Off as You Can

You’d be surprised how much heat the electric devices produce.

●        If you use old incandescent bulbs for your lighting, then keep as many off as you can.

●        Don’t go overboard with the cooking as the oven can produce a lot of heat. You can switch it up by grilling more than you usually do.

●        Try to keep your desktop computer screen off as much as you can.

Whichever electronic device is producing heat, try to keep it off whenever you’re not using it. Plus, you’ll save on the bills as well.

3.    Use Fans Properly

If you’re using fans – use them well. By that we mean to keep in mind that they only blow the air around, they don’t cool it, so make sure they are blowing directly at your when you want to cool off. Don’t overdo it or you might get a headache.

Additionally, you can use a spray bottle with water on hand to sprinkle yourself to cool off.

4.    Focus on Your Body Temperature, Not the Room

Try to cool yourself off if you’re feeling hot, not the room. You can do that in many ways, with a cold shower, by chilling out, eating a cold meal or drinking a cold beverage, and more. You can even change the sheets on your bed as fresh sheets can cool you off when you go to bed.

5.    Cool Your Bed

Speaking of beds, you can try some neat little hacks to cool off once you go to sleep. Have a cold water bottle near your feet and if it’s not too strange for you, slightly dampen your sheets or keep them a bit in the freezer before going to bed. You’d be surprised how effective cold sheets can be in the hot summer nights.

If you don’t have an AC and you’re not getting one, you can do as many of the things we mentioned here to cool off. We are positive that they will make a huge difference.

How to Deal with Noisy and Loud Neighbours?

All of us who live in apartments know how troublesome neighbours can be. Sometimes you bother them by being noisy, and sometimes they bother you with their loudness.

However, there are often those times when there’s a neighbour or more who are being more than annoying with how loud and noisy they can be. In such cases you can’t live with it – you have to do something.

If it has come to the point when you can’t take it anymore and don’t know what to do, read on as we’ll give you some tips.

Talk to them

Yes, it does sound like a simple thing to do, but many don’t even attempt it. They either dread confrontations with neighbours, or they feel like it would lead to nothing. However, you would be surprised how reasonable people can be if you try to speak with them.

Naturally, it doesn’t mean that you get mad or tell them how annoyed you are. You should calmly approach the issue. First, introduce yourself if you don’t know each other and slowly and casually approach the topic.

You should act innocently and not appear like you’re attacking them. Mention to your neighbours that they may not be aware, but they are very loud, and the walls are thin, and you can’t manage to get any rest from the noise. 

The key is to try to appeal to their reason and not get confrontational. You can point out that it’s ok to have fun but that the noise is upsetting others around them. But never go about it by attacking them and telling them to stop it or something along those lines. Such a conversation will not end well with most people.

The last thing that you can do is offer a compromise of sorts. Ask them to be quiet during the hours of rest or when it’s most bothersome to you and say that it’s ok to be loud during other hours of the day. Get creative – it all depends on what you want, what they want, and to find some middle ground. But bear in mind the rules your building has.

Additional Tips

Sometimes talking won’t work, so here are some other simple tips that you can use which can be very useful with loud neighbours.

●        Write them a letter of complaint. It is formal, but you’d be surprised how practical demands or pleads can be when they are in writing.

●        Employ the help of others, like the landlord, other tenants, or even the authorities if nothing else works.

●        If you’re going to contact the authorities or the landlord, it’s best to keep notes on when and how loud your neighbour is and the confrontations about the noise you had with them. It’s essential to have proof and detailed information on your attempts to reason with them.

●        If you are thinking about moving, be careful when checking new apartments. Make sure to inquire about the neighbours. When searching for a new place, spend more time looking at the apartment and the building to find out the level of noise.

We hope that all of this will be of help in your dealings with loud neighbours. Always remember – talking works most of the time.

How to Avoid Being Scammed When Renting an Apartment

When you’re looking to rent an apartment, the most critical thing you need to be wary of is scams. There’s plenty of people out there looking to scam others, which is why you need to be careful.

If you’re interested in knowing all the essential tips you need that will help you avoid getting scammed when renting an apartment, then read on.

●     The likeliest people to get scammed are those aged 18 to 29

This information is something you should remember, especially if you fall within this age group. It’s most likely because millennials often look for everything online. That’s why you should make sure to inspect everything in person and talk to the landlord to see what kind of a person they are.

●        The money

When it comes to money, there are several things you need to know. The most apparent scams are those involving apartments that are listed well below their market value. Then you have the landlords that are looking for a lot of money upfront. You need to be careful with these because many of such cases can end up being a fraud.

●        False claims about the apartment

Many landlords are not looking to rob you but are still looking to rent you a place that’s not at all worth the money you’re paying. The usual way they do this is by giving false claims about a property that eventually end up being incorrect. That’s why it’s essential to visit an apartment and check everything yourself.

●        Many scammers attempt to rent a place that’s not theirs

Yes, that’s a common thing. Many scammers copy out an ad for an apartment that already got leased. You can avoid this by checking if the condo is listed somewhere else and you can also look at the tax records to make sure that the owner is not someone else.

●        Make sure the place is real

Another reason to visit the home is to make sure it exists. However, sometimes you can’t. If you’re moving from somewhere far away, you can’t always visit a place first. You needn’t worry if you can’t as there are other ways of checking if an ad for an apartment is real. You can check the company or landlord online, and you can also use Skype or FaceTime to see the apartment and the person you’re dealing with and make sure it’s all legitimate.

Additional Advice You Should Consider

●        Using cash is a bad sign for renting.

●        Always use written leases which you can sign. You can sign leases over the web as well, but both parties that sign the contract need to use a valid e-signature service.

●        The lease you’re signing must adequately identify the owner of the place so you can make sure it’s the person you’re dealing with.

●        Always do enough research before signing anything and moving in. Google the landlord or the company leasing the place, and the site itself, as well as the market rates, so you know the home is worth the money.

With all of these tips and advice, you will now know how to spot a scam when searching for a new place to rent.

What Should I Look for When Renting an Apartment?

Renting an apartment is not a simple matter of looking at ads and finding the one you like the most. There’s a lot more to it than that.

As that’s the case, we wanted to give you a complete guide of the things you should look for before moving.

1. Make sure the price is right.

We are sure that you know what you can afford and what you can’t, but you still need to plan your budget carefully.  Consider your income, to ensure it can cover rent and all the other monthly costs, you’ll have, including food. Then make sure a sizeable chunk is left out which you can add to your savings. Also, don’t forget that the whole move and most likely the first entire month will cost you a lot more than the rest of the months, as there’s the security deposit, paying the movers, buying things, and more.

2. Check everything in the apartment before taking it.

You need to properly inspect an apartment before paying for anything, signing any documents, and finally moving in. These things include checking if every appliance, plumbing, and lights work. At the same time, check that everything necessary – the ones you’ll need all the time (electricity, water, the toilet, shower, etc.) are present. Make sure you check that the cell reception is good as well. That’s a common thing many people forget to check. Check if the windows open – it might seem silly, but it’s another thing that people don’t consider and end up without proper ventilation or an escape route in case of a fire.

3. Make sure the heating works

Ensure that the thermostat works well and that the apartment’s heating system is the one you want and need.

4. Check the bathroom and kitchen

These two areas in an apartment are the ones that encounter the most usage and the ones that can sustain the most damage that will reduce their value. That’s precisely why you need to check both of these areas very carefully and make sure everything in them works correctly. Also, make sure that there’s no damage, mould, and more. If you notice something that’s not right, you can easily convince the owner to fix everything otherwise you won’t move in.

5. Be careful with the landlord

If the owner of the apartment appears too eager to rent you the place – be careful. That can often mean that something’s not right. The main thing to know here though is that if the landlord doesn’t seem right to you, then don’t take the apartment. Look for another one.

6. Check the walls and the neighbours

The apartment might be great, but that doesn’t mean the neighbours are. Be in the condo for a while when first visiting to see if the walls are too thin which means that you’ll hear everything. Furthermore, see what the neighbours are like. Are they loud? Are they problematic? These things are always important when living in a building with a lot of neighbours.

There you have it, the most important things you need to worry about before renting an apartment. If all of this checks out, and possibly a few other things that might come to mind, you’ll end up getting a great apartment.

Tips on How to Reduce Hydro Bills if You Have Time-of-Use pricing

It’s one thing to try and save money on your hydro bill, but it’s entirely different to do that when you have time-of-use pricing.

This article will give you tips on how to do that, but first, we need to discuss time-of-use pricing.

What Is Time-of-Use Pricing Exactly?

In the simplest of terms, time-of-use (TOU) pricing entails that you’re paying your hydro bills according to a set rate of kilowatts per hour. The prices are different depending on the time of day and the season you’re currently in. There’s a significant difference in pricing between summer and winter.

Most provinces in Canada offer TOU pricing as an option, but in Ontario, it’s mandatory. The amount you have to pay is calculated by the smart meter that you have installed in your home.

As there are a lot of differences in the pricing, thispage can help you see the exact prices for each hour in the day depending on the season.

How to Reduce Your Hydro Bills

●        Find out how much you’re spending

The first thing that you need to do is investigate your bills thoroughly. You want to find out exactly how much you’re paying out when you’re spending it, and on what is causing the consumption. Once you do that, it will be easier to stop turning on the appliances that consume a lot and which you don’t need at the times the electricity is the most expensive. If you want to find out how much energy each appliance uses, you can check an online tool that’s most likely offered by your energy supplier.

●        Use a programmable thermostat

A lot of the power goes to heating (usually about 60% of the annual hydro bill is heating), but many people overspend in that department because they leave the thermostat on for no reason. With a programmable thermostat, you can choose at which times the furnace will work.

●        More ways to save on heating

As for other ways to save on heating, you can also lower the temperature in empty rooms. Furthermore, there’s no need to turn the thermostat as high as possible, because that won’t heat the home faster; it will just give you a bigger bill to pay.

●        Switch to LED bulbs

It might sound insignificant, but there’s still a big difference between regular bulbs and LED bulbs. LED bulbs are a lot more cost-efficient as they use less power and last much longer.

●        Don’t use the ‘big spenders’ on peak hours

Consult the page we gave you to find the exact peak hours when your rates are the highest and avoid using the big spender during those times. By big spenders, we mean the dishwasher, washing machine, etc. You can also start drying your clothes and dishes the good old-fashioned way that doesn’t include you spending even more electricity.

The Bottom Line

That’s about that – there’s not much that you can do to save on power and thus reduce your hydro bills. There are some other smaller things that you can do, but by doing the things we talked about here, you won’t have to do much more in the way of sacrificing your comfort.

How to Prepare Your Yard and Garden for Spring

Spring is almost here, and it’s high time to start preparing your yard and garden and get it ready for the season of rebirth.

There’s indeed much work to do if you want to get everything back to green in time. The winter is always harsh on our yards, mostly because it’s been lying dead under snow and ice for months.

Your lot won’t be back to its fullest glory unless you invest some time and effort to make it so. And with that in mind, we wanted to give you some advice on how to approach this.

Clean Everything Up

The first thing that you have to do is to clean everything. You were probably expecting this, but it’s still a task that has to be done well.

A lot of time has passed, and there’s certainly a lot of leaves, twigs, branches, dead growth in general, and maybe even some garbage. All of that has to be removed, and the best way to do it is with an air blower and collect the remainder with a rake.

Prepare the Ground

If you’re looking to grow some plants, flowers or shrubs, you’ll need to prepare the ground first. Preparation involves several steps.

First, you need to properly aerate the ground to enable a more successful growth of plants.

Then you need to rake the ground and thus make it receptive for growing, as it should be done for most types of plants outside your home.

After that’s done, you can fertilize the area, according to the type of growth desired. Even feed the grass sections. You should also use a pre-emergent and weed-killer. A weed-killer is vital to prevent all the nasty bugs that can destroy plants and grass.

The final step is to plant the seeds of everything desired. However, each thing has its place in time, which is why, for example, you shouldn’t seed for grass until fall. If you can’t wait to spruce up the area, then it’s better to use sod.

Most vegetables, on the other hand, won’t overgrow at this time, so you can start them inside and then replant them outside when the weather improves. But some other plants like bulbs and perennials are much more natural and can be grown quickly; you only need to water them enough.

Take Care of the Trees

Trees are naturally different, and they thus deserve some bit of individual attention. If you’re not familiar with how to trim and cut them, it’s best to hire an arborist to check the trees thoroughly and trim everything that should be cut back.

It can often happen that a branch of the tree is dead, and when that happens, you need to cut that branch down. If you don’t, it can easily break off and could accidentally hurt someone.

So, that’s about it. There aren’t many different steps that you need to take; it’s all about doing it carefully, with love, attention, and making sure that you’re doing everything you can for your yard and garden to look great when the nice weather starts.