Valentine’s Sweet Treats

Posted on February 8, 2012 by leaseanapartment

Still looking for that perfect Valentine’s gift for someone special?  Why not start in the kitchen?  Whether you’re looking for affordable housewarming treats, last-minute gift ideas, or just a way to enjoy the holiday on your own, these simple, do-it-yourself indulgences are perfect for all palettes.

Cut-out sugar cookies are a simple and delicious option for those with a sweet tooth.  Decorate these buttery delights with melted chocolate, candy dots, or ice them with a sugar glaze for a nice variety of tastes.  You might even sandwich them with a soft filling like Nutella for a softer kind of sweet.

If you’re looking for a sweet quick-fix, you might love this Valentine’s milkshake.  With two cups of strawberry ice cream, one cup of milk, and about two table spoons of strawberry
jam you’ll have your sweetheart’s mouth watering in no time.  Top it off with some whipped cream and a cherry for a delightful display.

An even more adult delicacy, try these delicious alcohol-infused cherries.  Wash and pit
some cherries.  Heat some bourbon or your alcohol of choice in a pan on the stove, using one cup of alcohol per pint of cherries. Once the liquor simmers, turn off the heat and add the cherries.  Let the mixture cool, and then pour into a tightly lidded glass jar.  Put it in the fridge, let sit for two days, and enjoy!

Spread some love in the early morning with cake batter pancakes.  This delicious recipe makes the perfect breakfast in bed, though its amazing powdered sugar glaze is enough to get anyone up in the early morning!

It’s the thought that counts, and what better way to show someone you care than to bake them something with love.  Check out your favorite recipe sites for more fun ideas.

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Apartment Home Office Organization

Posted on February 6, 2012 by leaseanapartment

If you’re a student or happen to work from home, you might not be lucky enough to have an actual home office.  Often times, you may find stacks of books and papers piling up next to your lap top on the coffee table, or sprawling everything out over the floor just to shove it into a corner when guests arrive.  The home office, without an actual home office, can get messy, but here a few tips to keep it a bit more organized than usual.

First, invest in eye-pleasing storage.  Rather than throwing all of your cords and pens into clear plastic bins and setting them aside, consider using baskets, vintage tins, or colorful crates to store any small supplies.  A nice larger piece that can hold its own in a living room is a classic secretary. The pullout desk can easily act as a base for your laptop, and the remaining drawers are perfect for storage.

If you work near the kitchen, consider stealing a few of the outermost drawers for office supplies.  Using silverware drawer organizers are great for separating paper clips from pushpins, etc.  You might even want to set one cabinet aside for larger items like paper and reference books.

Consider investing in a decorative screen to place between your work space and other areas.  It makes a great divider for any room, and can add a unique look to your
space.  For another decorative dual-purpose look, mount fabric-covered cork board on the wall above your work space for posting notes, etc.  It will provide extra storage, free up any fridge-space you might have and look disguised as a colorful, patterned art piece.

Whether you’re in an apartment, a small home, or just don’t have the space to make your home office its own room, you can still make the space work for you.  Clean up, get organized, and give your work space some color!  It will help to make you feel refreshed, inspired, and ready to have a productive day.

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Fit from Home – Apt. Workouts

Posted on February 1, 2012 by leaseanapartment

If you live in an apartment, you may be limited on space.  Not everyone has room for a home gym, time for a DVD workout, or enough money to splurge on a membership.  However, there are some great exercises out there that can be done from the comfort of your own home, in little to no space at all.

Prison Cell Workout: Hopefully you’ll be trying this for the first time from the comfort of your own home, however, it is the perfect workout when you’ve got limited space.  Start out standing and then squat down, dropping your hands to the ground.  Jump or move your feet back so that you’re in a push-up position.  Do a push-up and bring your feet forward between your hands.  Jump up reaching your hands to the sky and bringing your knees to your chest.  Repeat 15-20 times.

The Ten: Start out doing One push-up, followed by 10 squats.  Continue with 2 push-ups, followed by 9 squats, 3 push-ups and 8 squats, etc. until you’ve reached 10 push-ups and 1
squat.  This full body workout might not sound like much, but you’re sure to feel it the next day.

Chair Exercises:  Grab a sturdy chair (nothing with wheels!) for these next few exercises.  Place your hands on the seat edge, your back to the chair, with knees bent and feet out in front of you.  Dip your body down towards the ground to work your triceps.  Different variations like straight leg or one leg lifted can make this work out more difficult.

Next, face your chair in a standing position.  Step up onto the seat and then back onto the
floor, alternating legs.  This one will really work the glutes!

Then work your abs by placing your feet up on the chair seat, placing your elbows on the floor in front of you.  Make sure your back is straight, not arches, and keep your core tight as you stay in plank (table) position.  Hold for at least one minute.

Voila! A fast, fun, full body workout.  You can do all of these exercises from home, without a gym membership, DVD to follow, or community weight center, so no more excuses!  Get healthy and moving; it will be well worth it in the end!

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February Events on the Way

Posted on January 26, 2012 by leaseanapartment

It’s hard to believe that January is almost over already, but there’s still a lot to look forward to in 2012.  While Chicago is hosting some incredible activities within the next few weeks, the city of Joliet has a few of its own exciting events on the way.

Looking for some wine, cheese, or chocolate?  How about coming down to the Food Tour on February 16th, where you’ll find all three!  This spectacular event includes a walking tour of delicious treats, wine and prizes.  Local restaurants like the Chicago Street Pub, Gji’s Sweet Shop, and others are coming together to give community members another great night in Downtown Joliet.  Only $22 per person, the fun starts at 5:30pm.

You may also want to check out the Joliet Drama Guild’s schedule of upcoming shows.  February 10-19th the production of The Lion in Winter will be showing with a fantastic cast and crew.  Come and endure this epic story of love and power, as Henry II of England puts on a performance you’ll never forget.

If you make your way into the big city, stop by McCormick Place February 10-19 to check out the Chicago Auto Show.  The Chicago Automobile Trade Association has been putting the show on since 1935, though it was originally introduced in 1901.  Today, it’s the biggest auto show in North America, offering a total of 2.7 million square feet of exhibit halls.  It’s only $11 to get in, so come check it out.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, consider treating that someone special to one of Chicago’s finest romantic restaurants.  Spend the day walking the city or ice skating at Millennium Park and top off the night by staying over in one of the Chicago’s luxury hotels.  Joliet is only a short drive away from the city, so it’s the perfect weekend getaway!

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One More (Green) Reason to Love IKEA

Posted on January 23, 2012 by leaseanapartment

IKEA is one of the first places people go when it comes to home furnishings.  It’s easy, affordable, and there’s usually something for every style in every department.

Recently, though, IKEA has taken its popularity even further with steps to adhere to the growing green movement.  Along with recycling 80% of store waste, the company has taken to green education, philanthropy, and manufacturing processes.

IKEA has also taken the liberty of changing the materials of store products.  First to go were harmful chemicals, like Formaldehyde, in ceramics, glass and adhesives/lacquers.  The stores have also made it a priority to hold each supplier responsible for the origin of its wood, and they’ve even developed new particleboard.

This, plus the use of recycled paper and plastic and the reduction of chemicals used in textiles, has led IKEA to soar years ahead of other companies.  It’s also helped reduce
the use of raw materials by over 85,000 tons.

The stores have made it their mission to pursue sustainability through all means possible.
No more plastic bags, recycling, and the adoption of strict emissions policies are only a few of the ways IKEA has taken the reigns.

While some might still view the company as a big-box vendor taking over the market, IKEA has come a long way and continues to make a difference in the environment.

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Budget Living

Posted on January 18, 2012 by leaseanapartment

We’re a few weeks into the New Year, and it’s probable that many resolutions revolve around the subject of budgeting.  It’s not the most exciting of things, but it is often necessary.  There are a few things you can do, however, to make the jump a bit more comfortable.

Start small – If you’re new to really watching your budget, consider starting out by cutting some of the smaller expenses.  Do you buy a cup of coffee on your way to work every morning?  Try taking some home-made brew to go instead.  Even if you only spend two dollars a day on coffee, that’s an extra $40-50 a month you’ll end up saving.

Switch to cash – It’s so easy in today’s society to mindlessly hand over our credit card every time we think we need something.  Instead, try withdrawing an amount of money that you feel comfortable allowing yourself to spend for the week and carry the cash with you.  Having that certain amount and actually seeing it diminish as you spend will help keep you on track and not splurge on something in the moment.

Have a trial run – For the bigger expenses like that magazine subscription, Netflix account, or HBO movie pack, consider challenging yourself to a few months without.  Cancel your extra accounts, and consider it to be a temporary trial.  Note the things that you really miss and the others you realize you can live without.  You can always start them up again when you feel the need.

Treat yourself – Don’t be too hard on yourself.  It’s important to reward yourself for good
budget behavior every now and again.  Try picking something inexpensive that you can treat yourself to each week or every two weeks.  Having that something to look
forward to will make getting there a lot easier, plus you won’t get burnt out from continually denying yourself some good fun.

 

 

 

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Get Creative with Crayons

Posted on January 13, 2012 by leaseanapartment

Looking for a new way to make your own art?  How about just wishing you had some truly unique pieces to display in your place?  With a few simple ingredients and a free weekend afternoon, you’ll be able to turn your old crayons into new and beautiful items.

Eye-popping wall art – Take your favorite colored crayons and hot glue them to the top of a canvas in a straight line.  Grab a hair dryer and turn it on hot & high.  Move the hair dryer back and forth over the crayons until you get the desired amount of wax to drip.  Let dry and then display.  (Turn upside down and add flowers for a fun spring look).

Unique and colorful crayon vase – Boil about two inches of water on the stove.  Break up your crayons and put them in a Pyrex measuring cup, filling it up to about two or three inches high.  Place the measuring cup in the pot of simmering water and heat until the crayons are melted.  Remove the Pyrex cup from the pot and let cool for a minute.  Using an oven mitt or towel to hold the handle, slowly swirl the Pyrex cup, coating the sides with
thin layers of the melted crayons. Continue to swirl until the entire inside is coated and all of the melted crayon at the bottom is gone.  Put in the freezer for one hour, and then remove.

Crayon candles- Get a candle kit at your local craft store including boil bags, wicks, and white wax.  Tape one of your wicks to a pencil or a chop stick and lay it flat across a glass jar or tin of your choice.  Melt the white wax in one of the boil bags.  Pour the wax slowly into the jar, adding broken crayon pieces to the mix.  (The wax is hot enough to melt the crayon)  Fill to the top adding as many crayons as you’d like to get an interesting, artistic look.  Allow to dry.

These are just a few of the cool things you can do with an old recycled material like crayons.  You’ll turn your old coloring collection into beautiful, breathtaking art pieces, that will give your apartment some added personality.

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Year-Round Holiday Twinkle Lights

Posted on January 10, 2012 by leaseanapartment

Just because the Holidays have come to an end doesn’t mean you have to pack up all the lights. Keeping some twinkle lights out for all times of the year can help give your apartment a little bit of character.  Here are some neat ways to put them to use:

Use white string lights to create or accent art pieces.  On a piece of canvas (either white or painted the color of your choice) mark the design you want with pencil on the back, making small dots half-inch apart.  Then, gently press an awl through each dot to make a small hole.  Push a light bulb into each hole, using glue to secure into place.  If you already have a piece of art that you love, draw more attention to it by stringing lights around its perimeter.

Drape icicle lights behind sheer curtains to create a dazzling display when the sun goes down. You may even want to cozy up your bed by surrounding it with sheer fabric and hanging beautiful fairy lights behind it.  If you happen to have a canopy bed and want
to ditch the fabric, wrap your lights around the canopy posts for a warm and dreamy look.

Use some lights to dress up a boring white wall or a room full of neutral colors.  Cover and use Dixie cups to create unique shades for your light garland.  Cut an X shape slit into each cup bottom and push a light bulb through each.  Once each light on the string is covered by a colorful cup, hang your garland along a blank wall or over a doorway for a beautiful DIY look.

Before you pack up those holiday lights, consider using them to add a little comfort and décor to your apartment.  Manipulate the garlands into unique and awe-inspiring looks that will have your friends asking “Hey, how’d you do that?!”

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(Winter) Apartment Gardening

Posted on January 4, 2012 by leaseanapartment

You don’t have to own a house to have the garden of your dreams.  Apartment gardening is easy and affordable, so anyone can do it – green thumb or not.  Even in Winter!

Bring the natural world into your home with an indoor herb garden.  Cooking herbs like basil, sage, and thyme are easy to grow at any time of year and all you need is a pot and some soil to get started.  Plus, using fresh herbs in your cooking will enhance the flavor of your food, and you won’t even have to leave home.

A planter box on the windowsill is a great way to add a pop of color to your home.  You won’t always be able to paint in a rented space, so choosing vibrant plants and flowers will give a white wall some much needed detail and decoration.

If you don’t happen to have a green thumb, you may want to bring some air plants into your home. These plants store water in their leaf bases, so they require minimum
attendance.  They don’t even require soil, so they’re easy to store and display anywhere.

The Fields on Caton Farm is a great place to get your garden started.  With an extensive plant inventory, this nursery provides new and exciting varieties of flowers to more traditional types.  There’s a plant to fit all personalities.  This unique garden center is open
Monday-Friday all winter, so you don’t have to wait for warm weather to bring the outdoors in.

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Cleaning Home Remedies

Posted on December 29, 2011 by leaseanapartment

Who says you have to wait until Spring to get cleaning?  With the New Year on the way, now is the perfect time to get organized and whip your apartment into top shape.  Cleaning supplies can get expensive, however, so before you head to the store, consider trying a few of these home remedies in the bathroom, kitchen, and around the home.

Clean your toilet with Kool-Aid.  The citric acid in the lemon and orange drink powder can help eat away tough stains in your toilet bowl.  All you have to do is sprinkle some in, scrub with a toilet brush, and let sit overnight.  When you wake the next morning, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find your toilet free of buildup.  (You can also run this through the dishwasher to clean mineral deposits.)

Use baking soda to thoroughly clean your kitchen sink.  After wetting the sink, sprinkle some baking soda and softly scrub with a toothbrush or sponge.  If you have a garbage disposal, pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain and follow with a cup of white vinegar.  Let it fizz for a few minutes before rinsing with hot water.

Steel wool can be used to eliminate hard floor stains in no time flat.  Use a fine grade and press lightly, careful not to scrape the surface too hard.  Dab with a little bit of water and watch that spot disappear before your eyes.

For those hard-to-remove microwave stains, place a wet sponge in the microwave and cook on high for two minutes.  When finished, let sit for a few minutes leaving the microwave door open.  This will help loosen the mess, leaving it ready to clean.  Use a damp rag or paper towel to wipe the inside.

Used tea bags can be re-soaked in cold water and used as a cleaning solution.  Spray this onto your countertops to remove grease and grime, and you might even use on mirrors to
remove any streaks and stains.  Make sure you wipe with a clean paper towel afterword to prevent any new tea stains.

Give these simple home solutions a try, and let us know if you have any other home cleaning secrets of your own!

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