Five Essential Subletter Etiquette Rules

November 15, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re subletting from someone, you’ll be living in an apartment that’s at once yours and very much not yours. You might be a bit worried about how you can properly feel at home while respecting the original tenant’s space. With these five essential rules for subletter etiquette rules, you should have no trouble comfortably…

Six Tips for Reading Your Lease

November 13, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

As exciting as it might be to sign a lease on your first apartment, actually understanding everything that’s in your lease can be a total headache. A lease is a legally-binding agreement, usually written in legal language that can be overwhelming to read. You might be tempted to skip some of this “legalese” and just…

How to Host Thanksgiving in Your First Apartment

November 11, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

It’s always nice to have a few friends swing by your apartment for a relaxing hang, especially when you live alone. Having a big group of friends over, though, can present challenges. You might feel even more stressed if you’re having family over, and with Thanksgiving just around the corner, you might find yourself in…

Should You Rent from a Landlord or a Management Company?

November 7, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving into a new apartment can be an exciting change, but dealing with a new landlord and getting used to how they communicate and attend to repairs can be an experience that needs adjusting. Many people can recount horror stories of renting apartments from unresponsive or uncaring landlords and living longer than necessary in poor…

How to Choose the Right Apartment Complex for You

November 5, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

When you first begin the search for your first or next apartment, you might find a dizzying array of options available to you. Of course, you want to find the one that’s as close to perfect as possible, but each complex has its own benefits and drawbacks. Choosing the right apartment complex might seem easy…

Is Renting With Bad Credit Possible?

October 31, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Let’s say you’re fresh out of college, eager to live alone, and on the hunt for your first apartment. With student loans on your shoulders — and if you’ve never had your own credit card or other line of credit — you might encounter some challenges. Namely, your credit score is likely below the minimum…

Is a Laundry Service Worth the Money?

October 29, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Although stretching out with a warm blanket pulled fresh from the dryer is among life’s best small comforts, few people enjoy the time and effort that goes into doing laundry, not to mention folding clothes once they’re out of the dryer. Laundry can be even more annoying if you don’t have a washer and dryer…

Four Great Housewarming Gifts for Your Friend’s First Apartment

October 28, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’re the kind of person who likes to invite friends to celebrate big moments with you, then maybe you had a housewarming party when you moved into your first apartment. When you did, maybe some of your friends got you housewarming gifts for the occasion. And now that your friends are moving into their…

Is an Apartment Cleaning Service Worth the Money?

October 24, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Having your own apartment can give you thorough peace of mind, but keeping it clean can just as quickly bring stress back into your life. No matter how hard you try, a thin layer of dust will all but inevitably make itself at home on your dresser, bookshelf, and other surfaces that mostly go untouched…

Five Halloween Decor Ideas for Your First Apartment

October 23, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Do all the Halloween decorations you’re encountering at local bars and shops, not to mention houses around the neighborhood, have you wondering how you can properly spook up your home for the scary season? Let skeletons and witches be the only thing you fear this Halloween – with these five Halloween decor ideas for your…