Stained Backsplash in Your Kitchen? Here’s How to Freshen It Up

December 27, 2021 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

You’re deep cleaning your kitchen and it feels like you’ve covered everything, but somehow, at the same time, it doesn’t quite feel clean yet. You’ve done the dishes, scoured the counters and stovetop, and swept the floor, but what still doesn’t look right? It might be your backsplash. The kitchen backsplash tends to go overlooked…

How to Eliminate Musty Smells from Your New Apartment

August 30, 2021 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Sometimes, landlords leave an apartment vacant for months before finally finding a tenant. Neglect over time can lead to an unpleasant, stale odor plaguing your newly leased apartment space. Here’s some advice for eradicating that musty stench in your new apartment. Causes Look at your apartment layout and narrow down the possibilities of where odors…

Seven Countertop Types You Might See in Your First Apartment

March 25, 2021 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

When you’re on the hunt for a new apartment, one important kitchen feature you should take into consideration is the material of the countertops. If you find a countertop that aligns with your preferences, cleaning and maintenance can be easier than with a countertop you don’t particularly like. That said, it can be challenging to…

Your Ultimate Dishwasher vs. Non-Dishwasher Checklist

November 10, 2020 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

When it comes time to clean your dishes, many people think that using a dishwasher is more convenient. Additionally, dishwashers are usually more eco-friendly than handwashing dishes. However, some dishes and cookware are not dishwasher-safe, meaning you should never put them in your dishwasher. Here’s your complete checklist of dishwasher and non-dishwasher-safe items. Dishwasher-safe items…

Sustainable Living: How To Use Less Water to Wash Dishes

October 8, 2020 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

In our Sustainable Living series, we look at how tenants and homeowners are changing their apartments to be more sustainable. It can be easy to use more water than you need when you have unlimited water access, but you can always minimize unnecessary water usage in your apartment – and that’s the eco-friendly thing to…

Minimizing Meal Mess: Tips for Slobs

February 15, 2018 | By Taylor AuthorMy First Apartment

Man, I am a slob when it comes to keeping my kitchen clean. I can’t tell you how often I wish I were one of those people who can’t stand to see a mess. My life would be so much tidier… But, as it is, my messy kitchen is more of a minor annoyance to…

Things My Boyfriend Never Washed: Part 2

January 27, 2018 | By Taylor AuthorMy First Apartment

I wrote before about my horror at discovering how little my boyfriend and his roommate knew about cleaning (and the instructions I gave them regarding how to remedy these issues). When I visited him in his new apartment, I had high hopes that I would see some of my advice being utilized. And yes, he…

Things My Boyfriend Never Washed

November 4, 2017 | By Taylor AuthorMy First Apartment

When I visited my long-distance boyfriend’s apartment for the first time, I discovered that the organized persona he put on in front of me was just that. He and his roommate were unaware of some of the most basic housekeeping necessities. Like washing things. Please, learn from their mistakes! The dish towel There was a…