Renter’s Advice and Resources

You’ve found the perfect apartment, and you couldn’t be happier. After a week of inner debate, you’ve finally gotten over the fact that the rent is a little bit more than you had originally intended, but the apartment is the epitome of elegance and comfort, and you just have to have it. I mean, you can deal with spending a little less on groceries each month, can’t you? But read closer… a $500 pet deposit? Can you deal with giving Fluffy away? Hidden fees are a huge part of finding the right apartment. Fees differ between complexes, and it’s up to you to ask the management about what these fees are for, and by how much they’re going to deplete your shopping funds.

Your rent is steep and you want to alleviate the financial burden by letting someone sleep in the guest room or a corner of the living room. One of your roomies suddenly bailed or moved on to an exciting job opportunity in another state. Your or your roommate’s significant other is moving in (a big step!). Whatever the reason, you’re taking another big step—adding a roommate to the lease. What factors should you consider when doing so? How much might your landlord raise the rent? This article gives a brief overview of the options available when adding a roommate to the lease.

With all the apartments out there, finding one that’s ideal for you can be a daunting task. When you go apartment hunting, you usually have a few things in mind: abundant parking spaces, cheap apartment, big bedrooms, resort style pool; but what you might not notice is the sleazy man sitting on his balcony by the pool with binoculars. Being gawked at by Mr. Peepy might take the enjoyment out of your afternoon swim. It’s good to keep a look out for things that might suggest the apartment is not all it’s cracked up to be. Because once you move in, you’ll realize there is more to it than a lavish bedroom and sparkling jacuzzi. We’ve got a few warning signs to help keep you out of bad news apartments.

New Years Resolution: Organizing Your Life

It’s almost that time of year again. All year long you’ve been saying “Oh, I’ll do that next year,” and the time is finally upon us. And no, you can’t renege on your new years resolution to organize your apartment. Bet you wish you had only promised to visit your mother more often. Organizing can be difficult in a small apartment; sometimes there just doesn’t seem to be enough room to store everything. But with a few helpful organizing tips, you can really maximize your space, and rid yourself of unnecessary clutter in the New Year – you’ll have to deal with that pesky neighbor on your own.

Almost everyone has an apartment-dwelling pal or two. And whether your apartment-renting friends are young or old, male or female, liberal or Libertarian, they’ll always appreciate a unique gift that helps make apartment living easier. Such gifts can range from cheap to expensive, colorful to demure, and big to small, but they’re all focused on one thing: making apartment living easier.

Gardening paraphernalia can be a great gift idea. It’s usually relatively inexpensive, and can really brighten up the cold, cloudy winter season. There’s something refreshing about waking up, sliding into a warm fuzzy robe, and gazing out over your backyard covered in a myriad of bright colorful flowers. Oh wait… backyards are for people with houses, and your friend lives in a teeny tiny apartment. But, fear not, for there are many gardening gift ideas out there that will suit a quaint little apartment perfectly. Bigger doesn’t always mean better; at least not in the world of gardening.

The holidays loom with turkey legs, pilgrims, holly, and ho ho hos, but the spread on the table and the number of presents under the tree might be severely limited this year. Why? Because heating oil prices are expected to be at an all time high in the winter of 2005-2006, leading to a potential 30% increase in energy bills this winter. Other than denying little Tommy his coveted bicycle or action figure, or scarfing tofurkey (it’s just $50 for a Tofurky feast that feeds four! ) instead of a real bird, what might you do to save money in the coming months? We’ve got a bevy of tips for knocking down your heating bill by enough dollars to satisfy the kids—big and little—this winter season.

Wish your apartment were in the big city? You no longer need to go to the big apple to get the latest fashion and decorating tips. Apartment Therapy is to the rescue. Beginning in New York, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan the NY editor and cofounder, has successfully caught our attention with a high décor rating.

You have a lot of friends and relatives, but you also have a tiny apartment. How can you fit all your loved ones into a small space for holiday gatherings? Beyond simple space considerations, you may also need to handle the nuances of various family/friendly relationships, different age groups, and various seating or dietary needs. Here are a few tips for a successful, rather than a hectic, Thanksgiving experience.