
Source: blog.apartmentsearch.com
Source: blog.apartmentsearch.com
Source: blog.apartmentsearch.com
Read Spring + Summer Recipes to Fill Your Instagram Feed on Apartminty.
Source: blog.apartminty.com
Source: blog.apartmentsearch.com
Source: blog.apartmentsearch.com
Source: blog.apartmentsearch.com
From decorating your apartment or house to wrapping the Christmas tree with twinkling lights or simply stringing lights around the house from wall to wall, Christmas lights are an essential part of holiday décor. They make everything brighter and add a magical glow to your house or apartment.
While Christmas lights are wonderful once hung up, they’re a real pain to organize and store. The struggle is real â you go to get your lights out to decorate but they’re jumbled in a big, tangled mess. So, how do you store Christmas lights efficiently and effectively? We’ll walk you through 10 ways to store Christmas lights that’ll make your life easier for the holiday season.
You’ve ordered plenty of packages full of gifts and will likely have lots of cardboard boxes leftover. Before you recycle them, take a boxcutter and cut a 12-inch by 6-inch rectangle. Next, you’ll want to cut a small notch on both sides where you can tuck the cords. Simply wrap the strand of Christmas lights around cardboard, and you’ve got yourself a neatly organized way to store Christmas lights. Next year when you go to decorate, you can easily unwind the lights without having to detangle them.
Another way to make use of leftover holiday materials is to save the cardboard wrapping paper roll. Once you’ve finished wrapping all your gifts, put the roll aside and save for when you’re ready to store your lights. Then you can easily wrap the Christmas lights around the long, skinny wrapping paper roll. This is a great way to store a long strand of lights and take up minimal space.
Similar to the wrapping paper roll technique, you can use a Pringles can to store smaller strands of lights. You’ll want to make a small slit at the top of the can to latch the lights to and then you’ll just wrap away!
Got a spare hanger hanging around? This is another free way to store Christmas lights and save yourself the frustration of a jumbled mess of lights next year. Take the strand of lights and start weaving them up and down on the hanger. This tactic is great for people who live in apartments or who have limited storage space because you can then use the hanger itself and hang them up in a spare closet until next year.
How to store Christmas lights like a professional? Buy a cord reel at your local hardware store. The cord reel tactic is a top-notch way to store your lights year after year, keep them in mint condition and easily wind and unwind year-after-year. While you have to make an initial purchase, you’ll use this organizational tactic for years to come.
Do you keep the original packaging for purchases? If so, storing your Christmas lights in the original box is a great solution for storing those pesky lights. By keeping the original box, the lights will fit perfectly and you’ll be able to access them each year without fuss.
Plastic or rubber storage bins are a great option for storing Christmas lights each year. You can get clear boxes that’ll make it easy to find what you’re looking for when you go to pull out the box each year. Simply place your lights in the bin, put on the lid, label the box and voila, you’ve got yourself an easy-to-use storage system for Christmas lights.
Another simple and effective way to store Christmas lights is to use a zip tie or rubber band to bind the strands of lights. You can wind the lights in a figure-eight and then use a zip tie or rubber band in the center to hold them together.
One- or two-gallon-sized Ziploc bags are great for storing shorter strands of lights. You can loop the lights into a small circle and then place them into the bag. Label the bag and place the Ziplocs in a box or drawer to store. The Ziploc bags are placed on top of themselves so you can store several bags of lights in one central space.
Do you decorate Griswold-style each year for Christmas with what seems like thousands of lights? If so, the hose reel storage method is perfect for you. Instead of storing your garden hose on the hose reel, use it to wrap your lights and store them in a shed, garage or storage unit.
The hose reel makes it easy to wind and unwind your lights so they don’t get tangled and then, you can take the entire hose reel and tuck it away. Decorate in style knowing you can easily store your lights when the season is over.
Now that we’ve discussed several ways on how to store Christmas lights, let’s talk about where to put your lights until the magical month of December (or November if you’re that type) comes around again.
Figuring out how to store Christmas lights doesn’t need to induce stress. There are plenty of ways to stay organized and get to your lights quickly each year. These tips will keep your lights tangle-free and make decorating with lights magical each year.
The post How to Store Christmas Lights appeared first on Rent Blog.
Source: rent.com
Yoga studios and gyms, even fitness centers found in the average apartment complex, have been closed as a response to the spread of COVID-19. As a result, people are left needing to find alternative ways to stay active in order to meet their fitness goals. For people who prefer exercising with a group, navigating through this might be a bit tough as you are looking for ways to stay in shape while social distancing.
Social distancing while living in an apartment can be tricky. Especially when you are looking for ways to get outside and exercise. It is important to understand that at this time, social distancing is one of the best ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus. However, this does not mean that you need to stay inside your apartment binge watching Netflix. Maintaining good health habits is important, especially right now. If you are at a loss of things that you can do to stay in shape, here are a few fun ideas that you can practice while still maintaining social distance.
Most areas have local trails nearby. If you have a car, driving to one of these areas can be a great way to get out of the house and enjoy some nature. You can hike the trails at a national or state park. In fact, many neighborhoods offer trails that you can run, bike, or walk on.
Take a few minutes to do a bit of research and chances are you will be surprised at how many public trails there are around your apartment complex for you to enjoy. The official website of your town is likely to offer information about different city trails that you can enjoy. You can also search your county and state websites for more information about what trails are currently open for you to enjoy.
Remember, when you are running on a trail, you should maintain a six-foot distance between yourself and others who might be out enjoying the trail. If necessary, slow your pace or go around the other person at a safe distance while you are out.
Taking a walk or a jog along the side of the road is a great way to get outside and exercise. With fewer cars on the roads these days, running along the side of the road is fairly safe. You should maintain distance and be careful, but there are plenty of neighborhoods around your apartment that you can take a run through. Your apartment complex likely has areas that you can run in as well. If necessary, you could just walk around the different buildings throughout your apartment complex. Choose different paths and learn more about the area that you live in, all while maintaining social distance.
Yoga is a great form of exercise that can relieve stress. All you really need for this type of exercise is a yoga mat or a soft surface such as a grassy field. Of course, you can practice yoga from the comfort of your home, but if you are looking for a way to exercise outside, pack up your mat and head to an open area. There is a good chance that you will not have to go very far from your apartment to find an open area where you can practice yoga. There are parks that have open areas where you can spread out, enjoy the great outdoors, and strike some yoga poses.
If you are looking for something fun to do, that is also a form of exercise, why not build a kite and take it out to fly? Flying kites may seem like something that will not give you much exercise, but when you are sprinting to get it up in the air, you are definitely going to be winded afterwards. Kite flying is a great social distancing activity because you will be in an open field, away from others. Plus, who doesnât love the idea of getting a kite up in the air and watching it soar?
If you are used to group exercise, join a virtual accountability group. Create a step challenge among your friends. Social media provides a great way to stay connected and motivated. You could even put up flyers in your apartment complex for an exercise competition group. You can use a social media app to track goals and possibly even come up with prizes for the winners.
Read How to Exercise Outside While Social Distancing on Apartminty.
Source: blog.apartminty.com
Source: blog.apartmentsearch.com