4 Spring Organizing Tips

1. A Place for Everything

Before diving headlong into full-scale organizing mode, take the time to consider if all of the stuff you've accumulated has a place of its own. It’s not uncommon for people to purchase items that seem amazing at the time, only to discover they have no place to store them. So, the first step in any spring organization plan is to figure out what stays and what goes. Simply put, start your organizing process with a sensible reduction of stuff.

2. Banish Bathroom Bother

Couples and roommates who share bathrooms tend to double-up on too many items. That quickly turns otherwise spacious shelving, countertops, and other space into a worrisome haven for clutter. When you throw in things like electronics and grooming necessities, you may find yourself elbow-deep in a mess.

Consider which things you could both use, such as toothpaste, floss, shampoo, and other regular bathroom items. Think about, maybe, not having so many electronics in the bathroom and making an informed decision about what stays on countertops and what gets stowed away. Waking up and experiencing a clutter-free bathroom could set a better tone for your day.

3. Better Bedroom Basics

In the back of many people’s minds, bedroom clutter is excusable because guests don’t generally see the disorder. Bedrooms can become our personal clutter sanctuaries. But stumbling over laundry, shoes, and gear is anything but pleasant. This spring, take a stand by getting the items needed to restore order.

Make sure you have hampers and baskets to hold and move your laundry. Think about putting up hooks for hoodies, shirts and other items that are too often strewn about the floor. And, lastly, took a long hard look at your closets.

4. Cluttered Closet Calamities

No spring organizing plan would be complete without addressing the hidden source of disorganization. Closets are a terrific place to store seldom-used items, but they can easily become a dumping ground. After a good purge of never-used items, secure closet organizing gear such as easy-to-assemble shelves, shoe holders and plenty of hangers.

We hope our Woodlands Village residents found these tips helpful. If you or a friend would like more information about our Flagstaff apartments, call us today.

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How to Reach Your Fitness Goals

Choose your goals

What are you hoping to get out of the fitness challenge? Some common goals are to lose weight, get stronger, meet new friends, or spend time outside. Deciding on a goal ahead of time will help you keep track of your progress. Don't forget to celebrate small victories along the way.

Don't skip the basics

The key to any fitness routine is to have a solid foundation. For instance, what if you want to learn Latin dance? You'll need to master basic steps before you can jump into advanced moves.

Get the right gear

Many fitness challenges have you on your feet and moving a lot. Make sure you have well-fitting shoes and comfortable workout clothes that don't chafe. This is where it can pay off to invest just a little in quality equipment.

Set yourself up for success

Pencil your fitness challenge into your weekly schedule. Consistency is key here to building habits. You can also try laying out workout clothes and recovery shakes the night before. This way, everything is ready to go for a fitness class, whether it's in the early morning or after work.

Look into community classes

These are great for getting instruction without the expense of a private trainer. With the right group, you can also make friends and have fun while working up a sweat.

Woodlands Village is one of the premier locations for apartments in Flagstaff, Arizona. We offer units for both health-conscious singles and active families. Residents love our pool, spa and fitness center in the complex. Contact us to find out more about which floor plans are available.

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Holiday Punch Drinks 

Grog

Grog, sometimes called Pirate’s Grog, is a hearty, rich punch that your holiday guests will love. Be prepared to give out the recipe because you’ll surely be asked for it!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces dark rum
• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• ½ ounce lime juice
• ½ ounce orange juice
• cinnamon stick (for garnish)

Directions:

In a tall, tempered glass or mug, add all the ingredients except the cinnamon stick. Fill to the brim with hot water and stir. Garnish with the cinnamon stick.

Pomegranate and Apricot Brandy Punch

This recipe is good if you want to use a large punch bowl at your holiday party. It makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered ginger
• 6 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 cup apricot brandy
• 2-1/2 cups seltzer water
• 2-1/2 cups fresh mint leaves

Directions:

1. In a pot, simmer the water, sugar, and ginger until the sugar dissolves completely.
2. Remove from the heat and add the mint leaves (save a few for the garnish).
3. Let steep for half an hour.
4. Strain out the mint leaves.
5. Add the mixture to the punch bowl and stir in the apricot brandy.
6. Stir in the seltzer water.
7. Sprinkle a few mint leaves on top for garnish.

Mulled White Wine Sangria

Try this recipe for a lighter, more elegant holiday punch drink. Serve in brandy glasses. Serves 12.

Ingredients:

• 2 bottles of dry white wine (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, etc.)
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup lemon juice (save the skins for garnish)
• 4 whole star anise
• 12 whole cloves
• 1 medium orange
• 1 pear, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, sliced
• 2 whole lemons, sliced
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 12 tangerines, peeled and sliced

Directions:

1. In a pot, simmer the water, honey, lemon juice, star anise, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Add everything to the punch bowl, including all the rest of the ingredients.
3. Provide ice cubes to chill individual servings.

These holiday punch ideas will surely liven up any holiday gathering! To see how enjoyable it is to host parties in your Flagstaff apartments, please contact us today!

The post 3 Holiday Punch Drinks to Serve This Season appeared first on Woodlands Village Apartments Blog.

But nearly everyone feels an upsurge in well-being and energy during the summer months, making this the ideal season to brighten up your apartment.

And a few simple changes made now will help carry the joy of summer into the fall and beyond.

How to Brighten Up Your Apartment

Let There Be Light

Spring and summer are the seasons of mood-lifting light, and you will want to make the most of it even when you’re indoors.

Whites, creams and pastel-colored walls create the most internal light, but if you’re more adventurous you can also decorate with sunny yellows and golds.

Enhance the feeling of light and space in your apartment by using large mirrors on the walls.

Get rid of dark-colored floor coverings, at least temporarily, and use bright-colored rugs and mats instead. Similarly, colored throws can also brighten up dark furniture and fittings.

Bring in Plants and Flowers

There’s nothing better than the look and fragrance of fresh-cut flowers for bringing a real touch of summer to the indoors. Locally grown seasonal blooms should be relatively inexpensive, and with a little care can last for a surprising time.

Suitable indoor plants also look great, will last longer and can be a real source of joy in the months to come.

Liven Up Bare Walls With Summer Pictures

You don’t need to be a deep-pocketed connoisseur to make use of art in your apartment. Quality framed prints can be surprisingly inexpensive, and just a couple of beach scenes, seascapes or views of the Mediterranean or tropical gardens will bring a wonderful blaze of summer color and atmosphere to your home.

The Arizona sun is glorious, but many residents of the Woodlands Village apartments in Flagstaff have found that if ever the heat gets a bit too much, they can always bring the summer indoors with these simple tips.

Contact us today to schedule a viewing or for details of our available floor plans.        

The post Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Brighten Up Your Apartment appeared first on Woodlands Village Apartments Blog.

Don't Fall for These Apartment Cleaning Myths 

We’ve all heard of housekeeping hacks and fool-proof methods that are “guaranteed” to keep our West Flagstaff apartments spic-and-span. Be careful, though—you can’t always believe what you hear! Sometimes these cleaning myths can cause more harm than good.

If you’re gearing up for spring cleaning and are on the lookout for some reliable housekeeping tips to keep your beautiful Woodlands Village apartment in Flagstaff, AZ clean and tidy, be sure not to fall for these apartment cleaning myths that won’t get the job done!

5 Apartment Cleaning Tips (That Failed)

1. Toothpaste Cleans Silver – It’s best to avoid toothpaste when cleaning your silver. It is very abrasive compared to silver polishes, and over time it can damage your pieces.
2. Hairspray Removes Ink – Years ago, hairspray had a higher alcohol content and did help remove ink stains. Today, however, hairspray is made with “stiffeners” that will make the spot worse. Plain rubbing alcohol works best.
3. Tea Cleans Wooden Furniture – Although rumored that teabags work well for cleaning wooden furniture, this is definitely not the case. Anytime wood is exposed to water, there is a chance for stain damage to the natural wood.
4. Bleach is the Best Cleaner – False. Bleach does not clean. It will kill bacteria and lighten stains, but it does not remove dirt or stains like soap.
5. Dryer Sheets for Dusting Furniture– This is actually partially true. Fresh, new laundry sheets contain oils that can stain surfaces. The used dryer sheets work well though, as the oils were dispersed in the dryer.

Another tip for tidier looking apartments in Flagstaff, is to start with a great floor plan! Woodlands Village offers a selection of studio, one- or two-bedroom apartment homes to fit every lifestyle. We invite you to stop by today (or invite a friend)  to experience these quality and luxury apartments in West Flagstaff.

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Watching Reality TV shows about hoarding can be entertaining and enlightening. That’s because we all have a little packrat inside us we need to rein in. Here are some decluttering ideas for our Woodlands Village community members in Flagstaff, Arizona, to consider.

Toss The DVD Collection

It’s time to come to grips with the reality of your video collection: It’s all streamable and rarely does popping in a DVD make sense. If you haven’t already, sign up for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon or another inexpensive service and open up some drawer or shelf space.

CDs Make Better Coasters

Like DVDs, music CDs have gone the way of the dinosaur. Whether you subscribe to SIRIUS radio, enjoy a Pandora, Spotify or another targeted music subscription, the tunes you crave are one touch away. Even if you prefer the old school creativity of a full album, that is more likely to be downloaded to a device. CDs still make a decent coffee table coaster, but why clutter your space with dozens or hundreds of discs?

Hard Copy Calendars Are Unrealistic

Every year, calendars seem like a terrific holiday gift idea. Many are themed and enjoy wonderful artwork. But other than looking nice, most people keep electronic appointment calendars in their phone or other devices. When you need to know the day and date, no one runs to a wall calendar. It’s time to eliminate the wall calendar.

Take-Out Menus Are Unattractive

Paper menus stuck to your refrigerator or piled in drawer are not the best way to organize food options. The vast majority of restaurants have a menu on their website and many offer online ordering options as well. Take-out can be much more easily done on a phone or other device. Remember to recycle those antiquated folded pieces of paper.

Filing Cabinets Are Too Bulky

That home office filing cabinet once gave off an air of organization. Now, it makes you appear behind the times. It also takes up a lot of space that could be put to better use. And, removing it could open up the room. It’s time to backup your financial records on a mini storage drive and do away with cumbersome filing cabinets.

We hope these decluttering suggestions help our Woodlands Village community members improve your personal space. If you or a friend would like more information about our Flagstaff apartments, call us today.

The post Get With The Times By Decluttering Your Living Space appeared first on Woodlands Village Apartments Blog.

Messes are a natural part of life. However, with very little effort you can make your apartment seem cleaner than it actually is. Now you won't have to worry about your friends or anyone else dropping by unexpectedly. Here are a few tips to keep your place looking much cleaner than it really is:

Decoration Tips to Make Your Apartment Look Cleaner

• Simplify the color scheme: Try to avoid a lot of different colors. When you keep to several shades of the same color, your place will seem more put-together and spacious.
• Keep heights of furniture uniform: When you have mismatched chairs of different heights, it creates a visual distraction, making your place seem a little more chaotic. Keep the majority of your furniture around the same height to create a continuous visual line that is pleasing to the eye.
• Don't mix and match styles: It's okay to have a couple different styles that complement each other in a natural way, especially if they share a common element, such as color or time period. Too many styles, however, can be very distracting and busy, making your place seem messier than it really is.
• Large pieces of art: It can be hard to get the look right with multiple pieces of art or photography hung in different frames. As much fun as it is to have a gallery on your wall, one large piece of artwork draws the eye in and leaves room for contemplation.
• Aim for symmetry: Symmetry is an easy way to create a sense of order, purpose, and calm in your apartment. Face chairs against couches, separated by a coffee table. Have a mirror on one wall facing a work of art on an opposite wall. Just don't overdo it, or it will seem unnatural.

A great floor plan can really help your place look tidier and more spacious. If you are searching for apartments in Flagstaff, give us a call to see how our floor plans can really make a difference.

The post How to Decorate Your Apartment to Fake Cleanliness appeared first on Woodlands Village Apartments Blog.

When autumn brings its cooler air and gentle beauty to Woodlands Village, our beautiful Flagstaff apartments, the whole community gets in the rearranging and decorating mood. 

Here are a handful of ideas to inspire your seasonal whimsy!

1. Add Glitter for a Dreamy Dining Table

That metallic spray paint you used once and put on a shelf? Find it! Spray apples and pine cones, bottles and yard-sale candlesticks, and you've got a delightfully festive centerpiece.

2. Adorn the Side Tables With Beautiful Edibles

Decorate a side table with an eclectic assortment of gourds and squashes, and fill bowls with nuts and a nutcracker. This can double as an edible arrangement if you've selected a variety of nuts, gourds and pumpkins for Thanksgiving pies or traditional roasted chestnuts. 

3. Make a Cheery Holiday Waste Basket

Save a large box and simply cover it with gift wrap. It'll look wintry and fun, and will work like a charm when you need a container for ready gifts.

Bonus: It'll be there after the parties to toss more gift wrap into!

4. Bring a Little Evergreen into Your Space

Pieces of evergreen set a traditional tone. Sprigs and vines and pine cones can dress up shelves. They can turn bottles and bowls into decorative vessels, too! Plus, evergreen arrangements make your space smell sweetly woody and fresh.  

5. Try Tinted Light Bulbs for a Warm and Cozy Mood

Lighting is important when we're missing our long, bright Arizona days! A mix of lighting, in a variety of hues, can make your space feel exotic. Try shedding a different light on your interior this season.

Celebrate the Season at Woodlands Village Apartment Homes in Flagstaff

We hope your autumn brings gentleness, joy, and celebrations. Don't hesitate to invite your guests to contact us if they are looking for a new home in the company of friends!

The post 5 Dreamy Decor Tips to Inspire Your Space appeared first on Woodlands Village Apartments Blog.

We walk through the rooms of a storm soaked apartment in Houston, Texas, as Mary, a twenty-plus-year resident of Nob Hill Apartments, points out the items she hopes she can keep, but we can clearly see are lost. The safety masks covering our mouths and noses do nothing to block the rank smell of stagnant flood water and growing mold. The air in the apartment is warm and humid, the air outside buzzing with mosquitos preying on the exposed skin of anyone walking through the community working to salvage what they can from the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Even with the flood waters receded, we feel the sense of loss that weighs heavy as a storm cloud over the apartment community we’ve come to serve.

We try to prepare Mary for the worst—the disheartening fact that most of her worldly possessions must be declared casualties of the hurricane’s destructive force. But Mary’s determination outweighs our own, and pushes us in a new direction. Where we strive to prepare her for despair, she insists upon building us up with hope. And as we tell her we will help her as best we can, she leaves us with these words: “When I was a child, my teacher told me that the good deeds you do are added as stars to your crown in heaven. Your crowns are going to be full of all the stars in the heavens.”

***

Our group of volunteers left Arizona in the early hours of September 6 to make our way to Houston. Our team was made up of multifamily housing team members from Bella Investment Group in Flagstaff, AZ, who had committed to partner with Apartment Life, an organization that places CARES Teams within apartment communities to “look for ways to love their neighbors as themselves.” We have often seen the outpouring of love CARES Teams deliver to the residents of our Bella communities—now was our chance to take the CARES mission upon ourselves and make a difference in the lives of those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

After spending Wednesday evening assembling and loading U-Haul trucks with Resident Recovery Kits, we headed into the community on Thursday to see where we could help. As we approached Nob Hill Apartments, a 1300+ unit apartment community situated on Brays Bayou in the Meyerland suburb, we saw streets lined with debris and abandoned furniture, clothing, toys, even cars—all casualties of the surging flood waters. Nob Hill is where we met Mary, along with dozens of other residents who were packing up what they could to leave the community many of them called home. We expected the despair in the faces of the people of the community to match the destruction we saw in the streets. But where we expected despair, we saw hope.

One of the first young men we spoke to assured us that he had not been hit “too bad” by Harvey’s destructive power. “For me, it wasn’t as bad as for other folks,” he told us as we walked through one section of Nob Hill. “Other people got it much worse.” I learned later that for him, “not too bad” meant he “only” lost his car and about half of the possessions in his apartment. He counted himself lucky, despite his losses, and assured us that now that he knew we were there, he would help us find people who needed more help than he did. And he was true to his word. He eagerly came to us with the names and addresses of neighbors who could “really use your help,” and seemed overjoyed to be what he considered a “small part” of our work. The misery we expected seemed to have receded with the flood waters, and in its place love, humanity, and hope had blossomed.

For the CARES team in Houston, the Relief Kits and resources they handed out seemed like only a “drop in the bucket” of the recovery that needed to be done in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. An office team member, who had been pulled from a different property to assist at Nob Hill, described her efforts of pointing residents toward resources and gathering contact information from those who needed to move as “a drop in the bucket” compared to what she felt the people around her needed and the losses she knew they had endured. Even as we gave resources, monies, and hugs to those we met, we began to say that we knew it was only “a drop in the bucket” for those who had lost so much so quickly.

Yet the enduring power of hope outshined our perspective. The more people we met, the more we got the sense that in creating for themselves a sense of normalcy even among lost possessions, abandoned homes, and more, the residents of this community were finding something beyond the despair we saw on the news. Make no mistake—there remains much to be done to restore what has been lost in these communities devastated by the storms. But even beyond the knowledge of loss is the hope of helping hands. We saw donations from across the country pooled together to fan the flames of this hope. We witnessed police cars lining the streets from around the country to lend aid and relief to first responders who had not yet even had the chance to assess and accept their personal losses. We saw barbecue fundraisers and Red Cross vans delivering lunches and dinners on a daily basis where they were needed most. We saw neighbor reaching out to neighbor to lighten each other’s loads. And we saw tears of sorrow become tears of joy as people heard how far folks had come to help.

“To help me?” one woman said to me, stepping back in shock from a tight hug when I told her we had flown in from Arizona. “Y’all came all this way just to help me?”

“We know it’s just a drop in the bucket,” I found myself saying, but she cut me off.

“A drop in the bucket?” she gasped, clasping my hands in her own. “Child, it’s the whole ocean!”

I left Houston with news of the impending impact of Hurricane Irma ringing in the background on every television set we passed from our hotel lobby to the airport terminal. In the shadows of yet another destructive storm, it’s hard to ignore that there remains so much need along the Gulf Coast as residents there work to rebuild. Hurricane Harvey’s impact will be felt in this area for months, if not years, to come.

But even in the shadows of these destructive storms crashing upon our shores and cities, we see the silver linings illuminated by the selfless acts of people who keep their heads held high, their spirits lifted, and the hopes of their communities blazing against the dark times ahead. We can all be a part of bringing hope to these communities. Apartment Life continues to raise funds for relief efforts for both Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. The Red Cross continues to step up their efforts to prepare and provide relief. Countless other organizations are out there, waiting for each of us to step up and impact lives by being beacons of hope in the midst of despair.

Please join us in supporting the ongoing relief efforts, and make your own "drop in the bucket" contribution to those impacted by this year's hurricane storms:

Donations for Apartment Life Harvey Relief Kits: https://tiny.cc/alharvey

Donations for Apartment Life Irma Relief Kits: https://tiny.cc/alirma

The post Beacons of Hope in the Midst of Despair: A Local Hurricane Harvey Relief Story appeared first on Woodlands Village Apartments Blog.

Fall brings with it crisper air, pumpkin spice lattes and a new school year. Flagstaff’s cooling climes mean September is the perfect time to nest into your apartment and get ready for the change of seasons. If you’re up on the hygge trend, you might be all over it … but if you’re not, here are several ideas.

Read Up on Hygge

Hygge—pronounced hoogah—is a concept with which we’re all familiar, even if you’ve never heard the term before. Essentially, it means using coziness to create a feeling of contentment and closeness. Think thick socks, warm blankets and cocoa; all are classic hygge elements. Make this your new fall word, and start instituting it into your life, and your Flagstaff apartment, today.

Pull Your Blankets Out of Storage

You probably haven’t used them much all summer, but it’s time to pull out your blankets. Drape them over couches and chairs or stack them in the corner where they’re easily accessible.

Arrange Your Mugs on the Counter

Nothing says cozy like a mug of something hot. Arranging your mugs on the counter will remind you to grab a hot cuppa before you sit down to work at your desk or table. For extra cuteness, arrange your coffee canister, tea tins and cocoa jars nearby.

Fall Scents Galore

Cinnamon apple, warm vanilla and smoky campfire scents all bring fall within easy reach. Grab that fall feeling with some fun scents at home. Beware of burning candles, though, as those can pose a fire hazard. Instead, try soy melts or incense, which make the air smell heavenly without disastrous potential.

If you’re ready to find cozy Flagstaff apartments in time for fall, get in touch with us here at Woodlands Village. We would love to show you around, tell you a bit about our community, and get you settled into your perfect floor plan, so come visit today!

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