Why Pet-Friendly Kitchens Are Essential

In many living spaces, the kitchen tends to enjoy the most foot traffic. That includes residents with two legs as well as four. It’s the primary food preparation area where we’re all likely to grab a drink, snack, or quick meal. Many pet owners store their four-legged friend's specialty food and serving bowls in the kitchen. Simply put, pets can spend just as much time in the kitchen as humans.

Install Cabinet Drawer Serving Bowls

One of the biggest inconveniences that pet owners experience is food and water bowls on kitchen floors. There’s a certain inevitability to bumping into them and spilling water and food on the floor. Another downside to this is that some pets are prone to overeating. That typically means pet owners are tasked with removing them after every meal.

One solution is using pet bowls that can be inserted directly into lower cabinet drawers. These are easy enough for the average DIYer to install and allow you to open and close the drawer as needed. The big perk is moving around freely without worrying about tripping over a pet bowl.

Convert Space Under Sink For Pet Use

Another approach some pet owners take is to change the cabinet space under the sink. Rather than storing cleaning products, the area is cleaned out, and doors are removed. You can place food bowls there and even run a tap to fill water bowls conveniently without bending over.

Kitchen Cabinet Pet Beds

Building on the idea or repurposing cabinet space, small and mid-sized pets may be able to fit comfortably with a soft bed. Cats and small dogs find these kitchen sleeping quarters convenient for them, as well as visiting pets. By rethinking the way cabinets and draws are used, you can increase floor space and make life better.

We hope current and future residents of Woodlands Village enjoy these pet tips. If you or a friend would like more information about our Flagstaff apartments, call us today.

The post How To Make Your Kitchen More Pet Friendly appeared first on Woodlands Village Apartments Blog.

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.

1. The Caddy Shack. Find yourself a nice, easy to tote, cleaning caddy. You can pick up a cheap one at the Dollar Store. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy … just easy to move around!

2. Mrs. Meyers. We are seriously in love with the entire cleaning line from Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day series! Check out the multi-surface everyday cleaner, which comes in a variety of enticing scents.

3. Go Green on Glass. It used to be that every home needed a bottle of Windex, but in today’s green culture maybe something a little more natural is called for. We like the whole Method line, but their Glass and Surface cleaner in mint warms our hearts brighter than the light it lets pour through our windows!

4. The Method to Our Madness. Every home needs an all-purpose cleaner, and Method delivers again with another perfect scent: honeycrisp apple.

5. “Goo”d Housekeeping. Goo Gone. No home is ever clean enough without Goo Gone. This stuff is like magic.

6. Do You Believe in Magic? We do. If housekeeping had a Mount Olympus, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser would totally be Zeus. This thing cleans EV.ER.Y.THING!!! And there’s a variety pack? Hallelujer!!

7. Eat My Dust. Not you … a dustpan. Target sells a cute little Up & Up Mini Dustpan Set. Saying goodbye to dust bunnies has never been so easy.

8. A Royal Flush. “I love scrubbing the toilet!” Said no one … ever. That’s why we have toilet wands. Grab a Clorox Toilet Wand and keep your hands out of the toilet. You’re welcome.

9. Swiff and Flick! Speaking of wands, we’re convinced the Swiffer Duster is secretly a magic wand. Stick one of these in your cleaning kit and you’re set. Bonus: when you run out of the actual duster covers, just replace it with homemade fleece bands!

10. A Breath of Fresh Air. We probably could have made this whole list Method products, but variety is the salt of life. That said … when it comes to a planet-friendly air freshener, we’re giving the gold to Method again. Their scents include pomegranate, beach sage, and wild poppy. Captain Planet would be proud.

Happy Cleaning!

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This April our focus is RYAS: Rocking Your Apartment’s Socks! We’ll take you from recipes to try in the kitchen to thrifty apartment décor and much more!

One way to rock your apartment’s socks is to keep it organized! As much as we might hate cleaning, you can always make organization and tidiness a little more fun by finding unique and eye-catching ways to do it! Check out these ten life hacks that will keep your apartment organized and looking f-i-n-e!

1. Use soda can tabs to create closet space

Just slip the soda can tab over the hook of your hanger, and hang a second hanger on the open tab hole! You’ll fit twice the number of hangers in your closet without wasting money on pricey space-saving hangers.

2. Create magnetic spice jars

Instead of filling your precious cabinet space with all your spices, check out this guide to making magnetic spice jars! You can then stick them to the fridge for a unique look and a cute space saver!

3. Save dresser space with a new shirt fold

Fold and organize your shirts in rows rather than laying them flat! Not only will you create more space, but you’ll also be able to easily find your favorite shirts more easily! Learn how here.

4. Create a magnetic bathroom storage strip

Use a magnetic strip roll to create three storage strips in your bathroom medicine cabinet: one at the top, one toward the bottom, and one in the middle (make sure you avoid placing the strips at the same level as the shelf, as this might keep the cabinet from closing). You can use these to store tweezers, small clippers, and other metallic bathroom accessories … especially the ones you’re more likely to lose! We’re looking at you, bobby pins!

5. Use spice racks to organize your bedroom and bathroom

Need a low cost alternative to shelving for over bed storage? Or maybe you just need to organize your hair products, lotions, nail polishes, etc. Look no further than spice racks! They are small enough to not take up much room, but big enough to hold all your everyday items. And they’re super easy to install! Use them to create bathroom organization, or create an over-the-bed bookshelf or place to stick your glasses for the night!

6. Create unique storage with baskets

You can find beautiful wicker or faux-wicker baskets at a local craft store. Use them to create a unique storage option. You can easily hang them from the wall either facing up (for hats, scarves, etc.) or facing out (for books, vases, and other small items).

7. Use Dollar Store buckets for desk organization

The Dollar Store always has nifty knick-knacks … one of our favorites is their cute multicolored buckets and pails! They are not only adorable décor, but they also present fun desktop organization. Use them to store pens, markers, scissors, and other items. Stick one in the living room or kitchen to store your small hand tools, too!

8. Cereal containers double as trash cans

Another awesome Dollar Store find? Cereal containers. These not only give you a great way to keep your cereal fresh … they also provide the perfectly sized small trash bins you may need for each room. Tuck one down beneath your desk, beside the bed, or just inside the front door; it’s easily hidden, but big enough for small trash you don’t want to take a trip to your main trashcan for. (Bonus: Grab one for your car, too! No more loose straw rappers and unwanted receipts!)

9. Save closet storage space with baskets

Invest in some cloth collapsible baskets for your closet. Instead of stacking extra clothes or sheets on the top shelf, use these to create a more colorful and space saving organization system! One benefit to these is that you can stack them up or on their sides; lay a basket on its side for sheets, and stack baskets with extra shirts, socks, and other clothes on top of each other.

10. Use shower curtain rings to hang belts and scarves

Secure a rod (try an expandable curtain rod) inside your closet and hang as many shower curtain rings as you need. Use them to keep your belts and scarves organized! Learn how to make your own here!

Happy Organizing! And don’t forget to share your favorite organizational tips with us!

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