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"He who dies with the most toys wins" was a popular phrase in the 1980s. During that era, it was all about acquiring material items — the more, the merrier. Unfortunately, many families are now living with the legacy of that phrase, with homes that are overflowing with goods. So, it's probably not surprising that de-cluttering and downsizing are now big trends.
This new less-is-more attitude can, however, make it difficult to shop for gifts. Your friends who have just spent many hours decluttering their homes are probably not in the mood for a knickknack that is similar to something they just threw out. That's why you should forget the material things when looking for gifts. Instead, choose one of the following five ideas:
Movie Tickets
Buy a gift certificate for your recipient's favorite movie theater. If you're searching for a small, inexpensive gift, consider purchasing a DVD vending machine gift certificate and tying it with a ribbon to a pack of microwave popcorn.
Massage or Spa Certificate
Spoil your recipient with a manicure, pedicure, or with a muscle-soothing massage.
Babysitting Certificate
Do you know a parent who could use a night out? Create a gift certificate that entitles the parent to a free night of babysitting provided by you.
Dinner
Treat your recipient to dinner or give them a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.
Membership
If the person you're shopping for likes to visit certain attractions, such as the zoo or national parks, purchase an annual membership for them so they can visit the destination multiple times during the year.
Did you know that de-cluttering can actually help you feel less stressed? Yes, a 2010 study showed that many participants who described their homes as cluttered expressed higher levels of a stress hormone called cortisol. So, keeping your home clutter free can be very important for your mental health. Another factor that can affect your mood and happiness is the lighting in your home. A light-filled home can actually help brighten your mood. So, if your current home is dark and drab, come check out our apartments in Chicago, IL. They boast wrap-around windows and stunning views that are sure to lift your mood.
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When it comes to decluttering your Chicago apartment, it can seem like a monumental task. While a well-organized, easy-to-navigate apartment can reduce stress and help clear your mind, figuring out how to get started can seem like a daunting task.
Take It One Section at a Time
Trying to tackle a whole room or closet can make you feel exhausted before you even get started. Section your decluttering efforts into a reasonable area that you can easily get done in an hour or two. Consider starting with an area that you see every day. Seeing this area clean can help you stay motivated to finish the rest of the apartment.
Equip Yourself With the Proper Organizing Tools
Make a list of storage containers or organizers that you will need before you begin so that as you sort through your items, you will be able to give everything its designated home. Make sure to have a file cabinet or trays to store and sort paper, storage bins for items that are seasonal, and drawer separators and organizers to keep your small items contained in drawers.
Separate Into Piles of Keep, Trash, and Donate
Have containers that you can sort out what you plan to keep, what you plan to throw away, and what you plan to donate. If you are organizing your apartment in stages, make sure to take the donation bin into the donation center whenever it gets filled or at least every other week. If you allow it to sit too long, you may end up with another cluttered space that gets out of control.
Remove All Items From the Area Before Organizing
It is always easier to start with a fresh space so that you can see how you can best organize it and don't have to move around items. Once you have sorted your items, you can put the keep items in an organized fashion into the newly cleaned space.
Follow the tips above to help declutter your apartment and simplify your life. Looking for a new apartment in Chicago, Illinois to test out your new-found decluttering skills? Stop by North Harbor Tower to find the perfect floor plan to suit your lifestyle.
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Spring is a time of fresh starts and new beginnings, and perhaps this is part of the reason why giving your home a deep clean is so common in the spring. Whatever the origins, spring cleaning plays an important role in helping people get their homes in perfect condition at least once a year. If you would like to really make your apartment shine this year, check out these three spring cleaning tips.
Make a Checklist
Making a list of the tasks that you want to accomplish can help you better organize your approach to spring cleaning and ensure that you have all your bases covered. As an added bonus, checking an item off of a to-do list is a form of motivation in and of itself that can help keep your spirits a little higher when the work gets tiresome.
Work From Top to Bottom
As you go about cleaning your apartment, you should start out with the ceiling and work your way down. As you clean your walls and ceiling, you're going to be knocking dust and dirt down onto your floors. If you've already cleaned your floors, this is a problem. If you work your way from the top down, though, you can ensure that no dust and dirt is left behind.
Declutter Your Life
Spring cleaning is ultimately just as much about decluttering as it is actually cleaning. Now is the time to take a serious look at the items you're storing in your home and decide which ones are truly worth keeping. There's no doubt that it can be difficult throwing things away, but living in a home that is clean and clutter-free is very much a worthwhile tradeoff.
Conclusion
With spring approaching, the time for cleaning your apartment is right around the corner. Of course, the only thing better than cleaning up your apartment is moving into a brand new one that is already sparkling clean. If you are looking for somewhere new to call home this spring, we hope that you will contact us today to learn more about our Chicago apartments.
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Clutter seems to multiply all by itself. Try these tips and tricks to keep Chicago apartments clear of clutter for good. It’s easier than you may think to have a peaceful, soothing, clutter-free environment.
Declutter for 15 Minutes per Day
No matter how busy your schedule, you can probably find 15 minutes per day to devote to decluttering. This may not seem like a lot of time, but if you are consistent and do this every day, or almost every day, it is enough for you to start seeing great results.
Most days, you bring new items into your apartment, including your mail and things you’ve bought at the store. By devoting just 15 minutes a day, you will be able to throw out or give away more items than you bring in. That means that over time, the number of things in your apartment will decrease. Eventually, you will be left with just the things that you love.
Say Goodbye to Your Items Before You Discard Them
If you become emotionally attached to your possessions and find it hard to throw them away, even when you no longer need them or they are worn out, take a tip from decluttering guru Marie Kondo. Say “goodbye” to your beloved possessions and thank them for their service. That sounds goofy, but it works!
You can also take a picture of an item before discarding or giving it away. A digital picture will preserve the memory, which is what is really important without taking up any space in your apartment. This works especially well with memorabilia from trips and items given to you by family and friends.
Visualize Your Apartment as You Want It to Appear
Creating an image in your mind of a beautiful clutter-free apartment can motivate you to keep on decluttering and help guide you in the right direction. When you can see your desired outcome in your mind’s eye, you will find ways to turn your vision into reality.
It helps when you start with a spectacular place, like the apartments in North Harbor Tower. Come visit us in the Chicago, Illinois, Lake Shore East neighborhood to see our amazing 360-degree views of the city and Lake Michigan.
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