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TEBOW 3 16 posted:So here's a furnishing question to liven things up. I hope this is an appropriate thread to ask and if not I'll be glad to take it out. Are you planning on moving this desk with you when you move out? Ikea is great for college furniture, but it sucks rear end when you're moving, it's heavy as poo poo and the particle board breaks pretty easily.
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Jul 15, 2012 17:23
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:Are you planning on moving this desk with you when you move out? Ikea is great for college furniture, but it sucks rear end when you're moving, it's heavy as poo poo and the particle board breaks pretty easily. Ideally, yes but it wouldn't be a huge thing if I couldn't. I figured I could just disassemble it and put it back in the box when I moved out.
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Jul 15, 2012 21:22
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Had a weird situation where we had to move out of our old place right away and move into a new place. I'm hanging with some family and my spouse is about to move into the apartment tomorrow after finally getting the clear Friday to move in. Electricity's set, but water's done through the city. I think we have to go into the city department in-person to turn it on. My question is, how long will it take for the water to get turned on in the apartment? I'll definitely find out tomorrow morning at 8 when I call their office, but any guidance here would be sweet (we plan on shampooing the carpet and I would rather load it up tonight rather than tomorrow morning).
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Jul 15, 2012 23:16
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The water should already be connected, the part about going to the city to turn it on is to just get it put in your name and taken out of the property management's name.
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Jul 15, 2012 23:45
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TEBOW 3 16 posted:So here's a furnishing question to liven things up. I hope this is an appropriate thread to ask and if not I'll be glad to take it out. This is totally the right thread. Compact as possible with shelf space, you say? Or more shelf space?
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Jul 16, 2012 04:32
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^^^^^^^^^^^^Oh my god, thank you for posting those! I know I didn't ask for suggestions, but I'm looking for something just like that. So awesome!
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Jul 16, 2012 05:01
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Eggplant Wizard posted:This is totally the right thread. Ok, both of these are cool as hell and I'm gonna have to give these a look. Thanks 
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Jul 16, 2012 05:32
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Hey, does anyone know of a centralized household management guide/resource that is VERY, VERY basic? Most of what I found online is too advanced or is all mom-centric. We're overlapping with one of the new tenants in our house, and while she's totally sweet and adorable, she is SO naive and ignorant of how things in the house/kitchen work.  I'd just like to be able to point her to a good resource with an easy table of contents or something when I move out in two weeks. I've been teaching her the ropes, but I'm seriously worried. I've met her incoming housemates and they are just as inept.Examples of how basic I need: Gouged a can of food open with a knife, was amazed when we demonstrated the can opener. Loaded dishwasher with cups and bowls upright and filled it with regular dish soap. I threw out her rotting fish - she was under the impression that they kept much longer than a day. There are other basic things she doesn't know/has trouble with, but luckily she asks questions and is learning pretty fast This kind of makes me want to design and distribute a PDF how to not burn your house/apartment down guide with diagrams and poo poo for utterly clueless people starting out on their own.
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Jul 16, 2012 06:51
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I find ehow works well enough for discovering how to do incredibly basic things, but she has to be willing to search out what she needs help with.
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Jul 17, 2012 00:10
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Authentic You posted:Hey, does anyone know of a centralized household management guide/resource that is VERY, VERY basic? Most of what I found online is too advanced or is all mom-centric.
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Jul 17, 2012 01:09
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Trilineatus posted:Google around for Independent Living Services resources for foster youth. In our California county we have pdfs we give to our kids to teach them basic skills they don't have parents to show them. I will try to find and link one later today. Thanks! I Googled around a bit, and the places that dealt with youth talked about teaching life skills and independent living and whatnot, but none of them seemed to distribute life skills pamphlets from their site. An easy go-to guide for basics would be really nice. Xandu posted:I find ehow works well enough for discovering how to do incredibly basic things, but she has to be willing to search out what she needs help with. Yeah, I looked a lot at eHow, and think the individual articles would be quite helpful, but the organization other than searching directly isn't good at all. One issue is that English is not her first language (or the first language of any of her housemates) - when she asks about stuff, it sometimes takes some interpretation on my part to figure out what she needs. I might pull links to some of the more generalized articles together in a list for them. Namely stuff about kitchen safety, food sanitation, and house cleaning. I guess what I really want to see is a house guide in the style of this (probably self published) cookbook called 'How to Boil Water and Other Fine Recipes' or something that I saw in a little country shop. It had an equipment index with illustrations of cookware and utensils. The recipes were for incredibly basic things, like bacon and pasta, and included an equipment list as well as an ingredients list. For bacon - 'Ingredients: Bacon. Equipment: Skillet, tongs.' I want that, except for the rest of the house too.
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Jul 17, 2012 05:54
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Authentic You posted:
I actually have that cookbook, if its the one from Food Network Kitchens. It's excellent. Teaches you everything about a kitchen from the ground up, then basic recipes, then more complex things building on those basics. A house guide in that style would be fantastic.
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Jul 17, 2012 07:11
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The Unfuck Your Habitat website is a pretty good explanation of how to clean various things and more specifically, how to maintain a clean home. It's geared at people who don't have a lot of time and it breaks things down into small steps. Also, there is the Clean Person over at the Hairpin who similarly addresses specific cleaning tasks. She did a whole month of laundry - how to sort, use a machine, fold, what needs to be hand washed, how to hand wash, etc. The Reader's Digest Guide to Home Repair is supposed to be a really good resource for fixing things in your home, but it might be too advanced. Dad's Own Cookbook is a cookbook I got for my granddad after my grandmother passed away, he had never even boiled an egg before - this cookbook covered a lot of very basic meals. Also, includes some kind of advanced meals, like pork chops, so it's nice in that it shows you how to advance. Very clear. vonnegutt fucked around with this message at 02:22 on Jul 18, 2012 |
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Jul 18, 2012 02:20
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Moved to house buying thread!
ex post facho fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Jul 19, 2012 |
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Jul 19, 2012 20:02
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a shameful boehner posted:I'm looking into purchasing a house in the next year in Colorado, as apartment rents for the place where I need to be for work have increased to the point where (I think) it doesn't really make sense to not at least start building equity and get the tax advantages from owning a home. I'm in a very similar financial situation as you, so here's my self-reasoning for staying a renter for the foreseeable future: Basically, putting all your money into real estate is investing it in a very high-fluctuation market. There are no guarantees that you will come out on top- look at all the people in the past few years who got burned doing exactly this! Worst case scenario, you will get foreclosed on and lose everything. Keeping your money liquid and paying rent allows you to withstand the ebb and flow of the real estate market. I highly suggest waiting until you have the money to pay for a down payment and then some. And yes: with factoring in insurance, maintenance and repair costs, and property taxes, often the monthly cost of owning a home far exceeds that price you would pay for rent.
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Jul 19, 2012 20:25
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a shameful boehner posted:I'm looking into purchasing a house in the next year in Colorado, as apartment rents for the place where I need to be for work have increased to the point where (I think) it doesn't really make sense to not at least start building equity and get the tax advantages from owning a home.
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Jul 19, 2012 21:18
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Thanks a bunch! I was looking for something like that but wasn't sure where to go. Cheers.
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Jul 19, 2012 23:36
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vonnegutt posted:The Bad Air Sponge is also supposedly good at removing old odors (not covering them up, like air fresheners). Get a bag of potatoes instead. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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Jul 20, 2012 02:43
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Here's a fun tip: Roaches. You will get them eventually, and if you think you won't then you're either stupid or a patient with severe retrograde amnesia caused by dementia or alcoholism. One easy way to combat the problem (aside from doing your dishes as soon as you're done cooking and eating) is to put all of your bagged snack foods (chips, pretzels, etc.) in ziploc bags as soon as they're opened.
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Jul 20, 2012 04:34
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I just moved to a large city for the first time (Houston), and I'm beginning to discover that apartment hunting may be more competitive here than I bargained for. I've sent several emails in reply to posts on craigslist for apartments that went unanswered, even though it was a professional realtor person posting them. After one of them went unanswered, I saw the same posting reposted with a higher rent - I'm guessing because after the number of replies, they figured they could get more. On Saturday a rental company is having open house for several of their properties. I really don't know what to expect, but I guess it's possible somebody could show up the first minute with a deposit check. What really gets me is that the company has an "apply for this property" link on their website. You have to put down your check routing number and I think it charges you a $25 application fee. The idea that they could charge you a loving application fee for an apartment you may not even get is crazy. I don't even see how it's legal. Seems like the easiest scam on the planet. Why even rent real places when you can just charge application fees to desperate people looking for a roof? Is there something more to this, or is this one of those "welcome to the big city" type things? Should I fill out an application and buy my $25 lottery ticket for the apartment being shown this weekend? Is that even expected?
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Jul 20, 2012 05:37
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Ramrod Hotshot posted:Is there something more to this, or is this one of those "welcome to the big city" type things? Should I fill out an application and buy my $25 lottery ticket for the apartment being shown this weekend? Is that even expected? No. What areas are you looking at, and what types of properties? (The giant corporate complexes in Midtown? Garage apartments in Montrose?) Rents inside the loop are skyrocketing- things are more competitive than they were even a couple years ago. But there are so many places to live in this city you can find something reasonable. Try calling the realtors instead of emailing if they list a number, any decent company should.
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Jul 20, 2012 05:46
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Handsome Rob posted:No. What areas are you looking at, and what types of properties? (The giant corporate complexes in Midtown? Garage apartments in Montrose?) Rents inside the loop are skyrocketing- things are more competitive than they were even a couple years ago. But there are so many places to live in this city you can find something reasonable. Try calling the realtors instead of emailing if they list a number, any decent company should. Mostly Montrose four-plexes. Yeah, I'm not referring to the whole city. Worse comes to worse, I can get in an apartment complex easy, but I hate apartment complexes.
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Jul 20, 2012 16:09
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Ramrod Hotshot posted:Is there something more to this, or is this one of those "welcome to the big city" type things? Should I fill out an application and buy my $25 lottery ticket for the apartment being shown this weekend? Is that even expected? This is pretty standard in my experience in larger cities(Phoenix, Vegas, San Antonio). They run background/credit checks on people before they sign a lease and they cost money. They're not turning a profit on those 'application fees'. They're offsetting a cost of their business onto the prospective renter. 25 bucks is pretty cheap to be honest, many of the larger corporate run complexes will charge 50 bucks or more.
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Jul 20, 2012 17:07
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psydude posted:Here's a fun tip:
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Jul 20, 2012 17:27
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i like nice words
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I have roommates that leave food out constantly forever and we never got roaches. What are you doing that draws them in?
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Jul 20, 2012 23:34
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I've never had roaches, either. Even when my neighbors were the slobbiest of slobs and had mice. I guess it helped that I had roommates who cleaned for fun, but roaches most definitely are not inevitable if you keep your place averagely clean.
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Jul 20, 2012 23:41
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Propensity of roaches really depends on what area of the country you live in. I don't think I have ever seen a cockroach in my entire life, and I've seen some pretty lovely places.
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Jul 21, 2012 00:13
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Roaches are pretty prevalent in this part of the country. I never had issues in my modern apartment complex, however in older structures (my last place and my current place) they're inevitable regardless of how clean you keep your area. Seeing one or two isn't a huge issue, because the little bastards are resilient, but cleaning your poo poo right away and not leaving out food is the best way to keep the population in check.
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Jul 21, 2012 00:55
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Yea, it's really regional. I used to live in Atlanta and even if you were super diligent and really careful, sooner or later you would get one of those giant loving bastards sneaking in somewhere and you would need to kill it with a wrench. Now I live in Boston, and I have never had a roach in any of our low-end apartments. The only place I see them, actually, is at work. It's a really old building that sits on top of the Downtown Crossing T station. Last time the exterminator was in I chatted with him and he said that the sub-basement is horrifying, and its all he can do to keep them below the main floors.
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Jul 21, 2012 00:57
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I'm definitely enjoying Unfuck Your Habitat, and I'm going to recommend that to my friends who are learning to maintain an apartment. If you live in an older house or apartment, I strongly recommend This Old House as a great resource for everything. For that matter, they're awesome for new houses. My first apartment was in a run-down 1900 house that had barely been updated at all, and it had a totally different set of issues than the newer houses I'd previously lived in. Also, making friends with people who work in the home care and repair industries is a great way to learn things and know who to call if you have problems. Ugh, roaches. I've thankfully never seen any in the places I've lived. The moths in the pantry were tons of fun- I spent a whole day sorting food and thoroughly disinfecting the pantry. And I've had mice thanks to roommates who don't understand that food should be put away and some cleaning might be nice. And ants. Hate ants. Raid Ant Killer thankfully fixes them quickly.
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Jul 21, 2012 15:44
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Quick question, maybe better suited for another thread? I just moved half way across the country and am currently looking for a place. I don't think I can afford my own place yet, so I'm looking on Craigslist for a roommate. I've had luck in the past with it so I'm not worried about that. I'm also looking at sublets. My problem is, I have bad credit. In the spring, I was in the low 600s, since then I have been late on payments and even had a card cancel my account. I now have a great job and steady income so this will not be an issue anymore. How can I present myself to potential landlords so they can see that I am responsible? I have excellent references and if need be, can have my parents co-sign, though I heard places will only let you do that if you are a student. What do y'all think is the best way for me to approach these when I'm looking?
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Jul 22, 2012 02:55
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I would contact potential future roommates and explain your situation, and see if you can work something out with them where your name isn't on the lease but you're listed as a resident and pay your share of the rent to the people who are on the lease. Same sort of deal as if you didn't have a credit score or proof of income. That way you won't have to go through the background check process and have time to fix your credit before you move out to your own place. Your new roomies will have more peace of mind with you not named on the lease because if they're concerned about you not paying rent on time due to your history of missed payments they know they can give you the boot without going through the legal eviction process.
Problem! fucked around with this message at 04:31 on Jul 22, 2012 |
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Jul 22, 2012 04:29
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Burger Crime posted:Where did you go to get your copies of the key? I had the same problem when I moved in to my current place because the keys they gave me were cut at a hardware store that does lock work not an actual locksmith. I went to a locksmith and had new copies made using an original key as the template and then sent the bill to the landlord because he gave me lovely non working keys in the first place. I went to a place that was just keys. I don't know if the dude was a qualified locksmith, but all his shop did was sell keys and locks. Anyway he recut the bad key for free, and now I occasionally have problems with the other key but it's okay, I'm used to it. I think it's just one of those "oh there's a knack" things. As for the other stuff on the list- the hob knob for example, I think I'm just going to fix them and then take the money of my rent and send my landlord a note saying why. Oh and I worked out why my room was so drafty the other day. I have sash windows with an inner section to help keep it warm and one of the inner panels is missing. Hopefully I can get this sorted before winter? We have been having a miserable summer and it gets so cold in there 
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Jul 22, 2012 19:47
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Maybe this is a dumb question but is there a thread anywhere or even websites that you guys would suggest for decorating places/inspiration, etc? I'm living on my own (no housemates, etc.) for the very first time come September, and I'm so excited to be decorating the place as according to how I want to. The AwfulApp doesn't have a search function (I think?). That's why I'm not simply searching for the threads. I figure while I'm at work I can look at decoration inspiration between calls and be super productive.
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Jul 22, 2012 21:49
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cuntvalet posted:Maybe this is a dumb question but is there a thread anywhere or even websites that you guys would suggest for decorating places/inspiration, etc? I have an app called dwelling gawker that pulls photos from different blogs and puts them all on one page. Its very convenient for discrete work browsing.
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Jul 22, 2012 22:27
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cuntvalet posted:Maybe this is a dumb question but is there a thread anywhere or even websites that you guys would suggest for decorating places/inspiration, etc? ApartmentTherapy is one site. I bet there are good pages on Pinterest but I'm too  to understand it so far so you're on your own there.
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Jul 23, 2012 03:32
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TEBOW 3 16 posted:So here's a furnishing question to liven things up. I hope this is an appropriate thread to ask and if not I'll be glad to take it out. Just curious about that specific Micke table. Does anyone have any thoughts? I've also moved into an apartment (that's not furnished) and I'm looking for a computer table/workdesk. I'm probably not as concerned with space as Tebow is. I also have my eye on these too: Micke Computer Desk with Addon VALLVIK Desk Thanks, guys!
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Jul 25, 2012 20:37
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It all depends on what you need and what you like. How do you work? Do you need more desk space, or is less okay? Would you use those shelves? I've had an Ikea desk with a hutch like that, and it ultimately ended up getting taken off and used as a separate bookshelf because it wasn't really designed to fit larger monitors. It also made it kind of looming. I personally would prefer The Vallvik because it looks nicer, and unless you really need those shelves, why not go for aesthetics? I have this one right now which is pretty compact and nicely designed, except it moves when I type (there's a review now that mentions this but it wasn't there when I bought mine  ).
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Jul 25, 2012 22:22
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Storgar posted:Just curious about that specific Micke table. Does anyone have any thoughts? The Post Your (Actual) Desktop thread would unanimously recommend the Galant, (or Jerker if you can find one used) and so would I. It's just a simple, sturdy desk with no real flaws. MY GIRLFRIEND got the Vika Amon (?) because it was cheaper (and was good enough at the time) but is now quickly looking to replace it with a Galant.
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Jul 25, 2012 23:49
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Huh. I was planning on using the drawers, because I like to keep a lot of office supplies (post-it notes, paper clips, stapler, etc) at my desk. I was holding off on deciding because the corner desk seemed to be the best option but I thought it might be a bit too small for me. I also do not like the fact that the hutch needs to lean against the wall to support itself (even if I was going to do that anyway)... The galant looks nice. It looks sturdy and it's got that standard, no frills "desk" look. I'll probably get a bookcase and stuff separate. Incidentally, there's a jerker on sale at ebay in 3 days (link), in case anyone else is looking. I'm leaning toward the VALLVIK, Galant, and possibly Jerker at the moment. Hmm... Wow, I'm glad I asked in here! 
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Jul 26, 2012 03:49
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