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Aquatic Giraffe posted:I guess what I'm asking here is if I should keep nagging this girl or say "gently caress it, she's had enough chances" and find someone else that potentially won't get along with my other two tenants? Do it. Or at least tell the other tenants that's what you're going to do if they don't find one themselves in the next two weeks. Disclaimer: I am not a landlord, just a jerk.
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Mar 23, 2012 14:12
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That's awesome advice. I didn't think of most of that stuff last time I painted. One more thing, maybe keep a window open or set up a fan if your paint is stinky. Painting lightheaded is no fun. eta: This thread only recently became for general decorating etc too, so I don't have any links for that in the OP. I've just linked the above post, though. Anyone have any sites they like for furniture shopping, decoration ideas, tips, etc.?
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Apr 10, 2012 14:09
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Comstar posted:What things should I look at for a bed when renting? A lot of beds I've looked at don't look very mobile or moveable. And as a related question, if you have the space, is bigger = better? Ikea has bed frames you can take apart relatively easily. Your goal is to not hate yourself every time you move it, so don't get a box spring. Full size bed should be enough for comfort even with two people, unless they're both landwhales.
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Apr 16, 2012 04:36
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Given that he was asking for moveable and for a renter, I went with as cheap and small as possible. My bed frame is from ikea and it's all wood (unfinished, though) and currently $99. They have a similar one for half the price, too. Those split boxspring things are the poo poo, but a slat bed is fine too and still cheaper/easier for a renter. I think we can all agree that twin beds are for chumps, at least. Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 01:10 on Apr 17, 2012 |
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Apr 17, 2012 01:06
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ConfusedUs posted:Moving anything big is gonna suck. Even with lots of hands. I keep reading this as doilies and it's making the whole discussion much more elegant.
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Apr 18, 2012 13:31
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blakout posted:I've just moved in and aparently the central air in this apartment was a total lie. How much of a pain in the rear end is installing window mounted AC units and would it be a better idea to have it in the living room or the bedroom? Also does anyone have a suggestion for them? It's not that hard. They can be heavy as balls, and they're kind of awkward shaped, but I'm a short person with short arms and I have managed to install them on my own several times. If you buy a newer one it is probably going to be lighter than the ones I've dealt with, too. There are also portable ish things like this one. They can still be a pain because you have to convince the hose it really wants to stay in the window, but they're easier to move around in general and aim at the part of the room (i.e. your sleeping face) that needs to be coolest. If it's not way hot outside where you are yet, check craigslist & such, too. There will soon be about a million people looking for free/cheap a/c but you might have some luck if it's still early. Oh, and put it in the room you spend the most time in. I can't stand to be hot while I sleep so a/c in the bedroom. This results in me spending most of the summer in the bedroom. It works out.
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Apr 26, 2012 12:51
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Space Harrier posted:Anybody have advice on buying a nice bed? I am moving out of my current place this month, and don't want to take my old Craigslist mattress and lovely Ikea bedframe with me. New town has a Sam's Club that has an okay selection of mattresses and boxsprings to choose from and reasonable delivery charges. Would I be better off buying from an outlet? What would be a good price for a quality King mattress+Boxspring+Bedrame? There were a lot of careposts about beds and bedding in here a page or two ago. Basically it comes down to what sort of bed you like and what your budget is.
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Apr 27, 2012 14:59
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Dabbo posted:Is there any good websites or books on like, the very basics of living on your own or something? Basically since moving in with the BF I'm kind of amazed by how little he knows about basic adult stuff and I'm kind of amazed he's gone this long without sny problems. About.com and wikihow are good starts. There are also loads of books designed for men who have just moved out of their parents' house and don't know how to do anything mommy did. Here's an example. Apparently it also has a companion. I do not know if it's any good and there's a strong chance that it's dated, but it should give you some tags and such to look for similar ones. For cooking specifically, look into How to Cook Everything: The Basics by Mark Bittman. I haven't seen it yet but I have HtCE & HtCE: Vegetarian and they're both good. Things he might need to know too: - Where stuff is in the grocery store, how to read the sale labels - Which dishes should be washed by hand and not by dishwasher - Cutting stuff up - Boiling, frying, scrambling eggs - basic & easy ways to feed himself - Steaming vegetables - Cleaning: what to use to clean different surfaces, e.g. windows vs. wood vs. the toilet. What needs to be cleaned and how often. How to sweep a floor (I'm really assuming he's an alien, here). - How to pre-treat stains - What to do for a cut, burn, etc.
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May 1, 2012 15:15
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:I just got a job offer in Waco, TX. Now I have to orchestrate a move from Virginia to Texas Spend some time on craigslist etc sussing out the landscape in terms of rent, amenities, etc. before you make your trip. I would spend at least 2 or 3 days in the area for apartment hunting, mostly so that you can get a better sense of the neighborhoods in which you are looking. Pets: Just move them with you. There have been threads about this in PI a lot. Here's a recent one. You can bump that probably if you have further questions. Here's another one that deals with flying them over (to Texas, even!).
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May 2, 2012 13:41
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I'm planning on flying back to Waco sometime soon to do apartment hunting, how many days should I allocate to do that?
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:NextDayBlinds has some honeycomb shades that have a layer of mylar in the middle. poo poo gets DARK and toasty warm in the winter/keeps AC in in the summer. When I mean dark, I mean dark. Like I'll wake up and think it's still early morning or even the middle of the night but then it'll turn out to be noon. You should factor in how much it would cost you in food, hotels, etc. and time you'll have to take off work, as well. Your sanity is also a consideration. Basically it's up to you. People often pay others to drive their cars long distances like this, but you'd have to find someone you can trust.
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May 4, 2012 13:56
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Say you have this car and a 12x12 carpet. Which of the following would be the least stupid idea? 1. Secure it to the roof using bungee cords that go through the windows and moon roof 2. Put it inside the car with some of it (probably 2-3') sticking out of the hatchback, which I guess you'd bungee cord as closed as possible. 3. Put it inside the car with some of it (again, 2-3') poking out of the front passenger side window. 4. Other (explain) 5. Borrow a truck/SUV you idiot (I do not know anyone with one so it'd be UHaul or hiring a guy off craigslist)
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May 5, 2012 19:38
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An air purifier might help if you want to spend some money. I do not know how much, but some people think they work.
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May 6, 2012 15:27
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I'm really interested in your technique, but I have light colored walls and doesn't the blood leave stains? Or is that what the chlorine is for?
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May 8, 2012 14:45
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Raimondi posted:The OP says you should start looking for an apartment up to 3 months before. Will places actually wait for you that long to move in if you express interest? I'm a little bit of a sperg and I like to spend hours on craigslist/the rest of the internet figuring out price ranges and what to expect in terms of amenities:dollars. I usually start doing this about 6 months in advance (I am insane, seriously). I also live in a place where there are a lot of renters (college town) and apartments tend to go quickly. If you want a good place then and to have a lot of options, you have to start early. In my last apartment I had to give three months' notice if I was planning to move out, and I doubt my area is the only one where this is the case. A month in advance is like the minimum here. On the other hand, I've heard that in e.g. the San Francisco area (and this could be wrong; it's hearsay) it's actually normal to start looking about a week in advance of moving. That would make me hyperventilate. Basically, it totally depends on the area. When you call complexes, tell them you're planning to move around whateveritis, and ask when they'll know if they have units available. Some places only know a month in advance, some two, some three. Smaller properties like houses or small buildings sometimes don't advertise until rather close to their move-in date, however. It really depends. Look on CL and see what the norm is for your area.
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May 9, 2012 14:59
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xeria posted:At what point, in their continued inability to fix something like this, can I actually demand/request either a different unit entirely or to be allowed to break the lease with no penalty and find an apartment elsewhere? Has this ever happened to anyone else before (where repeated maintenance requests aren't actually getting a major issue corrected in the unit)? What does your lease say about times the tenant can break a lease?
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May 11, 2012 20:44
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Heath posted:Applying for a credit card has been one of my concerns. Is there a specific brand I should go with? I belong to a credit union here in IL that my parents started some 20-odd years ago. They're pretty local, though, so would it be wise to go through them if I'm moving out of state? You can get a secured credit card if you want to go as safe as possible. Here is a thread to ask all your financial questions in: Newbie Personal Finance Thread. I'd check out the budgeting thread if I were you, too. If you're a podcast person, I really like Marketplace Money for personal finance information & stories & advice, and a lot of people swear by Dave Ramsey for budgeting & debt reduction (very conservative politics but solid advice). Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 13:56 on May 13, 2012 |
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May 13, 2012 13:54
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2508084 posted:
Oh, true things in here. Credit cards can be used, but they should be paid off every month in full. Don't carry a balance. That's like paying 120%+ of the price on everything you buy.  You don't need to use the CC all the time, but I believe after four months it will go inactive and not count for credit scoring as much as an active card would, so you might want to use it like once a month. I use one of mine to pay for cat food (every couple months) and one for my cellphone bill (every month). That way they stay active, I pay them off in full, done. I actually pay my cards more than once a month because I like to make sure I never get late fees and it's easier to remember to pay them right after I make a purchase than wait till the end of the month. For all things cards, read carefully. Look for annual fees and penalties. And 2508084 is right- I suggested a secured card, but you definitely need one that reports to the agencies or it doesn't do you any good.
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May 13, 2012 16:21
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of good advice
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Heath posted:What is utilization? Is that just the amount of credit that I use of my total limit or the amount that I've accrued and paid off? It's how close you are to your limit. So if your card is limited to $5000, and you've only charged $100, you have very low utilization. If you have charged $4000, however, you'd have higher utilization. eta: Oh yeah, there's a credit card thread in BFC that is useful.
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May 13, 2012 18:24
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Those of you who have landlorded might be useful to this guy.
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May 31, 2012 03:39
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Merou posted:I think it was this thread I read it in but I'm not entirely sure, but it was about not leaving your mattress on the ground because it needs circulation or it gets moldy or some such. There should still be plenty of airflow. They won't fit tightly, after all. Underbed storage is very common and convenient. The mattress thing is more: don't leave it on the ground like on the ground or on a concrete floor of a storage unit. That's all. Unless you live in a mad humid area I wouldn't even worry about it in a house. Vacuum/space bags will also help with your blanket/sweater/etc storage.
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Jun 2, 2012 14:53
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FISHMANPET posted:What kind of tools do you guys keep in your apartment? I've got way too much poo poo and trying to figure out what I can get rid of, and I've got quite a few tools. That sounds about right. I pretty much just have those things, minus the knife, wrench, and drill... and I have wanted all three of those things multiple times, so they sound like keepers. glompix posted:Well, the place we're stuck in right now only became available yesterday, and we move in two weeks from now. We were the first people to look at it. The previous tenants moved out two weeks early, so that's how we were able to set it up early. At worst, they're out 3 days of tenant hunting. I'm just really pissed off at the landlord of the house we really want cockteasing us. Thanks for all the advice goons; at least I have a little hope left. The other house may be worth it if the penalties aren't steep. Go talk to legal thread. We can give you anecdotes but they can look at the wording of your lease and tell you if you're out of luck or not.
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Jun 3, 2012 04:10
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) and that involved quite a few tools. I've got a circular saw, reciprocating saw, two drills, a jig saw, a laminate trimmer, and a rather large tool box full of screws, nails, squares & triangles, etc etc.
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cheerfullydrab posted:Any advice on getting out of a lease gracefully? There's not a word in the thing about breaking it. Is this more of a legal question? Yeah, try the legal guys. Chances are you're going to pay through the nose though.
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Jun 6, 2012 01:06
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Bamabalacha posted:What is the best way to go about remove any trace that a cat once lived in an apartment? The previous tenant at our new place had a cat and my boyfriend is violently allergic to them. I would actually ask in here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3169030 But also yeah your landlord needs to handle it because it should have been cleaned properly.
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Jun 16, 2012 18:49
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Find another roommate. It's easier when you already have an apartment on the line. Your friend can go suck eggs.
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Jun 17, 2012 13:25
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Kasonic posted:Tangentially on-topic: This thing is pretty good: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser. The Furminator is a good idea too. Just be sure to buy it online because it's like $40+ in Petco for no reason. Depending on the vacuum you might be able to buy attachments separately. Also definitely definitely get one of those sticky pet hair roller things. One for house, one for car, one for workplace. You never know when you need to not look like a crazy cat person. Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 21:31 on Jun 18, 2012 |
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Jun 18, 2012 21:28
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:I packed most of my kitchen breakables in wine boxes from the local wine shop and everything survived. I did use a poo poo ton of packing tape to hold the box together and used quite a bit of bubble wrap and packing paper. I only ended up with one cracked glass. YMMV, I guess. Yeah, I've done a lot of newspaper packing and I've been fine. I think one thing broke ever? But a lot depends on how far you're moving, how careful people are with the boxes, what gets stacked on what, how many potholes and short stops there are... I think it depends on whether or not you want to risk it. Your Target dishes that were $30 for a full set? Eh, wrap it in underpants and chuck it in a suitcase.* Grandma's bone china? Hells no, do it properly. * Hyperbole. Do not do this.
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Jun 22, 2012 14:10
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Book boxes from B&N are the poo poo, too. Nice standard size, reasonable to carry even if full of books. I have used liquor boxes but sometimes they are very different sizes, have holes in them (on purpose holes) or don't seem to have lids. That can be irritating. Grocery store vegetable boxes are worse for that though.
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Jun 22, 2012 14:59
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:Word of caution on this, if you use produce boxes and haul your stuff a long way/in the heat your stuff might end up smelling like the fruit the box was originally used for. This could either be a good or a bad thing. Yes, and while the boxes are in your house, everything will smell like malevolent lettuce.
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Jun 23, 2012 00:50
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Ringo Star Get posted:I'm looking to move out this year since now I have a career in place with a good amount of income (around 35k). The best part is that I work entirely from home, so instead of paying a couple hundred in gas, I'm down to maybe two fill-ups a month. You can move out whenever you want. Month doesn't really matter. That said, spend some time getting the lay of the land before you go into it. Look on craigslist and at local rental complexes to get an idea of what price range different sizes of apartment and levels of amenities are. I would also lower your rent max, just because you can't count on the future. Your girlfriend might not move in, or you might break up 6 months in (sorry but it's possible) or one of you might lose a job or get their hours cut. Better to have an apartment that you can at least kind of afford on one income. I live in a much shittier apartment than my boyfriend and I could afford together, but since this was our first year living together I wanted to make sure we could split up without financial ruin, unlikely as that was. Definitely spend time in the Budgeting thread, too. I would suggest a bigger emergency fund as well. I know $35k seems like a lot right now (I earn like $25k so it sure does!) but you need to be prepared for all the expenses you aren't thinking about. You also probably have no idea how much you spend on food every month (groceries + eating out). You really really do need to budget. I mean, initially, there's the expense of moving. You're definitely going to spend money on random poo poo you never think about, like cleaning supplies, kitchen stuff, furnishing your living room, etc. Figure out with your girlfriend what she'll be able to bring to the place. If she's the one with all the plates and pans and furniture, you might as well wait till she can join you, save your pennies, and move in together in October.
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Jun 26, 2012 15:57
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Giant Boy Detective posted:I'm pretty new to moving and applying for apartments and moved here across the country about a year ago. When they ask for personal references on your application, would it be better to list friends I've known forever but live in a bunch of different cities across the continent now, or people I've only known for a year but live here? Whoever won't tell them you're a meth head.
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Jul 1, 2012 18:04
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ladyweapon posted:How often are you supposed to replace your mattress (as in, every 1yr, 2yr, etc)? Woah nowhere near this often. I don't know the actual answer but I would think a mattress should last like 10 years.
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Jul 3, 2012 14:26
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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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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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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: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)... If you need drawers, Ikea sells lots of little rolling drawer units you could combine with the Galant. TapTheForwardAssist posted:Amazon and the local shops seem to be really pushing the Simplehuman line of trash cans, but the reviews on them are actually kind of mixed, and they seem to deliberately design them to not work well with bags other than the SH-brand bags, which of course cost 5-10x what generic trashbags cost at the shop. The only thing I know about Simplehuman is that they tend to have a particular sort of lid that closes slowly, instead of snapping down while you're still trying to put stuff in it or whatever. I do not care that much, but my boyfriend has strong feelings that they're better (he does not usually have strong feelings, so it's notable). I don't know about the bag situation, except I'm pretty sure the one my boyfriend's family has works fine with normal kitchen bags. The major thing about kitchen trash is this: if it's plastic, it's going to absorb smells. Most of them have plastic inserts or liners, so you probably won't get away from that. Just be prepared to bleach it out semi-regularly to reduce smells.
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Jul 26, 2012 15:10
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Since we're doing this... a friend of mine used to have this: I kind of miss it now that he's moved away and a different friend lives in the same apartment  e: oh he has a friend 
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Aug 2, 2012 03:25
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Look, it's ten more days. You've dealt with this poo poo all summer. Deal with it for another 10 days. As for not paying your rent, no. That would be incredibly stupid. Just let it lie. You're almost out, and you're not going to get anything out of your proposed reactions other than more drama and headaches. Also, CALM THE gently caress DOWN. From the last paragraph I'm guessing you've got some social issues of your own to deal with. You need to reassess how you interact with others, if you're really rapidly burning bridges. Part of becoming an adult and a professional is learning to deal with anger and frustration in a reasonable manner. One thing that helps to stay cool is to make your bed into a fan tent. Those words make no sense, I know. What you do is take the topsheet of your bed and tuck it in around all the sides and end if it isn't already. Then make a gap at the end. In that gap, put a fan. Secure it to the sheets using binder clips or whatever you have around, leaving some more gap next to it for you to crawl into. The fan inflates the sheet and creates an incredibly comfortable little air fort for you. It's a little awkward getting in and out but it's seriously effective, as stupid as it sounds.
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Aug 5, 2012 21:04
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023842379 posted:My final question is can I legally not pay someone for a bill which is in their name? Just so long as you know you're heading for court, and you're also not going to win. For the rest, ask in the legal questions thread and be sure to include your state and probably your city.
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Aug 5, 2012 23:40
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LISTS! Things to pack last: Furniture to go on the truck: Kitchen: cabinets (1, 2, 3, 4 whatever); pantry; lower cabinets (1, 2, 3, 4) Living room: books on big shelf; books on little shelf; DVDs; video games; wii etc. Things to clean: Stuff to do: pack kitchen; pack linen closet; do load of laundry; go to Goodwill; drink Any of those as needed. Lists are great because they give you a very visual way to 1) keep track of what you have done, 2) keep track of what you need to do. When you're panicking and you keep looking around and going OH GOD THERE IS SO MUCH STUFF  having a list means you can break up the packing into manageable bits. When you are flipping out like "woah I need to move the whole kitchen, why am I wasting time putting these dvds in carefully? THROW THEM IN A GARBAGE BAG OH GOD," you can add whatever it is you're flipping out about to the list and know that you'll attend to it in time.Keep cool and try to remember to drink water. I dunno if it's hot where you are but it's easy to forget things like that if you're running around packing. Listen to music or podcasts you like to pass the time. When you do move in:
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Aug 8, 2012 13:21
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| # ¿ May 16, 2024 01:40 |
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CountOfNowhere: Your apartment is 100% neutral right now so pick any color you like and go with it. I'd say ideally it'd be a non-neutral (neutrals: black, brown, navy blue, white, beige, gray...) so that your space is less  . As for wall art, what are some things you like? Favorite movies? Put up some posters in nice frames. Music? Album covers in frames. Plants? Go to kinkos, print that poo poo out, put it in frames. Same goes for basically anything. Don't try to arbitrarily find stuff, just think about things that make you happy, and incorporate them. What are some of your interests? We can try to make suggestions based on that.I'm not too keen on your layout. Is there any way you could straighten out your bed, maybe put it on the wall? If you're comfortable with it, that's fine and stick with it then. For me it seems kind of cluttered and the lines don't feel clean. I get that you're trying to separate it into two or three 'rooms' (kitchen, computer, bedroom/living room) but it just feels messy to me. Are you open to changes there? Is that carpet built in? Definitely stick to one set of coordinating colors/themes. Mixing it up would make it feel even more cramped. Also, OPEN THAT CURTAIN. Natural light would go a long way toward making it less cave-like. You could get some sheer curtains to cover the window instead, which would improve privacy while retaining light. e: cuntvalet, frame them and it's fine. Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Aug 14, 2012 |
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Aug 14, 2012 03:14
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