May 2014 ~ Falcon Run Apartments

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Five Money Saving Purchases at Yard Sales

Posted by Larimer Associates on 11:48 AM

The weather is nice and school is out. This means that it is time for a favorite summer activity. Yard sales will be popping up throughout your town, and we have found some great purchases that can save you money in the future. Grab your family and friends and head to the yard sale to save your household money this summer. Apartment Therapy has some great articles for your family this summer.

1. Rugs. Rugs are notoriously difficult to sell secondhand, which is why you will see plenty of them around at yard sale time. Head out for a few Saturdays, you are bound to find a new rug for the kids' room for under $30. I found one recently, a 5x7 foot 100% wool rug for $5! It had been passed over by others because one small corner was a little frayed - a problem easily solved by tucking it under a crib.

2. Baby gear. Babies need so much gear and for such a short time, everything bought new ends up looking practically new still once they are done. Save money for your new nursery budget by scouring your local yard sales for the gear you need. Not sure what gear to consider getting secondhand? Check out this post for a few ideas.

3. Dress up clothes. Costume jewelry, hats, old bridesmaid dresses, low-heeled dress shoes: these exist in abundance in yard sale-land, and no one would love them more than your four-year-old daughter who is crazy about dressing up. Haven't got a dress-up box? Put one together, starting with this list, and a fist full of quarters, which is probably about all each of these items will cost.

4. CD players. Given the opportunity, kids love to listen to music, and they love to dance. Remember back in the 80s and 90s when you hoped and wished and dreamed for a stereo so you could boogie all on your own? Now that everyone's passing them up for MP3 players, for just a few dollars, a yard sale-found CD player can transform any kids' bedroom into their own disco. Just be sure to test it before you take it home!

5. Outdoor play equipment. Especially easy to find at the end of Summer, when Moms and Dads are getting ready for the Winter snow, outdoor play equipment can be snatched up at yard sales for a fraction of the price of buying it new. If it's looking a bit shabby, never fear, a fresh coat of paint will do the trick - much like the Little Tikes playhouse above - found for $30 secondhand, now looks better than anything you could find in the store! (For this and more playhouse makeovers, check out our roundup of them here.)

Rearrange For Spring

Posted by Larimer Associates on 12:23 PM

(Image courtesy of Wicker Paradise)

Cabin fever strikes at the most inconvenient times - even at the beginning of spring! If you’re tired of looking at the same furniture in the same spots, simply going outside may not be enough to make you feel better. There are plenty of simple solutions to keep your living space feeling fresh, even without an expensive trip to the furniture store to buy a new couch.

Simple changes in a limited space can make a BIG difference when it comes to home decor. If you’ve got some spare time, and are willing to put in a little bit of elbow grease, you’re living room (or bedroom, or kitchen, etc.) can feel brand new in no time. Follow these simple tips from renters.apartments.com to see what we mean!

Keeping a fresh perspective is key.

Have you ever noticed how different a room looks when you stand in a new corner, sit in a new chair or stand on a table to replace a light bulb? If your living room has been arranged the same way for multiple weeks, months or even years, it can almost be shocking to catch a view you haven’t seen before. It lends to the refreshing feeling of new and exciting, and it’s good to keep the room juices flowing for this reason- especially if no plans for moving are in your future.

Planning ahead isn’t necessary.

Rearranging on an impulse can be extremely therapeutic. The idea here is to think less, do more. The freedom derived from an act as simple as rearranging whenever you feel like it can take form in other parts of life as well. If we’re open to change with our things, perhaps we’ll also be more open to encouraging change within ourselves. So next time you come home to the same annoying couch/bike/TV combo, crank up some music and slide some things around.

Start with removing tables, chairs and lights.

Keeping these items in the other room will allow you to focus on larger placements such as couches, bookshelves and entertainment systems. The right setup for now will present itself much easier when the room is emptier- think about how fun arranging stuff in a brand new, empty apartment can be. Add the little things later, keeping light placement in mind throughout the entire process.

Use the process to downsize on stuff.

If you find that every time you rearrange, the same light gifted to you last Christmas gets put in the corner on a table and never used, give it away. If you love that trio of comfy recliners but one always seems to get in the way of your morning stretches, give one the boot and chances are you won’t miss it. Care for your things but don’t be tricked into relying on them. As our lives and needs change, so should the things we keep inside of our homes.

Do you have a favorite tip to freshen up your apartment that we missed? Leave us a comment and let us know!