Ah - the joys of renting your own place. Autonomy, freedom, a place to decorate call your own: What more could you ask for? There's something no one tells you before you start renting an apartment: It's usually those small household annoyances that become the most stressful situations.
Rude, noisy neighbors can be bothersome, as can skyrocketing rent-- but those little things are more likely to send renters into a stressful frenzy, and they happen to the best of us. Chances are most of us have had to live in an apartment and deal with some of these usual displeasures, but there are some practical solutions for dealing with them.
Here are top 9 most common (but small) stressful apartment annoyances:
1. Filthy Entrances and Exits:
It seems that no matter how hard you try, your entryways constantly appear destroyed. This happens no matter whether you have hardwood floors or carpeting. Unfortunately, the exits and entryways to your apartment are also some of the first impressions your guests will have when entering your place.
While you can slack off on certain areas of the apartment while cleaning the floors, you might want to step up your efforts on mopping/vacuuming the entrances and exits more often, especially during the winter or if you have pets.
2. An Empty Fridge:
Running low on groceries can turn into a vicious cycle of bad takeout and a bottomed-out bank account in no time. Yes, ordering pizza for the third time this week might be convenient and easy in the short-term, but relying on takeout foods will not only put a serious damper on your budget, but it's usually also not the healthiest of food choices.
On the other hand, grocery shopping is a stressful event that sometimes feels like a full-contact sport during rush hour. What to do? For a few extra bucks, you can try out a grocery delivery service (many supermarket chains already offer this in bigger cities, or you can go with a third-party service), or tough it out and head to the store after the post-work-before-dinnertime rush.
Avoid the grocery store on the weekends (especially Sundays) too, as this seems to be the most popular time for picking up weekly groceries.
3. Missing Socks:
This is one of those mysteries that will live on for ages to come. Although there have been many theories as to why socks go missing, you can simplify this issue quickly by investing in a lingerie bag.
Have one set aside for your undergarments and one for socks, and simply toss your socks into the bag during every load-- your chances of encountering a missing sock will lessen dramatically.
4. Losing Keys/Wallet:
There's nothing more stressful than trying to leave for work or an important event, only to realize you can't find your keys or wallet. Keep a ceramic bowl right next to the front door for these items and be sure to drop them in whenever you enter your home. Keeping this habit up will reduce those stressful mornings searching for these essentials when you're trying to get to work.
5. Bugs Swarming the Patio:
Ugh. Is there anything more sad than having to forego some quality patio time due to a swarm of flies, mosquitoes or wasps on your deck? With summer nights right around the corner, this is going to be an issue for many renters in the near future.
BrightNest says that wasps and bees hate the scent of dryer sheets, so try to hang some in the windows to keep these pests away. Plastic bags filled with water and fly traps using apple cider vinegar are also excellent ways to keep flies at bay. Now you and your guests can relax and enjoy some insect-free barbecue time on the patio this summer.
6. A Windshield Covered in Ice:
Much like missing keys, a good way to waste an extra 10 to 15 minutes in the morning is de-icing a windshield. Save missed time and reduce the amount of curse words you mutter under your breath next winter by covering your windshield with newspaper once you see that the weather forecast calls for a cold front. The paper will collect all of the ice, which you can simply peel off.
7. Pet Odors:
We all love our furry friends, but let's face it: Pet odors happen. Carpet cleaning and wood floor repairs can get expensive, and most pet owners don't have the time (or sanity) to give their pets a bath more than once a week.
Fortunately, one of nature's best odor fighters is probably in your pantry right now: baking soda. Sprinkle some on the affected area where there are pet odors (carpets, rugs and furniture are usually the biggest culprits, but make sure it's dry first) and wait for the smell to dissipate.
8. A Smelly Garbage Disposal:
You can remove garbage disposal odors by putting a stopper in the sink, filling it with a few inches of hot water and dish soap, then giving it a good flush.
If that doesn't do the trick, take a lemon peel, toss it in the disposal and run it under the water. Also - running your disposal long enough so that everything has dissolved and flushed out will prevent future sink-related stink bombs from occurring.
9. Decaying Flowers:
To make your flowers last longer, the Gardenista said that you should first make sure that your vase is clean: bacteria will kill your blooms faster than anything else. Trimming stems at a 45-degree angle will also allow the blooms to absorb more water.
Many of these home remedies are easy to implement and can make your life a whole lot less stressful. Even though these little situations can sometimes get the best of us, there is usually an easy, eco-friendly solution for solving them!
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