Five Domestic Skills to Master

"Doors Open Toronto: Eastdale Collegiate Rooftop Garden" by Karen Stintz
is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Living in an apartment community definitely has its advantages--no shoveling sidewalks, mowing the lawn, and you have a maintenance person on hand to help you solve problems. However, there are basic skills that everyone should have, regardless of your current housing situation or financial status. Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to call the super and schedule your day around a 5-minute fix? Apartment Therapy describes five time- and money-saving skills to master.

1. Cooking

Cooking is probably the most effective money-saving domestic skill you can possibly have. My cooking skills have improved a lot since my 20s when I was first living on my own, but even then I was able to (and did) cook for myself. Growing up, I spent a fair amount of time observing and helping my mom in the kitchen and I really believe this is the best way to learn. But I also came of age when the Food Network was taking off and I learned many basic techniques and was inspired to try new ingredients and recipes from watching food tv.

Nowadays, the internet offers so much cooking inspiration and instruction—there's no excuse not to learn.

2. Sewing and mending

Sewing your own clothes is usually not a money saver because clothes are relatively inexpensive these days compared to the price of fabric, but the ability to alter and repair your own clothes can save you plenty of money at the tailor's. (I'd love to know what percentage of people don't have to have new pants hemmed.)

Sewing for your home is where you can really save money though. Making your own pillow cases, placemats, napkins, curtains, etc. as well as gifts for others are places where sewing for yourself can amount to a lot of savings.

3. Gardening

Gardening takes time and patience, but pays you back with "free" food and herbs. Grow what you love to eat and "shop" from your garden before meals. I love snipping a bit of herbs to put in a meal knowing I'm not buying a huge bunch of basil, for example, when I only need a few leaves. Saving money is only one benefit of having your own garden—easy access to fresh, homegrown food when it's in season—may have you eating better, too.

4. Plumbing

Unless you are an experienced plumber you should not attempt big plumbing fixes, but everyone should know some very basic things like how to stop a running toilet, unclog a drain or toilet, fix a drain stopper, turn off a water valve, etc. Year ago someone gave me the book Dare to Repair by Julie Sussman & Stephanie Glakas-Tenet and I turn to it whenever I'm facing a very basic plumbing task.

5. Painting and Wallpapering

If you have more money than time, go ahead and hire someone to paint or wallpaper for you. But you will save a lot of money by learning to do it yourself. Painting is not as easy as buying paint and a slapping it up with a brush - do some research (or ask an experienced friend to help you) to learn the best techniques for both. And don't be intimidated to learn how to wallpaper. It takes patience, but is actually quite easy.

If you have more money than time, go ahead and hire someone to paint or wallpaper for you. But you will save a lot of money by learning to do it yourself. Painting is not as easy as buying paint and a slapping it up with a brush - do some research (or ask an experienced friend to help you) to learn the best techniques for both. And don't be intimidated to learn how to wallpaper. It takes patience, but is actually quite easy.

Finally, before you hire - see if you can barter.

You may not acquire all of these domestic skills, but even learning one or two, especially as a young person, will save you a lot over the years. For things you've yet to learn, try bartering with a friend or neighbor. A basket of veggies from your garden for shortening some pants, perhaps.

Setting Up a User-Friendly Kitchen

Photo courtesy Erika Tracy

When you first move into a new apartment, one of the first things that makes you feel at home is to preparing a meal. In order to do this, you need to set up your kitchen first. How can you do so in a way that is conducive to cooking? Apartment Therapy offers these tips for putting together a ready-to-use kitchen.

1. Organize. Arrange the pantry, tools, dishware in a way that works for you. Use containers for pantry staples that are appealing to you even if your kitchen isn't.

2. Deep clean. Before loading the cabinets with your belongings, give their interiors a good scrubbing. Cabinet exteriors are often wiped down but the inside might be overlooked. Clean the floors (even under appliances) and the appliances themselves. By deep-cleaning the kitchen when you're setting up home, you'll make it a truly fresh start.

3. Accessorize. See those nice woven baskets in the photo above? They aren't expensive or hard to come by, but they contribute to making that kitchen something special. Same with the vintage rug and curtains. Pick out storage and decor accessories that will help make your kitchen lovely even if the bones aren't what you would choose given a blank slate.

4. Use it. Eating out every night and leaving your kitchen unused isn't going to make it feel like a loved space. Instead, put it to use! Choose quality ingredients and cook meals with care at home and you'll see that even just doing that can make a kitchen feel better.

5. Go freestanding. If lack of storage or counter space is what's holding your kitchen back, make it lovely by repurposing a freestanding piece of furniture. Both kitchens pictured above are fine examples of this move. Even the tiniest of kitchens probably has someplace you can work this in, even if it's just a small wall-mounted shelf.

What’s something you must to have in your kitchen before you’re ready to cook in it?

10 Home Items to Own by 30

Photos (L-R) courtesy Samantha Marx and Ines Hegedus-Garcia

Nobody is blaming you for the inexpensive items you had to buy as a college student or post-grad to furnish your dorm or apartment. However, once you hit your late 20s, it’s time to invest in some more substantial pieces and furnishings for your home. You know more about your personal style and taste, which your decor should reflect. This article from ELLE Decor guides you through adding some sophistication to your style.

1. ART YOU LOVE

"Art stays with you for a lifetime, and each piece marks a place and a memory," says Todd Nickey of Nickey Kehoe. "Start collecting when you're young—it doesn't have to cost a fortune, it just has to speak to you."

2. AN ORGANIZED BOOKSHELF

Consider the bookshelf an inspirational place to display everything that's uniquely you—then you can personalize and change it over the years as you see fit.

3. MATCHING TOWELS

Buy at least two sets of towels that you're happy to use and proud to lend to house guests.

4. A PLANT

"Even if you're in a rental, a plant will make your home feel more permanent," says designer Grant K. Gibson, who recommends choosing something tall and substantial over many smaller houseplants.

5. A NICE MATTRESS AND HEADBOARD

"Invest in your bed during your adult life," says Gibson. You'll want to choose a quality mattress for comfort, and a headboard for character.

6. A COLLECTION

"Start a collection when you're young," says designer Sara Story. "It's great to pick up things you love from your travels—especially art and furniture."

7. BATHROOM ACCESSORIES (THAT AREN'T PLASTIC)

It's time to say goodbye to anything you bought at a dollar store and upgrade to something with real heft and beauty.

8. A FAVORITE CANDLE (OR THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'RE NOT A SCENT PERSON)

"A beautiful candle adds scent and personality to a room," says Gibson. Of course, this tip is the ultimate personal preference—if adding a candle to your home is your worst nightmare, stick with your instincts.

9. TWO BEDSIDE TABLES

A bedside table on each side provides optimal personal balance (according to Feng Shui) and a mature, cohesive look.

10. A LUXURIOUS THROW

"A good throw is an investment that adds a finishing touch to your sofa or chair—even if they're not your 'forever pieces,'" says Gibson.

Spare Bedroom Solutions

Terms of use: These works are licensed under a Creative Commons 2.0 Generic
License. They are attributed to Maegan Tintari (L) and kori monster (R).

If you find yourself with a spare room, maybe your roommate just moved out or you’ve upgraded to a 2 BR apartment, it can be tricky to figure out just what you should do with that space. Depending on your interests, you can customize that space to be completely you! Do yoga a lot? Make it a meditation room! Here are some ideas from Apartment Guide to inspire you!

1. Get Crafty

If you love to spend your down time getting creative, an extra bedroom is the perfect place to put your hobby to good use. A sewing machine table, a drafting table for drawing or scrapbooking, or a canvas for your latest painting could be the centerpiece of your spare room. And with all that space, you’ll have plenty of room for art supply storage.

If you’re just looking for something new and crafty to try, check out our Pinterest board: DIY Inspiration for Your Apartment!

2. Create a Workspace

If you work from home, it’s nice to have a dedicated workspace that you can leave at the end of each day. A spare bedroom is the perfect place for a home office or, if you’re a student, a studying nook. Even if you’re hunting for a job, having a special space that’s organized just the way you like it, with all your necessities within easy reach, will make the process go a lot more smoothly.

Read more: How to Create a Job-Searching Space at Home

3. Give Your Pets Their Own Playroom

If you’ve got a dog that loves his toys, or a cat that just wants to be left alone, your spare bedroom is a good place to create a pet paradise. If you’re the type to buy your pet a lot of toys to chew on or pillows to lie on, this is a good way to get that stuff out of your living space and tucked away for when guests come over.

Read more: Catify Your Crib (or How to Create an Awesome Cat Wonderland in Your Apartment)

"yoga" by Natalie Lucier is licensed under CC BY 2.0

4. Get Fit

If you like to work out in the privacy of your own home, it can be hard to do it in your living room – maybe your coffee table always needs to be moved out of the way, or you’re always dodging furniture. Using a spare bedroom as your workout room will give you all the space you need to get in shape, without having to worry about knocking into stuff.

Read more: How Your Apartment Can Help You Lose Weight

5. Turn It Into a Guest Room

A spare bedroom that’s used as a bedroom … crazy, right? A nice bed, some curtains and some creative wall decorations can make your extra room a cozy space for your guests. Heck, you might even curl up in there yourself sometimes.

How have you transformed the spare bedroom in your apartment? Share your pictures and ideas with us!

So You Think You’re A Foodie? 10 Items Every Foodie Should Own

Photos (L-R) courtesy US Department of Agriculture, Lars Plougmann, Andrea Goh

You scoff at Easy Mac and Ramen, you know the best spots in town to eat, and you have even tried re-creating things you have eaten at a restaurant in your apartment…does this make you a foodie? Maybe, depending on how good cooking actually is. If you’re serious about creating your own dishes at home, according to Whole Green Love, you must own the following items:

Immersion blender. You need one. I’d have to say we use ours four days a week or more. We use it to blend smoothies, puree soups, make homemade fruit snacks, among other things. I have even used it to make dog treats. I’ve heard people say, “Well, I have a blender.” I would probably kill myself trying to blend hot soup in batches in a blender. With an immersion blender, you don’t need a traditional blender. Plus, it’s WAY easier to clean. 

Butter. I think I put this on my list because I got super anxious today when I noticed the only butter we had in the house was what was left in the butter dish. I need way more than that on hand to feel comfortable. I am currently soaking oats in a butter, coconut oil, and yogurt mixture. Lyla and I made cookies last night with butter, and we cook just about everything in it when we aren’t using coconut oil. It’s a great high temperature cooking fat. And let’s be real – the flavor is amazing. Kerrygold is a wonderful option and is easy to find in stores.

Coconut oil. While I’m talking about fat, coconut oil is a must have in any foodie kitchen. It goes great in smoothies, and I find more and more recipes that I’m using it in. The last few body products I’ve made included coconut oil. It’s not only moisturizing for the bod, but it’s nourishing as well. It’s antiviral, antifungal, and contains a wonderful saturated fat called lauric acid, which is known to increase your HDL (good cholesterol). Find a great source here.

Mason jars and glass food containers. Last year, I rid our kitchen of any food storage containers that were not glass or BPA free. We had some old containers our cabinet that were warped and stained, and I just wasn’t sure if they were BPA free. As more research comes out, they still aren’t sure if BPA free products are keeping us completely safe. Because of that, stocking your kitchen with glass food storage containers is so important. We still have some plastic containers, but I’m careful that we do not heat food in them. Plastic still serves us well when we need to keep food in our chest freezer. Glass just doesn’t always work well for that.

Eco-friendly cleaning supplies. The kitchen is a dirty place. We are always in the kitchen and as soon as you clean up and leave, you are back in there again preparing the next meal. I’m not an antibacterial freak in general, but I like to use a cleaning product in the kitchen that can disinfect with after I’ve handled a big ol’ raw chicken. I use this for cleaning the sink to get rid of grime and keep it squeaky clean, and I made this natural spray to use as a disinfectant. You can find tea tree oil here. Ready made cleaning products can be found here.

Bone broth. Easy to make and a serious superfood, bone broth is a staple in our kitchen. We use it in soups, I drink it straight, use it when cooking grains, and I include it when cooking a roast for extra moisture. If you buy part of a cow, you should have gotten the soup bones which is what you need to make broth. If you don’t, ask your local butcher. The other ingredients are inexpensive kitchen scraps that you likely already have. Here is a recipe to get you started!

Nourishing Traditions. Basically the bible for real foodies, this book includes wonderful non-mainstream guidelines for nourishing your family. It also includes some great recipes to get you on the right track. Click here to check it out.

Quality olive oil. Two things about olive oil: not all oliveoils are created equal and there are many reasons you should stop cooking with it. It is, however, a perfect topping on already cooked veggies, drizzled on top of soup, used as a salad dressing, or in dips, and it contains some excellent fats and nutrients that we need.

Stainless steel pots and pans. Non-stick pans contain toxic coatings, which leach from the pan to your food during the cooking process. Stainless steel, cast iron, and enamel-coated cast iron are better options for fabulous cooking without the toxins. It is possible to season your stainless steal pans in order to create a non-stick surface. Read more about that here.

What items would you add to this list? What are your favorite DC kitchen stores? Share your comments below!