Declutter your home, Organize your life
Written by Moveforfree on January 26, 2011 – 3:29 pm -So you know how this month we have been talking about and sharing ways to accomplish those new year’s resolutions? Well, January is also National Organization Month. What better way to perfect your year than by getting rid of the clutter and organizing your life?
Now I am certainly not the queen of organizing, but I have learned a thing or two through the years. Imagine the time you could save when you know right where things, are and you won’t have to look all over them. Sometimes stuff can overwhelm you; make you feel buried. Here are some sure-fire ways to help you declutter your home and organize your life.
1) Start out small
Do you have anxiety about cleaning and/or organizing? Than start out with something small like your medicine cabinet. First go through and throw out any medicine that has expired. (Make sure you dispose of them properly.) Take everything out, and clean the shelves. (Might as well get some cleaning done while you are at it.) Then, only put back what you use on a daily or weekly basis. For example, I keep my contact case, contact solution, deodorant, leave-in conditioner and hair comb in mine. Then put your cough syrup, Pepto-Bismol, etc in another cabinet that you don’t go through every day. Try to rearrange the shelves in the cabinet to see if they can accommodate all your daily items.
2) Look for problem areas in your home
Can you never find the shoes you need in the morning? Are your spices in the kitchen always a big mess? Troubleshoot the problems that you run across the most. Once you figure those out, you can find a solution. For your shoes, get a shoe rack or an over-the-door shoe holder. For your spices, try getting a spice rack or these cool spice holders from Bed Bath and Beyond that you can stick on your fridge.
3) Organize your schedule
Remembering what’s going on in your life can be super frustrating, but keeping track can be easier than you might think. Figure out what works best for you. If you are attached to your smartphone, then perhaps a digital calendar might work best for you. Are you old-school? Then perhaps a classic planner might be better. I use a mixture of both. Since I sit in front of my computer all day for work, I keep a calendar on my computer and sync it to my iPhone. Plus, at home I have a dry erase calendar on the wall. Each month I go through and write down everything I know that I have planned. This is a great tool for families as well. This way, everyone is on the same page.
4) Keep, Give away or Trash
When you get in a cleaning or decluttering mood, (Hey, some of us get that feeling sometimes.), you can start organizing by separating your stuff into 3 different piles: keep, give away and trash. Start in your closet. If you haven’t worn something in the past year, give it away. If it’s too ragged to be given away, just trash it. This will leave room in your closet for those new clothes you have been fawning over. If you are planning on having a garage or yard sale, make a 4th pile for “sell” items.
Happy organizing!
Tags: apartment, declutter, home, house, organizing
Posted in Apartment Living, Decorating | No Comments »
Your Green Apartment
Written by Moveforfree on January 19, 2011 – 3:08 pm -Some of you may have made a new years’ resolution to be more environmentally friendly or to be more “green.” Kermit the frog may have said it isn’t easy being green but honestly it really isn’t that hard. What you put into it is just what you get out of it.
Becky’s “Green Tips”
1) If it’s nice outside… open the windows. I don’t know about you but I am a fresh air fiend! It will make your apartment feel great and make you feel rejuvenated. Plus it will save money and energy because you don’t have turn your AC on. Don’t forget to close them when you leave!
2) Do you just like the color green and you want to paint one of your rooms green? If it is a bright green than I would suggest that you just paint one wall green and the other walls I would leave white. This way it gives the room a flare without over doing it.
3) Instead of turning your thermostat off when you leave for the day just turn it up/ down so the AC/ heat wont come on. In the summer I usually crank the AC to 80 and in the winter I set the heat to 65. Turning your AC/ heat on and off actually uses more energy than if you just turn the temperature up/ down. Please remember if you have pets make sure that it won’t get to hot/ cold in your apartment during the day.
4) Does your apartment offer recycling? Some do as part of what the city provides, others hire private companies and some don’t have any at all. If you are one of the lucky ones that provides a way for apartment residents to recycle than I would definitely take advantage of that. It reduces your trash and it is not a huge inconvenience at all. If you don’t have that option at your property you could always take your recyclables to the nearest drop off location. Do some research and find out if your property collects recyclables.
I hope you will find your own ways to go green and help protect the planet.
Tags: apartment, environment, green, living
Posted in Apartment Living | No Comments »
Small space ≠ small decorating
Written by Moveforfree on December 22, 2010 – 2:39 pm -Last weekend I went to a Christmas party at a friend’s apartment. As we were driving up towards their building my boyfriend asked me, “which one was theirs again?” When I saw this balcony looming up ahead I had a strange feeling that this was indeed their apartment.
Our friends live in an about a 700 square foot apartment and they made their small space look beautiful for Christmas.
Here are some ideas I gathered while I was in their apartment.
1) Can’t have blow up animals because you have no yard to put them in? Not true…. just look for the smaller ones at the store. This cool bear sat on their patio table so he could peek over the edge of the balcony.
2) In this particular apartment there was a shelf that the couple usually used for picture frames and such but during Christmas time it was turned into this beautiful Christmas village.
3) Dress up a mail or small side table!
4) Who said lights were just for the tree or outside? String them up all around your living room.
5) Our friends did a beautiful job on decorating their tree! If you have high ceilings buy a tall skinny tree and just adorn it with decorations to make it look fuller. No room to put a tree? Try rearranging your furniture to accommodate it. Or you can always buy a table top tree. These take up hardly any space and are still festive!
So cheers! And here’s to your decorating adventures. From everyone at moveforfree we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas!!
Tags: apartment, christmas, Decorating, small space
Posted in Apartment Living, Decorating | No Comments »
Which floor is best?
Written by Moveforfree on November 17, 2010 – 10:00 am -One question that an apartment leasing agent usually asks you when apply to lease with their property is “What floor do you prefer to live on.” If you have rented an apartment in the past you probably know what you like and for what reason. If you have never rented you may feel like singing “eeny meeny minnie moe.” Before you catch a tiger by its toe you may want to consider a few factors first.
Safety
Living on the ground floor of an apartment building could potential be a security risk. If a thief wanted to get into an apartment it could possibly be easier for them since they would not have to climb stories. But in the same respect I’ve heard of robberies happening on second and third floors apartments as well. If you do choose to live on the ground floor there are security measures that would be wise to take into consideration. If you have a sliding glass door to your patio, you should make sure you can lock it as well put the safety bar down. It’s also important to close your blinds and shades when you aren’t home or asleep. If thieves can look inside your apartment and see what you have they are more likely to take your flat screen TV or laptop. In my personal opinion the same should go for any floor. Thieves no matter how low life they may be, are smart and could figure out a way to get inside your home. In any event, be smart no matter which floor you choose to live on.
Moving
When choosing which floor you are going to live on you might want to consider the moving process. Of course moving in to any story but the first floor might mean a lot more work. Adding in stories makes the stressful process all the more… stressful. BUT there are ways around this. With companies like us, Moveforfree.com, you leave the moving process up to us. We don’t care if you are moving from a third floor apartment to another third floor apartment. We will move you for free! If you don’t live in Texas you can check your local areas to see if they have apartment locators that have a free move offer. If not, you can always hire movers, which may be worth it for you or bribe your friends with beer and pizza.
View/ Money
If you choose to live in a high rise building the view from the top may be an option for you. Imagine going to bed at night to a gorgeous view like this…
You might want to be aware though as the apartments get higher up the rent may go up. Consider a view an additional amenity.
Noise
I believe noise will always be an issue in an apartment building. You may want to decide what you would prefer; noise above you or below you. Personally, I would prefer noise below me. There is nothing worse then heavy footsteps above you. Just in case you might want to start polishing up the old broom handle. There are precautions, however, you can take even before you move in. Ask your leasing agent if they have the apartment above/ below the model apartment vacant. Since no one ever lives in the models you will have nothing to worry about. If that isn’t an option you can ask your leasing agent about the neighbors around the vacant apartments. Usually single people or couples without kids are the quietest. Just do some research beforehand and I think your choice will be just fine.
Reference: http://apartments.about.com/od/apartmenthunting/a/whichapartmentfloor.htm
Tags: apartment, apartment locators, floor, leasing, moveforfree, texas
Posted in Apartment Living, Moving | 1 Comment »
Taking Advantage of Social Media Before, During, and After an Event, part 1
Written by Moveforfree on June 11, 2010 – 10:09 am -[Since this is such a long topic, I'm going to break it up into 3 different posts: How to use social media before, during and after an event]
So we all know that Social Media has revolutionized the world. It has changed the way we receive our news, get other’s opinions, and connect with people all over the globe. It has also transformed the way we market our business.
By now, most businesses are catching on to how to use social media sites to their benefit. Whether you are a management company, a vendor, or a supplier, social media sites can add value to your company.
Social media is not JUST for promoting specials or sharing testimonials. It can be a great way for you to promote upcoming events and/or trade shows that your business attends.
There are important things that need to be done on your social media networks before, during and after every event in order to fully take advantage of the tools that you have within your reach.
Before the event…
Be sure to gather all the information needed about the event: The date, time and who the sponsors are. With every marketing strategy, you need to find out who your audience is. What do you need to do beforehand, to be prepared to answer any questions that these people may have?
Connect
Now, search to see if there is a Facebook page, Twitter handle, LinkedIn group etc. for whoever is putting on the event. Sometimes the event itself may have a Facebook page or a Twitter handle. For example the TAA (Texas Apartment Association) has a Facebook page for their Education Conference and Lone Star Expo. Then make sure to “like” and follow these pages. You should post on the page that you and your company will be attending their upcoming event. Be careful with this though. You DO want to promote that you will be there but make it very conversational and less sales-pitchy. You could say, “Yay! I’m so excited that I’m going to the TAA 2010 conference with MoveforFREE. Can’t wait to see everyone and make some new friends too.” That way you are telling everyone that you will be there and not writing a sales pitch. You should not only post on their page that you will be attending, but post your company’s social media pages as well.
A good thing to do is to scan keywords on search.twitter.com about the event. This way you can see who is talking about it and who else is going to be there. Follow these people and join in on their conversation. This would be a great way to meet potential customers or clients.
Hashtags
Next, see if the event has a hashtag. (Hashtags are used to create a record of groups on Twitter in real time. Putting a # sign in front of a keyword or group makes it easier for people to search for that certain keyword or group. You use hashtags within each Twitter post that has to do with that event.) If this event doesn’t have one you could contact the person in charge of promoting the event itself and suggest they use one. If not, make one up. Something simple is always nice, like #TAA2010, for the TAA 2010 conference and expo.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a strong way to reach people where they are most of the time; their inbox. If you have a email mailing list, why not send out a newsletter or an “invitation” to the event? This way you can not only tell them where and when the event is but also where exactly your company will be. (booth # etc…) In this newsletter you can put links to your Facebook, Twitter pages and your blog. Encourage those that can’t make it to check back at these sites for live updates on the event.
Give incentives
An easy and successful way to encourage people to stop by your booth at a trade show or event is to give them an incentive. On your social media pages you can say, “Stop by booth # 123 and mention you saw this on Twitter/ Facebook and we’ll give you a free t-shirt!” Contests and sweepstakes are also good ways to get people to come visit your booth.
Finally, make business card size cards that have your social media information on them (i.e. your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Blog web address). I will explain in the next post, what you do with these cards during the event or trade show.
Stay tuned for my next post on how to effectively use social media during an event or trade show.
Any other ideas on how to effectively use social media to promote your business before an event?
Tags: apartment, event, facebook, hashtags, Social Media, trade show, twitter
Posted in Events, Social Media, thoughts | No Comments »
Testimonial Tuesday: House —> Apartment
Written by Moveforfree on May 25, 2010 – 1:10 pm -So you already know that MoveforFREE.com can move you from one apartment to another. But did you know that we can also move you from a house to an apartment? Well we can!
Is your nest empty or just need to downsize? Look no further.
Take it from one moveforFREE customer who had been living in a house for over 25 years. Here is what MoveforFREE newbie Ms. Mayes had to say.
“It had been 25 years since I last moved and this service made it so easy and the workers were very nice and worked hard.”
We are happy to make your next transition the easiest it can be.
Tags: apartment, Apartment Locating, house, move for free, Moving, testimonial tuesday
Posted in Apartment Locating, Testimonials | 1 Comment »
Our Trip to Houston
Written by Moveforfree on March 19, 2010 – 9:30 am -We had a great time in Houston last week! Saw some beautiful new apartments and got to hang out with one of our fabulous locators; Mary. (She even gave us some of her fabulous peanut brittle to take home.)
And we’re off!
Almost there…
Our first stop was at the beautiful new CityCentre area, located off Beltway 8 and I-10. CityCentre is a gorgeous new area of town where you can work, live, eat, shop, and play all in one area.
Then we met up with one of our fabulous locators, Mary, to shoot some video of the two apartment properties that they have there.
First we went to the Domain Apartments.
What a gorgeous place this would be to call home. I think the pictures say way more than I could.
Then we were off to the Lofts at CityCentre.
This place was so tranquil and serene. It felt like I was stepping into a spa.
The lease at the Lofts also includes a membership to the Lifetime Fitness Center about a block away.
Also, while we were in Houston, we stopped by the downtown area and of course had to see the famous Waterwall in the Galleria. Can you believe Brad Paisley was shooting a music video there at the same time!!??
We had a fabulous time! Thank you Houston!
If you are interested in either the Domain or the Loft apartments they are both currently online at MoveforFREE.com
Tags: apartment, CityCentre, domain, Houston, locating, moveforfree, Moving, texas, The Lofts
Posted in Apartment Locating, Moving, Travel, amenities | 1 Comment »
On the move this week… Houston!
Written by Moveforfree on March 8, 2010 – 2:08 pm -Did you know MoveforFREE also services the fantastic city of Houston? Take the journey with us this week to Houston, TX because MoveforFREE is on the move this month!!
We will be hanging out in the CityCentre Houston. It’s “Houston’s hip new Mecca for hot retail, upscale dining, luxurious living and so much more!” CityCentre is home to brand new apartment communities; The Domain at CityCentre and The Lofts at CityCentre.
And boy are they gorgeous!! Just check it out for yourself!
The Lofts CityCentre- http://www.theloftscitycentre.com/ (They also have an AWESOME Facebook page! Be sure to become a fan.)
Domain CityCentre- http://domainatcitycentre.com/ (This site is iPhone and iPod Touch compatible!)
I can’t wait to see them up close and personal! All this week I will be sharing with you why Houston is an great place to live and some awesome “Did you know facts…” about the fantastic city!
10 Years Strong and Still Moving!!
Tags: apartment, Apartment Locating, CityCentre, domain, Houston, lofts, luxury, moveforfree, new
Posted in Apartment Living, Apartment Locating, Events, Moving | No Comments »
Two more weeks to go…
Written by Moveforfree on February 15, 2010 – 2:57 pm -We are halfway through FAN•tastic February. This month we are sending out a big THANK YOU to all of our moveforFREE fans on Facebook and our followers on Twitter. Anyone that is a fan or follower is automatically eligible to win our weekly giveaway!
Week 1 we gave away our football prize package for the “Big Game.”
And last week one very lucky San Antonian received our Valentine Sweetheart Prize Package! We were lucky enough to give it to her in person!
This week we are giving away a Beat the winter blues prize package! Including…..
Just fan us on 
and/ or follow us on 
Tags: apartment, contest, movef, moveforfree.com, Moving, snuggie, texas
Posted in Contests, Videos, amenities | No Comments »
FAN•tastic February Week #2
Written by Moveforfree on February 8, 2010 – 4:41 pm -Thank you so much to everyone that has made MoveforFREE.com a fan on their facebook and/ or following us on Twitter! We now have over 300 fans and over 40 followers! February is off to a great start.
One of our main goals for using these great social networking tools is to be more connected to our customers and or future customers. Using Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc.. we are able to hear from you… our fans! We can answer your questions, share your testimonials with the world, and share our successes with the people that matter the most! Thank you!
This week we are giving away a Valentine Sweetheart Prize Package to one lucky Fan or Follower. To be eligible to win is as easy as 1- 2- 3! Just like MoveforFREE.com is as easy as 1- 2- 3!
- Fan us on Facebook
- Follow us on Twitter @MoveforFREE
- Live Drawing on each Friday in February at 10AM CST
Tags: apartment, Apartment Locating, FAN•tastic February, moveforfr, moveforfree.com, Moving
Posted in Apartment Locating, Contests, Videos | No Comments »