Keep Your Dog at Home

We know you want to  bring your furry friend to the neighborhood party, but we suggest leaving your pets behind during the fireworks. While typically outdoor adventures would be a great time to pack up your companion, the 4^th of July can cause anxiety in your dog with the loud noises and unexpected sights. Take your animal off of the RSVP and leave them inside where they will be comfortable, and not tempted to escape during the excitement.

Block Outside Sights & Sounds

Once you have determined it would be best to leave your pets at home, create a calming environment for your furry friends. While you may not be able to control how your neighbors celebrate, you can ensure  your pets feel safe by closing the blinds to keep out unexpected sights. Next, turn on a distracting noise to keep your pets from being shocked when a firework goes off in proximity. Music or the TV make great background noise to keep on while you are out and lowers the chance of an unexpected sound terrifying your pets. If possible, keep your pet in an interior room without windows for maximum relaxation.

Monitor Your Guests’ Interactions with Your Dog

If you decide to stay home and find your furry friend hanging around with the grill fired up and friends surrounding you, be careful with food scraps. A few surprising toxic cookout foods for pets are onions, avocados, and grapes. Other toxic chemicals that can be harmful to our furry friends are found in insect repellent and sunscreen when sprayed too close.

Claim Your Furry Friend

In case of emergency or escape, it is always a safe practice to ensure your animal is wearing identification tags or has a microchip inserted. With the excitement, loud and unforeseen sounds, and unmonitored guests there are extra escape opportunities to watch out for. If you know your dog will be joining you for holiday excitement, remember to claim them as your own with proper identification.

We hope that your Independence Day is full of grilling out, community fun, and fireworks! Take care of your animals in your apartment home, and enjoy your holiday knowing your pet is safe and taken care of indoors.

The post Keeping Your July 4th Pet Friendly appeared first on Rosemont Vinings Ridge Blog.

Make a list of daily tasks.

When working from home, it’s important to stay on task and hold yourself accountable. The beauty of flexibility means you can make your own schedule, but keeping that schedule is important to stay productive and produce quality work. By making a list, you can help keep track of progress toward your goals.

Get dressed.

Although a perk of working from home is the chance to wear pajamas, try getting dressed every day. People say that when you look good, you feel good! This helps set boundaries and will subconsciously motivate you to get started on your day.

Set aside workspace.

Working from bed or a couch may be comfortable, but they aren’t as likely to be productive workspaces. Try designating a desk or table for your work in order to keep work vs. relaxation separate. If you don’t have room for an office in your apartment home, clearing your counter or using your kitchen table can work just as well.

Get out of your apartment.

Whether it’s working from a coffee shop for the day, or simply running an errand, plan to leave your apartment at least once during your WFH (work from home) day. Working elsewhere helps add a little peer pressure to not be “that guy” who takes up valuable space near an outlet in the coffee shop. Or, consider going to your local library for a free, quiet space to work. If you are running an errand or run out to get lunch, this will motivate you to set small goals to accomplish before and after the time you leave, adding little reminders to stay on task.

Set clear office hours.

Sticking to regular office hours even when you aren’t in the office can help hold you accountable for a healthy work-life balance. This way, you are online when co-workers are working, and you are available when needed. Plus, setting a time to log off each day will help keep work and your personal life separate, even when you bring work home.

If you have the flexibility to work from your apartment home, we hope you found these five tips helpful. The key is to set goals, stay motivated and find your balance!

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Want to utilize your windowsill space? Try basic herbs like basil, rosemary, mint, ginger, cilantro, or parsley. If you have counter space in your kitchen, this is the perfect location for these little plants. Plus, when it’s time to harvest your goods, you don’t have to go far!

Have balcony or patio space? Try growing a plant that needs ample sunlight and a little more room like tomatoes or a dwarf fruit tree. You can get different kinds of dwarf trees like apple, lemon, or orange easily. These outdoor plants may need a little more care-taking, so be ready to take on a challenge.

Don’t have a great space for natural light in your apartment? Buy a mushroom growing kit online to get started. You don’t have to do much, and you can enjoy fresh mushrooms from your apartment home.

This spring we hope we can spark some ideas and that you can to grow some delicious fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs right at home. It’s easy and a great hobby to get started. Happy growing!

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We understand moving is stressful no matter how much you prepare. Whether you’re moving across the hall or across the country, there are many steps you should take before packing all your valuables in boxes. As experts in the art of a smooth move, read on for our top tips when it comes to moving.

First, there are many factors to consider when moving. Do you need a moving truck? Are you moving into a smaller space? A bigger space? How far are you moving? These are just a few of the factors to consider when making arrangements. Depending on your situation, you’ll need to adjust your game plan.

Before you move, purge anything you haven’t used within the past year. Moving truck space is valuable because it’s finite. If you can’t fit something, you either need a bigger truck or it’s not worth bringing. Plan to donate or trash several items in the weeks before your move. Getting rid of a few items is a win-win situation: the more you decide you don’t need, the less you have to move.

Once you have consolidated your belongings down to the essentials, you can begin packing. Our tip: pack room-by-room. For example, if you pack your dining room materials together, you’re more likely to have a smooth transition and not misplace items along the way. When you get to your new space, you’ll know everything “dining” is together. This way, if you don’t have time to unpack everything immediately, you can easily prioritize what to unpack first.

For belongings that can fit in a box, we suggest purchasing cardboard moving boxes. Using boxes you already own can be tempting, but often aren’t as sturdy and are difficult to carry. Moving boxes are great for stacking and can uniformly fit in a moving truck or car. Be sure to label every box on the top and at least one side so you can easily spot your organized boxes every time. Also, use smaller boxes for heavier items. When you put heavy items in large boxes, it can be tempting to fill the box to the point where it becomes too heavy to carry.

Aside from packing, there are a few steps you will need to take to make sure your bills and other utilities are covered during the move. Try scheduling your disconnect times so you are strategically covered in both homes with as little overlap as possible. Sometimes your apartment home management will take care of this for you, but you should always double check. You should also change your permanent address before you move so you continue to get any outstanding bills at the correct location.

Want a pain-free moving experience? Try using a professional moving company! If you’re looking for suggestions, contact our leasing center and we can provide assistance. We hope this has been a helpful guide and we wish all our residents (past, present and future) a successful move!

The post Our Moving Tips appeared first on Rosemont Vinings Ridge Blog.

Trick or Treat! Halloween is a few days away and we know most people are in a panic to create a last-minute costume. No matter your level of creativity, we’ve made a list of a few easy costume ideas for all ages and even a few suggestions for pets. Read below for some creative (and easy) Halloween costume suggestions!

Costume: Gumball Machine

What you’ll need:

Multicolor pom poms

A black/white top

Red skirt/pants (the gumball machine)

Black felt (the 25-cent coin slot)

Glue gun and sticks

Steps: Hot glue the pom poms to the shirt to create the “gumball” portion. Use the felt to cut out and create the 25-cent slot. Glue the “money slot” on the red skirt/pants to create the “machine/stand” portion.

Costume: Harry Potter

What you’ll need:

Red and gold striped scarf

Black, round, glasses

Red face paint

Black robe

Steps: Draw a lightening bolt shaped scar on forehead. Throw on the robes, scarf, and glasses, and poof! You’re a Hogwarts legend.

Costume: Holy Guacamole

What you’ll need:

Green t-shirt

Printed photos of avocados

Angel wings

Halo

Steps: Glue printed photos of avocados to a green shirt. Add angel attire and now you’re the puniest person at the party.

Costume: Bunch of Grapes

What you’ll need:

Black t-shirt

Black pants

A pack of purple balloons

Tape or hot glue

Steps: Tape or glue inflated purple balloons to your neutral under clothes. For an added detail, wear a green beanie to create a grape stem.

The anti-costume: Error 404

Steps: Find a local t-shirt screen printer or draw on a t-shirt “Error 404 Costume Not Found.” This is a snarky and minimal effort costume for even the most last minute of decisions.

Owner/Pet costume: Vendor and Hotdog

What you’ll need:

Red apron

White shirt

Chef hat

Doggie hotdog costume

Owner/Pet costume: Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf

What you’ll need:

Red fabric/hood

A basket of goodies

If your pup’s ears aren’t ferocious enough, add large black fluffy ears to mimic a wolf.

We hope our suggestions sparked your imagination and that you can pull together an easy and creative Halloween costume. Have a safe and spooky Halloween!

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