How To Travel Tech Safe

(Image courtesy of Manuel Ribadulla Rodríguez)

We live in a tech-savvy age. It’s not often you walk down the street to see people not using cell phones, ipods or other electronic devices. Though it’s great to stay connected, all those essential gadgets can become a burden when traveling.

During your next trip, don’t get hung up in your travel plans because you forget to prepare your electronics accordingly. This article from apartmenttherapy.com offers a few great tips to make sure that you, and your devices, can travel with ease this year. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Take An Ebook Reader. 

If you read quickly enough, spending a few hours in an airport will mean that you'll probably end up finishing that paperback you've got in your backpack. Ensure that you'll never miss out on an opportunity to read by taking a Kindle or an iPad with you filled up with books.

2. Skip Lines By Using Electronic Check-In

A lot of people prefer dealing with airport staff when checking in, but it's very quick to go the DIY route by using the electronic check-in booths that are available in any number of airports.

3. iPods and Earbuds Are Your Friends

Shut the world away thanks to your music player. iPods retain a charge for quite a long time, making them our go to music player.

4. Don't Overpack With Too Many Electronic Gizmos

Stick to a winning combination, like a music player with an ebook reader, or headphones with a portable video game console. Don't carry everything with you, as you'll probably end up not using most of it.

5. Pack All Electronics In Your Carry-On Luggage

Yes, your backpack might get heavy, but this ensures that you won't lose them while you're traveling. You should also pack your heaviest clothes in your carry-on luggage. You can get away with a backpack and a rolling carry-on bag without any problems. I've packed an Xbox 360, a Nikon D200, and two laptops in my carry-on luggage without a cinch.

Re-Upholstery 101

(Image courtesy of Haeckel Haus Co.)

We all have that one piece of furniture that doesn’t match our decor that we just can’t seem to get rid of. Maybe it’s the rocking chair that your grandma used to rock you to sleep in, or the couch that you’ve had since college, either way you and that furniture are in it for the long haul. Just because something has sentimental value, doesn’t mean that it will always match your vision for a room.

Rather than wrestling with the decision to part with a favorite chair, you can always opt to update the look of your old pieces. It’s easy to fit older pieces into your decor with the right ideas guiding the way. This article from renters.apartments.com has all the tips you need to get started redesigning your favorite piece of furniture. Keep reading to get started.

The best tip for beginners is to start with something small. Reupholstering an entire couch is best left to professionals or very experienced DIYers. A good place to start is with dining room chairs. If the chair already has attached cushions, simply remove them and strip off the existing fabric. You can use the old fabric as your guide for the dimensions of your new cover. Other tools you’ll need include a staple gun, screwdriver and tape measure. You can find a full tutorial on HGTV.com.

If the chairs don’t already have cushions, you can dress them up by making new ones. Elle Decorhas a tutorial that requires a cushion, sewing machine, zipper and upholstery fabric. You can also make ties using the same fabric to attach the cushion to the back of the chairs so they don’t slip off.

If you’re ready to take on a larger project, like an armchair, Better Homes & Gardens has some tips. Keep in mind that this is a pretty big undertaking that involves stripping the chair down to its base, making sure it’s in good condition, and buying heavy duty upholstery fabric. A project like this can cost $400 or more.

For a cheaper and easier option, you may want to consider slipcovers for dated or stained loveseats, ottomans and couches. Check out this tutorial from DIY Network that uses a painter’s drop cloth to cover two chairs for under $30.

Living Room Photo Gallery 101

(Image courtesy of Horia Varlan)

We all live rich and exciting lives; we take vacations with friends, celebrate birthdays with families and sometimes even just go out to dinner on a random Tuesday with a group of best friends. All these events and moments are important to us and more often than not we snap a few photos to remember the occasion. A great way to remember these defining events, and to add some vibrancy and personality to your apartment walls, is to create a photo collage!

After choosing a collection of photos you’d like to display, you can add some additional personality to the images by putting them in decorative frames! This article from apartmenttherapy.com has all the basics that you need to know about creating a custom photo gallery for your living room wall. Keep reading for some great tips and design ideas!

Choosing the Frame The frame should match the style of the image and the style of the space it will live in. Remember the art is the star here, not the frame; it's supposed to enhance your image not overwhelm it. Choose a style and color that compliments the artwork or perhaps pulls out a specific color. If you really want the art to be the focus, get a frame that is the same color as the wall so it visually disappears.

Choosing a Mat The purpose of matting is to separate the art from the glass which allows air flow for the two not to stick together. It's also used to give visual space to your artwork and create a transition from the art to the wall. Just as in framing the mat should not fight for attention with the work. A rule of thumb is that the mat should be lighter than the art but darker than the wall. I personally like to stick with a 100% cotton rag mat in white, which is archival (an important detail we will get to soon).

Choosing the Glass Light and moisture are artworks' worst enemies so when choosing glass for your piece there are a number of things to consider depending on how concerned you are about being archival. Clear picture frame glass is most common and least expensive. If it's an inexpensive inkjet print, then this is probably a fine option to go with. Next is non-glare glass which is slightly more expensive and is used in high glare areas that can affect viewing. Lastly, there is UV filtering glass (museum quality) which is the most expensive and comes in clear or non-glare. This is the highest quality glass and is used for expensive artwork and archival framing.

Another option is to forget the glass all together and go with plexi. You can get it with a UV-protectant coating, and it also is available in non-glare. Check out the Apartment Therapy post Framing Artwork: Glass vs. Plexiglass for some great information to help you make the decision.

Using Acid-Free Materials If you are framing something of personal or monetary value you want to make sure to take archival precautions. Materials containing acid will eventually yellow, disintegrate and "burn" your artwork. To prevent this, you can decide to get a higher quality mat that doesn't contain acid. If you are getting the piece framed professionally than the rest of the materials they are using should be acid-free.If you're framing the work yourself you can purchase archival everything from your tape, to your boards, to your mounts. You can find all the materials you will need in non-acid form in art supply and framing stores and they will help keep your art as good as new.

Fatten Up Your Piggy Bank

(Image courtesy of 401(K) 2013)

During the holidays, it’s easy to overspend your budget. With gifts to buy, parties to host and family to go visit, it’s no wonder that, now that the New Year has started, your account is looking a little emptier than you would have liked. 2014 could be an exciting year of adventures and redecorating projects, but it’s difficult to plan these events without knowing what your finances will look like in the next few months.

In order to get ready for the big year ahead, it may be time to start saving right now. This article from apartmentguide.com has all the tips you need to get started on a simple saving plan so you can afford that trip you want to take without breaking the bank. Keep reading to learn more.

Lose the “latte factor”

Financial expert David Bach, author of the best-selling Finish Rich books, advises everyone to determine their “latte factor.” Your personal “latte factor” refers to the small, seemingly insignificant items you purchase on a regular basis, such as a daily coffee from Starbucks. These items may have small price tags, but when purchased periodically they really add up. You could buy café lattes five days at $3.50 a pop, or you could choose to save that money — which adds up to over $900 a year — in an interest-bearing account. Saving money is the same thing as making money, so it’s a good idea to look at where you’re bleeding extra cash — such as daily coffees, cigarettes, unused gym memberships, etc. — to consider what you might be able to cut out.

Kick off a year of fun savings

Here’s a fun way to watch your savings grow: start the year off by depositing one dollar in a savings account. The next week, deposit two dollars. On the third week, deposit three. On the fourth week of the year, deposit four dollars and so on, upping the amount you deposit each week by one dollar until by the 52nd week of the year, you’re making a 52-dollar deposit. If you save this way all year long, you’ll end up accumulating $1,378 — that’s a great start to a savings or retirement fund. And the best part is that the weekly deposits are so minimal that you’ll likely never miss the cash.

Pay yourself after you pay off a debt

It feels good to write that final monthly installment check for a car loan or credit card balance. If you want to amp up your savings, keep writing those monthly checks after the debt’s paid off — but route them to a savings or investment account.

Put your savings on autopilot

Financial experts often advise that you “pay yourself first” each month, meaning the first thing you should do with your paycheck is to siphon off as much as you can afford to save and then sock that money away.

It’s a great strategy, but, unfortunately, many people can’t stick to it. They’re too tempted to spend their paychecks right away.

If you fall into that category, do yourself a favor and take advantage of automatic deductions. You can use your online banking account to have a certain amount automatically transferred to savings on the days you get your checks. If you have an employer that offers a 401K account, you can also choose to have retirement funds deducted from your paychecks before they ever hit your checking account. Automatic deductions make being disciplined about saving a lot easier.

Saving money doesn’t have to be so painful. Adopting just a few of these simple strategies can help you save thousands of dollars this year. You’ll find that, after you get into the habit of saving, the experience isn’t quite as painful as you feared.

Accessories For Your Next Wine Tasting Gala

(Image courtesy of AForestFrolic)

Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to clean up the decorations and use up the crazy amounts of leftovers. Eating all the food crammed in your fridge and drinking all the wine left in the bottles scattered around your apartment can be alot for one person to take on, so why not invite friends over for one last little get together. We know - after the mad rush of the holidays and the endless parties, the last thing any of us wants to do is to host another bash, but a low-key wine tasting party would be the perfect excuse to relive great holiday moments and clear your kitchen of all the leftover libations

Since everyone is exhausted from the holidays, there’s no need to go all out for this event. However, if you do decide that you’d like to take things up a notch, simple and decorative DIY wine glass charms may be just the accessory your gathering is looking for. This blog from renters.apartments.com has all the details you need to get you started making your own wine charms. Keep reading to learn more:

First, make sure you have enough matching wine glasses (you can buy them cheaply at Target or Crate & Barrel) to go around. If you’re on a budget, opt for glasses that can work for both red and white wine. Because everyone’s glass will match, you need to differentiate them somehow so as not to create confusion as the night goes on. This is where wine charms come in.

Sure, you could buy some at the same place you buy the glasses, but what fun is that? This simple craft will add a personal touch to your party, and best of all, you can reuse them anytime you have guests over. Pinterest boards and design blogs are full of ideas, using everything from beads to wine corks to Scrabble tiles. Here are a few of our favorite projects:

Not Martha uses silver hoops and beads from a jewelry supply store to create simple, color-coded charms. If you have an old Scrabble game that you’ve neglected since becoming hooked on Words with Friends, turn the tiles into wine charms; the hardest part will be drilling a tiny hole in each one. You can also use cut-up wine corks and stamp them with letters or other small designs, like flowers or stars.

The options don’t end there. Have some hoop earrings you never wear? Dress them up with beads, wrap them in yarn or cover them in glitter and voila, you have wine charms. Colorful or patterned ribbon, twine or yarn can be tied into a bow or wrapped all the way around the stems. For something more permanent, spray paint the bases with chalkboard paint and give each guest a piece of chalk when they arrive.

No matter which project you choose, don’t forget the last – and most fun – step: sipping wine from the finished product.