Feel Better At Home

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We all get that itch from time-to-time. You know the one - the feeling where you just need to change something about where you’re living. It may be the furniture, or the paintings on the walls, or just the way that you feel when you walk in the door that something’s not right. There’s no need to tear your apartment apart and start your decor from scratch, there are quick simple solutions to help your apartment feel brand new again.

It’s easy to feel like your apartment isn’t living up to your expectations after you’ve been seeing the same thing everyday for months. These tips, courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com will help you take the step back you may need to fall in love with your apartment again. Keep reading to learn more.

• Clean your home. It's usually the single best way to improve your environment, and it costs nothing. Plus, even a new sofa won't fix a dirty house.
• Get rid of something. It's free and free-ing. The bonus? Helping your apartment lose weight is a lot easier than dieting.
• Lay off the shelter porn. Just as ads make it seem like everyone's a beautiful underweight 21-year-old, shelter mags and blogs (yes, us too) often feature beautiful homes that can make your own space seem like it doesn't measure up. Work on learning to love your home for what it is.
• Paint. Nothing perks up a room like a fresh coat of paint, and the right color can offset things you already own, elevating your whole apartment to a new level.
• Rearrange your furniture. It's a really effective way to change your outlook on your home, it's free, and it gives you a good workout.
• Upgrade something. This doesn't necessarily mean you need to buy something new - you can revive an old piece of furniture with a coat of paint, reupholster a chair, or make a slipcover for something.
• Fix something. You know that drippy faucet, torn window screen, or broken doorknob? You'll feel better once it works again.

The Once-A-Month Apartment Fix

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Chores. A necessary evil. We know that cleaning isn’t at the top of everyone’s list of favorite things to do, but, if you can’t get out of it, you might as well get into it. Lucky for you we have a fool-proof list of once a month cleaning that will make your apartment look and feel fresher.

The best news of all: we can show you how to freshen up your apartment once a month in 20 minutes flat. Are you ready? Check these tips courtesy of tide.com for all the details you need for the cleanest apartment you’ve ever seen.

1. Recharge a sluggish showerhead: 5 minutes. To rid mineral buildup, unscrew the showerhead and quickly wipe off loose debris with a scrubber sponge. Then, using a large zip-top bag, submerge the head in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. Leave it to soak and move on with your chore list.
2. Unclog and deodorize the kitchen sink: 3 minutes. Pour a half cup of baking soda, then a half cup of white vinegar, down the drain. Set a timer for 2 minutes. (While you’re waiting for the timer to go off, move on to the next step.) When the timer stops, return to the sink and rinse hot tap water down the drain.
3. Tidy the dryer vent: 3 minutes. Sweep lint from the lint trap, and clean the vent under the trap with a vacuum hose attachment or a skinny brush made for dryer vents.
4. Clear cobwebs: 5 minutes. Use the Swiffer® Dusters Starter Kit with Swiffer® Gain Original Scent® dusters. The handle helps you navigate hard-to-reach surfaces, and the lively, crisp Gain® scent will make you wish cleaning day came more often!
5. Finish what you started: 4 minutes. Flush the kitchen sink drain with cold water, then head back to the bathroom and replace that showerhead. Run clean water through it to flush debris—and you’re good to go in 20 flat.

Lunch Made Easy

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Between work obligations, personal interests and all other manner of meetings and activities that fill your schedule, it can be tough to make sure that you get to sit down for lunch most days. Often on our busiest days it seems easiest to just stop by a drive-thru and grab an order of fries - but is that the best way to stay healthy? Making sure that you have a balanced meal during the day will make you more productive and will keep you feeling like you're on the top of your game.

With a little planning, lunches don't have to be rushed. Take the time the night before a busy day to put together one the items on this lunch menu from renters.apartments.com and you'll be ready to chow down whenever you have a moment to sneak a bite to eat. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Veggie-Stack Pita Pockets

Vegetarian- and kid-friendly, veggie-stack pita pockets are filled with lean protein and tons of nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 10 to 12 whole-wheat pita minis, lightly toasted if desired
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup grated manchego or pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 ripe Hass avocado, pitted and sliced
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 2 tsps. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Directions:

Mix together chickpeas, cheese, water, lemon juice, salt and red pepper flakes in a food processor and puree until the mixture becomes smooth. Leave the food processor on and pour in olive oil until fully mixed. Season with freshly ground pepper. Spoon the bean spread onto the toasted pitas. Add avocado, cucumbers and additional vegetables of your choice, and your healthy lunch is ready to enjoy.

2. Chili-Spiced Salmon Salad

At just 283 tiny calories, the chili-spiced salmon salad is surprisingly packed with delicious flavor.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. canned salmon
• 3 cups Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces
• 1 pink grapefruit, sectioned
• 2 slices red onion
• 1/4 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup canned beets, drained and diced
• 10 pistachio nuts, shelled and chopped

Directions:

Combine dressing ingredients into a food processor and mix until smooth. Mix together salmon, lettuce, grapefruit, avocado, onion and beets into a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Sprinkle with pistachios and enjoy the natural energy!

3. Curry Chicken Lettuce Cups

Want to (literally) spice up that boring chicken salad sandwich? Try this adventurous and guilt-free dish!

Ingredients:

• 1 package split chicken breasts
• 8 large leaves Bibb lettuce
• 3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 tbsps. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 2 tsps. water
• 1/4 tbsp. kosher salt
• Optional garnishes: golden raising, chopped scallions, slivered almonds, fresh basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place chicken breasts on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Coat chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake concoction for 40 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven and set aside. Once the chicken has cooled, discard the skin and take the breast meat off of the bone. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Place the mixture in a large bowl with the diced pepper.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, salt, curry powder, and water. Add dressing to chicken and peppers. Measure half cups of the chicken mixture into each lettuce cup and have fun experimenting with various garnishes, or simply enjoy as is.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that doesn't mean lunch doesn't play a role in your health and well-being also. These three recipes can help give you the energy need to get through the day, while staying on schedule. More importantly, these meals help you stay healthy all day.

References:

• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/veggie-stack-pita-pockets-recipe/index.html
• http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/summer-salad-recipes?page=1
• http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2009/09/03/5-ingredients-or-less-curry-chicken-lettuce-cups/