Abandon Nest

Building on my article from yesterday, here I’m going to talk about the bad things that apartment living brings with it. This weekend was really bad at my apartment complex, so let’s start with the reason for that.

• Noisy Neighbors - Friday night through Saturday afternoon it sounded like someone was systematically torturing a puppy in the apartment above mine. Squealing and yelping and barking all night and day. It drove me insane. Not only that, those neighbors regularly bang around their apartment late at night. It sounds like someone is bowling up there. Then, they have the nerve to bang on their floor when I have my speakers on at anything approaching a moderate volume. Hypocrites!
• Stringent Lease Terms - When I moved in I actually took the time to read my lease all the way through to see what I was getting myself into. Some of the provisions I saw and questioned including a ban on beat-up looking cars (uh-oh, I drive a beater), a prohibition on grills (which I had already seen on many people’s patios/balconies), and a restriction to five people in the pool at once. They were serious about all of them too, and I was surprised. Also, most leases require that you provide at least 30 days advance notice before moving out. That could be bad if something happens and you can’t afford the apartment or need to move out right away.

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As I sit here staring at my desktop on my computer (it’s the one with the pretty blue sky and the lush green grass) I’m reminded of one of the reasons that I’m glad I live in an apartment. I don’t have to mow the lawn. With that as a starting point, I’d like to point out five reasons that living in an apartment is great.

• No Yardwork - I know there are those people out there who love to get their hands dirty and till the land, but I’m definitely not one of them. Living in an apartment is great for me as I no longer have to mow, weed, shovel snow, or plant anything. That is flat out awesome. It’s not like you don’t get to enjoy the outside. I lay out in the grass outside my patio from time to time, but the important thing is I don’t have to do anything to make sure it stays short.
• Small Electricity/Gas Bill - I like my house around the same temperature all the time. Because of this, I generally have my heater or air conditioner running about 50% of the time that I’m in my apartment. Now, if I did this in a big house, my bill would be exorbitantly large. In my small apartment, however, I haven’t had to deal with that problem. Fewer lights to leave on, less room for energy sucking electronics, and better weather proofing are all reasons the electrical bill is low.

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One of the first posts I made here at Abandon Nest was about essential apartment furniture. Today, I’d like to go over a few more items that are absolutely essential for your apartment. Some of these things I didn’t have at first, but now I don’t know how I lived without them. Now, another four things you shouldn’t live without:

• Big Hamper - If you’re a guy, this is a must. As males we seem to have this predisposition to throw laundry on the floor, on the couch, on the bed, and basically anywhere other than where it is supposed to go. Putting laundry in the hamper should be easy and it will be if you buy a big one with an open top. Another reason for the big hamper? You won’t have to do laundry as often.
• Bathroom Garbage Can - So I didn’t realize that I was going to need a garbage can in the bathroom. I just have the one in my kitchen and that seemed to be adequate for most things. The problem was, I would clip my nails or something and have to go to the kitchen to do it. Gross. So I got a small garbage can for the bathroom and things were much better.
• Night Table - A night table is awesome to have. Why? Because then you can put your glasses/milk/book/lamp on something other than the floor. You’ll thank yourself the first time you roll over and don’t land on your prescription frames.
• Command Strips - What are command strips? They’re those little things from 3M Company that are adhesive until you start pulling them apart and then they lose their stickiness. Sweet, huh? You obviously can’t start pounding nails into your apartment wall, so consider these as an alternative. Along with the adhesive comes several different tops including pegs and shelf brackets.

There you have it. Make sure you get these things and, if you know any other items, leave a comment telling everyone what you think they need. Happy shopping.

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