Tips for Living, Laughing and Loving Your Apartment Life
FUN APARTMENT
Indulge in Hot Cocoa All Winter Long
When you invite friends, family and neighbors over to enjoy some holiday hospitality this winter, you can make get-togethers much more fun by including that favorite drink, hot cocoa.
To satisfy everyone’s thirst, you’ll want to set up your own hot cocoa bar. It’s a fun way to change the ambiance of your apartment and it’s easy to do. Put up a little sign that reads something like, “Welcome to the Cocoa Bar!”
If you’re too busy to make cocoa from scratch, that’s not a problem. Get out your crock pot and fill it with water or milk, and then add hot cocoa powder from a box or packets. The crock pot will keep this beverage piping hot for as long as your guests are hanging out with you. Keep it on the “low” setting for best results.
Assemble some mugs so guests can serve themselves, with a ladle as they pour cocoa from the crock pot. If you have unmatched mugs, that will be nice because each person will be able to keep track of his beverage more easily. Remember to provide marshmallows to top off each mug of cocoa. If traditional marshmallows aren’t your style, you can opt for peppermint marshmallows.
During the holiday season, you may want to get fancy, with some whipped cream, powdered cinnamon to sprinkle on the surface of the cocoa. Try offering candy canes, which you can use to stir the cocoa or smash up to sprinkle on top.
COMMUNITY LIVING TIP
Be a Better Neighbor By Practicing Good Package Etiquette
The last thing you’d want during the holiday season is to upset neighbors because you were careless about packages being delivered to your apartment. Check out these tips on practicing good package etiquette.
~ Get to Know Your Neighbors: If you haven’t already introduced yourself to your neighbors, now would be an excellent time. After all, you may find yourself needing to meet with them to get a package they received on your behalf. Or, you may find yourself accepting a package to hand over to them. So it would be nice if you were already acquainted!
~ Check in With the Management Office: In a large apartment setting, the management team can be a big help in sorting out packages. Check in with management about their policies about package deliveries. If you are having a package delivered that they accept for you, you’ll want to arrange to get it as soon as possible. You don’t want to take up space in their offices, especially when so many other people may be needing to get their items too.
~ Be Timely With Package Pickup: We all get extra busy from time to time. But that’s not really a good excuse for leaving packages to collect at your front door, or to allow them to remain too long with a staff member of the apartment complex. Make a point of checking for packages being left for you, especially when you are tracking their delivery and know the approximate time they’re due to arrive. No one wants the hallways to be cluttered up with a bunch of boxes.
SEASONAL RECIPE
The Best Sausage Balls
- 3 cups Bisquick
- 10 oz. K Cheese (Black wrapper) Kaon Hoop, or any cheddar cheese
- 1 lb. or pack hot southern bold sausage Melt or grate cheese.
Combine. Shape into balls. Line up on a pan. Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes.
Enjoy! Happy holidays!!
FUN FACT: Hawaii is the only U.S. state whose climate is suitable for growing cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate!
ASK THE PROPERTY MANAGER:
What Apartment Maintenance Can I Do Myself? DIY?
Light bulbs! Light bulbs are a resident's responsibility. Luckily, light bulbs are easy to replace! However, if the light bulb is in a hard to reach area or you ever feel unsafe, please either leave it as-is or coordinate with us for a fix. Safety first!
Plunge it! Maybe you used too much 3-ply toilet paper (gasp! not in this global pandemic), or flushed something that shouldn’t be flushed (no judgement, it happens). Try plunging it, snaking the drain with a wire coat hanger.
Dish it out! Clean your dishwasher regularly with vinegar to remove hard water buildup that could clog spouts. If you find that your dishwasher isn't draining, we have found most times it's because you simply need to run your garbage disposal.
Vacuum it! Vacuum behind your fridge & clean dust & dirt off of the coils so that it can cool more efficiently. If you have a W/D in your unit, make sure to clean out your dryer vents often to keep them free of lint.
Beep, beep! As a resident, you are responsible for maintaining the batteries in your smoke detector or CO detector. But if the detectors aren’t working, even after you’ve replaced the batteries, call us.
APARTMENT LIVING TIP
Tips for Staying Warm and Cozy In Your Apartment This Winter
As the days grow shorter with winter’s approach, you may be concerned about how much energy you’re using to keep warm. Instead of cranking up the heat, check out these tips to help you stay nice and cozy in your apartment this winter.
Let it shine! During the day, keep drapes open to let in plenty of sunlight.
Layer up! Rather than reaching for the thermostat, consider putting on more clothing than you usually wear indoors. A sweater helps, as does layering shirts. Insulating your body is a free and easy way to stay warm when Jack Frost comes nipping around.
Don slippers! You can start warming up pretty quickly by slipping your tootsies inside warm woolen socks.
Seal it up! Check your doors and seal for any leaks. This helps keep cold air outside and warm air inside where it belongs. Doing so also helps reduce power usage, since you no longer have to heat air that rushes outdoors. Make sure to secure any widows so the bitter wind doesn’t pour into your dwelling. We have some great tips on how to stop drafts around windows and doors in the previous newsletter.
Cooking indoors! Bake more with your oven, from casseroles to cakes and pies and make use of the stovetop for making delicious meals that will also add heat to your apartment.
We at Rock Canyon wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Holiday Season!
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