Posts about DIY

How to Keep Your Apartment Warm on a Budget

As the rainy season sets in, you may be wondering how you’re going to stay warm. Besides the obvious answer of cozy socks and the built-in electric fireplace of your apartment at Acero Haagen Park, there are a few tricks to keep your home at the ideal temperature without raising your heating bill. Add Cozy Textiles Did you know that an uninsulated floor can lead to a loss of over 10% of the heat in your home? You can combat this by adding thick area rugs to your floors as an extra layer of cushioned insulation. Complete the cozy atmosphere with plenty of soft blankets and throw pillows on the couch available for snuggling. Our circulation slows down when we sit so having blankets to cover up with while binging your favorite show or working on a craft project can keep you warm without having to turn up the heat. Even in the bedroom you can add an extra blanket to the bedspread and switch out your sheets for flannel ones for an extra cozy sleeping experience. Make Dinner A sophisticated kitchen isn’t just good for creating a delicious meal. The heat from using the stove and oven can add heat to your home. Not only will you save money by making your own food rather than eating out, but your home will smell as delicious as your meal! Leave the oven door open when you’re done cooking to help the heat circulate and make the most of all that energy. Watch Those Windows Being strategic about your windows can drastically change the warmth of your home. Cold winter wind can often sneak in, even around energy-efficient windows and doors so a draft stopper is the first item to add to your winterization kit. WIndow film kits are available to seal up your windows during the colder months, though we recommend staying away from the ones that adhere directly to the glass of your windows. Curtains can make a difference too. Thermal drapes help create a buffer between the window and your home, reducing heat loss. Don’t worry, you don’t need to keep it dark all the time. Opening the curtains during the day can let in the sunshine to help heat your home naturally. Here in the Pacific Northwest, your south-facing windows will get the most sunlight. Think Small You don’t have to make big changes to make a big impact on the heat of your space. For example, have you ever noticed that the bathroom feels warm when you step out of the shower but the rest of the apartment is cold? Try leaving the bathroom door open so that hot, humid air can travel throughout your home and heat the nearby rooms equally. To heat one particular area, consider investing in a portable space heater or a heated foot warmer if you often work at a desk. At night, turn the heat down by 10 degrees to save on that electric bill. With an extra blanket, you won’t even notice the difference as you sleep. Finally, cuddle with your pets! Our community is pet friendly and while a quick walk with the pup can get your blood flowing, sometimes cuddling on the couch with your furry friends is just what we all need. As they say, a cat on the lap is better than none. Visit the U.S. Department of Energy website for advice on more energy-saving tips in your home. Let us know if you enjoyed this blog or suggest a topic we should cover in the future by dropping us a line over on Facebook or Instagram . See you next time!

Self Care Saturday: Make Time For Yourself at Acero Haagen Park

Self-care is an important part of a balanced mental health toolkit. We’ve previously discussed spa days and where you can go to get a massage in Vancouver, WA. We also talked about the benefits and ways to introduce digital detoxing into your routine. Now we’ll dive into a few ways you can elevate your at-home self-care from the comfort of your Acero Haagen Park suite. Listen to Relaxing Music How many times have you turned to music when you needed some cheering or to hit a new personal record in the gym? The same idea goes for using music to relax. The frequencies of certain notes have even been shown to have an impact on your brain waves. As you start in on a self-care regime, try playing classical music, different levels of binaural beats (theta or alpha may be best for meditation), or listening to this song which has been called the most relaxing song ever. Journal Starting a journal can help you reflect on your emotions and how you perceive the world. This can help you make better judgments by developing a deeper understanding of your reactions to large and small events with the added benefit of seeing your habits change over time when you go back to reflect on older entries. Make a Face Mask Face masks from the store are often full of harsh chemicals that occasionally cause unintended reactions. Our favorite face masks are the ones we make at home so we know exactly what’s going into them. The savings from using supplies we already have at home don’t hurt either! Try out one of these recipes to make the most of your next self-care day. 💫 1 TSP honey 💫 1 TSP coconut oil 💫 1/4 ripe avocado 💫 2 drops lavender essential oil ~~~ 💫 2 Tbsp honey 💫 2 Tbsp ground oats 💫 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice 💫 4 drops tea tree essential oil ~~~ 💫 2 Tbsp honey 💫 2 Tbsp orange juice 💫 1/2 banana Nourish Your Body You can accomplish this in many ways - taking a warm bath, drinking a soothing cup of tea, adding an extra serving of fruit or veggies to your daily meals. Our bodies are our homes and we should aim to take care of them by giving them the nutrients they need and the gentle treatment they deserve. Now that you know what to do and have some helpful tips, it’s time to start relaxing. Take your next home-based spa experience in the right direction with good tunes, tasty tea, a fresh face mask, and personal time with a pen and notebook. Let us know if you enjoyed this blog or suggest a topic we should cover in the future by dropping us a line over on Facebook or Instagram . See you next time!

Pet Costume Ideas for Halloween 2021

It’s never too early to start thinking about Halloween costumes and that goes for your pet too! Our pet friendly community has plenty of furry residents and we love seeing them dressed up during the spooky season! If you’re stumped on ideas, keep reading for inspiration. Pet/Person Matching Costumes Matching your costume with another human is so last year. This year, we’re all about matching with your pet! You can travel to the land of Oz with Wizard of Oz themed costumes giving you creative options like Dorothy, Toto, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, and the house that squished the Wicked Witch of the West. Speaking of witches and wizards, catch the train to Hogwarts and bring magic to life with Harry Potter themed costumes consisting of scarves, glasses, and wands coordinated with the house colors of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Save the town as a gang of superheroes and their sidekicks like Superman, Batman, and Robin - to name just a few. For a more earthly approach, you can dress up as a beekeeper or gardener and your four-legged friends can match as a beautiful flower or buzzing bumblebee. Food Themed Costumes Food themed costumes are cute enough to eat, but don’t let the chef catch you slacking! A tiny chef hat and bandana apron will show off your pet’s cooking prowess, even if they usually munch more than they make. And what’s on the menu? A fine selection of hot dogs, tacos, and donuts, of course! We can’t forget to decorate with a little orange pumpkin costume. Other Animals Dressing your pet up as a different animal will never get old. A magnificent mane turns your regular pet into a fur-ocious lion while a simple pair of black wings does the trick for a bat. If you have a brown or tan colored pet, add some dots to their back with fur-safe paint or non-toxic chalk to look like a baby deer and everyone will be fawning over them. If you have a black pet, you can use the same pet-safe paint to make them into a skunk that won’t require a tomato bath. Fantasy Costumes Embrace fantasy and the fun of a medieval renaissance theme by dressing as a king or queen and making your fur baby into a princess in a dress or the royal court jester with a clown collar. Keep things enchanting with a whimsical set of fairy wings or a fearsome dragon suit. Spooky Costumes There are tons of options for classic Halloween costumes. You can turn a cat into a vampire like Dracula with a tiny cape or draw bones on a dog for an undead skeleton look. Upcycle an old sheet into a ghost costume by cutting out holes for the ears, eyes, and snout or keep things simple with a miniature witch’s hat. Reveal your pet’s true colors by dressing them up with an angelic halo or devil horns - whichever is more accurate. Many of these you can make at home if you get a little crafty but in case you don’t have the time or know-how to make it work, there are a few different PetSmart and PetCo locations in Vancouver where you can find a cute costume. If you plan ahead and take shipping time into account, we recommend seeing what sites like Etsy and Chewy have to offer! However you and the fur kids decide to dress up for Halloween, make sure you take a picture and share the results with us on Facebook or Instagram . We’d love to see what you come up with!

Back-to-School Tips and Tricks

You know what they say, all good things must come to an end and with summer flying by, back-to-school season will be here before we know it! To get ready for the new school year, we thought we would share with you our favorite tips and tricks to keep you organized during this busy season! Remember when we all bought a planner at the start of 2020 and then never used it? Now is a great time to get back into the routine of scheduling out your days! Whether you’re a student who needs to stay on top of your studying or a mom who needs to keep track of your carpool schedule, check out these planners from Target to keep you organized! There’s nothing more stressful than the early morning rush trying to get everyone out the door on time! One time-saving tip we have that may reduce the number of tardy slips your student receives is laying out your children’s outfits the night before. To be even more proactive, check the weather ahead of time so you plan accordingly! Having a dedicated workspace not only boosts productivity but also makes learning fun! It can be as simple as a designated desk or as elaborate as a dedicated home office as long as it has all the necessary supplies your student needs to succeed! Stop by our local Office Depot for this season’s coolest school supplies! Between carpool rounds, homework, and extracurricular activities, getting dinner on the table every night sounds nearly impossible. Luckily, these healthy and quick school night dinner recipes will keep you and your little ones fueled for whatever life throws your way! At Acero Haggen Park, we know what a hectic time of year this can be for our residents, but when you follow these tips and tricks, you’re sure to have the best first day of school ever!

Spring Cleaning at Acero Haagen Park in Vancouver, WA

Spring is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts! Keeping your home fresh and clean is good for the mind and body, especially for folks who are still working from home. Deep cleaning can be a daunting task, read on for some spring cleaning tips to get you started on refreshing your Acero Haagen Park apartment home in Vancouver, WA. Start from the front of the house and work inward. This is typically a gentle start to spring cleaning, since the entryway isn’t as busy as a kitchen. Dust off those doormats! Vacuuming the back of a mat can push trapped dirt out onto the floor where it’s easier to pick up. Organize your entry-way, and wipe everything down with antibacterial wipes and move on to the living room! Starting with something small can break through the apprehension to start at all. Don’t forget the fridge. The fridge needs a clean too! The best tip is to start cleaning your kitchen with the fridge first. Take everything out and lay it on the counter. Toss the expired goods, wipe down any messy containers. Then wipe down the inside of the fridge with antibacterial wipes, or warm soapy water to get rid of food bacteria and spillage. Once you’ve determined what food stays and goes, put it back in and move on to the sink! Lemon rinds cure all. If there are any bad odors in the house, lemons will be your friend! If the kitchen sink is smelling foul, run a lemon rind over the sink and at the drain to get rid of any bad odors. Rinse with cold water. This same trick can be used on cutting boards! Rub the cut side of a lemon over the cutting board to remove food stains and bad smells. If you sprinkle a little salt and baking soda on beforehand, it will be even easier to lift the stains and smells. That’s all for this week! Come back next Friday for more spring food and fun in Vancouver, WA.

New Year, New Goals

Kick-off the new year by setting some goals for 2021! As we look to the future, it’s always easier to stay focused and achieve our goals if we write them down and track them to stay accountable. There are many methods people have created to stay inspired and track their goals. Read on for a quick list of different methods to help you stay inspired, and for a list of craft stores near our Vancouver, WA apartments to pick up art materials to create dream boards, bullet journals, and goal boards. Dream Board A dream board is basically a large poster with visual representations of your goals. The more accurate and focused the image is, the more helpful it will be. That being said, it can be more abstract if you prefer symbols and images that will inspire you over more literal interpretations. If you’re looking to create a dream board you can pick up a large poster board at Craft Warehouse. You can also find magazines to cut out images from at nearby stores like Winco, Safeway, and 7 Eleven. All are within a couple of minutes of Acero Haagen Park! Bullet Journals Bullet journals are a mixture of day planners and diaries. It allows one to keep track and log their daily to-do list and activities as well as jot down goals, intentions, and takeaways from the day. Some bullet journaling techniques allow you to draw out your planner and tasks in a free form manner. There are also pre-structured bullet journals sold in stores as well. You can always find them in the stationary and journals section at stores like Target just down Mill Plain. You can also find materials to make one yourself at Craft Warehouse! Goal Boards Goal boards, unlike dream boards, are more specific and less visual. A goal board helps you track the small goals you have that build up to your larger goals. The idea is to write down on sticky notes the big tasks and goals you want to achieve for that month. Stick them on the wall from easiest to hardest, or really any arrangement you desire. When you complete a goal, you get to take the sticky note off the wall. It’s super satisfying peeling them off as you crush your goals! This is perfect for keeping yourself accountable and tracking your progress. Examples of small goals for this method: make a dentist appointment, make a doctor's appointment, walk 10,000 steps a day this month, go bungee jumping, etc. You can find sticky notes at any of the aforementioned stores. Let’s start the year off on a good note! Hope this article helps in your goal setting! Come back next week for more food, fun, and vibrant living in Vancouver, WA.