Why Renters Insurance is Important

Many people don’t take advantage of renters insurance because of a common myth: the cost. Renters insurance is surprisingly inexpensive. For a small fee a month, normally between $10 and $20, you can save thousands of dollars in case you have to replace your belongings. In all honesty, I’d much rather pay about $10 a month than to pay over $200 to replace a lost television or over $500 for a new laptop.

Renters insurance also covers liability for anything you’re found negligent to have caused an accident or a fire. Basic renters insurance may run you as little as $100 a year. In my opinion, that’s a small price to pay for piece of mind and the reassurance of securing your precious belongings. This video shows what happens when people choose not to invest.

If you do not already have renters insurance, contact a leasing agent in the Enclave at Crossroads leasing office, and they’ll be glad to help.

Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden

Roses are one of the most beautiful and fragrant flowers and if you are in agreement with me, do what I did and visit the Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden. It’s location is at 301 Pogue Street and is situated just below street level next to the historic Raleigh Little Theatre in University Park. Here you will find a bounty of every type of rose you can imagine.

The Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden is comprised of around 60 beautiful rose beds featuring hybrid teas, miniatures, grandifloras and many others. I especially enjoy this public rose garden because it’s free and open all day every day from the beginning of May until the first frost in Autumn.

In a number of ways it’s the perfect place to chill. Visit the garden on your lunch hour or whenever you can. Sit amongst the squirrels, birds and other flora and fauna within the area. Use the provided benches to sit and reflect. I like to visit there when I need to gather my thoughts or replenish and refresh my soul.

As you can imagine, the Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden makes a good backdrop for wedding pictures or other portraits. Did I mentiion the garden is actually used from time to time as the perfect location for a wedding? It’s possible to arrange this type of special event by visiting the website for the Raleigh Little Theatre.

Be sure to take advantage of the 1,200 blooms happening right now in the Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden.

Photo courtesy of  Marlis1

Mommy, What Can I Give Daddy for Father’s Day?

Are you children asking you, “Mommy, What Can I Give Daddy for Father’s Day?” and you are in a quandry for an answer? Well, worry no more because here is a really cute idea for something your son or daughter could make for daddy and he’ll love it.

Mosaic Self-Portrait

Although the time-tested “Family” photo is always a winner, let’s change it up some this year. Why not help little Suzie or Johnny make a self-portrait using construction paper or leftover scrapbooking paper? All you do is cut leftover pieces of construction or scrapbooking paper into small pieces using colors that would represent skin tones, hair and eye color, etc. Then your child should draw and outline of his or her head and shoulder area on a sturdy piece of construction paper (your color choice for the background). Then just glue the pieces of paper within the outline forming a beautiful mosaic self-portrait!

Photo courtesy of  GingerByDesign

The Enclaves at Crossroads June 2010 Calendar

7 Things to Remember When Moving Out

We all know that moving is probably the biggest hassle ever performed by a human being on earth, but it has to be done sometimes. Here is a checklist of some things you want to be sure to do before you move.

1. Keep a record. Any dent’s, damage, marks, etc. that were in the apartment upon move-in should be recorded. This way you won’t be responsible for them when you leave.
2.  Offer to fix or clean things in your apartment. As a general rule, the complex will charge you to fix things that are wrong in the apartment. Fix holes created from picture hangers by getting spackle and dabbing enough on to fill the hole. Try using a magic eraser to remove scuffs from baseboards. Take EVERYTHING with you!
3.  Clean everything! Clean the appliances until they sparkle! Vacuum the carpet at least six times. Wipe off the baseboards and doors to rid them of dirty fingerprints.

Performing these easy maintenance tasks will give the apartment complex a reason to give you back your security deposit.

Want to read more tips?

Photo courtesy of  ibm4381

Irregardless Cafe….Not a Trend. An Institution.

Put Skittles on Your MacBook

Funny how we all seem to mark our laptops or MacBooks with some sort of personal sticker or even put skin on the outside of the laptop to make it more original. Well, now you can have Skittles on your keyboard. Not literally, but sort of. You can have “all the colors of the rainbow” on the keyboard.

The particular one I am referring to is made, I believe, by Avery and is a special material that will allow you to peel and stick the labels directly on the keys. At the moment, this product is available for MacBook, so for those of us who have a laptop, we will have to be patient. Looks like the price should be somewhere around $14.99 through Etsy.

Get Over the Afternoon Slump Hump

 All of us have the tendency to get sleepy after lunch and toward mid-afternoon. We try to find a number of remedies for this ailment because we have to meet our deadlines otherwise we’ll have all the time in the world to sleep while we are sitting at home with no job! Here are some tips to regenerate and remotivate you so getting through the rest of the day is doable.

1. Take a break. Talk a walk. Close your eyes. Stretch. When you realize you are staring off into space and nothing is getting done, it’s because you need a mental break. Take 10 minutes and go get a drink, walk around, stretch your legs and if you have a place where you would feel comfortable to sit quietly and close your eyes, do it.

2. Make fun or exciting plans for afterwork so you have something to look forward to. Plan on going shopping for craft supplies or new shoes (that’s a motivator for me!) or plan on having a cup of coffee or drink with an old friend.

3. Make yourself a cup of Green Tea or Coffee. Both have caffeine and 1 cup will help you to destress and reenergize.

4. Don’t eat turkey for lunch! Turkey contains an amino acid called L-tryptophan which will make you very sleepy. That’s why everyone wants to take a nap after the Thanksgiving meal.

Want to read more tips for staying awake during the afternoon slump hump?

Photo courtesy of Ingorrr

Happy Mother’s Day!

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”

- Tenneva Jordan

Photo courtesy of  Acbo

Open Up Your Living Room

Apartment living can be a bit cramped at times, but if you keep a few things in mind while decorating, you can overcome the challenges.

Choose armless furniture. This helps to create an open and airy look. It also tends to give you a very contemporary look which is very popular today. Try placing your sofa in the middle of the room and allow it to “float”. Allowing the sofa to float gives access from all sides.

Photo courtesy of  Karen.TKR

Lightweight coffee tables.  Add one or a couple of lightweight coffee tables in front of your sofa to hold objects. Again, stay with the theme of no arms, just crisp lines.

Photo courtesy of Sterling Surfaces

Want more ideas?  Visit Better Homes & Gardens.

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