5 Things to Know About Living Alone

Photo courtesy Mitya Ku

For many people, living alone is best for all involved. If you're not home a lot or just like to have your space and things arranged your way, living alone is probably ideal. As with any living situation though, living alone comes with its pros and cons. Here are some common issues faced by those who live alone and some solutions on how to cope, courtesy of Apartment Therapy. 

1. ECONOMIES OF SCALE
Problem: Generally, the more you buy at one time, the cheaper it becomes. While a family of six cruises through a pot of chili, that much food can get wasted in a household of one. It's also more expensive to buy smaller quantities of toilet paper and other household supplies.

Solution: The Kitchn has some great tips for cooking on your own. For everything else, consider teaming up with a friend, family member, or neighbor to split that 24-pack of toilet paper. You’ll save money and space in the process.

2. HEAVY OBJECTS
Problem: You get an itch to decorate first thing on Saturday morning and find yourself stymied by your grandmother’s huge, six ton armoire.

Solution: Don’t hurt yourself by trying to lift things yourself. First, break the piece down in any way to make it manageable: empty contents, remove drawers or legs. If it's still too big or heavy, round up a friend or next-door neighbor to help you out on the fly. Otherwise, save up all your little odd jobs and hire someone one Saturday afternoon to knock out everything out on your to-do list that requires help.

3. LONELINESS AND BOREDOM
Problem: Even if you have tons of friends, a boyfriend/girlfriend, sometimes being home alone at night is a downer. Everyone likes someone to turn to to express outrage over Ann Coulter’s most recent comment, or to rub it in when you get that night's Final Jeopardy question correct.

Solution: Create structured ways to leave the house and regularly interact with others— especially if you also work at home — at the times you feel most alone. Sign up for yoga classes, or join a book club. Host regular dinner parties, or even low-key television watching sessions with another person who shares your love of Mad Men. Lastly, think about adopting a furry friend. (Because everyone talks to their pets, no matter what we tell others.)

4. FEAR FOR SAFETY OR WELL-BEING
Problem: Maybe you are scared of axe murderers at night. Or, you worry about falling down the stairs and having no one find you for days. These are very rare yet valid concerns that shouldn't be deal breakers.

Solution: Yes, there’s always LifeAlert. And the pet (dog) you adopted to thwart loneliness will also help deter any meanies. Otherwise, set up a check-in system with a friend/neighbor and agree to touch base with each other regularly via text or phone. Ideally, this person will live alone as well, so the benefits go both ways. If one party is suspiciously quiet, either expect a welcome knock on your door, or head on over to check out your buddy.

5. DELIVERIES AND REPAIRS
Problem: You're only one person, and can only be so many places at one time. If you expect a package during the day, or need something repaired, there are only so many times you can take off work to be there in the flesh. There's no one right answer for this problem: the solution depends on your unique situation and needs.

Solution: For mail, check out this post on How to Manage Home Deliveries. For repairs, arrange to work from home one afternoon (again, if this is feasible). Renters can often ask landlords to greet the person on site. If you know and completely trust your repairman or contractor, install a key safe outdoors, then change the combination once the work is done. If all else fails, and you have to take the time, try scheduling appointments first thing in the morning, or as the last slot in the day.

Do you live alone? What to you do to combat these common problems? Share your advice below!

Must-Have Pooch Possessions

Photos (L-R) courtesy Michael Coghlan and Janet Farthing

Dogs are referred to as “man’s best friend” for plenty of good reasons: they’re adorable, they’re always there when we need them and they’re good snugglers. They’re a part of the family and, as such, they deserve their own special spaces and things in your home. House Beautiful breaks down some of the must-have pooch paraphernalia.

Colleen Safford of Walk & Train is responsible for the good behavior of the dogs residing in many of New York's best-appointed homes, from ELLE DECOR's own Karen Elizabeth Marx (and pup Willie Nelson) to designer Kelly Behun (and her Kimchi.) Here, her essential elements for creating a home that's as dog-friendly as it is stylish.

1. Something more fun to chew than the sofa. Great-looking dog toys don't just mean a happy pup; they mean a (relatively) untouched sofa and rug.

2. Dog Art. Chances are you already have a great portrait of your beloved pet—why not give it pride of place on the mantle or as part of your gallery wall?

3. Dog-proof trash in every room. Try one with butterfly doors and spare yourself the horror of coming home to trash everywhere.

4. Pet-friendly upholstery. You might think white is the craziest choice you could make, but durable white slipcovers are easy to wash and can hold up well through multiple washes (and there will be multiple washes.)

5. A "messy dog" station. It should be well-stocked and well-placed—a wash basin with a basket filled with super absorbent towels, wipes, clean-up bags, dry shampoo, and anything else you need to keep you pup looking his best.

6. A faux fur throw. It has design cred, protects your furniture, and makes for a perfect place for your pup to drift off to sleep. Bonus: Dog hair will blend in so no need to be militant about washing.

7. An accessory that lets guests know dog lovers live here...even at times when the dog's in the other room.

8. The perfect spot for the dog bowl. Safford is seeing some of her clients build custom bowl-holders into the kitchen island—no matter what, it's important that the water bowl is in an area where it will not be kicked over.  

9. A prime napping spot...preferably in the sunniest place in the room. If dogs could talk yours would say "Thank you I love you!!"

10. A scented candle you love. Because no matter how much you love your dog, chances are this will smell better.

Photos (L-R) courtesy Wicker Paradise, Ornello_Pics, Christoffer Morch

What are your prized pooch-related possessions? Share them with us, along with pictures of your dog!

10 Apps to Get Your Design On

Photo courtesy Kārlis Dambrāns

It seems like there are apps for everything nowadays, including interior design. Some of these apps are useful tools to use as you are decorating, while others assist with the planning and layout processes. As with any apps, the fancier they are, the more they cost, but there are a few free ones included in this list from Style at Home.

1 Homestyler Interior Design

Macworld Magazine selected this app as one of Apple's best products in 2013. Upload a photo of your room and change paint colours, hang light fixtures and arrange furniture with the touch of a finger. iTunes, free.

2 Remodelista

Remodelista bills itself as a "sourcebook for considered living." We would agree: it's much more of a glorious source of inspiration than a tool kit. The Remodelista app offers daily inspiration, DIYs and product round-ups that are perfect for perusing over your morning coffee. iTunes, $2.99.

3 Polyvore

While technically Polyvore is a fashion app used to design magazine-style pages of clothes and accessories, it's actually become something of a must-have for decorators who use it to make decor mood boards. Best of all, it's free and easy to use. iTunes, free.

4 Houzz Interior Design Ideas

The website Houzz has quickly become an encyclopedia of decor images, and it's also available as an app. It's worth downloading because it's free, highly rated by users and it's quite addictive. iTunes, free.

5 Interior Design for iPad

This isn't merely a decorating app. Interior Design for iPad is a heavy lifter for interior designers (and novices) that creates professional quality floorplans and elevations. Once you've designed a room, you can even do a virtual walk-through. Time Magazine named it one of the Top 50 must-have iPad apps. iTunes, $9.99.

6 iHandy Level Free

Are you hanging a few photos, and you're not quite sure if they're level? Use this attractive virtual level on your iPhone, complete with a retro-style faux woodgrain effect. It's not a carpenter's level, obviously, but it's ideal for little jobs around the house. iTunes, free.

7 Home Design DIY Interior Room Layout Space Planning & Decorating Tool - Mark On Call for iPhone

Widely regarded as one of the most intuitive floorplan apps in the iTunes store, "Mark on Call" is the affordable, go-to app if you're moving and want to know if your furniture will fit in the new space, or if you just want to move your furniture around virtually without the back strain. iTunes, $2.99.

8 Magpie by Conran

The Conran here is none other than esteemed British designer, writer and retailer Sir Terence Conran. His Magpie app is a stylish scrapbook tool, a place to organize photos, and even take videos and audio clips. One of the notable features is the ability to make pretty moodboards and turn them into PDFs. iTunes, free.

9 Colour Capture

Take a picture of anything at all, like a lemon-hued wall or a midnight blue handbag, and Benjamin Moore's Colour Capture app will tell you which of its 3,300 paint colours it matches. It's particularly great for the times when you love a paint colour but no one can recall the name of it. iTunes, free.

10 Photo Measures

This is a must-have app if you're renovating a space like a kitchen or bathroom. It superimposes measurements over a photo, which is quite convenient when you're appliance or fixture shopping. It's also a useful tool for communicating with your contractor or decorator. iTunes, $6.99.

Do You Use These Cleaning Items Correctly?

If you watched the show Friends, you probably remember what a clean freak Monica Gellar is. She knows which stains club soda would remove, she has 11 categories of towels and owns car cleaning products even though she does not own a car. However, the vast majority of us are not that cleaning savvy; we’re lucky if we even find the time or motivation to clean. Here are some cleaning products that you probably own and use, but may not be using correctly. Article courtesy of House Beautiful.

Photo courtesy Brittney Bush Bollay

1.Vinegar: Using vinegar on hardwood floors, natural tiles, and granite countertops can damage the finish causing them to appear dull.

2.Soap/detergent:  Using soaps and detergents can be harsh and damage rugs and leather—it can also leave behind residue.

3.Bleach: The chlorine in bleach is aggressive, perfect for cleaning the bathroom but extremely damaging to stainless steel appliances and cookware. Beware—mixing bleach with other bathroom cleaners can create a toxic gas!

4.Ammonia: A common go-to for its stain fighting power, ammonia can be quite damaging and should never be used to clean upholstery—it can leave upholstered furniture discolored.

5.Steel Wool: Because of its strength, steel wool is great for getting off dried-on gunk and grime, but it's equally as damaging when used on surfaces softer than it, like stainless steel appliances and cast iron cookware.

6.Hot Water: Cleaning metals like brass and silver with hot water can remove the tarnish but can cause the surface to discolor again quickly. It leaves nothing to protect the raw metal. To keep this from happening a polish should be used.

7.Straw Broom: A household staple, this type of broom could be causing more damage than good. A straw broom should never be used when sweeping tile—the straw will cause tiny scratches. Instead, use a dust mop or vacuum.

This article originally appeared on Elle Decor.  

There's No Place Like Home

Photo courtesy Laura D'Alessandro

Picture this: You get home from a long day at work, smell something delicious cooking and kick off your shoes to settle in for a relaxing evening. If you have recently moved into an apartment, but have yet to create that warm, cozy, feels-like-home atmosphere, we (with a little help from House Beautiful) are here to help. Disclaimer: This article may make you want to curl up with a good book and be unproductive for a bit.

1. The people – and other creatures – you share it with

Your kids are in the backyard playing fetch with the dog and your husband’s tinkering with something in the kitchen. Meanwhile, the cat’s napping on your keyboard, again. Everyone going about their business gives your home the unmistakable buzz of life. And that’s just as it should be.

2. All the noise

A house full of creatures, furry and human, doesn’t come without its fair share of racket. Your kid's practicing the same three chords over and over (and over) and the TV’s blaring from the other room. Pots clanging, dogs barking, doors banging, kids shouting, and even the occasional arguing. The sounds of togetherness aren’t always soothing, but your house can feel empty without them.

3. ... And lack thereof

Then sometimes, there’s peaceful, blissful silence. Everyone’s asleep or absorbed in his or her own activities. Even better, you’re home alone. Come in and shut the door against the din of your bustling town. Now take a deep sigh. Ahh. That’s better.

4. The rituals you create

From standing Saturday movie nights complete with popcorn to your annual Independence Day bash, the traditions you keep with family and friends create fond memories — and get everyone looking forward to making more.

5. The smells of good food cooking

For many folks, a house isn’t a home until it’s been cooked in. From the wafting aroma of slow-cooking stew to the mouthwatering smells of baking cookies, every meal you stir up in your home is nourishment for both body and soul.

6. The dings, scratches, and flaws

No, you’ll never be able to get the wine stains out of your linen table cloth, nor will you ever get around to buffing those rings out of the coffee table. And that’s okay, because a perfect house is just staged, after all. It’s an empty showroom where no one actually lives. You work hard. You play hard. Be proud of all the evidence.

7. The endless to-do list

Speaking of imperfections, your house always seems to be one or two projects away from being complete. Once you get that light fixture changed out and that bathroom renovated, you’ll finally be able to relax, right? Keep dreaming. As long as you’re interested in making your mark on something, those project ideas will keep coming. And that’s a good thing.

8. And the constant mess

No, you probably won’t be able to walk across the living room floor without stepping on a Lego or little plastic dinosaur. And, yes, your kids are guaranteed to muddy your newly mopped floors within moments. Getting the house in order is a Sisyphean task, but, hey, we all need dreams.

9. Comfy corners

It may be that reading chair you’ve moved into every place you’ve lived since college, or your memory foam mattress with the plush covers you splurged on. No matter how clean and modern your style, every home needs at least one or two cozy spaces where you can just lounge and let loose.

10. The collections you've built

This is the rug you picked up in Peru, and hanging there on the wall is the painting you bought on your honeymoon. Whether it’s your old record collection or the vintage plates you've found at flea markets, all the stuff that proudly adorns your home tells the story of who you are and where you’ve been.

11. And the family heirlooms

That story can stretch far into the past, too. Whether it’s your grandmother’s quilt draped over the foot of your bed, your parents’ wedding china, or your great aunt’s Chippendale dresser now standing in your bedroom, these objects root your home in the past while you make new stories in the present.

12. Never having to wear real clothes

The moment you walk through your door, you make like Mr. Rogers and change into comfier attire. There’s no place for shapewear, pointy shoes, and constricting waistlines in your home. Yoga pants, forever!

13. Above all, it's about the memories you make

This is where you were standing when you found out you were pregnant with your first child. Here are the marks on the wall measuring your children’s growth. And it was at this dinner table that you celebrated your last big promotion. Every cocktail party, Christmas Eve, or simple Sunday afternoon leaves its impression, making your house a repository for every experience of a life well lived.

Increase Your Productivity TODAY!

We all have those days where we just don’t feel like working or going to the gym, let alone getting out of bed. For those times when you need a little extra motivation, keep these tips from The Young Professional Times in mind.

Photo courtesy David Wall

1. Define 3 outcomes you want to get out of this week. Not to-dos; outcomes. 

The rule of 3 is one of my favorite productivity rituals, and its power lies in its simplicity. Define three outcomes you want to make happen this week. Not things you have to do–actual results you want to get done. This will get you thinking about what you want to get out of the week. Don’t create more than three outcomes. A good tip: ask yourself, if today were Friday, what three things do you want to have accomplished?

2. Define 3 outcomes for every day this week. 

Many of these will contribute to your three weekly outcomes, but they don’t have to. It helps to define these outcomes at the beginning of the week, particularly if you can predict your schedule of ahead of time. Again, keep it to only three outcomes every day.

3. Say ‘no’ to three things. 

Here’s a challenge for you: this week say ‘no’ to three commitments that might zap you of your energy, time, or motivation. One of the easiest ways to get more time, energy, and motivation is to say no to to bullshit commitments that weigh you down.

4. Find one activity that gives you more energy, and schedule doing it. 

This one seems almost too obvious to put on the list, but no one takes the time to do it. Are there certain people that provide you a ton of energy and motivation after you talk to them? Schedule a lunch with them. Are there certain things you do that give you a ton of energy, like hitting the gym before work, meditating, or spending time with your kids? Schedule time for that too.

5. Work on Pomodoro time. 

The Pomodoro Technique is a simple time management technique that breaks your time down into chunks. For 25 minutes you turn off all possible distractions, and then work on only one thing for that time. After your first “pomodoro”, you take a five-minute break, then wash, rinse, and repeat two more times. After that, you work for another 25 minutes and take a 15-minute (or longer) break. This technique reduces the ugly, ambiguous tasks on your to-do list down into something you do in a series of easy-to-manage, 25-minute chunks of time.

6. Take more breaks. 

It might sound counterintuitive, but taking more breaks is one of my favorite ways to become more productive. Breaks prevent you from becoming fatigued and tired, and they help you slow down, step back from your work, reflect, and come up with better ideas.

7. Drink 16oz of water every morning, right after you wake up. 

One of my favorite habits is drinking 16oz (.5L) of water after I wake up. Water hydrates you after you wake up (you just went 8 hours without drinking a single drop), gives you more energy, fires up your metabolism, helps you focus, and will even help you eat less. Flavor it if you have to, but drink water every morning.

8. Capture all of the open loops you have floating around in your head. 

I recently interviewed David Allen, the originator of the GTD productivity system, and he continually stressed the importance of emptying your head of all of the open loops you have floating around in it. Take out a notepad, and begin to empty your head of all of your to-dos, things you’re waiting on, and other ideas, commitments, or open loops that are weighing you down. Once you get them out of your head, you’ll be free to think about bigger and better things.

9. Do 60 seconds of intense exercise, right now. 
The more you think about this one, the less likely you are to do it. Right now, sit up and do a minute of jumping jacks, push ups, lunges, or simply walk up and down a nearby staircase. You can do pretty much anything for 60 seconds.

Decorating Your First Off-Campus Residence

Photo courtesy Posh Surfside

Whether you’re a recent college graduate or moving into your first off-campus apartment, transitioning from decorating a crammed-for-space dorm room to a sophisticated space for a young professional can be a challenging first-time experience. Here are some must-haves from House Beautiful to make your first space a reflection of you (although you may want to consult your landlord on the first tip…).

1. Paint!

"Most rental properties threaten to keep your security deposit if you leave even a trace that you once lived there, but we say ask for forgiveness, not permission," says Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors. After all, paint can immediately transform a space. Don't be afraid to go bold with a deep, rich hue, which will make the space feel cozy and will immediately elevate the entire room." 

2. Get proper curtains

"Nothing made me feel more grown up than my first curtains and roman shades that weren't made of paper or plastic," says Young Huh of Young Huh Interior Design. "Fabric curtains immediately add luxurious structure and color to a room."

3. Start neutral; mix in splashes of color

"This easy combination is somehow always in fashion," explains Dee Elms of Terrat Elms Interior Design. "It will look collected and high-end, even if you are buying mainly mass-market pieces."

4. Add area rugs

"They're artwork for the floor!" says Lewis. "Rooms that have many layers feel more sophisticated than those that are one-dimensional. Area rugs are a great way to help define different areas within a space as well as add a pop of color, pattern and texture."

5. Try DIY architecture

"If you live in a white box with little architectural merit, try painting some in yourself," says Huh. “We painted in black lines that moved through a room to create interest."

6. Go bold in small spaces

"Putting wallpaper up in the bathroom is a small project with a lot of bang," says Elms. "With so many self-adhesive options available, this shouldn't be a problem for renters."

7. Replace the lighting

"Replacing builder-grade light fixtures is a quick transformation that's super high impact. You can really change the look and feel of a space with a few new pendants, a chandelier, or a sconce."

8. Cover it up

Can't afford new furniture and dealing with pieces that look rather dated? Slipcover chairs in something that's entirely your style to change up the look.

9. Invest in your sleep

"You work hard during the day, and your bedroom should be a retreat suited for total relaxation," advises Lewis. "Investing in good linens and a nice mattress makes all the difference in the world."