5 Facts About Renters Insurance

"Student Rental Apartment" by State Farm is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Whether you’re moving into an apartment for the first time or have lived in one for years, is renters insurance something you are considering? It may be lower on your list after car or life insurance, but coverage for renters is something that relatively inexpensive that could pay off big time. Here are some things to consider about renters insurance, courtesy of Apartment Guide.

1. Your landlord’s policy doesn’t cover your personal property. Often, renters assume that their property’s insurance policy covers them in the event of trouble, such as a fire, flood, power outage that damages personal property, or burglary. Only when the worst happens do they discover that the landlord’s policy only covers the building, not the tenant’s personal property. Renters insurance protects you against financial loss, providing money you can use to replace or repair your personal belongings. Typically, a landlord will only reimburse a tenant for personal property if the damage or loss resulted from the landlord’s negligence. Check your lease for a clause that discusses insurance for renters, as many landlords include this as part of the standard apartment lease contract.

2. You need liability protection. Accidents happen, and even as a tenant, you may be liable for personal injuries affecting your guests or neighbors. For example, if a guest slips and falls in your apartment they may seek injury compensation from you. Likewise, if your pet bites a neighbor or the mailman, you could face a liability lawsuit. The same applies to common household mishaps, such as overflowing tubs that send water gushing down over a neighbor’s personal belongings. Renters insurance provides financial protection for such situations.

3. Replacement costs can be high. Maybe you don’t have many valuable possessions. Perhaps your television is an older model and you purchased your couch second-hand. Even in such cases, replacement costs can be high, and renters insurance provides a way for you to replace your possessions without undue stress or financial hardship. While replacing one or two items might not break the bank, consider the cost of replacing all or most of your belongings after a fire or flood. According to Bankrate.com, the cost to replace the personal property in a one-bedroom apartment with a single occupant would easily exceed $13,000.

4. Renters insurance can be inexpensive. While renters insurance premiums do vary, policies are generally priced to minimize their cost and fit tight budgets. In fact, many policies cost less than $1 per day. If that’s not enough encouragement for you, consider that policies are usually dependent on the estimated value of your household possessions and the typical risks you face. For example, if you don’t need flood insurance, your premiums may be less than those paid by renters in flood zones. Additionally, if money is tight, some people opt for higher deductibles, which typically result in lower premiums. While this strategy can lower premiums, keep in mind that you have to pay the deductible in the event of a claim. For example, if you have a $500 deductible and experience $5,000 in losses, you will have to pay that $500 out of pocket. Opting for a higher premium instead may be a better option if coming up with a lump sum of cash will be difficult when you’re filing a claim.

5. Replacement cost policies give more bang for your buck. Some renters insurance policies provide actual cash value in the event of a claim. This means that the insurance company will pay what your property was worth at the time of the theft, damage, or loss. Since personal property depreciates, this could leave you very low on funds for replacing your property with brand new purchases. In contrast, replacement cost or replacement value policies pay the amount it will cost to replace the lost or damaged item at current prices.

Apartment Guide has you covered for everything from finding the apartment of your dreams to making the right financial moves with renters insurance. Buying renters insurance is a smart option for every apartment dweller, so start shopping by searching for renters insurance reviews online or by speaking with a reputable insurance agent.

Have you ever experienced something as a renter where you wished you had renters insurance? Share your story in the comments.

Create a WOW Room

"Gray Blue Lime Teal Living Room" by Emily May is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Have you ever walked into someone’s home or apartment and just thought, “Wow!” as you looked around the room, only to get back home and feel like something is missing from your own space? How can you take your room from “hmm…” to “WOW”? Apartment Therapy shares these tips:

1. The right rug.

There's nothing like a rug to really tie a room together. The right rug can help to establish a room's color scheme, add texture, and unify disparate elements. Think of the rug as being the thing that balances out the other elements in the room. Is your room really colorful? Look for rug in neutral tones. If your room if full of smooth, shiny surfaces, consider a rug with a little bit of texture. Texture is really important. For even more advice on picking the right rug, click here.

2. Plants.

The human eye is naturally drawn to shapes that are found in nature, and every room could benefit from a little something organic. A great way to achieve this is with plants. They make a room more interesting and give it color and life (literally).

3. The right art.

No room is ever complete without art. The mistake that most people make when choosing art is that they don't get enough of it, and the things they pick aren't big enough. Take a critical look at your space: if your art pieces look a bit lost on the wall, or they seem dwarfed by the furniture, it's probably because they are too small. You can incorporate your existing art into a gallery wall, or try out one of these methods for creating large scale art or filling up a big blank wall.

4. Lighting.

Lamps (and pendants and chandeliers and whatnot) are important not just because they make a room look cool, but because the right lighting can make you see a room in a completely different way. Check out our guides to picking the right lighting for your living room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen.

5. Textiles.

Textiles are what make a room seem warm and comfy and inviting. Throw pillows, blankets, curtains — these are the things that make the difference between a really pretty showroom floor and a home. If the only thing on your windows right now is blinds, adding at least a roman shade will help your whole room seem cozier and more complete. And pillows and throws are a gimme. Use them to make tiny tweaks to your space. Need more color? A little texture? A little shine? Add some pillows. Bam. Done.

What else would you add to this list?

12 Things You Should Never Get Rid Of

"25/365 - Organization" by Becky Wetherington is licensed under CC BY 2.0

No, we don’t want to turn you into a hoarder, but when downsizing or moving, there are certain things you should keep. Some of these things contain personal information and some are sentimental, and you may not need to keep these items forever, unless they share special value to you. House Beautiful provides us with a list of the essentials:

1. Family heirlooms. “Sterling silver candlesticks from your great, great grandmother should make the cut,” says Professional Organizer, Barbara Reich. “Evaluate these and again, which ones are truly meaningful to you and your family currently?” advises Watson. “Which ones do you truly love and value? These are the ones to keep and take with you to your new home.”

2. Electronics of any sort.  At least until you've completely wiped out all your personal information.  “I can't tell you the number of people who go on massive de-cluttering binges and don't take the time to clear all their personal information,” warns professional organizer and owner of Metropolitan Organizing, Geralin Thomas, who also worked on A&E’s Hoarders.

3. Photographs. “You may need to digitize these, but you don’t want to lose them,” says Reich.

4. Important Papers. “It’s important to let go of as much paper that you have accumulated as possible,” says organizing expert and owner of Supreme Organization, Jodie Watson. “However, you will need to keep the following documents so don’t purge these: Birth & Death Records, Marriage Licenses, Divorce Decrees, SS Cards, Pension Plan Documents, Medical Records, Insurance Policies, Passports, Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney Documents, Property Deeds, Investment Records, Education Records, Diplomas, Military Service Records and Vehicle Titles.“

5. Landline phones. You never know when you’ll run out of battery or service. “Keep at least one,” says Thomas.

6. Collections.  “You have obviously enjoyed collecting these items, so select your favorite few (3-5) that you love and value above all the rest,” says Watson. Whether it be dolls or vintage cars, it better to display and enjoy a few than to have them boxed away in storage.

7. Fine Jewelry AND the boxes they came in. “Having a piece of jewelry, in it's original box adds value when/if reselling it and keeps the piece of jewelry in mint condition,” says Thomas.

8. Basic kitchen and bathroom supplies. BUT only what you need—Pots and pans, a good quality chef’s knife, spatula, wooden spoon, blender, sheets and towels.  “You have duplicates you can leave behind, but make sure you have the basics with you,” says Reich.  And for the bathroom? “You should bring two sets of sheets per bed (one on the bed, one to change) and 4 towels per person.”

9. Unique, decorative items and sentimental items that bring back precious memories.  “A lock of hair from your child’s first haircut, the medal you won for running a marathon, etc.” says Reich. “These are items that you would not be able to replace and that hold a high sentimental value for you,” says Watson.

10. Emergency supplies. “Radio, landline phone, batteries, flashlight, first aid kit,” should all be on hand advises Reich. “And if you don’t have emergency supplies, now is the time to get them!”

11. Tags from expensive handbags. “When or if  you are consigning this will help prove authenticity and brings a much better price,” explains Thomas.

12. Medication and toiletries that haven’t yet expired. These can be expensive! Most importantly, “medication taken daily should be kept with you during the move,” says Reich

How do you tell what is TRULY meaningful? Watson shares her favorite trick. “In any given category, let’s say artwork that you have hung on the wall, ask this question, ‘If I could only take 3 pieces with me, which 3 would they be?’ With books, the question might be, ‘If I can only take 20 with me, which 20 would they be?’ This will help you discover the ones that are more meaningful than the others. These are the ones to take with you, the rest are negotiable.

Plan a Labor Day Bike Picnic

"Ross Eurosport and a Batavus" by Jason McDowell is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Labor Day may be the unofficial end of summer, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the most of the day off! Your apartment is located close to a lot of fantastic trails and outdoor areas, so why not plan your traditional Labor Day picnic in a scenic spot, and enjoy the exercise and weather on the way there? The Kitchn offers these useful tips for an enjoyable afternoon bike picnic:

Picnic Food Tips

1. Pick sturdy foods. The key to a good bike picnic is bringing packable foods that can survive a bumpy journey. For example, fragile lemon tarts aren't quite as bike-friendly as a dense chocolate cake.

2. Go with variety. As with any outdoor eating menu, I think smaller is better, and having an assortment of small dishes makes the food easier to pack as well as more entertaining to eat.

3. Think versatility. An assortment of good cheese and a loaf of bread will always go far. Throw in some fresh basil and an avocado and you've got yourself the fixings for a lovely picnic sandwich. I also love bring along easy-to-pack things like olive tapenade, as it works well as a spread or as a dip for vegetables.

4. Protect fragile purchases. For picnics that are based off of market foods - think a bunch of fresh fruit and vegetables - just be sure to take a few reusable containers with you to the market. That way, your purchases are easily transportable and won't get crushed and bruised during your journey.

Don't Forget Drinks

You can't have a good picnic without something fun to drink now can you? Beer and wine are easy, just make sure you have an opener with you. If you're in the mood for cocktails, the easiest is to prepare a mixer at home, which you can bring along in a bottle and finish making your drinks on site.

For colder weather rides and meals, invest in a good thermos. That way, you can fill it with whatever you like: coffee, hot chocolate, or maybe even apple cider with a little bourbon?

Essential Bike Picnic Tools

The first essential thing to remember about a picnic à vélo is that you want to be packing things that are unbreakable. That means investing in good utensils and dishes that are lightweight and reusable but won't get crushed when you pack them.

My personal cycle picnic pack includes:

• Swiss Army knife
• reusable cups
• reusable silverware
• something to eat out of
• tea towel for use as a small tablecloth
• lightweight wooden cheeseboard, perfect for serving and cutting on
• if room allows, a blanket or sheet is always a worthwhile item to bring along

Bicycle picnics are the perfect blend of exercise, fresh air, relaxation, and simple but good food. These tips will make planning and packing for your next picnic ride a snap!

Create a Zen Bedroom

"Bedroom Curtains" by Emily May is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Your bedroom should be a place where you feel relaxed and ready to rest, and your decor will influence your pre-bedtime mindset. Remember as a kid when your mom told you not to study in bed? That was because you would either fall asleep, or not be able to sleep other nights when you didn’t have to study. The same goes for adulthood--your bedroom should be a work-free zone! Here are some other tips from Apartment Therapy on bringing calm to your bedroom.

1. Be natural. Check the tags on your sheets, blankets, pillow covers. Are they of natural fibers? If not, seek out some good, basic sets of natural fiber bedding. Take it a step further with the mattress and your pillows, though this can get pricey. Also consider the materials of your furnishings and rugs. Are there a lot of synthetics like plastic and polystyrene furnishing your bedroom or natural materials like wood and wool?

2. Unplug. Banish electronics from the bedroom. Seriously. That means phones, computers, television. Nothing sucks the lovely out of a bedroom faster than electronic devices. If it plugs in, take it out (except the reading lamps, of course). You'll get better sleep and your room will be a calm respite from digital life.

3. Keep it clean… Furnish and decorate sparely. And clean often. If things are kept simple as far as furnishings and decor, it should be a rather quick job to clean the bedroom. Wash linens at least once weekly and be sure to dust between the head of the bed and the wall.

4. …and serene. Are natural woods and cool colors relaxing to you? Then use them in the decor of your bedroom. Prefer deep, dark black or brown? Incorporate that. Whatever puts you at ease, use it in the decor of your bedroom.

5. Get personal. This is the room for displaying cherished personal possessions. Have an heirloom wedding pic of your ancestors? That could also be well-suited here. If you have personal items you've collected but don't feel comfortable displaying front and center in the living room, make your bedroom the place for these things. The bedroom's a private area of the home and it will make you happy to see things in it that are meaningful to you but perhaps not to everyone.

What do you use to create your bedroom zen? Share your tips with us!

Decorating Myths Debunked

We’ve all heard the famous “no white pants after Labor Day,” but there are plenty of myths floating around about home decor, too. Ultimately, your decor is your choice and should be a reflection of you and what makes you happy. However, if you’re curious about some common interior design fact and fiction, Elle Decor (courtesy of House Beautiful) will give you the truth.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: Throw pillows must appear in odd numbers only

REALITY: It's more about what you feel works in the room. Here, in a Long Island home, designer Robert Stilin alternates two pairs of pillows in a similar color scheme for a look that's perfectly serene and symmetrical.

Photo courtesy Simon Upton

MYTH: Trends should be incorporated only in the form of small, replaceable accessories

REALITY: If a trend—say, metallics—speaks to you, you should feel full license to use it with abandon. Here, Jean-Louis Deniot's hammered silver kitchen cabinets show that going big on a trend you love can end up being the most show-stopping part of a home.

Photo courtesy William Abranowicz

MYTH: Collections are only meant to be decorative

REALITY: A collection can be something as simple, beloved, and downright useful as a stack of magazines, as seen here in Eric Hughes and Nathan Turner's Malibu apartment.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: Choose one pattern to be the star of the room

REALITY: Through artful pairing you can feature two, three—even five!—fabulous patterns as long as you keep the color scheme similar, and get creative with scale.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: Your ceilings must be white

REALITY: A dramatic color can actually draw the eye upward, plus it gives you an extra surface to make a major impression, as Richard Mishaan illustrates in a Westchester home.

Photo courtesy Eric Piasecki

MYTH: All 4 chair legs must be on (or off) the rug

REALITY: It's more important that the space can morph and adapt to however guests configure themselves. In Michael Leva's Manhattan apartment, a flexible seating arrangement is constantly in flux to make room for everything from cocktail to dance parties.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: All "ugly" architecture must be hidden

REALITY: Even something like exposed ductwork, as seen here in a D.C. apartment decorated by Nestor Santa Cruz, can be embraced for what it is. "It gives a rhythm and movement that flows through the rooms," says Santa Cruz. Something to consider before taking on a massive cover-up process.

Photo courtesy Richard Powers

MYTH: All artwork must be at eye level

REALITY: Art can live wherever it feels at home—to your eye, at least. In Susan Hable Smith's Georgia home, a piece tucked up at the top corner of the room offers a moment of surprise beauty, while silk screens and drawings add pizzazz even from the floor.

Photo courtesy Richard Powers

MYTH: Once is enough, when it comes to a busy pattern

REALITY: If you truly love a pattern, why limit it to only one surface? In Alex Papachristidis's Manhattan apartment, the same cotton fabric covers the walls, sofa, canopy, and curtains...and still looks fresh and modern thanks to the artfully-chosen prints that balance the entire room.

Photo courtesy William Abranowicz

MYTH: The most expensive piece in a room should get pride of place

REALITY: It's the piece with the most character, not highest price tag, that deserves the spotlight. For example, this chair, in William Abranowicz's entry hall, was found in the dumpster!



What other myths have you heard? Do you believe them to be true?

Light Up Your Apartment

Photos courtesy Kazuho Oku (top) and Liz Lawley (bottom).

Often times when decorating, we get so caught up in the furniture and other accessories, that we forget about incorporating a key element in arranging a room--lighting. Lighting sets the mood and tone of a room. It creates the atmosphere of a room and dictates the type of room it should be. For example, the lighting in a home office should be bright and functional; whereas the lighting in a bedroom should be soft and cozy. Apartment Therapy explains how to determine the type of lighting you should have in your living room.

The first step when lighting any room is to ask yourself: what happens here? Different activities require different types and levels of light. A well-lit living room will have three different types of lighting: general, task and accent. These are used at different times of day and for different purposes, and key to a functional lighting scheme it to know how and when to mix and use them.

General

Not all homes have a ceiling fitting in the living room, and if you have lots of natural light during the day, you might not need overhead light at all. But if you have the fitting, a central pendant or chandelier helps to zone the space and create a focus. Similarly, potlights or angled spotlights will create an even layer of overhead lighting. In the absence of any overhead lights, a large, arced floor lamp will do the trick.

If you watch TV in the living room, choose the surrounding lights carefully to avoid television glare. It can be distracting to have a bright overhead light above or in front of a TV set, so ensure ceiling lights are dimmable, or use offset wall sconces or floor lamps instead.

Task

Specific task lighting, such as reading lamps, are important if you read frequently, have low levels of natural light, and especially if you ever work in your living room. A floor lamp spaced between two armchairs can also count as task lighting, as conversation is a task, too (at least in living room terms).

Accent

Low-level table lamps and floor lamps help to create a cozy atmosphere in the living room, especially at night. Evenly space these throughout the room, usually toward the walls, to create an even, warm glow that bounces inwards. Think creatively about this type of lighting: groups of candles even fairy lights count.

How do you get creative with the lighting in your apartment? Share your photos with us!

Terms of Use: These photos are licensed under a Creative Commons Attributions 2.0 Generic License. They are attributed to Kazuho Oku (top) and Liz Lawley (bottom).