Katie Valentine's Profile

I LOVE the X-Men!

I do buy some things in bulk, however I have been blessed with an apartment with tons of closet space. I think the difference is that for me living in the midwest, it's more convenient to buy in bulk because there's not a store I can easily walk to. But living on the east coast it might be more convenient to buy just what you need based on use of public transportation, the size of your living arrangements, and the amount of finagling you will have to do to get all that stuff into your place.

NO! It doesn't seem like it would be worth the time/money/effort to reupholster the old one. If you don't have money for a different couch, then get slip covers, especially if the set you have is really comfy. If not and it's in the budget, invest in a new or new-to-you couch. You don't have to spend a lot to get something that looks decent and is comfortable.

The best thing I did for my small galley kitchen organization was to buy a big square basket from Home Goods and put all of my coffee supplies in it. I'm kind of a coffee snob so it was important for me to have the coffee close at hand, but I didn't like how it spread out all over the counter and ate up most of my space.

Some other things I do to help save space: the rice maker gets one of the burners for storage. I never cook with all four, so it's usually fine on the stove. I put the drying rack in one side of the sink. I keep appliances that aren't frequently used in those hard to reach cupboards that aren't good for much. I use the back of the stove for spices and the knife rack.

I couldn't agree more. My windows are so leaky that the wind that blows through in the winter is strong enough to put out the flame on a lighter. Imagine trying to heat this place! Another "window" that you should check is the air conditioning box, if you have local a/c. If the box isn't sealed properly, it's akin to having an open window in your house at all times. I covered mine with plastic and a blanket, but it doesn't do much good, and I can hear every noise as outside as if there was a window open.

Also check out the heaters! The ones I have are electric rads under the windows in every room. These are very expensive to run and even though I set them to 55 in the winter, they keep turning on, but the heat escapes through the windows and they fail to heat the room. :( I notified my landlord, but fixing windows is extremely expensive and I nothing has been done to help me.

Check out the trash facilities or dumpster. If there's trash spilling out of the dumpster or all over the parking lot (like my current apartment) you might get the sense that management doesn't get very involved. Also, this speaks volumes about your potential neighbors. You may end up surrounded by some very literally trashy people.