Living the city makes people lazy – so they say. Whether or not this is true, the fact remains that there really is no excuse for you to hole yourself up inside your home during your free time. The city offers so much in terms of leisurely activities – you only need to open yourself up to the possibilities.
Museums and galleries. Most cities have a proliferation of art galleries, museums, and exhibits. Some are long term while others are temporary. Just check out local web sites and you can fill your weekends with culture and art.
Flea markets. You never know what you will find in flea markets. Just go ahead and be ready to sweat it out and discover some great finds.
Parks. The trend is for cities to go green. The chances are that you’ll find at least one park in any city. If you like the outdoors, then a walk in the park will do you much good. You can even do this on week days after work.
Filed under: Recreation And Sports, Travel And Leisure, Urban Living by admin on Sunday, September 12, 2010 | Social tagging: art galleries > leisure > museums > parks > shopping > Urban Living
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Not everyone likes carpets, but they certainly can add comfort, beauty, and value to your urban dwelling. Anyone who has had carpets in the past would know that keeping them clean can prove to be quite a task at times. This is especially true if your home is a small place. You can always opt to have someone clean it professionally, but that could cost a good bit of money.
In order to keep your carpet/s clean and “healthy,” check out these tips. By following them, you can also lessen the frequency of calling in professional cleaners – maybe even totally avoid having to do so.
- Purchase a steam cleaner. There are relatively affordable units these days. You don’t have to steam clean your carpet weekly. Once a month, or even less, will do.
- Vacuum clean your carpet regularly. Make sure you use the vacuum after using the steam cleaner.
- Choose carpet cleaning materials carefully. Make sure that the solvent will not damage your carpet. It may seem like a no brainer, but do read the cleaning instructions very carefully.
Filed under: Home And Family, Urban Living by admin on Saturday, August 7, 2010 | Social tagging: carpets > cleaning tips > home decorating
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When choosing an urban neighborhood to move to, what factors help you make your decision? These factors will, of course, vary from one person to another; but what you ought to realize is that you need to list down the conditions that absolutely have to be met. Call these conditions your non-negotiables, if you will.
To give you an idea, here is a sample list of non-negotiables.
BUILDING FACILITIES
- 24-hour security
- Gym
- Broadband Internet connection
NEARBY ESTABLISHMENTS
- A supermarket or grocery store
- A mall
- A hospital or clinic
As mentioned above, these lists are only examples. As you mull over the idea of moving to a new neighborhood, why don’t you pay particular attention to the things that you cannot live without? Doing so will only help you make sure that you will be content and comfortable in your new surroundings. So tell me, what do you have on your list of non-negotiables?
Filed under: Recreation And Sports, Travel And Leisure, Urban Living by admin on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 | Social tagging: amenities > choosing a home > facilities > neighborhood
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Whether you live in the suburbs, the city, or the country, it is important that you attempt to adopt a sustainable lifestyle. We owe it to the environment and to our children. Some say that it might be more difficult to live a sustainable lifestyle if you are in an urban setting, but this cannot be further from the truth. Take a look at these easy tips for sustainable urban living.
- Frequent farmer’s markets instead of supermarkets. Supporting farmers will help them continue their trade, which is better for the environment.
- Walk or use your bike instead of driving everywhere.
- Grow your own herbs. Even if you don’t have a lot of space, you can use your window sills for this. If you have more room, try your hand at urban gardening and grow tomatoes and other small vegetables.
- Get rags or use old shirts as rags instead of using up paper towels like there is no tomorrow.
- Don’t be a hoarder. If there is stuff you don’t need or use – give it away, take it to the recycling center, or ditch it.
Filed under: Urban Living by admin on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 | Social tagging: environment > green living > sustainable urban living tips
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One of the issues facing people renting condominium units or apartments is the fact that they have a lot of limitations in terms of decorating. Most unit owners have a strict set of rules that have to be followed. The walls cannot be painted over, or if painting is allowed, there are restrictions with regard to the color. Holes cannot be drilled in the walls. So on…
If you want to personalize your living space in spite of clauses in your rental agreement, here are some things that you can do.
- Consider wallpaper. If this is not specifically mentioned in your contract, then wallpaper is a good alternative to painting over your walls.
- Lightweight picture frames and Blu-Tack. If you want to put pictures up but you can’t drill holes in the walls, do away with heavy wooden frames. Look for the lightest ones you can find and use Blu-Tack to glue them to the walls. The great thing is that they won’t leave a mess!
- Curtains – or drapes or blinds. You take your pick. The idea is that dressing up your windows will give your home more color and personality.
Remember – when decorating, always bear in mind what will make you feel comfortable in the long run. This is the best personalization tip that you can ever put into practice.
Filed under: Home Improvement by admin on Saturday, April 10, 2010 | Social tagging: decorating > home decorating > wallpaper
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With the proliferation of restaurants, diners, and other eateries in the city, it is no wonder that urbanites often spend a lot of time eating out instead of cooking and dining in. Which is better?
I suppose that it really depends on several factors.
One, are you single or do you live with others? If you live with other people, you might be better off buying groceries and cooking at home. The cost of regularly eating out can easily diminish your budget.
Two, where do you like to eat? Do you like upscale restaurants or are you okay with little eateries or diners? While it may not be totally cheap to eat at the latter, if you prefer them, then you might be able to afford to eat out more.
Three, do you know how to cook? Well, that’s a no brainer. If you can’t even make a hard boiled egg, then you have no choice but to eat out. Then again, if you really want to make some savings, you might want to start learning how to make a decent meal. After all, spending some time in the kitchen is not at all that uncommon among city dwellers.
Filed under: Urban Living by admin on Thursday, December 10, 2009 | Social tagging: city living > dining options > Urban Living > Urban Living tips
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One thing that country people dislike about living in the city is that there is not enough “green” to be seen. While this can be true in some urban centers, the trend is for cities to be “greenified.” Not only does this add to the aesthetic appeal of the place, but it also helps in improving the air quality. Inside your condo unit or apartment, it is also a good idea to make use of plants.
There are a lot of plants that are especially suited for indoors. What you can do is go to your nearest garden center and take a look around. You will not go wrong with green leafy plants as the green foliage will go with practically anything. Just make sure that the plant will suit the lighting conditions inside your unit. Some plants need a lot of sunlight while others need the shade.
You can also go for plants that have splashes of bright colors – flowers. These indoor plants will certainly brighten up your dwelling place. More so, you’ll have the added benefit of better air indoors.
Filed under: Home Improvement, Urban Living by admin on Sunday, October 4, 2009 | Social tagging: home decorating > house plants > indoor plants > Urban Living
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Activities that promote fitness and overall well being are the rage these days, especially among those living in an urban setting. Perhaps this is going to be the trend in the coming years, but whether or not it is popular, fitness should be an integral part of an urbanite’s life.
How do you keep fit in an urban setting? Here are some tips that can help you do just that.
- Walk whenever you can. One of the perks of living in the center of things is that most every necessary establishment is within walking distance. You can walk to the grocery store or supermarket. You can walk to the mall. You can walk to the movie house. You may even live close enough to the office. So, instead of driving or taking public transportation, why don’t you put on your walking shoes instead?
- Buy a bicycle. If you do not really like walking, try riding a bike instead. Many city centers have designated bike lanes these days. You’ll not only stay fit, you’ll also help reduce carbon emissions from cars.
- Use the stairs. Try using the stairs instead of the elevators. You’ll burn a lot of calories that way!
Filed under: Health And Fitness, Urban Living by admin on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 | Social tagging: exercise > fitness > health > Urban Living tips
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Living in an urban center can be very convenient, but you also ought to know some things in order to make the best of it. Here are some of the best practical tips for urbanites.
- Always change your door locks the first time you move into a unit. No brainer, huh? You never know who lived there before you, and you don’t really know who has the keys.
- If you’re going to the basement of your building, always bring the basement keys with you. The last thing you need is to get locked in there for hours.
- Have an emergency kit ready. Don’t feel paranoid, but you never know when you’ll need that kit. Food, first aid, light, a means of communicating – you’re good!
- Get to know at least one neighbor. You don’t have to be bestfriends with the people next door, but it never hurts to know the people living close to you. Remember, urban living does mean you ignore everyone else around you!
Filed under: Urban Living by admin on Friday, May 22, 2009 | Social tagging: emergency kits > security > Urban Living tips
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Care for the environment is something that we all should pay more attention to these days. More and more, we are realizing the negative effect of certain practices on the environment. We also know that development has a lot to do with these adverse effects. One good thing about development, though, is that urban living might actually be good for the environment.
In an article published by Wired.com earlier this year, the idea that urban living is easier on the environment as compared to suburban living. As hard as that may be to believe, the article actually provided data. If you take a little time to think about it, you’ll be easily convinced, though.
Think: fewer cars because people take mass transportation more – or walk.
Think: more efficient energy use for large buildings (in terms of heating and cooling).
So, if you’re still hesitating as to whether to go urban or not – maybe it’s time to make that move!
Filed under: Urban Living by admin on Monday, December 1, 2008 | Social tagging: environment > transportation > Urban Living
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