Photo by St Gleam (Flickr)

Never Use the Mattress Handles

Ever wonder why mattress manufacturers put such flimsy handles on the sides of the mattress instead of the ends where it is easier for two people to lift vertically? Believe it or not, mattresses with handles were not designed to move and transport a mattress at all. So, if you have ever ripped off mattress handles while moving, you are in the majority of people who use mattress handles against the manufacturer’s intentions. While it may not seem logical, most mattresses handles are only provided for product positioning, not for exerting great force, such as attaching a rope to them and hauling the mattress to another floor.

Buy a Mattress Bag

You can purchase a specially-made mattress box or bag from a moving company. Mattress bags keep your mattresses and box springs clean during moving or storing while protecting against soil, dust and water damage. Many plastic mattress bags have built-in handles, but they are not very sturdy for transporting, so do not rely on them for transporting up a stairway.

Rent a Truck

Unless you have a large car with a roof rack, and you have experience with transporting large, awkward objects, tying a mattress to the roof of a car nearly always ends in disaster –especially if you have a king-sized mattress. It is not worth losing your mattress on the road. Even if you are moving your mattress a short distance, it is best to rent a small moving truck or pick-up truck. Home improvement stores have truck rentals for as low as $19.95.

Use a Moving Strap or Sling

Moving straps are sturdy tools for moving bulky furniture and would work fine for carrying a mattress up a flight of stairs. However, if you want to get even more specialized, one particular company makes a mattress strap sling carrier called the EZ-Sling. The EZ-Sling makes it easy for two people of different heights to carry and deliver an oversized mattress. For $19.95, you have greater control, helping you avoid swaying, wobbling and hard-to-balance hassles.

April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Washington, D.C.

Image: Editor B (Flickr)

Use Vertical Space

In limited square footage, the only way to go is up. Make use of every inch of your walls with shelving. Your apartment doesn’t have to look like a warehouse if you choose your shelving carefully. Tall bookcases from Ikea are a great place to start. With attractive boxes and magazine holders, you can stash away things that you don’t want visible while arranging other things on display.  Installing wall shelves are another good way to use vertical space. You can stagger them on the wall next to pictures or paintings.

Use Hanging Lights

Not only are they modern-looking and stylish, but hanging lamps can free up some valuable space on night tables or dressers. Simply attach a hook to your ceiling (from a stud) and drape the cord through for a suspending lit pendulum. Lights are not the only items you can hang from the ceiling; you can either find or create hanging clothes racks, hanging shelves and custom beds designed to drop from above.

Use Space Under Furniture

Beds take up a lot of space in the bedroom, so using the space underneath makes perfect sense for small apartments. If you don’t already have a high bed, you can buy stackers for your bed frame, allowing you more space for storage. Retail stores such as Walmart, Target and Home Depot sell under-bed storage boxes that are perfect for stowing away seasonal clothing and shoes, holiday decorations or a surplus of fashion accessories such as hats, scarves and purses.

Choose the Right Furniture

When shopping for furniture for your small apartment, look for furniture that can be used for more than one purpose. A futon, for example can be a seating for the home office and also an extra bed when you need to convert the home office into a guest room.  If you have a small bedroom, a king-size sleigh bed is not the best choice. Consider beds that do not have headboards or footboards. For the living room, forego that clunky coffee table and purchase stackable nesting tables that can be easily rearranged to fit the occasion. For living rooms, padded storage ottomans are great for small spaces as they can be used as a sitting stool, foot rest and a place to stash blankets and other items.

Rent Storage Space

Some things just can’t be stored in an apartment. If push comes to shove and you really need extra storage, ask your landlord what storage options are available in your apartment community. Just by asking, you may be surprised to find out that there are inexpensive (or free) storage closets located in your own apartment complex. If the apartment manager cannot help you, you may need to bite the bullet and rent a storage unit.

April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Philadelphia.

Image by: Jackie Leigh (Flickr)

Best City for Single Men

New York

If you have ever complained that there are no single women to date in your town, maybe you should consider moving to New York.  According to a recent singles map of the United States from the Boston Globe, the best cities for single men are large metro areas located on the East Coast and Midwest. The best city for single men is New York City, where single women outnumber single men by more than 210,000.

Best City for Single Women

Los Angeles

Ladies, if you are tired of dating hand-me-down men in a market ruled by women, move west where the odds are stacked in your favor of finding “Mr. Right.” According to the latest data by the US Census Bureau, Los Angeles has 90,000 more single men than women. If you are looking to reinvent your love life, you can certainly reposition yourself in Los Angeles as a hot commodity.

Best City for Starting a Family

Virginia Beach, Va.

Perhaps you are looking to reinvent your life with a family in mind. In this case, a low crime rate, good schools, many parks and fun activities are key attractions. According to US News and World Report, Virginia Beach is just the place you are looking for. The city has the most playgrounds of any city in the United States and has 14 miles of free beaches to let your kids run wild. Your kids can explore an impressive ecosystem of species in the 9,000-acre Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, which includes bald eagles and loggerhead sea turtles.

Best City for Starting a Career

Houston

According to Forbes Magazine, Houston is among the nation’s best cities to begin a career. Home to some of America’s strongest big and small companies, Houston attracts the country’s most talented professionals in the nation. Yahoo Hot Jobs ranks Houston as a top job city because it is considered a leader in the oil and gas industry, and a major health services center. Not only is Houston a good city to reinvent yourself for a new career, but it is also a good place to shop, eat out and enjoy a quality lifestyle that is for the most part, affordable.

Best City for Staying Active and Healthy

Boulder, Colo.

If you are turning over a new leaf and want to reinvent yourself as a health nut, consider moving to Boulder for maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle. According to a recent Gallup poll of more than 353,000 Americans, Boulder ranks as the as the “happiest and healthiest” city in America. Western cities have long been ranked as healthy in terms of active adults and healthy lifestyle, but Boulder seems to take the cake this year based on key factors such as health status, nutrition and exercise, mental health and life balance.

Best City for Retiring

Las Cruces, N.M.

Retirement is the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself. Take your hard-earned savings and start a new life to enjoy your golden years. Located in balmy southern New Mexico, Las Cruces is the perfect town to do just that. Who says retirement has to be boring? Many retirees consider this college town the perfect blend of activity and leisure. This city is for active adults who like living in a dry climate with very picturesque scenery. Plus, affordable housing means you can stretch your retirement dollars for years to come.  There are plenty of cultural events to keep you busy and if you are interested in working during your retirement years, you can always pick up a part-time job.

April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Washington, D.C.

While the name of this television town is completely fictional, there are real towns where cougars live. In case you were wondering, here is a list of the top five cougar towns in the United States.

1. Austin, Texas

About Austin: As a college town, Austin is considered a party town with a hip live music scene. It embraces alternative culture, and while the rest of the state shares conservative political views, Austin is known for offering a more liberal lifestyle. Though mostly artsy and offbeat, upscale designer stores can be found in the 2nd Street District, which is where you will most likely run into the local cougars.

Why Austin is a Cougar Town: Austin also has more single men than single women. Single males in Austin account for more than 22 percent of the population, and the majority of the Austin population is in their 20s. Because cougars often prefer men who are 15 or more years younger than they are, this makes Austin the perfect location for a recent divorcee to get dolled up, go out on the town for some entertainment and hopefully snag the attention of a strapping young lad.

2. Boulder, Colo.

About Boulder: Boulder is the home of the University of Colorado, the state’s largest university. Nestled between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains, Boulder is an outdoor lover’s dream with plenty of recreational open space, and ample opportunities for hiking, biking, running, and rock climbing.

Why Boulder is a Cougar Town: Boulder is considered to be a town full of power singles: well-educated, high-income urban singles. The median age in Boulder is 33, and males outnumber females by 6 percent. To keep up with higher-than-average living costs, many cougars are educated corporate executives. Most Boulder cougars are independent and are employed in middle-management professions. Younger professional males who seek out self-sufficient women and don’t waste time playing games will find plenty of eligible cougars in Boulder.

3. Nashville, Tenn.

About Nashville: It may be the Country Music Capital of the World, but downtown Nashville has an increasingly diverse assortment of things to do. Walk down Broadway and 2nd Avenue on a Saturday night, and you’ll find all kinds of entertainment venues, nightclubs and restaurants. Nashville was ranked by Expansion Management magazine as the number one most popular U.S. city for corporate relocations.

Why Nashville is a Cougar Town: Nashville has one of the highest numbers of plastic surgeons in the country. With 48 plastic surgeons in and around Nashville, there are 4.4 surgeons per 100,000 people. Most people in the city of Nashville have college educations and are employed in middle-management professions. There are many corporate professionals, which include high-income, high-spending urban single women. Many of these urban singles include recent divorcees in their 40s who can afford plastic surgery and are on the prowl.

4. Orlando, Fla.

About Orlando: Orlando is best known as one of the most visited cities among vacationers, but it is also a multicultural, urban city with various industries. Considered a major industrial and hi-tech center, metro Orlando is  internationally recognized as an innovation hub for digital media, agricultural technology, aviation, aerospace and software for more than 150 international companies.

Why Orlando is a Cougar Town: The population of Orlando includes many middle- to upper-income singles living in the suburbs. Many earn a comfortable income and own homes. Divorced females account for nearly 15 percent of the population, with the average age being 35. The women in Orlando come from diverse cultural backgrounds, making it an international cougar Mecca for younger single men who are interested in a worldly, well-rounded relationship.

5. San Diego, Calif.

About San Diego: San Diego is the second-largest city in California after Los Angeles. Rated the fifth best place to live in 2006 by “Money Magazine,” San Diego is the perfect town for sun worshipers, sports fans and bicycle-riders. Home to 70 miles of picturesque beaches, San Diego allows residents to experience mountains, the coast and the desert all in one day.

Why San Diego is a Cougar Town: According to members of Yelp.com, several bars in San Diego are cougar hangouts. Some of these bars have code names such as “The Cougar Den” or “The Cub Trap.” From mature military wives who like to let loose when their husbands are at sea to the restless widowed or divorced middle-aged women that still like to party, San Diego has acquired a reputation for attracting women who consider themselves cougars.

April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Detroit
Image: Irina Slutsky (flickr)

Image: Wburris (Flickr)

What: Washington D.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade
When: Sun., March 14, noon
Where: The parade will proceed down Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets NW in our nation’s capital.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the best-attended parades in Washington. The Parade through downtown D.C. lasts about 2.5 hours. This year’s parade theme is “The Irish That Built America.” The parade was started as an Irish community endeavor by the Irish American Club and is now held in cooperation with the National Capital Park Service. Complete with bands, public figures, dance groups and floats, this parade is for everyone. So take your family out and enjoy a well-planned event where everyone is Irish, at least for the day.

What: Leprechaun Lap
When: Sat., March 6, 1 – 9 p.m.
Where:  The annual St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl begins at Mackey’s Public House at 1823 L St. NW, Washington, D.C.

The Leprechaun Lap is a charity-sponsored pub crawl that includes food and drink specials at Rumors, Sign of the Whale, the Front Page, McFadden’s, Porter’s, the Bottom Line, Recessions and the Madhatter. Be sure to register from 1-6 p.m. at Mackey’s on March 6. The cost is $10 with two cans of food to donate to a local charity and $13 without.

What: The National Shamrock Fest
When: Sat., March 13, 1 – 9 p.m.
Where: RFK Stadium, 2400 E. Capitol St. NE Washington, DC.

Complete with live music, food, drinks and dozens of activities for all ages, this street festival is great for the entire family. The Shamrock Fest is the largest Saint Patrick’s Day party in the region, featuring more than 40 live bands performing on seven stages. Enjoy a daylong festival of rock, Irish, blues, retro and folk music.

What: The Dubliner Irish Pub
When: March 17
Where: 520 N. Capitol St. NW, Washington, DC 20001

According to many D.C. locals, this is the place to be on St. Patrick’s Day. The Dubliner features live Irish entertainment seven nights a week, and a vast selection of beers, including some of their own. The Dubliner is packed with people on St. Patrick’s Day, who watch the street below on the open-air patio that faces Massachusetts Avenue. The pub food is surprisingly good. If you get a chance, you should try the fish and chips, but do not expect them to have much food available on St. Patrick’s Day. It will be standing room only, and the beer will be flowing heavily.

What: The Red Derby Bar
When: March 17
Where: 3718 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20010

If you are looking for a great Irish dive bar, here is one with cheap beer, cute servers and greasy yet delightful food. This bar is as quaint as it gets with board games and friendly patrons who may just buy you a drink. Established as a place to hang out, there are old movies projecting on the wall and the bartenders and wait staff are likely to sit down and have a drink with you. When you first walk in, you may feel like you have trespassed and entered a private club because there is no sign for this place from the street other than a red derby that hangs above the door. Located in Columbia Heights, this bar is not in the best of neighborhoods, but it is safe, well-lit and there is always a big crowd there. If you are feeling adventurous on St. Patty’s day this year, this is one cozy bar that is cheap, friendly and charming.

April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Washington, D.C.

Since the iPhone and iPod, international jetsetters have never been more informed and empowered with handy tools at their fingertips. Whether for business or pleasure, if you are an international traveler, you may want to check out these useful iPhone apps that will make your trips a breeze.

First of all, if you are using an iPhone, check with your service provider about international data packages. International roaming charges can get expensive very quickly. You can always make sure that the hotels and airports where you will be staying have a WiFi connection. WiFi works with iPhones as well as the iPod Touch, and in many places it is free.

Skype (Free)

Skype is free internet calling service. The iPhone app allows you to log into your Skype account to see who is online, send them text messages or make free Skype-to-Skype calls from any WiFi zone. If your international calling plan is too expensive, you can make Skype phone calls to other lines for less than a dollar per minute.

VelaClock World Clock ($3.99)

With an easily configurable user interface, VelaClock is useful if you communicate with friends or co-workers from around the world. In whatever part of the world you are in, you can quickly find out when the sun rises, sets and even get the exact time of three kinds of twilight and moon phases (useful for photographers). The screen displays the country’s flag, city name, the day of the week and the local time.

XE Currency App (Free)

With XE currency app, you have access to currencies from over 180 countries around the world. This app was developed by XE, a popular and long trusted currency site. You can easily switch your base country and as long as you have a connection, you can get up to the minute rates for every world currency. For areas where you do not have an internet or phone service connection, the latest rates are stored on your device.

Jibbigo Voice Translation ($24.99)

This app is made for the iPhone because you need a microphone and speaker. Basically, you say a phrase in one language and it talks back in the other. So far this app is only available for Spanish-English and Japanese-English. Jibbigo’s dictionary contains 40,000 words including certain common names. To use Jibbigo, the user simply holds down the record button and speaks. Jibbigo then translates and speaks the translation aloud.

Ultralingua Translation Dictionaries ($19.99)

As far as translation apps go, Ultralingua Translation Dictionaries command a premium price, but many users agree that it is worth every penny. Unlike other language translators, Ultralingua offers a comprehensive approach for translating words back and forth from other languages, with word definitions, verb conjugations and even a number translator. Individual dictionary apps are available to translate between English and six languages: French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin.

iTranslate (Free)

For those looking for a simple word translator, this free app may do the trick. iTranslate allows you to translate over 42 different languages on your iPhone or iPod. Based on Google Translate, you can switch languages without having to retype your text. Some disadvantages to this free app however, include annoying ads and not being able to save translations.

World Weather ($0.99)

Collecting data from wunderground.com, World Weather provides weather for more than 850,000 cities around the world. The user-friendly interface allows you to select any location by entering city, state, country or airport code. Check the weekly weather forecast so you know how to pack. Real-time weather conditions include realistic weather animations, temperature, wind, humidity, sunrise, sunset, moon phase and GPS location. You can choose between the English system units and metric system units.

Next Flight ($2.99)

Next Flight provides you a daily list of available flights from all Airline Carriers from any source to any destination. This app is useful if you have ever missed a flight and wanted to see if there is another flight you can catch. It also comes in handy if you want to see if you can hop on to an earlier flight. Just provide your origin, destination and departure date and the application lists all the available flights for the selected day including their departure and arrival timings.

HearPlanet ($5.99)

HearPlanet is the first talking tour guide for your cell phone. It provides text and spoken descriptions for nearly 250,000 points of interest in locations around the world and includes an integrated, interactive map and human voices, in addition to the computer-generated audio. When you have some time to just walk around and explore a new city, HearPlanet offers interesting facts and commentary based on your location.

April Lentini writes for Philadelphia Apartment Guide

Image: Al Lanni Flickr

Image: X-Ray Delta One (Flickr)

Bright lights, 24-hour attractions, crazy traffic and endless diversions. Whether you actually thrive on non-stop action or you are trying to avoid it, here are the top five U.S. cities with the most distractions:

Las Vegas

The distractions in this town are enough to paralyze the most laid back visitors. Nothing is off-limits in Sin City. If you spend any time on the strip, you will be intoxicated by the many incessant sounds of computer generated chimes, whizzes, blips and buzzes from the street. Many attention deficit visitors get easily sucked into games and can spend hours at a time hyper-focused at one table. If you are one of these people, you are inviting trouble by even thinking about Vegas. Need to stay on schedule? Well, you better keep your own time because clubs, hotels and casinos in Vegas rarely show the time. They want you to lose track of time so you’ll stay and spend more money.

New York

Living or visiting the city of New York is like shopping in a busy mall two days before Christmas – only all year round. The wide variety of delicious smells (and some not so delicious) make it hard to choose a place to eat. It can be hard to sleep at night with the never-ending noises, including ambulances, honking horns, subway trains, neon signs and pedestrians in the street. As far as entertainment goes, it is a 4 a.m. town with 66 strip clubs across the five boroughs. If you are one of those ADD suffers that gets anxious in tight spaces, New York is not the place to be. Personal space is premium real estate in grocery stores and on the streets. If you need much stimulation however, you will not be at a lack for things to do or places to see.

Miami

The market-driven nightlife in Miami means that bars close whenever, dancing and smoking are accepted and happy hour is a lifestyle. The strip on South Beach is chock full of brightly colored trinkets, bars and other distractions. Some of the most beautiful people live in Miami where the culture is based on going out, seeing and being seen. Attention deficit sufferers may be overwhelmed with the glamorous, narcotic party world. If you rely on prescription medication to control your attention deficit disorder you may need to double your dose before venturing out into the Miami nightlife.

Los Angeles

Bars close at 2 a.m. in Los Angles but there is always a party after the party. If you know many people in this tinsel town, the distractions can easily add up in way of private parties and events. Even if you don’t know anyone, there are plenty of museums, art shows and attractions that make deciding what to do a hard choice. If you like to shop, L.A. is the largest retail sales market in the country. It is also the largest international trade center in the United States. Avid shoppers with ADD in Los Angeles may be asking for trouble as high end retail temptation lies around almost every corner.

Tampa

Tampa has more strip clubs than Las Vegas and the night clubs stay open until 4 a.m. The Tampa Bay area is home to the University of South Florida, bringing lots of college parties, activities and sporting events to its residents. Tampa, the largest city in Florida, has over 54 golf courses, 650 tennis courts and the largest open water estuary in Florida. If you are the type of person with an attention span that requires you to stay active, good luck choosing your outdoor activity. The city is known in the Guinness Book of World Records that has the most days of sunshine.

April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Philadelphia.

Image: Per Ola Wiberg (Flickr)

How to Plan Your Spring Garden in Chicago

First of all, before you go nuts at your local nursery picking out bulbs and plants to plant in your garden; it is a good idea to draft up a garden plan, especially if you are planting your Chicago garden for the first time. Start with a design, even if is just a simple sketch with a pencil and paper.  What kind of spring garden do you want? Some people prefer edibles such as fruits and vegetables over ornamental plants such as tulips or roses. Maybe you like to have a mix of each. Be sure to use your space wisely and consider the full-grown plant. If you are planning a container garden, make sure that you have the right kind of pots with good drainage.

When to Plant Your Garden in Chicago

For a spring garden, the best time to plant is after May 15. Don’t make the mistake of getting spring fever and planting on a warm weekend in March. Just because they are selling the bulbs and plants in stores in April, does not mean that they will do well outside yet. For outdoor plants it is best to wait until the official freeze days are over, which is May 15. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t start sooner with a grow light in your own apartment. Get the seedlings going strong inside your home and you will have a head start for planting outside when the middle of May rolls around.

Plants That Do Well in Chicago

The Chicago Botanical Garden is a great resource when considering what to plant in your Chicago Garden. For a database of searchable plants, check out bestplants.org to search its recommended list of plants for Illinois.  Officially, Chicago is in the USDA planting zone 5a, but due to the lake effect there are areas that could be considered Zone 6b. Here are some of the more popular plants for Chicago by category:

Plants and Flowers:

Petunia

Hosta

Daylily

Coneflower

Dahlias

Gladioulus

Lilies

Vegetables:

Leaf lettuce

Onion

Parsley

Peas

Potato

Radishes

Sunflowers

Tomatoes

Herbs:

Basil

Rosemary

Lavender

Mint

Planning and planting a spring garden in Chicago is the perfect way to get over the cold-weather blues.  Remember to plan carefully, and don’t rush the season. Start indoors if you have to, then plant the seedlings outside when the harsh winter freezes are over.

April Lentini writes for Greektown Chicago Apartment Guide

Image by: firstbaptistnashville on Flickr

It’s easy to find a volunteer organization in Philadelphia that could use your talents and give you the great feeling of helping others. Here are a few great places to get started.

Philadelphia Cares

For those who are not sure what to volunteer for, the Philadelphia Cares Web site is a good place to start. The Philadelphia Cares site calendar features the latest events in need of volunteers and matches people with various nonprofit agencies. You can decide on a volunteer opportunity based on when it is convenient for you and which opportunity best matches your talents and resources. From fundraising events to working with animals, children and senior citizens, you can find something that has meaning to you.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Philadelphia

If you are looking to develop a bond with a youth in need, this is a great organization that fosters mutual bonds between an adult mentor and a child. According to the latest Census information, approximately 120,000 children in Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia and Montgomery counties are at risk of social and academic failure. You can be a positive influence on a child’s life, but you may discover that you need to mentor a child just as much as he or she needs you.

Philabundance

Philabundance is Philly’s largest food bank network in the area. Their mission is “to end hunger and malnutrition in the Delaware Valley by acquiring food and distributing it through organizations serving people in need.” According to a recent study by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), a national nonprofit company in Washington, Philadelphia is the second-hungriest area in the nation. Philabundance has volunteers of all ages and walks of life who donate their time to work in the warehouse, provide administrative support, and assist with special events.

Philadelphia Zoo

The Philadelphia Zoo relies heavily on volunteers of all ages to help with administration, give tours and even help as zookeeper assistants. The zoo has volunteer programs that are perfect for adults, teens and college interns. If you love working with animals and enjoy educating other people about animals, the Philadelphia Zoo would be a great place to give your time and interact with other animal lovers.

Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia

Doing physical work with your hands can be very rewarding. Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia focuses on building multiple homes in a community rather than scattered site houses. The organization rehabilitates entire neighborhoods by providing simple, decent, affordable homes for families in need. You can get involved with Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia by providing some much-needed elbow grease in building homes or donating materials to the organization.

No matter how much time you have to give or what your interest, there is a volunteer organization that needs your help in Philadelphia. Discover the joys and benefits of being part of a bigger community in Philadelphia.

April Lentini writes for Philadelphia Apartment Guide near Restaurant Row.