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Thursday, December 13, 2018

Housing Guide Fall 2018

An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900. 2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865 Copyright ÂŠ 2018 The Minnesota Daily This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com (612) 435-1575 Genevieve Locke Business Operations Officer glocke@mndaily.com (612) 435-2761 EDITORIAL STAFF Max Chao Managing Editor mchao@mndaily.com =

Christine Ha Managing Production Editor cha@mndaily.com =

Natalie Rademacher Campus Activities Editor nrademacher@mndaily.com =

Madeline Deninger City Editor mdeninger@mndaily.com

How to make your small space look like home

How to divide cleaning duties with your roommates

Five questions to ask your roommates before move-in

Katrina Pross Campus Administration Editor kpross@mndaily.com =

Drew Cove Sports Editor dcove@mndaily.com Sophie Vilensky A&E Editor svilensky@mndaily.com =

Ellen Schmidt Multimedia Editor eschmidt@mndaily.com =

Molly Tynjala Copy Desk Chief mtynjala@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Chief Page Designer dkamas@mndaily.com =

Jane Borstad Visuals Editor jborstad@mndaily.com =

Hailee Schievelbein Visuals Editor hschievelbein@mndaily.com =

Lights... Cameras... Utilities?

What you actually need to bring to your first apartment

From dreary to dreamy: apartment DIYs

EDITORIAL BOARD Ray Weishan Editorials & Opinions Editor rweishan@mndaily.com =

Ariana Wilson Editorial Board Member awilson@mndaily.com =

Hailey Almsted Editorial Board Member halmsted@mndaily.com =

Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com =

BUSINESS Darya Karas Sales Manager dkaras@mndaily.com =

David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com =

* The contents of this guide were created by the Minnesota Dailyâ€™s business division.

How to make a small space feel like home BY JORDAN STRATING When you first move into your apartment, you may wonder if everything will fit into the small cabinets, closets and kitchen cupboards. Here are some organization and decoration tips that will allow you to have a functional apartment that feels more like home.

1. Maximize the little space you have for storage by investing in bins, Command Strips, and furniture that will hold everything you need. Utilize the space under your bed by storing seasonal clothing and shoes, linens, a suitcase and other bulky items. Command Strips are great for hanging up just about anything. Use them to hang up items in your kitchen, towels in your bathroom, pictures in your living room and accessories in your bedroom. Finally, invest in furniture with built-in storage like a cube organizer for the living room, a floating island to give you more storage and counter space in the kitchen or a bookcase to organize your books and decorative accessories. 2. Let there be light! Add lowerlevel lighting to make your apartment more cozy and relaxing after a long day of classes. Hanging up a string of fairy lights or using a lamp instead of your bright overhead lights can add a lot to the overall ambience of your apartment. 3. Showcase your personal-

ity, whether it be by hanging up a poster of your favorite band, adding some fun magnets to your fridge, or showcasing pictures of you and your best friend (your

dog, obviously). If your landlord allows it, make a room pop with removable wallpaper on an accent wall or your own lighting fixtures. Adding items that represent you can make your place feel more like home — even with other people living in it.

4. Organize your accessories. Stop tripping over your shoes by placing them in an over-the-door organizer or a shoe rack. Easily find your scarves, belts and hats by hanging them up. Never get your necklaces tangled again by giving your jewelry and watches a home on a jewelry organizer. Navigating your apartment when you’re running late for class will become easier once all of your accessories are organized and have a home. 5. Hang a mirror in your room where you can easily check if your outfit is on point before leaving for class. Not only will this give you a confidence boost before you walk out the door, but it will instantly make the space feel bigger and more open. You can also opt for a mirror that opens up to provide you with another way to organize your accessories. 6. Adding greenery to your apartment can bring beauty and character to your space while making it feel more clean and put together. Buy some plants to make your place feel more alive — or buy fake ones if you’re not known for keeping plants alive longer than a month. If you have a greener thumb than others, attempt to make a small herb garden and save some money with some fresh herbs!

Thursday, December 13, 2018

How to divide cleaning duties among your roommates BY GENEVIEVE BENSON It’s the second week. You have just moved in with new roommates and the dishes are starting to pile up. No one’s unloaded the dishwasher, which is fine sometimes. It’s okay to have those moments; you may be busy. However, there comes a point where you want to start cleaning — actually cleaning. It may be difficult to start the chores conversation, but with these helpful tips, it’s a lot less painful. Choose your chores. Every two weeks, the “chore roto” should switch. This is easier to keep up with and manage while dividing equal chore responsibilities between you and your roommates. To split it up efficiently, here are three categories of chores you want to assign:

1. Trash and recycling — a

tedious task — but if it’s left too long, it’s a lot harder to deal with. Stay on top of it. If needed, you may split the job between two people. To remove the possibility of sticky root beer stains in your recycling can, bag it with a brown paper bag. They are recyclable; therefore, they act as a great option to carry your plastics with ease to the trash room. Check your home’s options on trash and recycling for more information.

2 . Sweeping or vacuuming should be “as needed” chores, but at least once every two weeks for dust and crumbs. It should definitely be in the chore rotation and make sure

“However, there comes a point where you want to start cleaning — actually cleaning. ” JACK RODGERS, DAILY FILE PHOTO

it’s done. As always, if someone really loves a certain chore and wants to take it for the year, why not let them? Ultimately, it depends on the style and preference of the team.

3. Countertops, stove tops, desks — the list continues. A quick Clorox wipe-down, or another alternative, can be satisfying and healthy for your living space. Sometimes it can be the easiest chore, so again, switch it up with the roto. Use a whiteboard calendar if needed, or whatever method keeps everyone accountable. 4. Having a face-to-face discussion is the first step. It may seem confrontational or bossy to begin talking about delegating chores, but it must be done for equal work distribution amongst the group. In the end, you will be thanking yourselves. In a utopia, chores would not exist; therefore, this is your best solution to make chores hurt less.

Max Boyle and Nick Hotz sit in their home on Tuesday, Jan. 30. They plan to stay with family and friends over the course of the Superbowl weekend as they rent out their house through Airbnb.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

5 Questions to Ask Your Roommate Before Move-In BY EMMA CULBERTSON Time is running out and it is time to start thinking about the dreaded move-in process. Depending on your situation, it may have also been almost a year since you initially signed your lease and it may have been a couple months since you last saw your soon-to-be roomie. Whether you are best friends or if you randomly found each other on Facebook, it is important to set some ground rules and ask a few questions before move-in to make sure you can at least co-exist in the same space.

1. What are you bringing for the room?

A: If you are moving into a fully furnished apartment, this question may be a little easier, but it is still important to discuss. About a month before move-in, talk with each other to figure out who is going to bring “the big stuff”: couch, tv and other large furniture. It’s best to try and make things even by splitting up this list so not just one person is purchasing the majority of the furniture. 2. What’s your daily routine? A: Whether you and your roommate are sharing a room will influence the importance of this question, but it is still good to communicate. Are they an early riser or can you expect them to still be in bed when you get home from class at noon?

ALEX TUTHILL-PREUS, DAILY FILE PHOTO The Gamma Phi Beta sorority house as seen on March 8.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 Do they like to study in their bedroom or are they more likely to head to Walter for the night? This is an important question because once you know your roommate’s schedule, you will be able to plan out your time spent in the room.

for the fourth night in a row all because you told your roommate you were “cool” with their partner staying over.

3. What is your opinion on having guests over?

A: Dishes, food, toilet paper, etc. Some people view these items as fair game for the taking, while others can be more territorial. It can be a good idea to take turns buying items like toilet paper or paper towels, while dishes and silverware are better items to share as long as cleaning duties are shared too! It depends on the person, but it is almost always a good idea to buy separate food or at least ask before taking something of your roommate’s.

A: Everyone has friends, but not everyone has a partner that spends three nights a week at your apartment. Make sure to create an open dialogue about how often you expect your friends to come visit or your partner to stay over and be aware in case your roommate isn’t comfortable with that. The last thing you want is to be sleeping on the couch in the living room for

4. What is or isn’t communal?

5. Whose name is on the bill? A: Money. A touchy subject, but a necessary one with roommates. The issue isn’t who pays what, but whose name is on the bill. Figure this out with your roommate ahead of time and create a strict deadline for the other roommate to pay their half on time. Money can be the source of many problems, so make sure to avoid it by being responsible and paying them back in a timely manner. Communication is key. The most successful roommates aren’t the best of friends who spend all of their time together, but the ones who are able to be transparent with one another.

MADDY FOX, DAILY FILE PHOTO A view of WaHu apartments on Jan. 15, 2017.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Lights... Camera … Utilities? BY BRIANNA CICHON You just finished your last exam. You’re curled up in a blanket next to your window with Christmas music playing. The TV has a virtual fire looping in the background, the faux Christmas tree you and your roomies bought shines brightly. In the corner of the room, your phone, speaker, computer, heated blanket and Wii are plugged into an outlet. All is good in the world until suddenly ... You remember you’re responsible for paying for utilities now. Yup, this isn’t the dorm life you were used to, so it’s time to get accustomed to some changes. It can be difficult to remember, so I’ve put together a short list of ways to cut down on cost and make paying for utilities easier:

To Do:

Make sure you’re clear on how to pay

- Check with your building first. Every apartment building is different. In Sydney Hall, one person sets utilities up under their name and pays. At 4th street Co-op, everyone’s name is on the bill, but only one person can pay. In the Marshall, everyone pays based on their personal room usage. Make sure you understand your building’s policies and how your particular house or apartment has set it up at least a week before moving in so you don’t end up confused and literally in the dark.

Put the responsible roommate in charge

- No seriously, put them in charge. Not only will they have to set up the accounts, they will have to divide the cost, collect payment from all roommates and then remember to pay it on time. Collecting utility money can be difficult. It is often forgotten about

when you get the bill a month before its due. By the time you pay it, you forget what month it’s even for; trust me we’ve all been there. Whether it’s Excel sheets, whiteboards, cell phone reminders or assignment notebooks, everyone has their own way of reminding themselves when important things are due. Figure out what’s best for you and stick with it. Forgetting to pay utilities can result in extra charges or your utilities being shut off in the middle of your favorite Gossip Girl episode. XOXO … electricity.

Cut down on cost

- This is a big one that is often overlooked. Unplugging your devices when they are not being used can actually cut down on cost. Believe it or not, even when a device is turned off, if it is still plugged in, it is still using energy. Next time you see a phone charger with no phone, or a toaster with no bagel in it, pause to take two second and unplug it. You’ll save yourself some money and make the earth a little happier.

Extended Absences

- Finally, it’s time to go home. When you begin your annual house/ apartment clean before the break, remember to unplug everything except the fridge. Turn off all the lights and set your heat to 50-55. Depending on what floor you live on, you room might not get that cold, but it ensures that nothing freezes while you’re away. If possible, turn off your water. No one wants to come home to a frozen pipe. You can get recommendations for this by talking to your landlord. Change can be hard, but hopefully heeding a few of these tips will keep you from ending up in the dark or breaking the bank.

ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY FILE PHOTO An LED streetlight illuminates a house along Malcolm Avenue Southeast in Prospect Park Tuesday, Jan. 30.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

What you actually need to bring to your first apartment? BY LIAM JONES You’re moving into your first apartment; what do you actually need there? You will inevitably overlook bringing some key items in this new, awesome stage of life, but here are a few things that may not come to mind:

Extension cord

Laptops, phones, coffee maker, light-up statue of the WWE legend John Cena; you are going to have a multitude of essential items that rely on electricity in your first apartment and they have to plug in to work. So make sure the last few inches to the wall don’t keep you from firing up your gaming system or laptop! Power strips, in particular, allow for more outlets to plug your devices into and are a great option as far as extension cords go!

Stovetop pan

I don’t know a lot, but I do know this: There is no way you can make it onto MasterChef without a stovetop pan. This awesome tool gives you the opportunity to make a ton of different foods, turning your palate into a flavor-themed amusement park. Don’t forget to bring this to your new place so you can impress your friends with your cooking abilities.

Dish towels

Are you a paper towel aficionado? They are a great option for extra-gross messes, and certainly good to have around, but make sure to also grab some dish towels, too. Dish towels are a more durable, and arguably more sustainable, option. They are a go-to for drying hands after washing dishes or wiping down counters, and they make for

The Marshall Apartments as seen on June 3, 2017.

a good air drying surface (maybe even for your new pan). The nice thing about dish towels is that they save you some money as well! A one-time purchase costs around ten bucks, but paper towels become an ongoing expense and a chore to pick up. So save yourself some money and save some trees!

A mug

Minnesota can be a tad chilly to say the least. A good mug may be a small and inexpensive item, but it will be your best friend on chilly winter days. Whether you are kickstarting your morning with some awake juice (coffee) or settling down for hot chocolate on a lazy evening, a mug is an awesome receptacle for your drink of choice. Plus, what makes for a more artsy Instagram picture than a mug of coffee

ALEX TUTHILL-PREUS, DAILY FILE PHOTO The 17th Avenue Residence Hall as seen on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017.

EASTON GREEN, DAILY FILE PHOTO

captioned with some completely unrelated song lyrics?

A shower curtain

One time, I didn’t have a shower curtain, and that made for a pretty awkward shower when my roommate came in to brush his teeth. Ok, so that’s not a true story, but imagine if it was! You’re going to want to have a shower curtain for some pretty obvious reasons, but shower curtains also allow you to get creative in decorating your apartment. There are a variety of colors and prints (you can even get a curtain with Jeff Goldblum’s face on it, if that’s your thing). Whether the feng shui of your apartment’s bathroom is important to you or not, you are going to want this item to keep water where it belongs and not on your floor!

Thursday, December 13, 2018

From dreary to dreamy: apartment DIYs found at any craft store. String up the paper first and then put beads Turning your college pad into on either side of the roll. Tie a knot a homey space can often be an and hang it wherever you like! undertaking. Infusing a little creativity into a dingy apartment by Woven rope box Prevent your getting-ready spot homemaking some items can be a great solution! Here are some sim- from becoming a jumbled mess with ple DIY projects to jazz up your this cute organizer! All you’ll need for this project is a small cardboard new place. BY BRENNA CONNOLLY

Hanging notepad This super-simple project is great for communicating with your roommates, keeping a personal todo list or planning your grocery run. It only requires some twine, some chunky wooden beads and a roll of paper, all of which can be

box, some string, a pair of scissors, a ruler, a glue gun and a marker. First, cut the top flaps off of your cardboard box so it is just the base and four sides. Next, use the ruler to mark the box into even sections. Six should be sufficient. Then, cut along the marked lines. You’ll want to cut little gaps instead of just slits. Now, it’s time to

decorate the inner base of the box! Make a spiral pattern by hot-gluing the string to the perimeter of the inner base and continuing in that square, spiral formation until you reach the center and the base is completely covered with string. Moving to decorating the sides of the box, glue string to one of the inner corners and weave it between the panels, moving in and out of the box. After completing the weave around all sides of the box, you’ll want to alternate the direction of the following piece of string to achieve the woven look in the final product. So, if you went from in to out on the first go-around, go out to in the second time! Continue doing this until you have reached near the top of the box and seal that piece off with another dab of hot glue. To give it a more polished look, you can wrap the string around the very top instead of weaving it around. And there you have it! Here’s to keeping your space clutter free!

Chic rope rug

ELLEN SCHMIDT, DAILY FILE PHOTO Riverton Community Housing Leasing Manager Joe Goetzke poses for a portrait outside The Chateau on Tuesday, April 24 in Dinkytown

Rugs are great for opening up a space — perfect for a small apartment! They also bring texture and dimension to the room. However, they can be rather expensive. Here’s an affordable, homemade option. For this easy project, you’ll need a hot glue gun or liquid nails, a tarp and about 300-600 feet of rope depending on

what size you’re going for. And, admittedly, a lot of time, so maybe save this for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Get set up on the tarp and start creating a small spiral with one end of the rope on top of a small glob of glue. Put glue on the tarp along the outer edge of the spiral, adhering more and more of the rope. Continue with this process until you have achieved the desire rug size! And then simply clip the rope end. Wait overnight for all the glue to dry and then trim the tarp to the edge of the spiral. Voila! You have the stylish yet inexpensive rug of your dreams!

Rustic pallet bed

Ah, the mattress on the floor look. To keep it feeling “free spirit” rather than sloppy, you can easily construct a pallet platform for it to sit on! Pallets can be found at local grocery, hardware or pet stores. Keep in mind that they are used for shipping, so stay away from ones that may have carried chemicals as you’ll be sleeping on it. Four pallets will nicely hold a queen sized bed and all that needs to be done to make the mattress ready is for them to be sanded a bit to prevent splinters. Use a coarse-grained sandpaper to remove larger splinters first and then go over it with finer grained sandpaper for a smoother finish. If you like, you can paint the pallets, too!

Thursday, December 13, 2018