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It’s awesome to have a beautiful kitchen in our Chicago apartments, and you want to keep it looking fantastic all the time. Use these three tips to minimize kitchen cleanup time!
1. Use a Kitchen Towel to Eliminate Counter Cleanup
One of the things that apartment residents do several times a day is wipe down countertops. A clean countertop is definitely an attractive feature, but with all the meals and snacks you make, it can be a challenge to keep counters clean. The next time you make anything in your kitchen, make sure the first thing you do is lay down a clean kitchen towel. The towel will absorb all the liquid spills, plus the crumbs will never reach the counter. When you’re finished, just toss the towel in the laundry hamper. Your counter will be spotless!
2. Cut Produce in the Sink
Fresh produce is the foundation of a healthy diet, but there’s a lot of work involved in preparing fresh produce for consumption. It often has to be washed, peeled and sliced. This process dirties up the counter, cutting board and utensils. Instead, invest in an over-the-sink cutting board. Any juices that run off fruits will spill directly into the sink. Dirty utensils can be placed straight into the sink for washing, and the cutting board can be quickly rinsed off; all without messing up your kitchen countertops!
3. Use Soapy Water to Wash Down the Sink
Pots and pans and larger bowls require washing by hand, even if you do have a dishwasher appliance. You can minimize kitchen cleanup time by reusing the last bit of soapy water to wash down the kitchen sinks. Instead of pouring soapy water from that large bowl you just washed down the drain, use it to quickly scour the bottom and sides of the sink. Then, when you’re rinsing and spraying the bowl, quickly spray the sides of the sink as well. Your sink area will get clean just as you’re finishing the last of the dishes!
These are three tips you can use every day to minimize kitchen cleanup time. That will leave you more time to enjoy your Chicago apartment. For more information about life at River North Park, please contact us today!
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]]>The post What to Do If You’re a Professional Procrastinator appeared first on River North Park Apartments Blog.
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Everybody dreads deadlines, but if you find yourself constantly pushing up against the clock, you're causing yourself more stress than necessary. We understand that the residents of our Chicago apartments are busy people, so we've compiled these tips to help anyone who struggles with the problem of procrastination.
Keep a Running List
Don't rely on your mind to keep everything straight—that's the easiest way to let things fall through the cracks. Instead, keep a running list of everything that needs to get done, no matter how big or small. Need to make a dentist appointment? It goes on the list. Have a huge project at work? It gets tracked too.
Look for a to-do list app that'll help you stay organized, or go the old-school paper-and-pen route. In either case, the important thing is accounting for every item you need to do so you have a clear picture of your deadlines and available timeframes.
Schedule Your Tasks
A schedule may seem like an annoying, regimented way to go, but it'll help you get things done. If you have a ton of stuff on your list, limit your errand time to fifteen- or thirty-minute segments, ensuring you take a break and reward yourself so you don't get overwhelmed. The more stress you feel, the less likely you'll be able to complete anything on your list.
Break tasks down into bite-sized chunks so you can actually complete little pieces each time your to-do window rolls around, and set a timer so you know when it's time to move on to something else for a while. This way, you'll know there's an end in sight in just a few minutes.
You'll feel great when you've checked some items off your list.
Commit to Your List
Once you get into the habit of checking deadlines, creating space to get stuff done and crossing off tasks, it'll become a habit. The initial work is the hardest part.
Our River North Park Apartments are close to all the awesome things Chicago has to offer. Will a cozy coffee shop help you concentrate? Would a co-working spot help you feel inspired to get things done? We invite you to take a tour of our community so you can see how the right home can change the way you do things!
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Living in the city can cause stress, whether it is from your job, traffic, weather or other people. However, reducing stress doesn't have to take a lot of time out of your busy day. In fact, one of the newest trends that's great for Chicago apartment living is the practice of meditation.
Meditation has been around for centuries and is an integral part of many religions, especially those that originated in native cultures on most continents. Meditation is supposed to create an "out of body" experience; however, modern researchers and health practitioners are beginning to realize that you don't have to be an expert to gain peace from meditating.
Modern health practitioners advise meditating once a day. Best practice is scheduling a 15-minute time period in a place where you can have quiet and alone time. Each person finds unique settings to be relaxing. Some people just need a quiet room, while others find that burning incense, turning off lights and playing soft music offer a better setting.
Meditation Basics
- Secure a quiet room where you can be alone for 15 minutes.
- Wear loose clothing.
- Sit in a comfortable position on a chair, bed or floor.
- Set a time for 15 minutes (or more if you wish).
- Sit quietly and let your mind go.
In the past, teachers of meditation suggested blanking the mind, but modern teachers don't require you to do this. You can sit and think quietly about your day, somewhere you wish to be, or really anything you like. The goal is to sit quietly and comfortably for a minimum of 15 minutes, doing nothing but sitting. The main element is to be alone in a quiet room. The rest is your preference. You can experiment with settings until you find the one that best fits your needs.
Most people find that just one meditation session helps to relax their body, but ongoing regular daily meditation sessions work even better. For Chicago apartment living, meditation is an ideal stress-reducer because you don't need a gym or track to make it work. To find out more about our luxury apartments in Chicago, contact us today.
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If you suffer from allergies, you're probably not enjoying spring and summer as much as you'd like to. Fortunately, there are measures that residents of our apartments in Chicago can take to minimize discomfort caused by allergies. Following are four strategies designed to help keep allergies from getting the better of you this season.
Take Off Your Shoes Before Coming Inside
You'd be surprised at what can come into your home on the exterior soles of your shoes. For instance, airborne pollen often ends up on sidewalks and other surfaces, where it sticks to the bottom of your shoes. Removing your shoes at the front door and slipping on a pair of indoor-only slippers goes a long way toward keeping allergens out of your home.
Keep the Windows Closed
Although most people enjoy opening a window during warm spring and summer days to let a fresh breeze come inside, that breeze can also allow unwelcome airborne particulates, including pollen from wind-pollinated plants, to enter your home environment. On days when pollen counts are high, keep the windows closed and depend on fans to keep you cool.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
Harsh chemicals in many over-the-counter household cleaning products may not be the root cause of allergies in most people, but they certainly do make symptoms far worse. Using mild, natural cleaning products helps keep your respiratory system from being overly irritated, making it easier for it to handle allergy symptoms.
Know What You're Allergic To
Many people have little idea of what they're actually allergic to — they just call it "hay fever" and assume they're allergic to most types of pollen. However, some people are allergic to tree pollen while others are sensitive to rye grass pollen. You may not be allergic to pollen at all. Other common allergens include pet dander and household mold. Knowing what you're allergic to makes it easier to devise an effective treatment plan.
Residents of River North Park enjoy luxurious amenities such as dry cleaning, chef-caliber kitchens, and a fitness center featuring a heated indoor lap pool. Please contact our Chicago, Illinois, office to find out more about our lovely apartment community.
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