How to Remove Old Wallpaper

Posted on November 15, 2012 by jpalmer

By following a few simple steps, removing old wallpaper can be done without too much fuss.

Redecorating an older home or apartment can be a difficult task, especially if the previous owner covered every square inch with wallpaper. Removing all that old, ugly wallpaper is no easy task, but the tips below should help you get it done with a minimum of fuss and bother.

Prepare the area

Cover the floor with drop cloths, as well as everything you can’t move. Wallpaper glue gets everywhere, and is hard to remove from other surfaces.

Get the wallpaper wet

Water alone won’t cut it, but you don’t have to use a harsh chemical wallpaper remover either. Liquid fabric softener, mixed half-and-half with water, works just as well. Put this mixture in a spray bottle and spray the wall. Make sure you only spray the area that you think you can remove in 15 minutes, otherwise you risk the paper drying. After letting it set for a few minutes, you should be able to remove the wallpaper fairly easily.

Remove the wallpaper

Using a metal drywall or putty knife, start scraping off the old wallpaper.

Clean the walls

You’ll be left with little bits of wallpaper glue dotting your walls. A Scotch-Brite pad dipped in your stripping mixture will take care of these.

For wallpaper that is about 20 to 30 years old, you might need to use a different tactic. Most wallpaper from this era is usually vinyl over paper backing. This vinyl prevents your stripping solution from soaking through the paper to get at the glue holding it to the wall. For this type of wallpaper, you’ll need to slide your putty knife under it near a seam and peel off as much of this vinyl as you can, then use hot water and your fabric softener to soak the paper.

It takes work, but once the old wallpaper is removed, you’ll be able to put a new coat of paint and a fresh face on your new living space.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/Allkindza

Organizing your Home Office

Posted on October 17, 2012 by ag-admin

The key to an organized home office is to reduce clutter.

Maintaining a neat and orderly home office can be a challenge. A home office can easily become a catch-all for the rest of your home’s clutter. Next thing you know, you can’t find that bill that must be paid, or last year’s tax returns. But with these simple tips and a little effort, you can create and maintain a neat and orderly home office.

Create a System

Come up with a way to deal with your workflow. Get an inbox to use for incoming work, an outbox for things that have been dealt with and are to be filed or thrown away and a filing system for keeping track of it all once it leaves your desk.

Clean Your Desk

You spend most of your time in your home office at your desk, so this is a logical place to start. Is it buried under stacks of paper, pens, business cards or other debris? Go through it and separate everything into piles based on what you need to keep, what needs looking over later, and what needs to be thrown away (put this pile straight into the trash can).

Get a Filing Cabinet

A four-drawer file cabinet is useful for storing last year’s tax returns, client info and other things you need to get to that would be in your way if it was piled on your desk.

Cut the Cords

Keep your cords dusted and out of sight behind your desk, or replace your keyboard, mouse and printer with wireless peripherals.

When in Doubt, Throw it Out

Be honest. If that catalog that’s been on your desk since January is still there, you’re probably not going to order anything from it. Throw it away. If there is anything you have acted on but are required to keep, file it. And if you have hard copies of anything that you can access readily online, toss it.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/poligonchik

Teach Kids the Importance of Chores

Posted on October 12, 2012 by jgrimes

When children are as young as 5 years old, they can help wash dishes.

Most kids hate chores, and they probably won’t actually thank you later for making them do them, but you can still pat yourself on the back for teaching children a world of valuable lessons. A sense of responsibility is the major takeaway of doing chores, but children will also develop a work ethic and learn how to help someone (you) out. As a bonus, if you give them an allowance, you’ll also teach them the value of money and how to start a savings account, but most kids love rewards of any kind, so just a chore chart with stickers for completed tasks should be enough for 4- to 6-year-olds.

First, set an example by picking up after yourself and putting your child’s things away. Then, as soon as they can walk, teach them to put their own toys away in a place they can easily reach, such as a toy box or open bin under their crib, and to put dirty clothes in a clothes hamper in their room.

Start out small and gradually increase their responsibilities. Kids learn new ideas quickly, and they soak up information like sponges. Refer to this list to figure out what children can do when:

1-2 years old: Put away toys; put laundry in the hamper; turn off lights.
2-4 years old: Dust furniture with a duster, put pets’ food in bowls (with supervision); put napkins on the table, wipe up messes; take laundry to laundry room.
4-5 years old: Clear and set the table with supervision; add ingredients to food; carry and put away groceries; fold towels and washcloths and put them away; water plants with supervision, make the bed; pick up pine cones before someone mows the yard; sweep floors.
5-6 years old: Prep foods for dinner; put away laundry; vacuum (depending on how heavy it is); hand wash dishes; rake leaves (supervised); fold most clothes; complete previous tasks by themselves that formerly required supervision.
6-7 years old: Unload dishwasher; empty indoor trash cans; wash dishes; learn how to wash clothes; prepare simple meals and snacks, such as sandwiches.
8-10 years old: Clean specific rooms; organize certain areas; write thank-you notes for gifts; test smoke alarms once a month with supervision; rake leaves unsupervised; clean the bathroom with supervision.
11-13 years old: Change bed sheets; clean mirrors; prepare an occasional family meal; mow the lawn with supervision; change light bulbs; change the vacuum bag.
14 years old and up: Wash windows; do yard work; prepare food; make a grocery list; wash the car.

To teach children the importance of saving money, begin an allowance system when they’re around 6 or 7 years old. Teach them to put part or all of their allowance into savings, either a piggy bank or jar with a lid, and watch it grow. Encourage them to have a monetary goal for their savings, such as $100, instead of encouraging them to spend it on something in the future. Then, when they reach that goal, ask them what they’d like their next goal to be, and celebrate their achieving it with a small reward, such as taking them out for ice cream or to the park for a day. As they grow, motivate them to buy items on sale and make a budget. As they reach short- and long-term goals, you’re building their self-esteem, and you’ll have a clean house and happy helper along the way.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/ktaylorg

How to Clean Your Apartment Efficiently and Quickly

Posted on October 10, 2012 by tpham

To quickly clean your apartment, arm yourself with an all-purpose, multi-surface cleaning spray and a sponge.

Sometimes, cleaning your house seems like it takes all day.. However, a few basic tips and tricks can not only save you time but also create a spotless living space. Whether you have unexpected guests coming, a get together just ended or you just need to create a more organized and tidy space, read on for our tips and shortcuts to speed clean your apartment.

Supplies
First, you’ll need cleaning supplies, but just because you’re cleaning different surfaces in various rooms doesn’t mean you need a different cleaning product for each room. Grab an all-purpose, multi-surface cleaning spray, glass cleaner, paper towels, a sponge, a garbage bag, a duster, a vacuum and a Swiffer.

Living Room
If items in this space belong in different rooms, place them in a container. This will save you time from running between rooms to place items. Next, focus on the couch. Brush off the cushions of pet hair, food crumbs and dust. Check behind the cushions for any items, and then replace the cushions and fluff the pillows. Next, dust the coffee table, and then neatly stack the items on the table. Toss old magazines, and neatly arrange up-to-date magazines, as well as books. Finally, run a vacuum through the space. Remember, this is for a quick clean. Save moving the furniture for when you have more time.

Bedroom
Gather all your dirty clothes and place in a hamper. Worry about sorting later when you do the laundry. If you have clean clothes that aren’t put away, go ahead and rehang or refold the items and put the items away. Place all trash, including old magazines, papers, etc. in a trashcan. Sort through your closet later when you have more time. Next, make the bed. The room will just look cleaner with this simple step. Straighten surfaces, including your nightstand, desk and shelves. You don’t have time to sort through everything, but if you have items that don’t seem to belong, place them in a bin to go through later. Similar to the living room, run a vacuum through the space.

Bathroom
Place dirty clothing and used towels in a hamper. Next, place all trash in the trashcan. Then wipe down the counters, sink and tub using the disinfectant cleaning spray. For the toilet, use a toilet brush and cleaner. Scrub the inside of the toilet. Use the cleaning spray for the outside of the toilet. Next, use a glass cleaner to wipe down the mirror. Return items to where they belong. Again, sort through your items at a later date when you have more time. For now, make sure your bathroom is presentable to guests. Then sweep the floor.

Kitchen
First, place items belonging in other rooms in a container to go through later. Next, clear your countertops and cupboards of trash. For dirty dishes, wash by hand or load the dishwasher. If the plates have stuck-on residue, fill the sink with warm, soapy water and allow the plates to soak for a few minutes while completing your other kitchen chores. Once the dishes are taken care of, wipe down your sink, countertops and appliances. Sweep or mop the floor. To finish, take out the trash.

Tips to Organize Your Apartment’s Multipurpose Room

Posted on October 8, 2012 by ag-admin

With planning and the right furniture, your do-it-all room can become the multipurpose heart of your home.

Your multipurpose room may be working overtime as a craft room, library, office, lounge, guest room… and anything else you can think of.

How can you keep all these various activities organized so that the paraphernalia of one doesn’t get lost in all the others? The secret is order, and we’ll show you how to achieve it with these tips to organize the space for all your apartment home endeavors.

Storage is king
No matter which functions you call on your multipurpose room to fill, the key is finding furniture that can be stowed attractively until you need it. The right storage space allows for easy access to the supplies and accessories you need for each activity.

Cases with baskets for cubbies, beds with storage, and shelves around the perimeter of the room (close to the ceiling) can all provide year-round storage for the many moods of your multipurpose room, letting you organize your apartment activity center into an orderly hotspot.

Multiuse table
A solid table with space for a rolling cabinet underneath can become your desk, craft table, sewing surface and wrapping center all in one. You might even use a painted piece of wood suspended between two short filing cabinets as a makeshift multipurpose work space which can be easily hidden away.

For a wrapping center, simply install (with your landlord’s permission) a bracket and spool on the wall above, the width to hold a roll of paper. You could do the same for rolls of butcher paper (hung close to table surface) to have ready access to paper for crafts and drawing.

Use the closet
If the closet in your multipurpose room is simply holding some stray clothes or boxes, you’re missing out on prime real estate. Your closet can be converted into a power-packed space.

Consider building it out formally, or attempt a more frugal do-it-yourself version. For DIY, you can place cabinets, bookcases, additional shelves or a storage system inside your closet. You might purchase a space-saving wardrobe for guest clothes and additional storage in the room.

If you’ve found space to store all your goodies in smart furniture and shelves around the room, you can even use your closet as the multimedia brain of your apartment space, housing a wireless entertainment system.

Hide the bed
One of the greatest space wasters in a multipurpose room (and typically the one item that is most difficult to multitask around) is a guest bed. Consider that, for guests, you don’t have to use a traditional bed. A much better use of space is to use a convertible sofa, a futon on a convertible frame or a daybed. All three of these options will give you seating by day and a comfy bed for occasions when you have guests stay overnight.

Getting enough space in your apartment to do everything you want offers a strategic challenge. With planning and the right pieces of furniture, your do-it-all room can become the multipurpose heart of your home.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Baloncici

Pick the Home Organizing Personality That Works for You

Posted on October 1, 2012 by ag-admin

“The Fairy Godmother” is one apartment organizing approach people prefer. Read on for others!

When it comes to apartment organization, taking the first step is often the hardest part. Whether your biggest problem area is the front entrance, bathroom, home office or kitchen, you can turn chaos into order in no time when you apply the right persona to your organizing strategy.

Here are a few different ways people approach their home cleaning tasks. See if one of these speaks to your inner clean-freak.

The anger management expert
Think of the one room in your apartment that drives you the craziest. This room might be the key to your organization approach.

Does a messy apartment kitchen keep you awake at night? Do you curse under your breath every time you look at the unwieldy stack of papers in your home office? Be your own anger management counselor and turn your frustration for this one dysfunctional space into action.

Instead of taking an all-over approach to apartment organization, start by tackling the most chaotic area or most problematic room first. Channel your frustration to help you concentrate on this area before you move on to any other space. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel motivated to clean other maddeningly disorganized parts of your apartment. (Feel free to mutter under your breath as you clean, if you like!)

The fairy godmother
Another apartment organization approach is to concentrate on the first trouble spot you see when you get home from work each day. Pretend that you’re a fairy godmother, and you can wave a wand to magically fix this one trouble zone so you’re not immediately stressed out every time you walk into this room.

Though, unfortunately, there is no supernatural spirit of home organization, you can perform what feels like a magical apartment makeover by focusing on the few things you see every day that really set you off. Tackling these trouble areas can go a long way toward soothing your psyche. After all, your apartment should be your own personal sanctuary, not a hotbed of anxiety triggers. If you follow this approach, day by day, there should be less to stress about in your environment!

The top-down apartment organizer
The best apartment organization approach for you might be to start at the top and work your way down — literally. Walk into your main living space and look up! Check out ceiling fans, the tops of dressers and armoires, TVs — anything high up. These are the spaces you’re going to tackle first in your top-down cleaning and organization approach. Start high and then lower your organizing altitude until you’ve cleaned and cleared clutter off every space from ceiling to floor.

The morning person
Yet another soul-soothing way to begin organizing your apartment might be to start with the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning. Starting your day with a healthy attitude is important, and clearing the way for a simple and relaxing morning routine might be the kickstart you need to tackle the rest of your apartment trouble spots. If you always wake up and stumble into the shower, hit the bathroom first. If you trudge to the kitchen for a cup of Joe, start there.

Wherever you choose to start, take a deep breathe and tell yourself it’s OK to get through one space, one task at a time. You can’t do everything at once — you’ll only be overwhelmed. So take that first baby step, and then bask in your accomplishment. You can move on to the next area tomorrow or next week, systematically clearing your apartment of disorganized clutter step by step once you’ve cemented the organization approach that works best for you.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Nanka (Kucherenko Olena)

How to Clean Your Kitchen Appliances

Posted on July 9, 2012 by jgrimes

Remove stuck-on spills from your cooktop by soaking them in really hot water first.

You’ve mopped the floors, wiped the sink and washed the dishes, but your kitchen still doesn’t smell or feel clean. Perhaps your appliances are to blame, as they are used endlessly throughout the year, withstand lots of spilled or spoiled food and receive all-too-few scrub-downs. Fix the problem by scouring your appliances the right way, and outfit your home with that “Ahh, clean!” scent when guests walk in the door. Break the tasks up between a few days or two weekends if it feels overwhelming, but you’ll be glad you did it in the end.

Refrigerator
Remove everything from the refrigerator, and throw away anything you don’t use or that is expired. Remove the shelves and drawers from the refrigerator to clean in the grooves that hold the shelves. Wash the shelves, drawers, walls and floor of the refrigerator with a washcloth soaked in a grease-cutting dishwashing soap and water, and scrub tough-to-clean parts with a paste made of baking soda and water. Rinse with a damp washcloth, and dry the inside of the fridge with a towel to avoid streaks. Then put everything back in the fridge, grouping like condiments together (such as mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup on one shelf and pickles and relishes on another). Place an opened box of baking soda on a shelf to absorb future odors.

Microwave
To loosen greasy stains and get rid of smells inside the microwave, cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a microwave-safe container, mixed with about a cup and a half of water. Toss the squeezed lemon halves in as well. Microwave the mixture, uncovered, for five to 10 minutes, allowing the steam to condense on all areas inside. Remove the bowl and wipe the inside of the microwave with a soft dishcloth, leaving your microwave clean and smelling great.

Oven
If you have a self-cleaning oven, set the self-cleaning cycle on a very cold day and turn on the vent hood and ceiling fans to reduce fumes and smoke throughout the house. Make sure you don’t need to use the oven first, as it locks for the duration of the cleaning. After the cycle is complete, wipe the ashes from the bottom of the oven with a damp cloth, and use a gentle cleanser to wash the oven door.

If you don’t have a self-cleaning setting on your oven (or if you’re conserving energy, as oven-cleaning uses the highest heat setting for about four hours), try to wipe up spills as soon as they happen so they won’t become stuck to the bottom. For stubborn messes, mix baking soda and water until it forms a paste and scrub the oven with a plastic- or thick-bristled brush, and wipe away the residue with a damp cloth.

Cooktop/range
For big spills on a ceramic cooktop, carefully pour water from a recently boiled kettle over them and let them soak until the water cools to lukewarm; then wash them away with soapy water (or a non-abrasive cleaner, such as Soft Scrub) and a sponge. Dry your range top with paper towels to keep it streak-free. For stubborn messes, purchase a scraper specifically made for a ceramic cooktop, which you can find from a hardware or kitchen store, then clean as mentioned before. Then shine your stovetop with polish made specifically for glass stove tops.

For non-ceramic range tops, you can use a more abrasive cleaner to remove stubborn stains, and wipe away residue with a damp cloth.

Garbage disposal
Anyone who has ever seen a horror movie knows how scary cleaning the garbage disposal can be. First, turn off the fuse that powers your garbage disposal so you’ll feel more at ease cleaning it. Then use tongs or pliers to remove debris from the rotating impellers inside. Next, turn the power back on, combine two cups of ice and a cup of rock salt, pour it down the garbage disposal, run cold water over it and turn on the garbage disposal for about 10 seconds, which will help remove anything stuck to the grinding elements. Continue running cold water until the ice and salt have dissolved, sprinkle several lemon peels into the garbage disposal and grind the peels with the water still running, which will deodorize your disposer and kitchen.

Washing machine
For oil or gasoline-based stains or smells inside your washing machine, first try leaving your washing machine door open for a few days. If that doesn’t work, liberally spray a grease-dissolving, all-purpose cleaner on the walls and drum of the washing machine and leave the door open for a day. Then wipe the sides out with a damp cloth, and wash a load of towels, using laundry detergent, on the hottest setting. Afterwards, leave the washing machine door open for one more day to air out.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/wynnter

Where to Donate Clothing and Furniture in Dallas

Posted on May 4, 2012 by ag-admin

If you’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, there are many places you can donate old furniture and clothing to help you with either moving or your cleaning efforts.

You know the feeling: one minute you look around your apartment, and you wonder how you’ve accumulated so much, well, stuff? Clothes you’ve kept from high school, old clawed up furniture covered in pet hair, books you read once for a school project and never opened again…sooner or later it has to go. Whether you’re about to move to a different place, or you’re just embarking on some much-needed cleaning, you might want to put your old stuff to good use rather than just tossing it out. If you’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, here are a few places you can donate old furniture and clothing to help you with either moving or your cleaning efforts.

ReStore

Part of the Dallas area habitat for Humanity, ReStore accepts new and gently used home decorating and improvement products, selling them to the public at discounts of 50 to 75 percent off retail prices. You can donate old light fixtures, appliances, carpets, dining room sets and other pieces of furniture. The store also sells flooring, paint and accessories and plumbing fixtures. Make sure to call the store ahead of time to discuss your donation and make sure they are prepared to accept it.

Where: Three locations in the Dallas area

Dallas Furniture Bank

The Dallas Furniture Bank takes all types of furniture, particularly mattresses, sofas, dressers, chairs, tables and lamps, as long as the pieces are in good condition, stain free and pet-odor or smoke-odor free. They will pick up your donation as long as it includes at least one of their most-needed items. You can also drop off donations, but you must call in advance to schedule a drop off.

Where: 1417 Upfield Drive #104, Carrollton, TX 75006

Goodwill

Goodwill prefers to accept small furniture items like end tables, lamps or chairs that one person can move easily. The good thing about Goodwill is that you can also donate other items, like clothes, books, shoes, toys and accessories, making it essentially a one-stop-shop.

Where: 20 locations in the Dallas area

AMVETS

AMVETS is a leadership, advocacy and service organization serving American Veterans. The organization also runs several thrift stores across the nation, and there are two in the Dallas area that accept furniture, lamps and old televisions to help out military veterans.

Where: Two locations in the Dallas area

Dress for Success

Dress for Success is an organization that provides professional attire, career development tools and a network of support to disadvantaged women in an effort to promote economic independence. The Dallas-area location accepts suits, jackets, blouses, skirts, slacks, dresses and accessories such as shoes, handbags, jewelry and scarves.

Where: Valley View Center, 13331 Preston Road, Suite 1094, Dallas, TX 75240

Photo credit: iStockphoto/delectus

What To Do With Mismatched Socks

Posted on May 2, 2012 by mprice

Instead of spending precious time searching for lost socks, take the mismatched sock and repurpose it, turning it into something cool or useful.

If you’ve ever done a load of laundry in your apartment, chances are you’ve experienced the pain of losing a sock or two. It seems so simple: place the socks in the washer, toss the socks in the dryer and remove. But somewhere in the process, a sock gets lost. You’ve been hit by a sock thief, or maybe the dryer is just a Bermuda Triangle for socks, but either way, you’re left with one or more mismatched socks. So in honor of Lost Sock Memorial Day, which always occurs on May 9, instead of mourning those lost socks or spending precious time searching for the missing garments, take the mismatched sock and repurpose it, turning it into something cool or useful.

Get Clean

If you happen to find a sock without a mate, you can turn an annoyance into something useful by transforming the sock into a dust rag for everyday household cleaning. You can either leave the sock intact and slip the sock onto your hand, or cut it down the middle lengthwise to give it a larger surface area for cleaning.

Plant Some Style

A project especially fitting for cute socks, transform boring vessels like glasses and bowls into fun, funky vases for fresh flowers. The band at the top of the sock makes the perfect soft neck at the top of the vase. Simply pull the sock over the vessel and test for the shape, cut the sock an inch underneath the vessel and pull off the sock to sew up the cut. The sock should now fit snugly over the vessel and will make a great vase.

Drink Up

When you find a particularly long sock, you can make a cute drink cozy to slip over a bottle to keep the bottle cold or insulated. If you’ve got a shorter sock, you can use it for cups and cans. Simply cut the whole top of the sock off and slide it over your beverage of choice.

Freshen a Room

If you have a problem with moths or mold in your closets and drawers, fill an old sock with moth balls and sew it shut. Then, place wherever you are having a problem. The same goes for any area in your home that needs freshening up. Fill an old sock with potpourri or fragrance crystals, sew shut and place wherever you want a nice scent.

Move Safely

Whether you’ve got a big move coming up or are traveling somewhere, you can use old mismatched socks to safely pack and protect small knick-knacks or breakable items in boxes or suitcases. They can also be used to stuff into cracks and empty spaces.

Style Your Hair

If you have long hair, you can get easy, beautiful curls in no time, without using a curling iron, a hair dryer or hair products. Best of all, you can do it in your sleep by using a sock. Simply take an old sock, cut off the toe and roll the sock into a ring. Pull your hair into a high ponytail (as high as you can get it) and spritz the hair in the ponytail with water, making sure not to make the hair too wet or it won’t dry properly. Grab the rolled up sock, thread the ponytail through the hole and pull the sock ring straight up to the tip of the ponytail, leaving about an inch of hair. Take the loose hair and spread it around the sock evenly, then tuck the hair under. Continue to tuck your hair under as you roll the sock down to the base of the ponytail. For gorgeous, loose curls, simply leave the sock in overnight and remove in the morning. If you like the look of the updo, just finish with a little hairspray and you’ve got a perfectly shaped bun updo.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/R_Koopmans

Dividing Up Chores With Your Roommates

Posted on April 24, 2012 by ag-admin

Don't let dirty dishes pile up. Discuss and divide chores with your roommates.

Living with roommates can be both fun and stressful. Movie nights, parties and inside jokes are just a few of the reasons living with roommates is fun. However, when it comes to chores, it might not be so pleasant. A simple way to avoid confrontation and passive aggressive behavior is by discussing chores with your roommates before getting completely settled into your new apartment. Here are a few ideas on how to split up household duties and avoid any drama.

Discuss the Chores
Call a roommate meeting one night to talk about the chores. It may seem lame, but this little step will go a long way. Decide what chores need to be taken care of, how you will purchase cleaning supplies and how often things will get done around your apartment. To make it easier, create a list of chores. Here’s an example:

Clean the kitchen
Sweep/vacuum the floors
Dust
Scrub the toilets, showers, bathtubs and sinks
Running the dishwasher/emptying the dishwasher
Clean the fridge
Take out trash
Wash the windows
Pay bills

Divide the Chores
You probably have chores that you absolutely hate doing, which means your roommates probably have chores they hate to do as well. Create a list of chores you enjoy, don’t mind and hate. If you hate vacuuming but your roommate loves it, then let your roommate do that. If more than one roommate enjoys vacuuming, then take turns doing it. The same goes for certain chores that you hate. Scrubbing the toilet isn’t the best chore, so alternate turns to do this. For the other chores, you can divide them up by drawing chores out of a hat, or just take turns volunteering to do them. If you divide the chores up randomly, there will be fewer hard feelings.

Make a Chart or Calendar
Use a wall calendar to write everyone’s duties down, or create a chart that lists all of the roommates’ names and their responsibilities next to it. This way, there is no confusion as to who is responsible for what. If it works better, rotate the chores every month. This way, you won’t get stuck with scrubbing the bathtub for the entire length of your lease. To keep everyone accountable for their responsibilities, initial next to your chore when you have completed it.

Buying Supplies
Divide the cost of supplies evenly among your roommates. Supplies can include trash bags, all-purpose cleaners and dishwasher detergent. Discuss how much each roommate is willing to spend on cleaning supplies to make sure everyone can afford it.

Different Preferences
Remember that just because you like perfect lines when vacuuming doesn’t mean your roommate feels that straight visible lines are necessary. You can have those vacuum lines when it’s your turn to tackle that chore. Also, keep in mind that everyone has a different schedule; don’t set a time when chores should be done. If a few days have passed and your roommate has not completed his or her task, nicely remind him or her. If you know your roommate is busy, offer to switch chores if that will work out better.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/CamiloTorres

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