As I was thinking about what I wanted to take on this spring with my cleaning, I realized there are a few areas throughout the home that just don’t get the attention that other areas do throughout the year. So, that’s where my attention will be this spring, cleaning those areas that could use some extra love.

1. The top of the fridge. If you’re tall like me, the top of the fridge is all that I see every time I make a trip for food. It’s time that I wipe off the dust that’s been collecting up there and take care of any other clutter that I’ve allowed to pile up there over the course of a year.
2. Shred the junk mail.  With the power of technology, it’s amazing how little I use my mailbox for anything other than to collect the daily junk mail. I must admit though, I’m not always the best at addressing the junk mail as I bring it in from the mailbox. So shredding the junk mail this spring is definitely an underrated must do at my home this spring.
3. The baseboards. It’s bad enough I have to mop the floor every now and then, let alone bending over to wipe down the dust that has collected on the baseboards. Unfortunately, this too will be on my list this spring.
4. The pantry. Generally, non-perishable food can last long periods of time, but if you’re like me and haven’t inventoried the kitchen pantry in a while, I’m sure I have a few food items, that I’m probably never going to consume or are expired already. On the bright side, I may even find a few good items that can be donated to a local food bank.

I figure if I get the above items completed before the end of spring, I’ll feel much better heading into the hot Arizona summer.

First stop, Lofts at the Ballpark. Just like its own little town, the community features tree-lined streets, multiple buildings and a resident parking garage.  These aren’t your standard apartments. The urban loft details, spacious floor plans, enormous walk-in closets and desirable amenities make Lofts at the Ballpark one of my favorite Archstone communities. I could imagine relaxing by the community pool, getting together with friends in the amazing club suite or attending a spin class in their amazing fitness center. Most impressive were the stained concrete floors. Wow. I need those.

Their ideal location near downtown and Minute Maid Park has become more desirable with the newly constructed BBVA Compass Stadium, home to the Houston Dynamo, right next door.  What a convenience for Lofts at the Ballpark residents being close to Major League Soccer, concerts and entertainment events. And with a new light rail stop planned in the near future, it will be easy to get around the area.

I completed the day by visiting Archstone Memorial Heights and Archstone Westchase. Just minutes from downtown, Archstone Memorial Heights features landscaped grounds, two swimming pools and stylish apartments.  The highlight of the tour was the expansive fitness center with bonus yoga room and outdoor lounge area with barbecue grills. Archstone Westchase provides a great location for residents with close proximity to The Galleria Mall and Energy Corridor. The brick exterior, spacious floor plans, swimming pool complete with fountain and fitness center make this a great community in which to live. Overall, great Houston apartment communities and great people.  I definitely enjoyed Houston.

The next day began with a delicious breakfast at The Black Walnut Cafe in Rice Village, as recommended by the friendly staff at Archstone Westchase. The Village is a great collection of restaurants, boutiques, shops and cafes near Rice University and the Texas Medical Center. The parking lots are full morning until night, making it one of the favorite hot spots of the area.

My last event was a hard-hat tour of Archstone Toscano West University, the new construction project near Braeswood. These West University Place apartments are on schedule to begin pre-leasing later this year as the apartment buildings were in various stages toward completion. The location is very desirable as it is in an upscale residential neighborhood with close proximity to the Texas Medical Center, Rice Village and Reliant Stadium. A jogging and biking trail is directly across the street and will complement the state-of-the-art fitness center and resort-style pool being constructed. The apartments will feature upscale finishes and spacious floor plans. These brand-new luxury apartments will be in high demand due to the ideal Houston location and remarkable amenities.

Overall, I enjoyed my first trip to Houston – visiting the Archstone properties and meeting such friendly people. Keep updated on Archstone in Houston, including the development of Archstone Toscano West University by finding us on Facebook.

It is no secret to those who know me that I don’t particularly like to commute farther than a few miles to purchase the everyday items I need.  Target seemed to become an everyday stop for me when I lived in the Archstone Warner Center apartments in Los Angeles. A hop, skip and a jump down the street and within a few minutes I was at one of two local Target stores. Suddenly, I realized I had to drive at least 20 minutes for a simple household supply run if I wanted to visit my favorite store.

As a pet owner I don’t think I could have had more options in pet stores, pet boarding, training, and veterinarian services than I did in the Warner Center and Woodland Hills vicinity. Although my dogs couldn’t tell me in words, trust me when I say they let me know in their own way, that they missed the place that we had come accustomed to calling home. Pet friendly apartments couldn’t be located in a better city.

In my situation, the phrase “Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” couldn’t have proven to be more true. The more time that passed the more I realized how close everything was to me that I needed by living in Archstone Warner Center. The resort style pool and most importantly the walking trail that I was able to enjoy on a nightly basis with my two dogs became something that I missed on a regular basis. Not to mention the local shopping and dining at Westfield Topanga Mall became a traditional weekend drive for me.

Although it is not that far from my new home in Agoura Hills I developed a much greater appreciation for the conveniences I once had. So where does that leave me now? Well, it is a good thing I have people willing to help me move when the timing is right!

The abundantly landscaped lagoon-style pool is currently close to completion and is expected to open by Memorial Day weekend.  The Gaithersburg apartments also offer a smoke-free living environment, promoting healthy living options to its residents and surrounding community.

Archstone Gaithersburg Station is located in the heart of the historic downtown district of Olde Towne Gaithersburg and will bring 389 new apartments, as well as 17,000 square feet of exciting new retail to the downtown’s main thoroughfare, East Diamond Avenue. The community is conveniently located across the street from the Gaithersburg MARC train station- providing easy access to downtown DC and other points of interest including the Metro.

Visit the Archstone Gaithersburg Station website today to schedule an appointment, view photos, and see a full list of all the things this brand new community has to offer residents of Montgomery County!

Vacuum, vacuum and then do it again!
I find that I have to vacuum at least twice a week, making sure I get the couches, chairs and baseboards, as well as anywhere my pets like to frequent for their naps throughout the day (sometime this entails my pillow … yes, I know). Vacuuming keeps the dander down to a minimum.  A wonderful vacuum is the Dyson DC14 Animal. It is amazing in its ability to suck up animal hair. When you see the vast amounts of dirt and hair it picks up, you will wonder how you ever lived without it!

Groom and bathe your pets — often
OK, keeping my lab Emma clean is much easier than bathing my cat Chloe — it’s something about the water that she just doesn’t like. I have tried, but I usually end up frustrating myself and irritating her!  In this case, dry shampoos work wonders. I brush both of them often, especially when they are shedding. I make sure to trim their nails so they don’t scratch the floors or upholstery. Regular brushing really helps keep the hair from ending up on my floor, my bed or on the sofa.

Pet friendly fabrics
Oh wow, this is a huge one!  I bought a sofa recently that is not pet friendly and I do regret it.  Each pet hair enjoys lodging itself in every thread of the sofa. Here are some more pet friendly options:

• My favorite — Ultrasuede (a machine-washable microfiber). I would highly recommend microfiber to anyone with pets. It cleans up spills or accidents beautifully and hair just magically lifts right off!
• Crypton — find it online at CryptonFabric.com
• Leather or pleather

 Comfy places to sleep
Emma really likes the FurFighter Memory Foam Donut Dog Bed or the Top Dog Microvelvet Sofa Dog Bed, which can be found online at Fetchdog.  Providing Emma with her own place to sleep keeps her from taking over my part of the sofa (well sometimes). With the Microvelvet Sofa Dog Bed, we can all be couch potatoes (except Emma can shed on her own couch!)

Fun toys that don’t make a mess
Great toys that help keep Emma happy and entertained so she doesn’t start to chew in inappropriate places, with the added benefit of not being messy are the Kong brand, or Emma’s personal favorite, the Tuffy’s Polly Pig Dog Toy — it’s virtually indestructible!

I also love the website Pet Tree Houses.  They have some great alternatives to the typical carpeted scratching post/climbing tree for your cat.

These are just some tips I have found making apartment living with pets more enjoyable and fun!  Check out our San Francisco pet friendly apartments!

But where I ultimately netted out was that turning 30 means it’s time to be a big girl. And to that end, I decided that the first rule of my new outlook on life was: Thou shall not share utilities and rental payments with a roommate. I needed to live by myself – something I’d never done except for that one year in college where I was an RA. And, really, when you live in a dorm, are you ever really by yourself?

Because I’m a recent mover in Los Angeles, I thought I’d share my experience with the companies I used and some moving tips in hopes that it may help you out too.

1. Hire a moving company.
   I’m 30. I’m officially too old to bug my friends to help me move on a weekend. I hired Northstar Moving Company and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Archstone has a discount through them. So if you’re moving into, or out of, any of Archstone’s apartments in Los Angeles, you receive a 5 percent discount. And if you mention their ad on Yelp you can get another 5 percent! Their customer service was amazing, their prices were fair, the process from beginning to end was smooth and the movers were incredibly efficient. I’d totally recommend them to my friends.
2. Boxes. Lots of Boxes.
   The last thing I wanted to do was start hoarding boxes for my move. So I went to UsedCardboardBoxes.com. They pick up boxes in bulk from companies who need to get rid of them for a variety of reasons. They have great packages that include packing tape, markers, packing paper and utility knives. The one-bedroom package was perfect for what I needed, and the boxes were in great shape.
3. Put your pet in daycare for the day.
   This was something I didn’t do, and should have. My dog, who had already been a bit on edge seeing his life packed up before him, had to sit on my balcony while the movers came and took everything out of my apartment. Putting him in doggie daycare for a day would have given him something fun to do and made me less worried about how to keep him out of the way.
4. Don’t pack the essentials.
   Chances are, the first things you’ll need in your new place are the basics: A sponge, soap, paper towels and toilet paper. Put these in a bag you take in your car. Moving has a tendency to make you feel gross with all of the dust being kicked up, so you’ll likely need them sooner than later.
5. Label your boxes and be specific.
   I can’t stress this enough. Not only does it tell your movers where the boxes need to go, but you’ll be happy when you’re not digging through 15 boxes trying to find your pajamas to go to bed that night in your new place.

Happy moving!

Whether they received more than 1,000 votes or less than 50, these photographers showed that there’s a lot to love about where they live. But there could only be two winners of the Digital SLR Camera and $500 Visa Gift Card prize package.

And they are …

Claudio Gomez Watching the Night Sky

Jesse Orosz Love the Farmer’s Market

The groundbreaking ceremony commemorated the start of construction on the Santa Clarita apartments, which will feature a number of unique amenities, including a resort-style pool, spa and Yoga lawn. Also available to residents will be a club lounge, business center, fitness room, barbecue area and playgrounds.

Each of the 3-bed, 2.5 bath townhouses will feature 2-car garages and high-end finishes. The kitchens will feature European-style, flat panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Select townhomes will offer mountain views, an over-sized patio with outdoor fireplace and a second private patio.

Archstone expects first units to be available in spring 2013.

Learn more about careers at Archstone.

If you are living in one of our Washington DC apartments, spring is making its presence known with a fabulous display of cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin. In seeing all of this new life, I got the urge to plant something for myself. Not all of us have a space to plant a garden, or really even a green thumb to do so.

So I needed to do something indoors that requires little-to-no effort on my part. I went to a local garden shop and picked up a few little succulent plants. These are very hardy and quite difficult to kill. I got a cool little window sill pot from IKEA and stuck the little plants right in there without having to re-pot them in any way. Then I placed it on my window sill above the kitchen sink and walked away. Now I have a little extra O₂ to enjoy while doing the dishes!