Throw a party, any party

All you want to do is curl up under a blanket, we know, but you can only do that for so many hours before it gets a little pathetic. Beat the winter blues by hosting a dinner party, inviting friends over for poker, or hosting a rager that recalls your most collegey of college days. Bonus: you’ll have a legitimate reason to lie in bed for hours the next day.

Take your lazy winter activities to an extreme level

It’s cold and grey, so you bake some cookies and then waste an afternoon watching a movie. Instead, why not bake dozens of cookies and put on a bake sale, or send goodies to everyone in your address book? If you’re going to watch one movie, why not watch three, and invite all your friends over for a marathon? Yours could become the Apartment of Weekend Movie Marathons (Star Wars, Alien, and Indiana Jones could keep you busy for a few weeks).

For heaven’s sake, take up an outdoor sport

This is really the ultimate way to enjoy winter. Live in a cold place? Skating, skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, hockey, snowshoeing, even winter running and hiking all provide hours of fun, and you’ll appreciate that roaring fire all the more.

…or just get in shape

If you’ve really got that much time on your hands, but still can’t bring yourself to stay outside for more than five minutes, join a gym. Take up yoga. Invest in obscure self-defense classes that make you feel like a badass. Even a couple hours a week of extra activity and extra endorphins can put a spring in your step. Feeling intimidated or lonely? Find a workout buddy.

Look up local events

Book club is starting to look good, isn’t it? Use the winter blues, and all those hours you spend zoning out in front of the computer (you’re reading this post, after all) as an excuse go attend events that you might not otherwise. Sure, every once in a while you’ll have to sit through two hours of awful improvisational theater, but you never know what might end up becoming a new hobby, or who you might meet in the meantime.

Replace white bread with whole wheat bread—good whole wheat bread

Whole wheat bread is generally less processed, has more fiber, will keep you fuller longer, and won’t spike your blood sugar like white bread.  As far as your body is concerned, white bread is just sugar, and eating straight sugar doesn’t fall under “eat healthier.” Ideally, buy freshly baked bread from a deli, bakery, or farmers’ market; although highly-processed, pre-sliced whole wheat bread is a bit better than its white alternative, it’s still highly-processed and pre-sliced. Insider tip: Look at the ingredient list. If it lists “wheat flour,” it means white wheat flour. If it lists ingredients you don’t recognize, they’re probably preservatives or other sketchy things you don’t want in your body, and you’d be better off buying a different loaf.

Replace canned vegetables with fresh or frozen vegetables

Unlike canned vegetables, frozen vegetables retain most of their nutrients and fiber—and they’re just as convenient, if that’s a factor in your decision. When possible, eat fresh vegetables. This tip also goes for fruit. Canned fruits often come swimming in a sugary syrup, and have almost none of the beneficial nutrients of fresh or even frozen fruit.

Insider tip: Want to go the extra mile? Freeze your own veggies, from your garden or from a farmers’ market, to enjoy healthy produce throughout the year.

Replace meat—especially red meat—with a vegetarian protein

Hold up! We’re not suggesting that you go full-on vegetarian, but at least once a week, go meatless. If possible, eat vegetarian proteins that are natural and not processed. For example, serve vegetarian Mexican food, with beans instead of meat. Or whip up an omelet, and let eggs provide the protein. You can always buy a tofu-based “fake meat,” but it’s cheaper and healthier to pick natural foods. Insider tip: You can also improve health just by reducing the amount of meat in a meal. For red meat, a serving size should be no bigger than a pack of cards. Sound pitifully small? Mix the meat with other ingredients, for example in a stirfry, and its flavor will spread out over lower-calorie, more fibrous foods.

There is endless conflicting advice about which foods are “healthy.” A simple guideline is to buy whole, unprocessed foods, and to focus on fruits and vegetables. And, of course, avoid sugar. For a quick primer on simple strategies for making healthy choices, check out author Michael Pollan’s Food Rules.

The music should be fun—it can be angry, if you’re angry, but if you ARE angry you probably need a little fun in your life, so let’s choose something upbeat, shall we? If “Valentine’s Day” makes you sick, Spotify has a playlist just for you, and will do all the work of creating the correct ambience. Again, for the happy among you, put on your girl power songs and have a rollickin’ dance party that you’d never let your boyfriend watch.

The décor can be all-out or very simple, depending on the venue and how bitter you want to make things. It can range from dartboards with bull’s-eyes sporting pictures of ex-boyfriends to totally gooey, pink, frilly decorations that include little notes to all your BFFs. For inspiration, we suggest this video of Jennifer Garner beating a heart piñata to death. Good, family fun for everyone.

The guest list is crucial. What kind of party are you throwing, here? The kind where you and all your engaged friends compare rock sizes? Or the kind where you make a list of all the reasons you’re so incredibly glad you’re single (and burn some effigies)? This is one party where you don’t want to mix and match friend groups. Cohesion makes everyone happy (read: less vulnerable) on Valentine’s Day.

The food! Chocolate is a must, unless yours is the most anti of anti-Valentine’s Day parties. You can even wait a week, pick up all the leftover truffle boxes that are now on clearance, and have a bingefest. Delicate finger food is appropriate. So is really greasy pizza.

The activities:  we suggest drinking (moderately!) and either gossiping all night, having a raging dance party (see above), or watching a movie together. Best love-is-all-around movies: Love Actually, or, more grossly, Valentine’s Day. Say Anything and When Harry Met Sally are also good—or really anything with Meg Ryan or John Cusack. Best single-girl movies: Clueless, Thelma & Louise, and Steel Magnolias.

We are compiling a list of the best chick flicks for our apartment get-togethers – and we’d love your input, here or on our Facebook page!

Fire

Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. You might never need them, but if you do, you’ll REALLY need them. These should be some of the first things you move in to your new place. Change the batteries regularly, and check that extinguishers haven’t expired. And while you’re at it, install a carbon monoxide detector, too.

Leaks, Leaks, and Other Infrastructure Problems

Gas leak? Water leak? Ceiling collapsing onto your living room? (I have it on good authority that that last one is a real bummer.) Keep a list next to your phone with the numbers of your landlord, plumber, electrician, etc. Keep important documents in water-tight containers, and for goodness’s sake, get renter’s insurance.

Power Outages

Not the worst thing that could happen—unless Grandma is visiting and breaks her hip while stumbling around in the dark. Buy several flashlights and maybe even some battery-powered lamps. If your stove is electric, have another way to keep everyone from starving.

Bleeding Out

Also known as: Why don’t you have a First Aid kit? A little tape and gauze goes a long way when it’s 30 minutes to the nearest hospital. Don’t know what you should include? The American Red Cross has a list for you, and if they don’t know what they’re doing, we’re all screwed anyway.

The Apocalypse

Whatever form it takes, it won’t be pretty.  Keeping a stash of water, non-perishable food, survival blankets, flashlight and batteries, battery-powered radio, whistle, and anything else that might help you survive those first few End of Days. Seriously, though, only a small percentage of people don’t believe in climate change (and 9 out of 10 of those weirdos are linked to ExxonMobile), so all this strange weather we’ve been having? We might get even more of it. Stock up.

Have something to add? We’d love to hear from you – here or on our Facebook page!

For the beer snobs among us, this will be most welcome, and not your typical gift. More surprising and possibly more weird, or more classy, depending your point of view:  a range of dessert wines.

A weekend getaway for one

That really mixes it up, doesn’t it—separation as a Valentine’s Day gift? Well, we all need some time off to help us truly appreciate the company we have.

Homemade truffles

Who said lumpy isn’t lovable? If you make them, you can eat as many as you want during the preparation…

“Aphrodisiac Love Fragrance”

Beats the hell out of regular cologne.

Roses

…if you’re in a heterosexual relationship, and you’re the woman. Any other variation is cute, but not that surprising.

Jerky of the Month Club

Yeahhhhhh. That’s a real thing.

Engravable Football Tumbler

What, a Super Bowl gift on Valentine’s Day is out of the question? All we’re saying is, it doubles as two gifts.

“The Science of Kissing” by Sheril Kirshenbaum

For when you’d rather make your romance more clinical. And fact-ful. Here’s a freebie fact: one milliliter of saliva houses about 10 million bacteria.

A ham

Who expects a ham on Valentine’s Day? I mean, who expects any meat product, let alone one usually served on Christmas or New Year’s? Aha—that’s what we call a surprise.

A shop vac

You’d be really shocked at how happy this might make your significant other – particularly if they love doing big messy projects!

Have something to add? We’d love to hear from you – here or on our Facebook page!

Stencil

Admit it, it doesn’t actually take THAT long to repaint one wall, and you’ll more than make up for it in compliments and resulting smugness. We got this particular picture from HGTV, but you can find endless ones online, or if you’re particularly crafty, you can design one yourself. Feeling lazy or cheap? Use some leftover pain that’s been hanging around, and only paint a small but noticeable area. By now you should know that we’ll recommend such projects only if you have an amenable landlord, so be smart and don’t blame us if you track paint all over his prized wood floors.

Throw some white paint on winter-related objects

Seriously, all it really takes is a basket of pinecones you filched from the park and then dipped in white paint, and all of a sudden you’re Martha freaking Stewart. Don’t believe me? Try it! Just let the paint dry before ruining that woven masterpiece. How else can you make this ridiculously easy? Stick a spruce branch in a vase and use it as a centerpiece. Gather a bunch of Christmas tree bulbs and “arrange” them in a nice bowl, and use THAT as a centerpiece. Sprinkle some fake snow in the corner. The lazy options are endless.

Buy stuff

While we don’t feel entirely good about encouraging your addiction to shopping (you know, there are therapists and probably even medication for that), if you’re going to do it anyway, we might as well point you in the right direction. Etsy has some ridiculously cute items for easy winter decorating, and if you weren’t such an addict, you could always store them away til next year and re-use the wonder. Just a suggestion.

Don’t take OUR word for it

Feel like striking out on your own here? (But don’t actually want to come up with your own ideas?) You can always stalk the hundreds of people on places like Pinterest who are fetishizing the latest season (that’s a lot of sketchy verbs for one sentence, but you catch our drift). Actually, this is an excellent way to spending so much time looking at how your apartment could be decorated that you never get around to actually decorating it. Trust me, I know.

Have a craft to add? We’d love to hear from you – here or on our Facebook page!

By MyNewPlace Guest Blogger, Ron Leshnower – About.com’s Apartment Living Expert!

2012 is an election year and, as daily headlines remind us, the country is in the middle of a contentious primary season.

If you’re sharing an apartment with another person, this is a time when you may discover that your roommate favors a candidate you find abhorrent or takes a view on an issue that’s in sharp contrast with how you feel.

It’s nice if you agree with your roommate when it comes to politics, because it’s one more thing you have in common. But when roommates don’t see eye to eye on political issues, there’s no need to view disagreements as a threat to your good roommate relationship.

Compatibility is key when looking for the perfect roommate. When it comes to politics, what’s important is that roommates respect each other’s views and different backgrounds. It’s easy to let your roommate’s politics get to you, feeling as if your belief system or values are suddenly under attack in your own home. But remember that your roommate didn’t adopt any political view to spite you, and so while friendly debates might be fun, getting defensive and argumentative isn’t healthy, productive, or warranted.

The truth is that people of all political persuasions can make great, considerate, and responsible roommates, and there’s no reason that politics should interfere with a terrific roommate experience.

Jumping Jacks

An oldie but a goodie.  Jumping jacks will get your heart pumping as they tone your muscles.  Do them in sets, and gradually increase the number of repetitions and/or number of jacks.  Related at-home workouts:  running up stairs and jumping rope.

Lift Weights

A pair of hand weights won’t break the bank, and they’re a great way to strengthen both your muscles and your bones.  Don’t jump in too quickly, however; learn how to use weights safely, and slowly build from lighter to heavier.

Watch Aerobics Videos

While pink workout tights may have gone out of style in the eighties, workout videos live on.  Shop around for the ones best suited to your goals and fitness level.

Dance

This is my personal favorite.  All you need is a good playlist, and enough space to flail about.  If you enjoy dancing, it may help you stick to your exercise goals.  It’s great cardio, and as an added bonus, the extra practice will help your rhythm when you’re out on the town!

Yoga

If you practice yoga regularly, you can deepen your experience by practicing on your own at home.  If you’re new to yoga, you can watch videos or listen to podcasts.  We suggest the latter only if you have a good understanding of how to safely move through the various poses.

Stretch

Stretching is exercise all by itself, and can be a good way to ease into more aerobic activities.  If you’re engaging in any of the exercises listed above, please remember to stretch and cool down when you’re done.  Your muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system will thank you.

As always, you should consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine.

Do you have hints for people who want to get in shape when they’re short on space?  Tell us here or on Facebook!

“A cat is a puzzle for which there is no solution.”  –Hazel Nicholson

“Cats are smarter than dogs.  You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.”          –Jeff Valdez

“I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance—a sharp, vindictive glance.”           –James Thurber

“A cat is more intelligent than most people believe, and can be taught any crime.”          –Mark Twain

“Choose a cat if you’d have a puppy; dog if you’d have a dog.  Puppies will **** your **** up for a few months, but cats will **** it up forever.”                    –Unnamed source

“Dogs have owners.  Cats have staff.”           –Unknown source

“There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.”         –Ben Williams

“I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”       –Winston Churchhill

What are your thoughts on cats and dogs? Tell us here or on Facebook.

2. Buy your decorations from a discount party store.  Actually, when arranged attractively, a couple dollar streamers can do the trick all by themselves.  Or bust out your white Christmas lights to frame your doorways and add ambiance.

3.  Cute Napkins are an classy alternative to paper napkins; they make clean up easier but don’t scream “red cups, chips, and cheap beer tailgating party.”

4. Make it BYOB. Booze get pricey pretty fast, so indicate on your invitations that you’ll be provide no drinks, or only one, and guests should feel free to supplement the situation.  You could even end up with extra alcohol at then end of the night; that’s what we call profit.

5. If you are providing some alcohol, dress it up.  For example, buy a couple of cheap-but-not-undrinkable red wine and mull it with spices.  The result will be delicious but not ridiculous.

6. Economical doesn’t have to look cheap; carefully plan some low-cost appetizers. Ideas include make-your-own grilled cheese, a cheese and fruit plate (go heavy on the fruit), and mini pancakes with sour cream and chives.  Get creative!  And avoid pricey ingredients.

7. Decide ahead of time on some simple entertainment.  Depending on your style, this can be anything from a Ouija board to a football game.  If you don’t have the necessary components, try to borrow them from a friend.

8. Put on the music. If you own a stereo and several universally-palatable CDs—or a computer from which you can put on a party-themed Pandora station—this essential component shouldn’t cost a dime.

9.  Personalized favors impress guests but don’t have to break the bank.  You can write notes, give your friends a photo of the two of you, or bake cookies and write a person’s name on each gooey treat.  Let the favor reflect what kind of party you’re throwing.

10. Finally, wear a fabulous outfit—but choose one already inhabiting your closet.  Rather than use your party as an excuse to buy yet another 1950s Lucy dress that you’ll wear maybe once a year, dust off the one you already have.

Have something to add? We’d love to hear from you – here or on our Facebook page!