Blog Posts

Keeping Up with the Cleaning During the Holidays

Staying on top of housework, particularly during the holidays, can be overwhelming. We want to help you out by sharing a practical cleaning schedule that can help you to maintain a lovely apartment here at Liv Northgate. We hope this schedule and other tips help you out. Enjoy your December, in a sparkling clean, holiday-scented apartment here in Gilbert, AZ. Tips for Keeping Up on the Cleaning During the Holidays Start your cleaning by taking an inventory of what needs to be done. We like this “walk through” technique which help pinpoint specific tasks: Simply walk through different rooms of your home with a box or laundry basket in hand for misplaced items you find (which you can then put away where they belong). As you walk through, you’ll get a read on each room and what shape they’re in. Take note of items that need your attention like burned out light bulbs, dirty windows, dusty baseboards, and more. Set a timer whenever you clean. Take a break when the timer goes off and then set another timer when you’re ready to start cleaning again. This will make the task of having to clean your entire apartment feel much more manageable. Cleaning a little bit at a time is a lot less draining than having to clean everything at once. Just make sure that you’re using the method that works best for you. If impromptu cleaning works for you, that’s great! But oftentimes we get overwhelmed by all the chores we have to do and sidetracked by other regular and unexpected tasks that creep into the day. So take some time right now to map out your cleaning schedule according to what you want to do and how long you think it normally takes you to get through each task. You could also use a pre-made list from online, like The Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist from I Dream of Clean that categorizes everything for you by rooms. When you’re finished with the cleaning, take a long relaxing bath. Be sure to add a bath bomb for added luxurious soaking. Thanks for taking time to read our post today. Enjoy the holidays!

Tips for Efficiently Wrapping Gifts

The holidays are upon us, which can mean you’re soon going to be swimming in wrapping paper. Wrapping gifts doesn’t have to be a super frustrating or stressful occasion, though. Read this week’s Liv Northgate Blog for information on this tradition and for ways you can ease the stress while you shop here in Gilbert, AZ then take it home to your apartment to wrap it up. Why we wrap gifts It seems kind of self-explanatory that we wrap gifts to build anticipation as the recipient of a gift wonders what they’re about to get. But did you know that historians believe wrapping gifts in paper started not long after paper was invented thousands of years ago? Be grateful for the tape and wrapping paper we have now. People years ago wrapped gifts in tissue paper or heavy brown paper sealed with wax or string — or before that, a handkerchief or a napkin. We’ve come a long way since then! Use these tips to get your gifts wrapped this year. How to minimize stress while wrapping One key to minimizing the stress that comes with wrapping gifts the night before they’re to be opened is to start wrapping now. It’s much easier to wrap one gift a day than it is to do twenty in one night. Regardless of how much you plan, though, you might still feel overwhelmed with all you need to wrap last minute. So ask others for help. You can set up stations in your apartment so one person can wrap another person’s gifts, while the second person does the first one’s gifts. It’s also easy to forget if you’ve wrapped a particular gift as you look at your growing mound of wrapped packages. So make a list of what you’ve wrapped and who it’s for so you can keep track of your purchases and ensure none get lost, never to be enjoyed. Don’t forget that some people are literally paid to wrap gifts. If you’re buying gifts this month at a store, ask if they offer complimentary gift wrapping. Some stores even have stations where third-party groups, like firefighters or non-profit charity groups, offer to wrap your gifts and only ask for a small donation in return (if that!). That can take a lot of stress off your shoulders and help you save on your supplies. How to wrap for peekers Stay one step ahead of anyone who loves to peel back a corner of (or completely undo) their gift’s wrapping paper by first putting the gift in a box (a cereal box or other snack box works great), then wrapping. If you want, use extra tape or even wrap a gift multiple times to ward off the peeking. Put the gifts in an obscure place where you don’t think the peeker can get to if you’re worried about them finding and opening the gifts prematurely. We hope these tips and information on gift wrapping has helped your chore become less of a chore and more of a fun holiday tradition. Let us know in the comments if you have any suggestions for wrapping gifts. Thanks for reading!

December Entertainment: Movie Edition

In the last Liv Northgate Blog post we went over some events going on in or near Gilbert, AZ, that can help you get in the holiday spirit. This week we’re focusing on another form of December entertainment that will make even the biggest Scrooge feel jolly and bright: movies! Take some time during the rest of this month to watch your favorite winter- or holiday-themed movies in your apartment or at a friend’s house. Here are some of our favorites. While You Were Sleeping (1995) This romantic comedy isn’t necessarily all about the holidays, but it’s a great winter time movie in which a Chicago Transit Authority token collector accidentally lets a family believe she’s the fiancee of their comatose son and brother. While she gets closer to the family, she falls in love with the coma patient’s brother, who is about as much of a hopeless romantic as she is. This movie is full of hilarious misunderstandings and heartwarming resolutions. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) If you’ve ever lamented the commercialism of the holidays, you’ll relate to good ol’ Charlie Brown in this Peanuts classic. If you haven’t, you can still gain inspiration for decorating your apartment from Snoopy’s award-winning lights display, learn some groovy dance moves from the rest of the Peanuts gang’s Christmas pageant practice, or just bask in the innocence that is this beloved comic strip character. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) You can enjoy this classic story in so many ways, we’re not even going to start listing them! But we think the Muppets movie adaptation, narrated by the Great Gonzo, aka Charles Dickens in this film, and Rizzo the Rat, is a great place to start. It’s just the right amounts of hilarity and mystery, while staying true to its source material. It has some great musical numbers in it, too. You can also watch A Christmas Carol (2009) with Jim Carrey for an animated look at this story of self-redemption. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) This tale tells the story of George Bailey, a small-town businessman with big aspirations. An angel, Clarence, comes down to earth to show George the ways he has impacted the lives of his family, friends, and everyone in town at a time when George sees little hope in life. It’s a classic everyone should see — for Jimmy Stewart’s phenomenal acting and the story’s hopeful message. What are your favorite movies to watch as the year ends? Let us know in the comments so we can put them on our to-watch lists. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!

Upcoming Events for the Gilbert, AZ Holiday Season

Welcome back to our blog! At Liv Northgate, we understand that the holiday season is busy. Plan ahead now so that you don’t miss out on any of the fun happenings in the area. Not sure what’s happening over the next two months? Check out these upcoming activities in the Gilbert, AZ area! First Annual Vertuccio Farms Light Celebration Don’t miss out on this new-to-Arizona light show feature planned at Vertuccio farm. Opening November 23rd, the show will run through January 11th. From the website: “Vertuccio Farms is going to be your must see Holiday destination for some truly amazing farm-family-fun! Our unique Christmas Light Show will dazzle with over 2 million lights! Each display synchronized to a variety of Christmas classics that will have you singing along. Stretched out over 10 acres, this dazzling light walk along will take you through a spectacular interactive journey that will delight your senses and put you in the perfect Holiday mood.” Visit the Vertuccio Farms website to learn more.” Breakfast with Santa Continue or start a new tradition by having breakfast with Santa at HD South. Don’t miss this event, taking place on December 1st at between 8:30 and 11:00 AM. Get your tickets now! The Nutcracker Ballet Head to the Higley Center to catch this year’s Southwest Youth Ballet performance of The Nutcracker, with the Chandler Symphony performing the score. There are four performances, December 14-16. Enjoy a magical evening of ballet as Clara experiences the magic of the Nutcracker come to life. Don’t chance missing it. Reserve your tickets now ! We hope you enjoy this holiday season! Share your favorite upcoming events by leaving a comment below for residents of our apartment community. What are your favorite things to do and places to go during the holidays? Thanks for reading!

Ideas for the Long Holiday Weekend from Liv Northgate

Welcome to the third post in our series of what to do in November to celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving. This week the Liv Northgate Blog has some ideas of what to do during the upcoming long weekend, particularly if you’re not into Black Friday shopping. Whether you stay here in Gilbert, AZ or head across the country to visit family, we think these ideas are great! Things to Do Over the Long Thanksgiving Break Volunteer A great way to get into the spirit of the holidays is to make it a tradition to volunteer at a local charity or shelter. Find out if the shelters in our area serve a Thanksgiving meal and if they do, volunteer to help serve. Enjoy the feelings that come from giving back to our community. Read about the History of Thanksgiving Make it a tradition to read about the history of the holiday and how it all began. Think about the hardships and struggles the pilgrims went through in a new and unfamiliar land. Learn about the meaning behind the holiday and teach your family and friends. Create a Thanksgiving Tablecloth Use a white tablecloth and some fabric markers to start a fun tradition of writing what you are thankful for each year, along with the date, your name, and age at the time. Add to the tablecloth each and enjoy reminiscing over memories of past years. Put Together a Family Cookbook Compile a cookbook with your family’s Thanksgiving recipes! Make copies for everyone in the family so even when you aren’t together for Thanksgiving, you can still enjoy the tastes of home. Make a Gratitude Tree Each year, make it a tradition to create a gratitude tree from fallen tree branches and cut-out paper leaves. Decorate your “leaves” and write something you are grateful for on each leaf. Have anyone who visits add a leaf to the tree. What things will you be doing over Thanksgiving weekend? Please share with us in the comments below. We want to wish everyone in our apartment community a happy Thanksgiving!

Being the Perfect Guest at Thanksgiving Dinner

Welcome back to the Liv Northgate Blog! It’s a given that the host of Thanksgiving dinner will have their hands full with menu planning, prep work, and figuring out the seating chart; however, if you’re a guest you can lighten the load! Follow these tips to improve on your Thanksgiving dining experience, if you’re in Gilbert, AZ or not. Bring something to the dinner. Whether you’re bringing a gift or a side dish, it’s always nice to bring something to the host’s home. Ask your host ahead of time if they would like you to bring a dish or a dessert. If you choose to bring a gift, make it both personal and thoughtful. Arrive on time. No one wants to wait for dinner (especially Thanksgiving dinner). Make sure that you arrive only slightly after the host asks you to come to dinner, and don’t expect the host to hold dinner for you. If you know that there’s going to be traffic, make sure that you leave your apartment with plenty of time to spare. Try your food before you pass it on. Make sure that you taste your food before you season it. There’s nothing worse than an over-seasoned meal, and it’s great to give your food a little taste before you start pouring on the salt. You won’t know how much salt or pepper you need on your meal until you try it. Compliment the host. The host has worked incredibly hard on the meal. Make sure that you remember to compliment the meal, the host’s home, and the desserts before the meal is through. Also, it’s always polite to thank the host for opening up their home to you. What are your insights into being an awesome guest? Share with us in the comments. We want to wish everyone in our apartment community a happy Thanksgiving!