Keeping Plants Watered

You don't need to get a fancy watering system with this simple trick. Place a container of water next to your plant. Take a short length of cotton yarn or clothesline and soak it in the water, then place one end in the bucket and one end in the soil of your planter so that the water keeps wicking into the planter while you're away.

Check on Your Pets

Even if you've got a pet sitter, you may be worried about your four-legged friends. Check how they're doing by adding a remote camera that you can access through your Wi-Fi network. Some of these options include screens and speakers so your pet can see and hear you.

Hire a Cleaning Service

If you're going to be gone for an extended period, consider having a cleaning service come through, either regularly or just before you come home. You'll be able to relax and unwind, enjoying being home at last instead of spending time and energy cleaning up!

Consider Home Automation

Robot vacuums, lighting that comes on or turns off on a schedule, cameras, and other home automation options make it easier to keep your home the way you want it while you're away. Investigate your options at an electronics store.

When you have to travel, keeping these tips in mind will help make it easier to focus on your trip instead of what's happening at home. If you're looking for Flagstaff, AZ apartments that provide you with a great lifestyle, why not check out Highland Village? With beautiful surroundings, you'll feel like you're on vacation while at home.

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Keep Training Sessions Short and Sweet

Long training sessions are likely to result in your dog getting bored and restless. When you’re working on teaching your dog to follow commands, keep these training sessions short. For example, aim to do several 10-minute sessions throughout the day instead of one long session. This helps your dog maintain interest while you’re training.

Stay Positive

A positive approach to training is highly effective. Rewarding your dog with treats and praise helps form a positive association with following commands. Make sure that you give your dog these rewards immediately after they follow a command. Otherwise, they won’t make that association. Avoid shouting at your dog or using any sort of physical punishment for not following commands. This will only make your dog fearful instead of encouraging them to listen to you.

Consider a Clicker

Clicker training involves the use of a clicking device and treats as rewards. The idea is to use the clicker when your dog follows a command, then reward them with a treat. They’ll learn to associate the sound of the clicker with the reward, which helps motivate them to repeat the behavior. For example, if your dog successfully sits, you would use the clicker right away and give them a treat. This helps them learn to follow the “sit” command since they know they’ll be rewarded. 

Our pet-friendly community allows pets in our studio and one-bedroom apartments in Flagstaff, AZ. Please contact us to learn more about our available apartments and pet policy.

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How to Eat Clean This Spring

What Is Clean Eating?

Essentially, "clean eating" means cutting out processed foods and eating more whole foods that are good for you. This includes eating more vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean and unprocessed proteins, healthy fats and other unrefined foods. 

How to Start Eating Clean This Spring

1. Clean out your kitchen. 

If you’re serious about clean eating, you’ll need to take a look in your fridge and cupboards and do some cleaning out. Remove foods that are processed, refined, or packaged in a box or bag. Most packaged foods have been processed in some way. 

2. Buy some replacements. 

Eating clean doesn’t mean foregoing sugars or carbs — as some other diets require. The point is to choose clean alternatives. For example, replace your table sugar with maple syrup or honey. Switch out pasta for whole grains like quinoa, brown rice or barley.

3. Refine your cooking habits.

It’s time to learn a few new tricks for at-home cooking. Your go-to pasta and tomato sauce or frozen pizza won’t cut it anymore. Instead of these processed choices, gather a group of snack and meal recipes that are quick, simple and clean. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Salads
• Stir-fries
• Soups
• Chicken breast or fish with a vegetable side dish
• Veggies and hummus
• Fruit and nut butter

Many of these snacks and meals can be made in advance to reduce time.

Are you looking for new Flagstaff apartments where you can start your clean-eating lifestyle? Contact our office today to see which floor plans are still available!

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Are you looking for some spring-inspired recipes? We've found a few to get you started.

Spring Inspired Recipes

Spring Strawberry-Spinach Salad

Strawberries and spinach have been best friends for a long time, and it just so happens that both of them are at their best in the spring. This salad offers a great way to celebrate the season. For a bit of protein, add some diced chicken and almonds to the mix.

Apricot Pork Chops

Pork chops play quite well with the sweet taste that apricots provide. This recipe requires almost no prep time, but the final result will reflect restaurant-quality success. Serve it with a side of brown rice to round out the meal.

Honeydew Melon Gazpacho

It's time to retire your tired old lunch food in favor of real flavor that'll make your colleagues envious. This bright soup is a fun way to pack in some of the essential parts of the food pyramid. Because it's served cold, it's ready to be pulled out of the fridge and enjoyed whenever your lunchtime arrives.

Orange Beef Lettuce Wraps

Looking for an alternative to high-carb entrees? Orange beef lettuce wraps embrace the beloved citrus fruit in a way that's fairly guilt-free. Thanks to the fact that they're held together simply by leaves of lettuce, you can add an extra one to your plate without worry.

Pineapple Stuffing

Need a side dish that surpasses the standard stuff? Pineapple stuffing puts a bright twist on a traditional dish.

If you're ready to move into an apartment community that's built for springtime fun, the outdoor grills, picnic gazebos and fire pit you'll find at our Highland Village Apartments are a great start. Fill out your application today!

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1. Wash Your Hands; Carry Sanitizer

Wash your hands throughout the day to keep germs away. Always wash before touching food, before (and after) playing with your little one and after going to the bathroom. Carry hand sanitizer around with you, so you'll have a backup plan if the bathroom at work doesn't have soap. All that washing can dry out your skin, so switch to ultra-moisturizing hand soap at home. 

2. Get Enough Sleep

Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours per sleep, but it's very common for adults to get less sleep than they need. Rearrange your schedule to ensure that you're getting the right amount of sleep every night. Sleep deprivation is associated with a weakened immune system. If you're not getting enough sleep, you could find yourself struggling with illnesses throughout the winter. 

3. Avoid Touching Your Face With Your Hands

Your hands will get germs on them even if you're washing them a lot. Avoid touching your face to your hands to stop the spread of those germs. 

4. Clean Frequently at Home

Disinfect surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom on a regular basis. Wash your sponges or dishrags on a daily basis. Use a cup of bleach mixed with a gallon of water to disinfect surfaces like your kitchen sink, counters and floor. 

Clean the germ hot spots, such as your bathroom counters and sink, at least twice per week. Resolve to clean other parts of your house once per week.  

Come See the Fun

Living among friends makes life better. Come take a look at the available units at Highland Village Apartments. In our apartments in Flagstaff, AZ, we're always excited when new people join our community. Call today to schedule an appointment.

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3 Easy Craft Ideas 

1. Mini Frames

Mini frames are about 2 inches by 2 inches. They are cute, especially when hung in sets of two or more. You can pick up unfinished wood mini frames at most craft stores. Simply use craft paint to decorate them with a solid color or with a polka-dotted pattern all over the frame. Cut a favorite photograph to size and insert into the frame. To make these mini frames even more functional, use a glue gun to adhere little mini magnets to the back, so they can be hung on the fridge. Your gift recipient will adore this thoughtful crafty gift!

2. Stocked Boudoir Jars

If you really want an easy craft idea, stocked boudoir jars make a sweet gift. Pick up small, decorative jars with pretty lids at a craft store. Fill with an assortment of items that your gift recipient will be able to use, such as facial cotton pads, barrettes, bobby pins or cotton swabs. For the lids, use a glue gun to adhere a decorative, colored bead.

3. Homemade Keyboard

Your gift recipient will love this gift that keeps on giving. Pick up a slab of tree bark from your neighborhood craft store. Choose an assortment of attractive or memorable photographs and decoupage them onto the front side of the wood using decoupage glue. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Next, screw in two or three screw hooks to the face of the board. Your loved one will now have a central place to hang his or her keys so they never get lost again!

These three easy craft ideas make great gifts for friends or family. To find out just how inspiring Flagstaff apartments can be, please contact Highland Village Apartments today!

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5 Fun Fall Activities

1. Attend a Fall Festival

Fall-themed festivals are always a great way to spend time on weekends in October. Grab a friend, challenge yourself in a few carnival games, and get lost in a hay maze.

2. Go Camping

Nighttime autumn air offers a certain crispness that can't really be appreciated unless you're out in the wilderness. Pack up a cooler and pick out some of your favorite picnic food because the great outdoors is calling your name this fall season.

3. Make a DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin spice flavors epitomize fall, but they can also be pretty costly options, especially at your favorite coffee shop. Forego the added expense — become a barista in your very own kitchen. A little pumpkin pie spice, which you can buy at nearly any grocery store, will switch a standard cup of coffee into a homemade pumpkin spice latte you'll love.

4. Hit Up a Local Farmers Market 

Farmers markets are great any time of year, but there are some special foods you'll find when fall rolls around. Besides fresh foods that represent this season, such as apples and corn, you'll likely find an assortment of homemade treats and crafts that will help you convert your apartment into an autumn-ready haven.

5. Pick Out Some Pumpkins

Pumpkins can instantly transform your space into a place that fees like fall. Half the fun is finding your perfect pumpkin. Head to a pumpkin patch, and spend a few hours wandering the rows until the right pumpkins call your name!

If you're on the hunt for a great apartment community, Highland Village Apartments has everything you need! Just look at all of the awesome amenities our residents enjoy!

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How to Host an End of Summer Gathering

Choose a Theme

Picking a theme makes it more fun to decorate and plan your menu. Consider a tropical theme, ocean theme or nautical theme to pay tribute to the season. You can also go with an all-white theme as a nod to not wearing white after Labor Day. When you choose your theme, you can then look for decorations, select music and create a menu that ties in with it.

Plan Your Menu

For your final summer bash, go with foods that are associated with the season. You can make burgers and hot dogs in your apartment on an indoor grill and serve them with potato salad, macaroni salad, fruit salad and other seasonal side dishes. For appetizers, consider setting out a tray of tropical fruit that’s in season. For dessert, choose no-bake options, so you won’t have to heat up your apartment by turning on the oven.

Select the Music

Having music playing in the background at your gathering can set the right mood and keep guests entertained. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t play it too loud, so you won’t disturb your neighbors. For an end-of-summer gathering, choose classic summer tunes from your favorite decade, or go with a playlist filled with beach songs.

Set Up Decorations

Your decorations will ultimately depend on your theme. You don’t have to do overdo it with decorations all over your place, but you should consider putting up a few here and there, such as strings of palm tree lights or other seasonal lights.

If you decide to have your gathering outside instead, our community has outdoor grills, a picnic gazebo and a fire pit. Contact us to learn more about our apartments in Flagstaff, Arizona. 

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Have company coming over? Planning on inviting a date in? Just realized your parents are due for a visit?

Or maybe you just want your apartment look better for your own sake.

No matter the reason, cleaning up your apartment in a jiffy is easier than you may think. Just do these things right now and your space will look instantly cleaner and neater:

1. Start with a garbage bag.

You’ve got to have your supplies first. Start with a huge garbage bag.

If your place is really a mess, you might want to wear gloves for this too. Now, go around your entire apartment and instantly throw away everything that’s garbage.

2. Tackle the dishes.

Chances are, your sink is full of dirty dishes. Tackle these next.

3. Put away dirty clothes.

Chances are also good that your floor and various surfaces have dirty clothes on them. Clean these up simply by putting them in the hamper.

4. Straighten.

This one’s pretty straightforward. Walk around your apartment and straighten things like chairs, curtains, pillows and other furniture.

5. Dust, then vacuum.

Next, dust all free services, then vacuum. When cleaning, you always need to work from top to bottom.

6. Make your bed.

Making your bed is an instant refresh and will immediately make your space look neater.

7. Really short on time? Grab a box.

Lastly, if time is truly of the essence and you have just minutes to get your house in order, grab a large cardboard box or plastic bin and throw in everything that you can’t find a place for. Unfortunately, this will have to be dealt with later.

Of course, you can’t have a neat looking apartment if the actual foundation and rooms of your building aren’t up to snuff. Still looking for a place in Flagstaff, Arizona? Give us a call to see which of our Flagstaff apartments are still available!

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Are you having a hard time getting to sleep at night? Is it difficult for you to sleep through the night without waking up and having at least an hour of fitful tossing and turning? You may need some expert tips on how to get the best night’s sleep ever. Read turn to learn more!

Stick to a Set Sleep Schedule

Did you know that you can actually train yourself to get up at a specific time? The same goes for when you go to bed. Your body wants a rhythm. It wants to know when you’ll be sleeping and when you’ll be awake. When you alter this rhythm drastically from day to day, week to week, your body gets confused and has a difficult time getting to sleep and staying asleep when you want it to.

Get a Better Mattress

Your mattress can make a gigantic difference in how you sleep. Spend a few hours doing some research online, learning about different types of mattresses. Next, go to a local mattress store and try out some of the products they have there. This will help you find the perfect mattress for your body type and personal preferences. It can make a huge difference in how well you sleep.

Get New Sheets

This probably sounds rather boring, but swapping out your sheets can also make a huge difference in how well you sleep. For example, you may prefer percale sheets over microfiber sheets during the summer. Possibly, linen sheets are better for you. There are tons of different materials and thread counts to choose from, and these factors could be affecting how you sleep.

How You Sleep is Affected by Where You Live, Too!

Not happy with your current Flagstaff, AZ apartment? Our Flagstaff apartments may be just the right setting where you can lay your head. Enjoy wonderful sleep 365 days out of the year in one of our five spacious floor plan options. Call our office today to find out which floor plans are still available!

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