Perennial Properties Blog

Healthy Downtown Atlanta Apartment Living

Now that we're halfway through January and the willpower for resolutions is starting to falter, our experts on apartment living at the Pencil Factory Flats & Shops wanted to share some useful tips for making 2011 the year for healthy living in your Atlanta apartment. These suggestions will help you to make small changes in your routine and space to support a healthier lifestyle.

Exercise and Fitness:

• If you don't have a gym membership but like the variety that gyms provide, check out your apartment's exercise facilities. You might be surprised! At the Pencil Factory, our gym offers a variety of cardio equipment, plus Swiss balls and free weights to help keep our residents looking good.
• If you like exercising in your apartment while watching television or workout videos, make sure to have enough space in front of the television; having to move a table every time might not seem like much, but it's an excuse not to work out.

Getting Good Sleep:

• Even though lots of people enjoy watching TV before bed, it can disrupt healthy sleep. Many experts suggest keeping your television in the living room and making your bedroom a place for sleeping only.
• Try to set up a separate area for working that's not your bedroom; don't work in bed, or you'll lose the subconscious association of "bed=sleep." If you live in a studio apartment, you can buy room separators to help make your "bedroom" feel special.
• Check out curtains and blinds to block out light if you have trouble sleeping; city living is fun, but sometimes you get more light at night than might be optimal! Otherwise, check out a sleep mask.

Eating Right:

• Maintain a clear and clean kitchen with plenty of counter space for handle food preparation. Don’t clutter up your kitchen counters, because it will be another excuse not to cook yourself a healthy meal at home. Our granite counters offer plenty of space...if you use them right!
• If you have kitchen equipment you rarely use, such as mixers, store them on higher shelves rather than on counter space that could be better used for food preparation.
• Clean out your refrigerator on a regular basis! Mold is no good.

Breathing well and avoiding illness:

• Open windows when the weather is pleasant to let air flow in and freshen up your space. Run fans to keep air moving rather than stagnant.
• Dust and vacuum frequently, especially if you’re allergic to dust and dust mites.  Don’t forget to dust up high, such as the tops of armoires and ceiling fans--these areas will spill dust into the air if you're not careful.
• Keep an eye out for signs of mold or water damage, and report these to your community manager.

That's it! Just running through this checklist and keeping your apartment tidy and organized will help you to stay healthy in 2011. Good luck!