Tuesday 18 June 2013

Easy Steps to a Greener Lifestyle



We’ve all tried to achieve a greener lifestyle by eating local, organic foods and reducing the time spent in a car, but there are a few simple steps you can practice around your apartment to reduce your carbon foot print.  These steps will also help your wallet, brining you great savings for a healthier lifestyle.
 
Ingredients to make natural cleaning products

Get Rid of Toxic Products


Those household cleaning products you have hidden under the sink have multiple toxins-including petroleum, phosphates and solvents that can be harmful to your health. Even those products labeled as “eco-friendly” may still be made with multiple toxins. Buy cleaning products that list no toxic ingredients in the product. There are also some great natural cleaning products you can mix at home with some common household items. Like water and vinegar, great to clean floors and disinfect surfaces. Or an oil and lemon juice mixture to polish furniture and leave surfaces sparkling.

  

Grow Some Greenery

 

Living in an apartment means you don’t have ample yard space to grown a garden, but buy some small planters that can sit on window ledges or on your balcony.  Plants are great to keep indoors as the help purify the air and increase the amount of oxygen in your apartment. Some vegetables and herbs grow great in planters, and will add tones of flavors to your dishes. The benefit of growing these herbs, tomatoes or berries indoors is the fresh all year round supply they'll give off. Also, there are many stylish planters available that will make growing plants in your apartment a chic accent.

Stylish planters to grow herbs and fruits
 

Ditch Paper


Stop using paper towels to dry your hands or clean up every let mess, this adds up to quite a bit of garbage. Use wash cloths and kitchen towels instead, keep a bunch handy and throw them in the washer when they’re all dirty. This will save you money, as you will no longer need to stock up on paper towels. Instead stock up on kitchen towels, they’re great for drying dishes and hang nicely on your stove handle.
 
Kitchen towels drying after use

Reuse Old Furniture


Instead of buying new furniture, find something someone else is trying to get rid of. Whether it is a family member, friend or stranger on Kijiji, you can find some great bargain pieces to furnish your apartment without having to buy brand new furniture. Or if you have some old pieces of furniture that need some tender love and care, there are great DIY videos only that will show you how to bring light to your old dual furniture.  Remember, to stay green stick with natural and toxin-free paints and fabrics.

 
Restoring old furniture and making great new pieces

Recycle

 

Living an apartment might make it more difficult to recycle, as there may not be enough room under the sink for a recycling and garbage bin. So opt for buying two stylish bins that can sit on your kitchen floor, one for garbage and one for recycling. There are also ways you can help teach your fellow neighbours the importance of recycling, become a 3Rs mentor with the City of Toronto.

Dual garbage and recyclig bin
 

Turn it OFF


Reduce your energy consumption, turn lights off when you’re not in the room and don’t leave your TV running all day. Be sure to use power bars as much as you can around your apartment since you’re able to flip a switch and turn off power completely.  Even though you turn off appliances and electronics they are still using up a bit of energy, having a power bar is a great way to avoid the non-use consumption. Remember to always turn off computers, cable boxes, and game consoles right after you’ve finished using them.

 

It doesn’t matter where you live, a green lifestyle is easy to achieve. Visit www.flagshipcorp.ca and start your apartment hunting today.

 

Tuesday 11 June 2013

What's the best floor to live on?


Finding the perfect apartment has its challenges, there is always so much to consider – location, parking, proximity to the TTC, square footage. However, there is one secondary factor that might get over looked during your apartment hunt that could potentially affect your daily lifestyle – like which floor your apartment is on. So, which is the best floor to live on in an apartment building? Well, each option, top, middle and bottom, has its perks.
 

Top Floor


 
Living on the top floor means you rarely have to deal with noise from the units above, and the added height is a great source of natural sunlight.  The views from the top floor are generally worth wild, weather your building is located in the city or just on the outskirts the view from the top is always better. There are also some cons to consider, like the abundant sunlight generally keeps the apartment warmer, and this is great in the winter, especially since heat rises, but during the summer your AC unit will need to work overtime. If you pay your own hydro, your bills might see a huge hike during the summer months.
 
 
Top Floor Street Views

 

Bottom Floor


 
A bottom floor apartment also has some enticing perks. It is ideal for bringing in heavy loads, like groceries, especially if your building doesn’t have an elevator. In the summer months, since the cool air naturally stays in the lower location your AC unit won’t be always running and your hydro bills will be less expensive. You might find yourself facing the opposite issue in the winter, when you can’t heat up your apartment.

Another downside to the first floor is the street noise might be a problem with first floor units; at least you won’t have to worry about bothering your neighbours when rearranging furniture or working out in your unit. Also, being on the first floor mean you’re more susceptible to having ants and other insects.

 
Bottom Floor, easy access to beautiful lawns

 

Middle Floor


After considering the pros and cons of living on the top and bottom floors, looks like the best option is living on the middle floors.  Living on the middle floors means you won’t have to face the extreme heating and cooling issues that would hike up your hydro bills, or worry about climbing four or more flights of stairs. As a result, the middle floor seems to be just right. Don’t expect a huge break on your hydro bills because you live on the middle floor, but a steady power consumption rate during the season. This is great for those who set their hydro budgets before renting a new place.
 

Charming Four-Story building with no elevator
 


So as always there are pros and cons to each floor, but most importantly be sure to take each into account as you make your next big move. Visit www.flagshipcorp.ca and start your apartment search today, with many buildings to choose from you are sure to find something that fits your lifestyle, budget and located within your desirable neighbourhood.
 
Be sure to leave us your comments, we'd love to hear your opinion.

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Summer Heat

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Many Canadians are wondering how they are going to survive the summer heat without melting. Here are a few tips to stay cool and calm during the summer months.
 

Keep it Shady

Blackout Curtains

Invest in some energy efficient blackout curtains to keep the sun out of your apartment during the sun’s peak hours. Keeping your apartment dark and closed up during the day when you’re at work will keep cool air in and warm air out. By the time you get home, the sun won’t be directly shining into your place and you can open up the windows for some fresh summer air.

Proper Fan Placement


Trying to stay cool
Fans are trickier than they actually seem and you want to ensure proper placement so that the air can circulate. Also, remember hot air rises so you might want to have a fan pointing up. If you have a window open, don’t place your fan in front of it hoping it will help fan-out the fresh summer breeze, this is a common mistake. Also, don’t just open one window. Open a few so the air has a way in and out to help with the circulation.

Grow Some Greenery


Window planter
Never underestimate the power of plants! Adding a couple plants to your apartment will help purify your indoor air and increase the amount of oxygen in your home. It will also create a more natural atmosphere in your apartment. You can make household plants do a double duty by growing herbs in a small pot and placing them on your window ledge.

Conserve Energy


Lights and TV Off
Keep the energy consumption in your apartment to a minimum. Don’t leave all the lights on or the TV always running, especially when you’re not home. Turn lights off.  Keeping your apartment dark will help reduce the heat, as 90% of the energy given off is heat and only 10% is light.  Avoid using the oven as much as possible, as baking something will heat up your apartment, opt for cold fresh foods that will help your body cool down or eat take out.
 

Keep Hydrated


Summer Drinks
In order to stay cool it’s important to keep hydrated, keep a couple of water bottles in the freezer. It's best to drink on a schedule when it is hot outside, this will help prevent dehydration and help you stay cool. Try to avoid drinks containing caffeine or alcohol while in the sun or heat. Another way to ensure you’re getting enough liquids is by eating fruits with high water content like watermelon, you can try eating some frozen berries as well instead of ice cream. Having a cold treat like ice cream or frozen fruit will help your body cool down.
 


The Toronto summer heat can get pretty steamy, but remember it’s easy for you to keep your apartment cool! Visit www.flagshipcorp.ca when searching for the perfect Toronto apartment.