Making Newnan more wrinkle-free

There is a right way and a wrong way to iron a shirt.  I know this because for the longest time, I’ve was doing it the wrong way and I would always end up with these extra creases that seemed to appear out of nowhere on the sleeves and back.

Ironing is easily my least favorite part of doing laundry.  And why wouldn’t it be.  Washing clothes is easy…especially now that I have a washer and dryer right here in my apartment.  Throw the clothes in the washer, then grab a drink from the fridge and relax on the couch, then throw them in the dryer.  Done.

But ironing takes precision, patience and strategy.  Not my strong suits.  But if you want to look civilized and unwrinkled when going out in public – especially here in Atlanta, which is growing more fashion conscious by the day - you have to pay the price.  So for you, my friends and neighbors, here is a great video on the right way to iron a shirt that will help even the most wrinkle-challenged among you.

How to save money on your renter’s insurance

Do you currently carry renter’s insurance?  Preston Mill Apartments strongly advises their residents to get a policy.  It’s really not as expensive as you may think.  In fact, you can save money on your policy in quite a few ways.  Here is an article I found about saving money on renter’s insurance that you can read.  Check out this video too.

3 tips for Preston Mill pet owners

A pet-friendly reminder for all of you Preston Mill Apartments dog owners: Newnan enacted a new city tethering ordinance this year that requires any dog that is tethered outside in a public location must have its owner present within 50 feet of the anchor.  So if you want to take your dog to the park and tie him to a tree, make sure that you don’t walk off.  Feel free to call the city at 770-253-2355 for more information on the new ordinance.

Speaking of dogs, have you had yours licensed?  Registering and licensing your pet makes it so much easier for you to be located should your dog (or cat) get lost.  And you wouldn’t want them staying in doggie jail, would you?  You can contact the Atlanta Humane Society for more info on pet registration.  They have an Animal Control facility at 981 Howell Mill Road (midtown Atlanta, corner of 10th St.) that you can take your pet to, along with proof of a 1-year or 3-year rabies vaccination, in order to get a license.

Lastly, with the extreme heat we’ve been dealing with this summer, don’t forget to throw a few ice cubes in your pets water bowl to help them cool off.  I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.  Hope this info helps!

(Photo Credit: satanslaundromat)

Annual Preston Mill Pool Party

We hope to see you there!!!!!!!!!!

The correct way to load your diswasher

I’ve never seen you load the dishwasher in your apartment here, but there’s a good chance that you just may be doing it wrong.  I know I did for the longest.  I always used to think just  that I should just try to squeeze as many dishes in there as I could. Then I would scratch my head in wonder when all of my dishes didn’t come out clean.

But now, thanks to an article in the NY Times, I know better.  As it turns out there’s a real science to this stuff.  Here are a few of the tips I’ve learned from the article…

1. Put the larger dishes in the back and on the sides. That way they won’t block water and detergent from reaching other dishes.

2. Face the dirtier side of the dishes to the middle of the machine. That will allow them better exposure to the water spray.

3. Use the top rack for plastic and delicate items that are dishwasher safe.

I also learned from a recent Yahoo! article that should not pre-rinse your dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.  It doesn’t get them any cleaner and, in fact, all you are doing is wasting water.  Heavily soiled pots can be soaked, but pre-rinsing, that’s a no-no.

Hope this info helped!  And a special thanks to Preston Mill for having apartments that come with dishwashers…so I can relax after dinner instead of doing dishes.  Phew!

3 Kick-Butt Games for Game Night

Of course a kick-butt game night includes your awesome peeps, food, and, let’s face it, electricity.  These three things I have used, partied with and had a blast with (not only my friends, but even my family!).  Imagining my mom holding a Rock Band guitar and singing along to Metallica…weird?  I bet you know how I felt.  Good times.

I digress.  Another element you obviously need for a successful game night is, well, games.  Here is a short list of my personal tri-fecta of gaming…

To read more of this article, visit MyRentalPad.com.

Earth’s electric bill approaches $200 billion

Collectively, we use just too much energy for the Earth to sustain.  As Earth Day 2010 winds down, I thought I’d take it upon myself to share one last piece of “save the planet” information.

I just came across an article entitled Environmental Alarms Raised Over Home Electronics.  I think it has good advice that can be followed right here at Preston Mill.  Here’s a brief excerpt (below).  Follow the link to read more.

The world would have to build around 200 new nuclear power plants just to power all the TVs, iPods, PCs and other home electronics expected to be plugged in by 2030, when the global electric bill to power them will rise to $200 billion a year, the IEA said.

Consumer electronics is “the fastest growing area and it’s the area with the least amount of policies in place” to control energy efficiency, said Paul Waide, a senior policy analyst at the IEA.

Electronic gadgets already account for about 15 percent of household electric consumption, a share that is rising rapidly as the number of these gadgets multiplies. Last year, the world spent $80 billion on electricity to power all these household electronics, the IEA said.

Final Fogelman Four (or Five)

Hey Fogelman folks…the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament is wrapping up this weekend and if you’ve been following, you know that it has been ripe with upsets. As for the Fogelman Bracket Challenge, it’s still too close to call. There are numerous scenarios that can play out, each one resulting in a different winner.

Here is what we know…

• If Duke wins, Richard Call from Stewarts Ferry in Nashville, TN will be your 2010 Champion. Way to go, Richard! But don’t count your cookies yet…
• If West Virginia wins, then Jon Hawks will take the crown. I’m a Big East Conference fan, so I must admit that I’m in Jon’s corner. Jon, we’re not sure which apartment community you’re representing so if you’re reading this, make sure you drop us a note.
• If Michigan State wins the tournament, then Amanda Hill will be our official champion. However, because she is not officially a Fogelman property resident, she is disqualified from collecting any prize. Any prize would go to the first runner-up that is actually a resident. Sorry, Amanda. Maybe you should consider moving to a Fogelman community J
• And if Butler wins, well, here’s where it gets a little tricky. Because no one gave them a fighting chance at the beginning of the tournament, there is no clear cut winner at this point. It all depends on who they play in the Championship. If Butler defeats West Virginia in the title game, then Janelle Crandall from Metro 67 in Memphis, TN will walk away with the prize. If Butler defeats Duke, the title goes to Dani Soto from Hampton Woods in Shawnee, KS.

Good luck to each of the finalists! Don’t forget to tune into CBS to watch the tournament semifinals tonight starting at 6pm, and then the Championship game on Monday, April 5 at 8pm.

Fogelman 2010 NCAA Bracket Challenge Leader Board: Are you on it?

The first weekend of the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is in the books and the leader board for the Fogelman 2010 NCAA Bracket Challenge is set. With 50+ bracket submissions, this is sure to be a tight race.

A few interesting statistics developed among the Fogelman residents that participated. Among them…

• 31% of the participants picked Kansas to win it all.
• 14% picked Kentucky
• 12% picked Duke
• 7% picked Syracuse

Here is the leader board after the first two rounds of the tournament along with their pick to win the whole thing…

1. Kim Martin (Kansas), 46 pts.

2. Garrett James (Kansas), 44 pts.

2. Kate Asselin (Kansas), 44 pts.

4. Amanda Hill (Michigan State), 43 pts.

4. Heather Towe (Kansas), 43 pts.

6. Zach Hightower (N/A), 42 pts.

6. Chris Gholston (Syracuse), 42 pts.

6. Janelle Crandall (Kansas), 42 pts.

6. Dani Soto (Kansas), 42 pts.

10. Melissa Rosenthal (Kansas), 40 pts.

The tournament itself is proving to be one of the best in years, with major upsets and Cinderella stories playing out as the field battled to join the ranks of the “Sweet 16”. Northern Iowa’s upset over Kansas in the second round will definitely shake up the Fogelman Bracket Challenge leader board in the coming weeks.

If one of your neighbors has made it on the leader board, be sure to drop them a note of congratulations on your community’s Facebook page and cheer them on. And make sure you stay tuned to all of the drama in both the NCAA tournament and the Fogelman Bracket Challenge. I’ll post a new update next week.

The Regional Semifinals play out today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday, March 26-27), with the Regional Finals being played on Saturday and Sunday, March 27-28. Check your local CBS affiliate for game times.

Tips for driving in snow & ice

It looks like snow is headed to Atlanta this afternoon! This is shaping up to be one of the coldest and snowiest winters in Atlanta’s recent historoy.

According to the National Weather Service forecasters in Peachtree City…

There is a 100 percent chance of rain or snow for Tuesday, with a high temperature of 38 degrees. The low Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will be 29, with a 40 percent chance of additional snow.

Though the snow is expected to stick, “the roads are going to stay reasonably clear, and there’s not going to be any ice associated with it,” Leary said.

Our advice, stay inside! If you do have to go out, please remember to drive safely. Check out these tips for driving in snow and ice, courtesy of Edmunds.com.

Anyone up for a snowball fight?

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