Practical Fall Decluttering Tips

1. Donate Unloved Clothing

   Can you go through your closet and pull out multiple pieces that didn’t get any love this summer? If so, it may be time to donate them to someone that can get better use out of them. You can give them to a friend or family member, or simply gather them up along with other items in your home for a charity shop donation. Either way, you’ll make room in your closet for your fall/winter wardrobe and help someone who’ll likely get more use out of your unloved items.

2. Clear Out Houseplants

   You were probably busy this summer enjoying the beautiful weather and hanging with friends. So, it’s no wonder that a few of your houseplants didn’t fair through the season very well. If any of them are too far gone, now is the ideal time to lay them to rest and clear space for your more festive fall decor.

3. Recycle

   Are you of those people who like to hang onto Amazon boxes and magazines “just in case” you can use them later? If these kinds of items are taking up space in your apartment, it’s time to declutter and send them to be recycled. Even if your cat loves to play in your old boxes, it’s time to say your goodbyes and maybe make some room for a new cat perch instead!

Make Room for a Fresh Start this Autumn

Interested in more great apartment living tips? Visit the Candlewood North blog today and be sure to check out the available floor plans at our pet-friendly apartments in Northridge, CA.

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Baking Soda and Vinegar

An environmentally friendly option to clear a clog in your shower is through baking soda and vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain of your shower. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the drain and then cover the drain. Make sure the entire drain is covered up.

The reaction between baking soda and vinegar will break down the soap residue and the hair that causes the clog. Allow the mixture to sit for ten minutes, and then pour boiling water into your shower. The boiling water stops the reaction and helps get everything moving down the drain.

Baking Soda and Salt

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of using baking soda and vinegar in your shower, then you can opt for an alternative using baking soda and salt. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with 1/2 cup of salt. Pour the entire mixture down the drain.

Allow the salt and baking soda mixture to sit for a half hour or as long as you prefer. Keep in mind that you want to let it sit for longer when you have a stubborn or severe clog in your shower. Pour boiling water into your drain. The boiling water stops any interactions with materials in the clog and pushes everything down the drain. You can keep this mixture in your drain overnight without worrying about damage to your pipes. It is safe and environmentally friendly.

Traditional Plunger 

A plunger is a traditional method of removing a minor clog from your pipes. If your shower is draining slower than usual, then get a plunger, add some water to your shower, and place the plunger firmly over your drain. Make sure it seals properly and covers the entire drain. Push down firmly and repeat the process. The pressure from the plunger forces the warm water in your shower down into the drain at a fast pace. That forces the clog to move down the drain and knocks it loose from the pipes.

Removing clogs from your shower does not mean you must use harmful chemicals. You can opt for environmentally friendly alternatives that clear your shower's pipes without the risks. To learn more about clearing pipes in apartments in Northridge, CA or to see available rentals, contact us today.

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It’s natural that you’d want to keep the kitchen in your Northridge apartments sparkling clean. You probably take special care to clean the countertops, the refrigerator, oven and range. But did you know that your automatic dishwasher also needs to be cleaned? Yes, even though the dishwasher is always cleaning your dishes, it too needs to be sterilized and cleaned every now and then. So now that spring cleaning fever has struck, here’s how to deep clean your automatic dishwasher.

Run a Cycle

If you have dirty dishes in the dishwasher, go ahead and run that cycle. This will ensure that you’re starting with as clean a dishwasher as possible.

Remove Everything

Next, take all the racks out of the dishwasher, including the silverware rack. If you aren’t sure how to remove a rack, refer to the owner’s manual.

Examine the Drain

Wearing kitchen gloves, examine the drain area. Remove any food debris that may have become lodged there. Chunks of food debris can clog the drain. Be careful, because there could also be small bits of broken glass, pieces of gravel or shards from bones or shells.

Wipe Down the Sides

Next, use a clean kitchen sponge or cloth to wipe down the sides, top and bottom of the inside of the dishwasher. You can do this with just warm water. Again, this is to remove any small pieces of dried food debris that may be clinging to the walls of the automatic dishwasher.

Run a Cycle With Vinegar

Put the top rack back in. Fill a small bowl with ordinary white household vinegar. Place the bowl in the top rack and run a cycle. The vinegar will sanitize the dishwasher.

Run a Cycle With Baking Soda

Finally, when the vinegar cycle is done, you’ll want to run a cycle with baking soda. Just fill the soap dispenser with baking soda and run the machine. The baking soda will deodorize the dishwasher, getting rid of any residual vinegar odor. You can now replace all the racks in the dishwasher.

That’s it! Now your automatic dishwasher is spic and span and ready to be used over and over again! For more information about available apartments in Northridge, please contact us today!

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