By Mark Smaglinski
As a Leasing Agent with the Apartment People, I always get asked the same questions about moving into an apartment in Chicago. The following are some tips that might make your move smooth and what you should do to make your new home a pleasant living situation.
MOVING IN:
DON'T
Park your 18 ft semi in the middle of the street stopping traffic and blocking in parked cars.
DO
Contact your alderman's office to obtain a No Parking sign that you can put up on your street in front of your apartment to save spaces for your moving truck. Give yourself plenty of time to do this as they require 48 hours advanced notice. Also, check with your new landlord to see if they have a specific spot that can accommodate your vehicle. If you are moving into a highrise, remember to reserve the freight elevator per building regulations and find out where they allow parking for move-ins. The more pre-planning you can do the easier your move-in (or out) will be.
PAINTING
DON'T
Assume you can paint your living room lilac, your bedroom black and your dining room dusty rose.
DO
Talk with your landlord prior to painting about what they will and will not allow and if they require you to paint back to the original color before you move out. Have paint chips handy to show them what you are thinking and find out from them what brand and color paint they originally used if they want you to paint it back.
If you can't hire a professional, here are some painting suggestions:
- Use a drop cloth to protect wood floors or carpeting. Always replace the lid on the paint can when not in use to prevent spilling if tipped.
- Painter's tape and a good brush are your friends if you want a professional look and clean lines.
- Have a wet rag handy to immediately wipe up drips and errant brush strokes.
- Choose the right paint. Use pre-matched color combinations from the paint store for a designer look. An eggshell finish for living, dining and bedrooms gives a nice soft look and is easy to clean. Satin works well for higher traffic areas and semi gloss for trim and kitchens and baths.
HAVING FUN
DON'T
Throw a bash with a DJ, 175 guests and a petting zoo on a Tuesday night.
DO
Keep your parties and guest list to a minimum. Always inform and invite your immediate neighbors and decide on an end time when noise will subside. Music should be at a moderate level and if a neighbor DOES complain, do what you can to alleviate the situation and not argue. Remember, you are sharing space with others and need to be respectful and considerate. If you MUST throw a crazy, all-out bash, rent a space. If there are parking restrictions on your street, have parking passes available for your guests. When your guests have gone home, do a quick run through of the common areas of your building to make sure there are no cups or trash littering the stairway, lobby or grounds. Taking the right steps will ensure a smooth evening and peaceful co-existence with your neighbors.
OTHER TIPS
DON'T
Let someone you don't know enter through the building entrance behind you.
DO
Make sure all doors shut and lock on your way out.
DON'T
Leave trash bags out on your back porch for days and days.
DO
Pick up after your dogs on building grounds and in the neighborhood.
DON'T
Start any bon-fires, hold Riverdance auditions, conduct mold experiments or play a basketball tournament in your apartment.
DO
Make your apartment your home and enjoy it while you have it.
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Mark,
Great article. Wish I had read this article before I moved to Chicago. I had to learn the hard way. Common sense isn't always that common!
Hey Mark,
Awesome article. I've just graduated and am currently doing the post-grad and will be taking all of these tips with me.
I'm also contacting you because I work for Highly Relevant and one of my clients is Apartment People and I was wondering if you could link back to this url(http://www.articlesbase.com/moving-and-relocating-articles/finding-apartments-in-the-beautiful-and-diverse-chicago-5560170.html).
If so that'd be great. Thanks again.
Sam A.
Highly Relevant LLC