Holiday Hosting: 3 Steps For Happy Houseguests

I love having my friends and family visit me. It’s exhausting and a bit stressful, but the benefits well outweigh the costs. Since I’ve been living at Redwood, I’ve had several out of town visitors, each with their own special set of circumstances, which made preparing to host them unique. 

My sister and her husband, a sorority sister, and my best friend from college and her two children (with my 8 year old sister added in for flavor), have all come and stayed with me. Having a two bedroom apartment has made hosting each of these guests a ton easier but, I also have a bit of a special circumstance because I use my second bedroom as an office. For me, this automatically means I’m giving up my bedroom for my guests (and sleeping on the couch in my office or the fold-out in my living room). Of course, this is a personal decision; if you’re using your second bedroom in a similar fashion, you shouldn’t feel obligated to give up your bed. I simply find it makes hosting that much easier. In hopes of keeping the guests happy and me sane, I’ve come up with three steps I always follow when guests are coming to visit. 

Step 1: As with airplane air masks, I will advise you to take care of yourself first. 

One of the hardest things about having visitors is that it can throw you off of your regular routine. I’m a very routine person, and tossing the routine out the window, even for a few days, can have lingering effects for weeks. In order to avoid this, I make sure that all of my basics are covered: I
have my morning tea (Earl Grey, every day), my toiletries are moved to the guest bathroom along with a set of undies for each day the guest is staying (saves me from having to raid my closet while they’re sleeping), and my earplugs and charging cables are all set up in the second bedroom. With each of those things taken care of, I can start thinking about my guests, which is of course, the fun part!

Step 2: Think about your guests’ individual needs. 

Every time I have a visitor, I put together a small custom care package. Although I make it suited for the needs of that guest, I always make sure it includes snacks. Most of the people who visit me are driving in from the Midwest and will be arriving at night. I include snacks on the not-so-off chance that they’ll be a little peckish when they arrive.  In addition to the snacks, I also include travel sized bottles of some standard toiletries. I’ve found that when people are visiting friends, they pack differently than when they’re visiting a hotel. This undoubtedly means they’re going to be missing a random, yet essential toiletry item. After the snacks and toiletries are taken care of, I focus on the fun (and variable) stuff: for my sorority sister I added a robe and slippers, for my best friend I added kid-friendly trinkets, and for my sister and brother-in-law I added extra snacks (and we still ended up inside of a store within a few hours of their arrival). I picked something that I thought they’d each enjoy, based on my knowing them all for decades (or forever, in the case of my sister). The care package doesn’t have to break the bank. It’s about making your guests feel welcome, not impressing them.

Step 3: Clean, clean, clean. 

Once the care package is complete, I move on to the pre-arrival apartment prep/cleaning. My dog, Louie, contributes a lot to my life, most of that contribution being dog hair. When I’m expecting guests, the cleaning routine includes three steps: Declutter, Replace, Clean. First, I declutter every surface (I’m a stacking/piling person, so this step takes time). Second, replace all of the towels and sheets with fresh linens (don’t forget to replace the toilet paper with a new roll). I also do this in the kitchen, putting out a clean table cloth and napkins, as well as clean dish towels. Finally I clean. I leave the cleaning for last because the other stuff can’t/shouldn’t be skipped (fresh towels and all that). Start by cleaning the spaces your guest’s bedroom (in this case, the master bedroom). Clean top-to-bottom, starting in the bathroom, ending with the vacuum. From there, clean the kitchen (including a dishwasher cycle). Lastly, hit the living room. If your guests arrive early or you run out of time, you can continue cleaning the living room while they’re putting their things away in the guest room. Plus, for most living rooms, the decluttering is the most important thing, that’ll make it feel clean, even if it isn’t.

If you follow these three steps, hopefully you’ll find hosting your family & friends as easy and delightful as I do. 

*Written by Lindsay S.

Meet The Redwood Team: Community Manager Tina Staggs

Join us every week as we get to know a different member of our team at Redwood!

Name: Tina Staggs

Job Title: Community Manager

Community: Milltown Villas by Redwood in Wooster, OH.

How long have you worked at Redwood?: 7 years and 4 months - proudly!

What's your favorite thing about working at Redwood?: Everything. I love the fact that as we have grown that we are all still a great family and team. We can reach out to our corporate office and they will help us without an issue.

What’s your favorite thing about Milltown Villas by Redwood?: I Love the Milltown Villas community. I have a beautiful property even though it is 12 years old it is wonderful. We have a real family feel here and the residents know that I will always go above and beyond. That's what keeps them here!

What are some of your hobbies?: I love to read mystery books and I love going out on the Harley on Sundays with my hubby. I love to ride, it so refreshing. I also love to bake!

What’s a fun fact about you?: I am a practical joker.

Meet more of our Redwood team!

5 Creative Recipes For Breakfast At Home

Meeting friends out for brunch on the weekends is great, but having room to entertain them at home is even better. Whether you're cooking for one or for a group, here are a few unique breakfast recipes to try.

1. Cloud Eggs

Photo Credit: Happy Foods

You've probably already seen these featured on your Facebook feed and wondered - are they actually good? Cloud Eggs take under 10 minutes to make and leave you with a perfect yolk surrounded by fluffy, beaten egg whites. They may seem like a new craze, but our French friends have been making Oeufs à la Neige, or Eggs in Snow, for centuries.

The recipe is simple - why not see what all the fuss is about for yourself? Try this one from Happy Foods.

2. Hash Brown Waffles

Photo Credit: Yellow Bliss Road

Here's one for hash brown lovers who prefer their plate of shredded potatoes nice and crispy. Put your waffle iron to good use and fill it with a mix of potatoes and your favorite fillings like cheese and chives. Press and get ready to top with sour cream!

Try the recipe from Yellow Bliss Road.

3. Bacon & Egg Breakfast Muffins

Photo Credit: RecipeTin Eats

Egggs...INSIDE a muffin? Surprise your brunch guests by hiding their breakfast favorite in moist, muffin-y goodness. These leftovers are perfect for your mornings on-the-go, too!

RecipeTin Eats is the genius behind this custom recipe, try it here.

4. Pizza For Breakfast

What's better than pizza? Pizza...for breakfast! This popular recipe from TipBuzz takes only 20 minutes to put together and doesn't require a DIY dough.

Swap your toppings and get creative, or try this recipe from TipBuzz.

5. Bagel Bombs

Photo Credit: Host The Toast

It takes a bit of time to get a bagel bomb formed and stuffed with your favorite fillings, but the reward of watching an ooey-gooey breakfast explosion seems worth it.

Using pre-pizza dough, these freezer-friendly bombs are great for groups or on-the-go. Try Host The Toast's recipe here.

See more creative breakfast ideas at our Breakfast At Home board on Pinterest!

Meet The Redwood Team: Community Manager Kristen Meadows

Join us every week as we get to know a different member of our team at Redwood!

Name: Kristen Meadows

Job Title: Community Manager

Community: Devonshire by Redwood in Dayton, OH.

How long have you worked at Redwood?: 1.5 years

What's your favorite thing about working at Redwood?: I love working for a company whose core values align perfectly with my personal values. I also appreciate that they allow their employees to be entrepreneurial and run their properties as their own business.

What’s your favorite thing about Devonshire by Redwood?: Since I came to the property shortly after the start of lease up I feel like I have been able to form bonds with most of the residents. I have helped all of them find their home!

Related: Explore Devonshire By Redwood in Dayton, OH

What are some of your hobbies?: I have 2 daughters that are 5 & 7 so most of my hobbies revolve around their activities. They are both in dance, Girl Scouts and soccer. When I am not doing something for them I enjoy spending time with my husband of 11 years, friends, and family.

What’s a fun fact about you?: I grew up on an Ostrich farm! 😊

Meet more of our Redwood team!

Pattern, Texture, Color & Shine: The Elements of Fresh Summer Décor

There are certain things in life that are hard. Like, really hard. Big life decisions that take weeks, months or years to commit to and execute. Things that change the course of your life and your family’s lives. 

Decorating is not one of those things. 

If you’re anything like me, you’re tempted to let decorating become one of those things. Something that feels like a real commitment. A chore or task that needs to be completed and once completed can’t or shouldn’t be changed – for outright fear of messing it all up. 

Well, I’m here to help you stop doing that – this summer, we’re going to be carefree decorators! 

We’re going to put decorating in its place, and put summer décor on our list. After a few hours of YouTube, Pinterest & Instagram research, I’ve decided that I’m going to be brave with my summer décor. Fortunately, I live at Redwood, so I don’t need to worry about outdoor décor; the grounds are always quite beautifully kept, but I do want the inside of my apartment to compliment my view of the landscaping.

Pattern, Texture, Color, Shine

The elements that are key to comprehensive, but simple interior design are also fundamental to your summer décor. Think about the patterns you’ll use, the textures you like, your favorite summer colors and how much bling you want to bring into your environment. 

During the summer, a few of these elements are already available to you…if you’re interested in using them. The most common summer pattern is stars and/or stripes – not necessarily the flag, but the idea of the flag. Summer in America is full of patriotic holidays, so there will be plenty of pillows, throws, vases, and picture frames with stars and/or stripes in their pattern available in stores and online. We’ve also been provided with an implied color palette – red, white & blue – or any variations of those three. Depending on the color of your furniture, you might be able to get away with adding a bit of red or white with some throw pillows or a set of candle holders in little vignettes around your apartment. 

Spicing up your décor for the summer isn’t about doing a full-out redesign, but it is about finding a few pieces that give you the summer vibe without turning your apartment into the Olympic Village (unless, of course, that’s your style. In which case, pile it on!). 

So, we’ve got the pattern and color figured out, how about that texture & shine? Fortunately for us, we’re talking summer décor – it’s the absolute perfect time of year to have fresh flowers in your home. Fresh cut flowers are an inexpensive way to bring in some unique textures – and the vases are an opportunity to bring in some shine. I’m going to let you in on a little secret…head over to your local thrift store to shop for vases. There are usually lots of fantastic finds waiting for you there; crystal vases, milk glass, Tiffany-style, or Pottery Barn cast-offs. All of them in different colors, shapes, sizes and with a variety of shine available, and for insanely affordable prices. The vases are also a great opportunity to add in some texture. 

My last little tip is to do your own YouTube, Pinterest & Instagram research. It’s amazing how quickly you’ll be able to find images that really resonate with you. If you’re struggling to find your style, remember to keep it simple and also remember that décor is not permanent. If you don’t like what you’ve put together, you can change it – go ahead and be carefree this with your décor this summer!

*Written by Lindsay S.

4 Steps To Decorating Your First Apartment

One of the absolute best things about getting your first place is shopping for your first place! It is such a fun and exciting time. And if you’re lucky enough for your first apartment to be bright, spacious, and well appointed (ehhmm, like Redwood apartments), you won’t have to worry about decorating to cover up flaws - like tiny windows that face brick walls. You can focus your time, energy and budget on finding items that fit your personal style and that you’ll be able to keep with you for years to come. So, how do you make the most of your first place?

1. A Budget:

Of course, when you’re getting started, the budget can be a significant obstacle. And even if it’s not, it’s a good idea to keep yourself to a pretty tight budget for your apartment purchases. It can be all too easy to go overboard, spending all of your time in furniture stores and the accessory department at Target. A real, concrete budget is a must-have for your first apartment. It will keep you from making some seriously expensive mistakes.

2. A Color Palette:

Color is all around us, and when beginning to decorate your first apartment, it should be at the top of your list of decisions. There are a few things other than “Blue has always been my favorite color” to consider when choosing a color palette for your first place. Unless you’re planning to go monochromatic, you’ll need to select more than one color and those colors will need to live with each other, so they should be complimentary. If all of this sounds like nonsense, don’t worry about complimentary, just think about creating a cozy little color family – a sister with 2 brothers. If you think of the sister as the star (which of course she’d be in a family with two brothers), you pick her first and she is your favorite. But, like any star, you give her too much room to shine and she’ll overshadow everything else in your life/apartment, so provide her with two neutral compliments (her brothers). For example, if your star is Pink, you might think of pairing her with white and grey as compliments. She still gets to shine, but she has a few grounding elements to keep her subdued.

3. Spatial Perspective:

With a defined budget and a color palette, your next step is to stop to gain some perspective. The absolute worst thing you can do when decorating your first place is to buy items that simply do not fit the space. Both pieces that are too large or too small are problematic, so let’s not fall into this trap. Pull out the tape measure, ruler and grid paper (or any scrap of paper) and get to drawing. Figure out what size furniture your room can hold and don’t forget to measure your doors – to make sure you can get said furniture into the apartment. Your grid will also help you with figuring out where you can place your furniture. Putting doorways, windows, and other stationary objects on the grid will give you placement ideas. You can also add electrical outlets to the grid, so you’ll know where you can place your lamps, television and stereo equipment. 

4. A Foundation Piece:

Oh, on to the best part, the furniture (and accessories). Since we’re going to be shopping on a budget, with a color palette in mind, and a template/spatial floor plan, finding the first foundation piece will be a snap. It might be obvious, but you should probably start with somewhere to sit/sleep. The seating/sleeping arrangement will determine where the other furniture goes. Choosing your couch and bed are a great place to start. Look for pieces that fit your personal style and try your best to go with neutral colors. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been called Rainbow Brite by more than a few people, I love color, but a big ol’ purple couch is difficult to decorate around (I know this from experience). And if/when your tastes change, getting a custom slip cover isn’t cheap.           

This list of must haves is probably less conventional than the standard “Start with a cute sofa” lists, but this will probably be more helpful than that. And, when you are making transitions from one style to the next and from one apartment to the next, you’ll be able to look back on these tips to help you continue to define your style and to build your most comfortable home. 

*Written by Lindsay S., proud writer and decorator.