Blog Posts

Laundry Day Tips

Welcome back to Liv Ahwatukee’s blog. Our last post was all about tanning and how to get that perfect sunkissed glow for your summer adventures here in Phoenix, AZ. Today we’re sharing some information about our amenities and how to take advantage of them. In our apartments we provide a washer and dryer. Having these appliances in your apartment makes daily chores much more convenient. There are a few tips we’ve compiled to help you be able to make the most of your time and get more accomplished. Read on below for some great ideas. Learn how to separate your items into colors, darks, and whites so you don’t ruin your clothes. Those instructions on the tags might seem picky, but following those instructions is actually important to the integrity of your clothes. Washing your clothes in the right temperature of water and speed helps keep the clothes intact. Washing everything on cold might save time, but that can wear out your clothes faster. Using bins or baskets to organize your clothes will help you to be able to know what is clean and what isn’t. Save time by running the washer and dryer at the same time so you can get your laundry done faster. Fold items right out of the dryer to help them keep those crisp fold lines while in your drawers. There are also a lot of ways to save money while doing laundry. Dukes and Duchesses has some great cleaning tips and homemade laundry detergent ideas you can try this month. The post features a recipe for detergent and a handy infographic for washing your clothes the right way! We hope these tips are easy to implement to your laundry routine. All of our amenities at Liv Ahwatukee are hand-picked to make your life better! Check back next time for dinner recipes to try next week! Thanks for reading the Liv Ahwatukee blog.

Try Tanning

Living in Phoenix, Arizona means you’re used to that warmth of the sun! Get a really healthy glow by heading to your local tanning salon. If it’s too hot to tan outside, you can still be bronzed and beautiful! If you’re afraid you’ll end up looking like a lobster, follow the tips below and you’ll be glowing in no time. — Know your skin type. If your skin tends to burn easily, you’ll probably be more sensitive to tanning beds. Start with a very small amount of time in the bed and wait a few days or even a week between sessions to keep from damaging your skin — Don’t rush it. Even if you don’t have sensitive skin, you can still burn in the bed. Increase your time by two minutes each session to avoid burning. — Use a good lotion! Organic Shimmer says this about tanning bed lotions, “There are so many different features to consider. For instance, there are indoor tanning lotions for tanning beds; bronze accelerators for a golden tone; moisturizing tanning lotion for better hydration; tingle tanning lotion; and one-time waterproof or sweat proof tanning lotions.” — If you’ve been burned in the tanning bed, apply aloe vera to the burned areas and let them heal. — Wear goggles. Protective eye wear in the tanning bed will keep your eyes safe. Find eyewear at a local tanning salon or online. — To make your tan last, keep your skin moisturized with a good body lotion. — Try adding tanning to your gym routine. Some people don’t like leaving tanning lotions on their skin, so after a workout when you’re already planning to shower is a great time to tan. For those who are unable to use tanning beds, never fear! You can still have a healthy bronzed glow this year. From at-home self-tan products to spray tans, there are certainly alternatives for all skin types. Above all, be aware of what you’re doing and practice safe tanning procedures. Thanks for reading the Liv Ahwatukee blog today!

Pamper Yourself

Welcome back to Live Ahwatukee’s blog! Though a fun night out with dinner, drinks, and dancing can definitely do a person good, taking a night out to relax also has many benefits. Give yourself a few hours alone to recuperate and unwind. Your apartment is the perfect place to do so—you don’t even have to leave your home! Start your evening by eliminating distractions. Turn off your phone so you can really focus and not have phone calls or texts getting in the way. Light a few candles. We especially like these from Anthropologie by Voluspa. Run a warm bath to relax and loosen your muscles. A bath bomb is a great way to add scent and calming properties to your bath. Some have rose petals and different minerals to help you relax. Try these from Lush. They also offer bubble bars which create ton of fluffy bubbles in your bath. The bath bombs are fairly large so cut them into pieces and get a few uses out of them. Skincare is another way to feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Dr. Jart is an excellent skin care brand. They make sheet masks for all types of skin. Sheet masks are a great alternative to jar masks. They are one time use and you can keep them in the fridge to make them extra cooling. There are some for brightening dull skin, moisturizing dry skin or healing problem skin. Find them online here . Add your favorite thick face lotion to really lock in moisture and make the most of the products you’ve used. Our favorite face lotion comes from Nars or Origins, available in most department stores or online. Finish your spa night with a calming cup of tea. Chamomile is great and doesn’t have caffeine. Read a few chapters of a book and really let your mind wander elsewhere. You’ll certainly wake up feeling refreshed and rested and ready for a full day out and about in Puyallup, WA.

Perfect Home Scents

Hi Readers! In today’s post we’re sharing our favorite techniques for getting your home to smell wonderful. Making your home feel like your own is something that can definitely take some time and some effort. From decorations to furniture, there are many many choices to be made. Your Liv Ahwatukee apartment should feel special and unique every time you walk in your front door. Our favorite way to feel more at home is through choosing a signature scent. Scent is known to trigger memories and feelings, so why not be greeted with your favorite scent when you come home? There are a ton of different choices when it comes to scent, from candles to essential oils to potpourri. These all depend on just how much scent you want dispersed in your home and how often. Candles are really beautiful way to not only have you home smelling beautiful, but they also have the ambiance of a flickering fire in your home. They come in many different colors, smells and styles. Candles add a really sophisticated and classic touch to your home. If you get worried about fire hazards, a grouping of four or five tall white candles looks beautiful on a silver or glass tray, and they still give off some scent. We think these Mimira candles from Anthropologie would look pretty on a counter or bedside table. Potpourri is a classic bathroom addition. This usually comes in the form of small wood chips with a touch of essential oil to give off scent throughout the day. Unlike candles, they have a more understated scent, but they don’t have to be lit or blown out, so it can be lower maintenance. Oil diffusers are also really low maintenance devices. They usually come in the form of a small glass with a scented oil and some long wooden dowels. The dowels soak in the oil which is then dispersed throughout the room. This diffuser from Jo Malone would look pretty on a dining room table or coffee table. Where is your favorite place to get candles, potpourri, and diffusers in the Puyallup, WA area? Share in the comments so we will all know where to shop! Thanks for reading today’s post.

Treat to Try

Welcome back to Liv Ahwatukee’s blog. In our last post we shared some ideas for getting in a nutritious breakfast. Today we’re sharing a new favorite recipe. An afternoon spent baking is a great way to relax and unwind on the weekend. Your apartment’s kitchen is a great place to bake and create delicious dishes. Make sure your apartment kitchen is always stocked. Kitchn has a great list of items you should keep in your kitchen . When you’ve got all the essentials, you’ll be able to bake without having to run to the store last minute and get a ton of ingredients. For those specialty dishes, you may have to grab a few items, but that’s a lot easier than having to buy a bunch of ingredients for just one dish. With today’s recipe, we decided to throw it back to childhood. Remember those super sweet, frosted pastries? Pop Tarts were a fun treat to toast for breakfast and take for an on-the-go go breakfast on the way to school. From Lauren Conrad we found a grown up version that you can make yourself. The link and full directions can be found here . The site says, “These sweets are packed with rich chocolate chunks and sweet cherry jam, making them an irresistible breakfast in bed or Sunday brunch treat. We won’t tell if you steal a couple of these heart pop tarts for yourself…” Our favorite way to enjoy treats is to share them with others. Grab a few and arrange them on a paper plate (that way they won’t have to worry about returning the plate). Take some to work or to neighbors here at Liv Ahwatukee. We hope you enjoy trying out this childhood approved recipe. Let us know what your favorite sweet treats are. Thanks for reading The Liv Ahwatukee blog. Check back next month for more apartment living tips and tricks.

Boost Your Breakfast

Your busy morning is all about getting out the door on time. Adding one more step to your morning routine might seem like too much to handle. But eating breakfast will give you the boost you need to get through the day. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report , research suggests that children and adolescents who don’t eat a regular breakfast are at an increased risk of overweight and obesity. This can lead to an increased risk of, among other ailments, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which are among the leading causes of death in Americans today. Add a quick and nutritious meal to your morning for some increased energy. We think a great way to add breakfast to your morning is by whipping up something healthy and homemade. Plan ahead of time by purchasing some fruit and yogurt to mix with granola. A little breakfast parfait makes a great breakfast that can keep you full all day. By making a large batch, you can ensure you’ll have some for every morning. We liked this healthy peanut butter granola recipe from Joy Food Sunshine for a homemade version. The site also gives some tips on making your granola extra crispy. The blogger says, “In order to be extra sure your granola is done baking, remove a piece or two from the pan and let it cool on the countertop. If it hardens relatively quickly {in 1-2 minutes} then it’s done. If not, continue baking until it is crunchy at room temperature. No worries if you do under bake this healthy peanut butter granola and it becomes soft the next day, just pop it back into the oven for a few minutes to re-crisp it!” As mentioned, this granola can pair well with fresh fruit like berries or kiwi as well as yogurt, flaked coconut, or simply milk. Eating breakfast will help you accomplish more throughout the day, in or outside of your apartment in Phoenix, AZ, and avoid that mid-morning slump when doughnuts come around. Enjoy! Thanks for reading the Liv Ahwatukee Blog!