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Pimping out your new pad doesn’t require the expert touch of Nate Berkus (that one was for the ladies). Below you’ll find the where/what/how to guide for gathering all the fine furnishings you need to make your new living situation Shaggy 2 Dope (that one was for the juggalos).

You're Selling THAT?

By Chris Zoia
7/18/08
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Although you might live in a humble hole-in-the-wall, at least you don’t live in this hole-in-the-wall. The lovelylisting blog showcases photographs of atrocious domiciles from actual real estate listings. I guess with the housing market being as bad as it is, some owners have just

Setting Up the Utilities: Electricity, Cable, Internet, and Phone

By David Pekema
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Quick Tips
  1. Plan ahead – Make sure you activate all your utilities at least one week before you move into your new place. If you live in an apartment, water and garbage may be covered by your landlord, but electricity and gas almost always must be activated by the tenant.
  2. Pay bills on-line. – Why write out checks, lick stamps, and visit the post office when you can just sit at our computer and electronically pay all your bills? Better yet, sign up for automatic bill pay, and let your bank or credit card company take care of the hassle.
  3. Entertainment – The main choices for Internet are DSL or cable (both are remarkably similar), whereas your options for television are cable or satellite. The latter offers more channels but is sensitive to weather conditions. Oftentimes bundle deals let you save money in the long run, but make sure you actually use these three services for as much as you pay for them.
  4. The landline question – Landline phones are about as extinct as dinosaurs, mammoths, and Pauly Shore. I suppose that if you want a home fax machine, get terrible cell reception, or wear adult diapers you may want to look into it, but otherwise don’t bother. Instead, check out VoIP, which provides phone service over your Internet connection.
  5. Short-term service – Think about how long you’re staying in your place. Most television and internet service providers will give you big discounts if you agree to 12-months of service. Be careful though, if you cancel the service before the contract is up, you’ll incur steep penalties.

If you never had to pay for them yourself, you have probably never stopped to consider life without utilities. Let me break it down: Without utilities, there are no Hot Pockets, no hot showers, and no Who Wants to Be a Millionaire marathons on the Game Show Network. Sound pretty miserable? It is pretty miserable. The second you move into your first apartment, you’re going to need your utilities. Water, electricity, and gas are a must, but cable and Internet are often considered “essentials” amongst the recent grad community, as well.

The Gradspot.com Graduation Gift Guide

By Gradspot Dot Com
6/12/08
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Commencement season is finally over, but for many the touchy subject of the graduation gift has yet to be broached. Let’s be honest—if you just graduated, you’re probably expecting a little more than a fake diploma and a pat on the back.

Buying Air-Conditioning

By Christopher Schonberger
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Quick Tips
  1. Make the measurements – Measure the size of the room that you are trying to cool, and realize that the frosty air will not snake around corners or through doors. Also, measure the window to make sure you buy a unit that fits.
  2. Do the math on Btus – Every unit will have a “Btu” rating that corresponds to how many square feet it can cool efficiently. After you’ve measured the space, use this chart to determine your Btu requirements
  3. Look for Energy Star products – Contributing to global warming in order to cool yourself down seems a bit backwards, doesn’t it? Minimize your energy expentiture (and bill) by getting Energy Star products and budgeting your AC usage wisely.
  4. Installation – If the store charges an arm and a leg for installation and you aren’t the “following directions” type, see if your super will help you out (and be sure to tip generously).
  5. Clean frequently – Being cool is great, but blasting dirty, dusty air into your apartment can lead to allergies and sickness. Get a unit with an easily removable filter and clean it once a month.

Memorial Day has passed and, like clockwork, it has become hot and borderline uncomfortable in New York. If summer hasn’t hit your neck of the woods yet, it probably will soon. So how do you avoid annoying situations such as feeling dehydrated and not being able to wear the boxers you slept in? Hook up some

Gradspot on NB-Sree!

By Stuart Schultz
5/15/08
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When it comes to finding ways to save time and money online, we’re big fans of Sree Sreenivasan and his weekly “Sree Advice” spot every Thursday morning at 6:20 and

Buying a Couch

By Josie Swindler
12/10/07
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There are three criteria critical to purchasing a sofa: one, that it fits three people (while watching a football game or The Hills); two, that you can hook up on it; and three, that a friend can crash on it. However, there are a few additional things to keep in mind when purchasing it

Secrets to Organizing Your Closet

By Josie Swindler
12/10/07
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In an apartment roughly the size of a closet, maximizing your actual closet space is a must. Since you don’t have time to waste, it shouldn’t take you five minutes to find a favorite shirt. You also don’t have that much room, so turning your closet into a storage compartment

Ikea: Too Good to Be True

By Gradspot Dot Com
12/10/07
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Q: Ikea sounds too good to be true when it comes to setting up an apartment. What am I missing? – Adam Jacobs, New York

A: In some respects, nothing. Ikea is an affordable and chic alternative to higher-end furniture and décor shops

How to Paint Your Room Like a Pro

By Josie Swindler
12/10/07
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Often, one of the biggest problems with a new apartment is not what it’s missing but what it’s got: white, sterile walls that can feel a little more “insane asylum” than “awesome post-grad pad.” With the cinder blocks of the last four years a distant nightmare, you now have

Divide Your Costs with Fake Walls

By Josie Swindler
12/11/07
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The problem with finding a large, sunlit, beautiful one-bedroom apartment is that it costs two arms and two legs. Rather than sulk away from the opportunity, think about splitting the rent in half by converting it to a two-bedroom. How? It’s simple—add a wall

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