Buckingham Place’s March Into Spring Cleaning

The Mental Health Benefits Of A Clean Home

With spring time, comes the winter clutter round-up. This spring we’re concentrating on the benefits of a clean home for a clean mind. A cleaner home lets you relax more and that has many benefits to your health.

  • Less Headaches
  • Reduces Stress Levels
  • Lowers Blood Pressure
  • Easier To Breathe

Eco Friendly Tips And Suggestions

Ways To Go Green With Your Cleaning Process

This product might surprise you. Puracy Organic all natural multi purpose cleaner is available here on Amazon for $12 and is rated the #1 fastest natural disinfectant of 2021. Also it is:

  • Safe for kids and pets
  • Biodegradable
  • Vegan
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Non-toxic
  • Not tested on animals

If you choose not to buy a chemical cleaners and apply Green Cleaning instead, use natural materials like:

  • Borax
  • Essential Oils
  • Lemon
  • Vinegar
  • Rubbing Alcohol/ Hydrogen Peroxide
  • & Baking Soda

All can be used to clean and disinfect. Whatever you choose, make sure you have enough to finish the job.

  1. Use baking soda on quartz counter tops to remove stains .
  2. Use Borax or vinegar to scrub bathtub grime or to clean hard water stains in the bathtub.
  3. Vinegar is great for cleaning calcium, lime, or rust.
  4. Remove carpet and furniture stains with this recipe = 1 tbs. lemon juice, 2 cups water, 1 tsp anti-bacterial dish soap, 3 tbs. vinegar. (Check small section first) May lighten dark colors.

Cleaning Products At Your Local Store

Conveniently located near both a Wal-Mart Supercenter, & Wal-Mart Store, It’s easy to look for the cleaning products that have the Recycle symbol printed on the label of your favorite cleaning products.

Services For Hire

Try these nearby cleaning services for hire near Buckingham Place Apartments treating yourself to a clean home.

Thumbs-Up Cleaning Service

Molak Cleaning Service

Crack open A window and enjoy the coming of Spring breezes and the wonderful weather at Buckingham Place Apartments!

Tips and Tricks to Stay Warm and Cozy in Your Buckingham Place Apartment

The weather has been feeling brisk and the rainstorms have been steady in Santa Clara, which can leave the average citizen feeling as though the winter weather is upon them. With highs in the 60’s, and lows in the 40’s, you may need some cold weather tips to help you enjoy the cooler weather without feeling like a shut-in due to the temperature change.

Buckingham Place Apartments offer many ameneties to keep you nice and toasty during the winter weather, and one of those is the on-site gym facility. When you get up and get active, you increase your body temperature, which will help you to shake off the chill of the outside temperature. Of course, with central heat in the apartments, you won’t have to worry about feeling a chill in the air when you get home, either. Your home will be cozy and comfortable, with easily controlled temperatures from your central thermostat.

Of course, with the proximity to art and museums that is afforded by being a resident at Buckingham Place Apartments, you can get a brisk walk in to raise your core temperature, and wind up at either the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, or the San Jose Museum of Art. Not only will you be toasty and exhilarated by the time you arrive, but it’s the perfect indoor activity to undertake when the weather is just too chilly to enjoy the outdoors.

In addition to physical activity, you can also add layers of clothing to warm up, and simply shed a layer if you get a little too warm. Also, add an extra blanket to your bedding to help insulate your body heat, and keep it from escaping as quickly. The extra blanket can give you several degrees of comfortable heat while you sleep.

New Year, New Possibilities at Buckingham Place

With 2020 behind us, prepare yourself to make 2021 the year when you realize all of your goals, or at least most of them. Decide what matters, then have a plan to achieve it.

Personal Goals to Set for the Year

You can do a lot to make your life more meaningful. Better organization is one. Improving organization can make it easier to achieve personal goals. Making resolutions is not enough; you need to work towards them. A well-structured checklist can help. You can start small, like having a daily to-do list. Then you can move to de-cluttering your Buckingham Place apartment for a neater living and working space. Developing a culture of organization allows you to save time by reducing wastage.

Apartment/Home Goals

A more eco-friendly home is one of the top apartment goals for 2021. Spending too much time in the house can have you raking up astronomical energy bills and increasing your carbon footprint. You can re-organize your home to reduce energy consumption. Capitalizing on natural light can mean less artificial lighting. Ensuring the HVAC system and other appliances are at 100% also decreases energy use. A green environment also means enhancing sustainability, which you can achieve with durable furniture and furnishings.

2021 Apartment Decor Trends

As people look to make their homes cozier, warm, earthy tones will be some of the biggest home decor 2021 trends. Rich earthy tones provide an inviting feel, giving your place a homey ambiance. Burnt orange, olive green, brown, yellow, and red undertones are some of the shades you can play with to get that welcoming look. The decor style works for the winter and summer seasons.

What does Des Plaines have to offer outside of your Buckingham Place apartment? The Des Plaines River Trail is perfect for outdoor adventures. You can go horseback riding, biking or hiking.

2021 can be as fruitful as you desire it to be. You only need to be passionate, dedicated, and take advantage of whatever opportunities that present themselves.

Enjoy Happy Holidays at Buckingham Place

Christmas Presets Wrapped in Twine and Paper

It’s time to get into the holiday spirit despite the pandemic. Although your plans most likely will be different, you can still enjoy the season. With a little imagination, you can create new holiday memories.

How to Decorate Your Apartment for the Holidays

Your Buckingham Place apartment is perfect for holiday decorations. Do it yourself this year instead of buying pricey items from a retailer. Upcycle old plywood into Christmas ornaments to adorn your tree or turn mason jars into pretty vases and fill them with greenery like a terrarium. Keep the color palette simple with neutral colors, and make sure there is plenty of fresh greenery to usher in that distinct holiday scent into your home.

How to Get into the Holiday Spirit

Many families are opting out of large Holiday Celebrations. Schedule virtual calls with family and friends to keep your spirits up and stay connected. Display your favorite family holiday photos around your home to lift your spirits, environment has a great impact on your mood. Cook a holiday meal for yourself, roommates, or your family, and don’t forget about your favorite holiday desserts! Nothing creates the holiday spirit like giving. Sponsor a child or family in need this year or give to your favorite charity. Make sure to call your elderly family and friends to see how they are doing this holiday season.

Holiday Events Near Your Apartment

Chicagoland is offering fun events celebrating Christmas and New Year’s. The Lincoln Park Zoo is hosting its annual ZooLights event by allowing in a smaller number of people and requiring masks. If you want to avoid the city, head over to Central Park in Oak Brook for a new half-mile lights display that will get you into the holiday spirit. Keep in shape and give back to the community by participating virtually in Chicago’s annual New Year’s Eve 5K.

Keep your spirits bright this holiday season by decorating, cooking, and celebrating! It’s the perfect way to end this historic year.

Celebrating Thanksgiving at Buckingham Place

2020 may have thrown some major roadblocks our way, but there are still a lot of things to be thankful for. Stay grateful especially when you are safe at home with your family. It’s not advisable to go out but you can always celebrate Thanksgiving at home with your loved ones.

Cooking Tips and Recipes

If you want to fully relax and enjoy Thanksgiving, prepare ahead of time. Get your turkey ahead and make sure it is vacuum-packed to keep it fresh for 3 days.

Do you want to save time? Make dishes ahead of time. You can prepare a lot of food ahead without sacrificing its quality and flavor. Cook different dishes in one oven and use aluminum foil to keep them moist. Place your turkey on the lowest rack as it’s the longest to cook. You can then reheat or bake other dishes on the top rack.

A few recipes for your Thanksgiving in Des Plaines, IL:

Green Bean Casserole – You can never go wrong with fresh green beans and creamy mushroom sauce!

Cream of Mushroom Soup – too good to be true!

Maple Cornbread Muffins – With this delicious dessert, you’ll surely ask for more!

Safety in the Kitchen

Always wash your hands as you may be transferring the bacteria to your food. Your knives should be out of reach of children. When cooking, ensure you don’t position pot handles in front of the stove. Also, do not use the same cutting board for your meat and vegetables. If you’re not careful, you may get sick with salmonella. Most importantly, get a fire extinguisher to prevent fires.

Online Black Friday Shopping

Visit Des Plaines Park District for some outdoor fun! They have 37 park sites, boating, picnic sites and lots of exciting things to do. Just do make sure you avoid the crowd. For your shopping, Sam’s Club and Wal Mart are open but we would recommend you do all your shopping online to be safer.

Thanksgiving is one of the best times of the year! Make the most of it by cooking some delicious treats and celebrating it with the entire family!

Halloween in Des Plaines

Halloween is going to be fantastic in 2020, if a little different. Halloween is on a Saturday, there will be a full moon, and people want to celebrate. Sure it’s 2020, so we need to social distance, wear masks of a different sort to help us stay safe, but we can still have a spooky great time. Check out these can’t miss ideas to make Halloween 2020 a hit. Buckingham Place is the right place to celebrate. 

How to Decorate Your Apartment

There are so many ways to get your apartment ready for Halloween. We all know it’s important to make a good first impression and this year that’s even truer as most of us will keep trick-or-treaters at a safe distance. Set the stage. Carve creepy pumpkins with stencils and easily available templates. Decorate doors with cut-outs of ghosts, goblins, witches, and more.  Make sure the neighbors can see some colorful creatures by combining monster cut-outs and contact paper on the windows. For the inside, fairy lights, felt spiders, and glow in the dark skeletons are always hit. It’s the little things that really set the mood. Try the mirror hidden message trick, get some scotch tape and spell out a scary message on your mirror, allow the tape to set and remove. Then run some hot water to reveal hidden messages to your guests.

How to Celebrate at Home

For many of us, celebrating Halloween this year will probably have to be done at home. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to raise goosebumps at home. Start by setting the mood with Halloween baking and some apple cider. Carving pumpkins is always a hit, so each person can get involved in making their ideas come to life. 

What’s Halloween without costumes? Make sure to get everyone dressed up and set up a video conferencing call with friends and family so everyone can share the scares. Set up a baby monitor on the porch, so you can have fun interacting with trick-or-treaters. Treats can be in the form of an outdoor haunted house or a video performance through your windows instead of the typical eatable delights. 

Movie marathons are great since you can choose movies appropriate to any age group or audience (from Goonies to Friday the 13th, there is something for everyone) and those can be shared from the comfort of your own apartment through a number of popular streaming services (Netflix Party, KAST, YouTube, Discord, Facebook, and more). 

Halloween Hotspots in Des Plaines

Luckily, stores are open in Des Plaines, so you can get what you need for Halloween. If you need costume, makeup, and decorations, there are two Spirit Halloween stores open this year nearby in Norridge and Niles. The City of Des Plaines offers some Halloween safety guidelines to keep children and families safe this year. The City of Des Plaines also offers a calendar of events for local family fun.

Social distancing will definitely make Halloween different this year, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a fun and safe holiday for everyone. Curbside and at-home delivery make it easier than ever to get the decorations, supplies, and costumes you need to make Halloween a hit. Don’t be afraid to get creative with some seasonal inspiring at-home celebration ideas.

Stay Healthy in Des Plaines From Home

Residents of Buckingham Place get to enjoy spacious floor plans and a quiet community to call home! The good vibes of the complex lend perfectly toward developing those health and fitness goals. Here are some suggestions on how to lead a refreshing lifestyle from your apartment.

 

Quick Ways to Eat Healthy at Home 

 

In the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, it can be difficult to stay on top of eating enough fruits and veggies. Including a few of these power-packed superfoods into your regular grocery list rotation can move your eating habits in the right direction. Add these nutrient bombs into meals you already like for a smoother transition. In a pinch? You can always add a scoop of green protein powder into your smoothies, ideal for breakfast or as an energizing snack.

 

At-Home Exercise in Compact Spaces

 

Whether you’re in a studio unit or a multi-bedroom space, having a dedicated area for a home gym can help keep you on top of your health and fitness game. These compact systems make at-home exercise easier and exciting to pull off! Not a fan of equipment? This low impact HIIT routine will get you to break a sweat without disturbing the neighbors downstairs!

 

Stay in Tune With Your Mind

 

Before regular physical activity and diet changes should come a focus on mental health. Your mind drives your behavior and having a happy and healthy brain allows total body wellness to follow. Be sure you’re getting enough sleep (use a relaxing app if you need to), and soak up the sun for a dose of serotonin too! Once you put mental health first, reaching the rest of your health and fitness goals will come easy.

 

You can stay healthy in Des Plaines by following these helpful suggestions! Let us know any of your favorites in the comments!

 

The Best Practices for Back to School Season

School supplies for the prospective student

This month and through the beginning of September, many schools are set to resume for fall session. Feeling unprepared? Don’t worry! Creating a set of best practices for back to school season can set you up for success.

Studying at Home Without Distractions

After a long day of lectures and labs, no student wants to sit down and start more hours of homework. Dividing up your time in a planner can really help to organize your schedule and keep track of your free hours. Not only do planners keep track of important test dates and class times, but you can use them to chunk study time into short, focused bursts. The Pomodoro technique is a great place to start for developing a healthy work-break balance during schooltime!

Shopping Sustainably for School Supplies

Shopping for school supplies is a traditional aspect of back to school season. However, changing up your standard school supplies for a more eco-conscious approach is always a great idea. Sustainable options exist and work just as well as their counterparts while doing some good in and for the world. These school supply picks from She Changes Everything include pencils that help provide education to a child in need with every purchase and a staple-free stapler!

Studying in Comfort at Buckingham Place

As a new resident of Buckingham Place, you get to indulge in a number of amazing amenities and community spaces. You can totally take advantage and set up study spaces around the complex! Live out the last of those summer days by bringing your textbooks poolside. Being outdoors while you work can help boost your mood and motivation. For even more sunny rays, bring your little office over to the sundeck and soak up that Vitamin D!

With these practices, returning to school should be an absolute breeze! How are you preparing for the fall semester? Let us know in the comments!

 

Celebrating National Ice Cream Month From Home

Ice Cream, DIY Ice Cream, At-Home Ice Cream, Ice Cream Month, Ice Cream in Des Plaines

Nothing cools you off on a hot summer day better than an ice cream cone! This July, we celebrate National Ice Cream Month. There are so many options on how to partake in the fun, so read on for the full scoop!

The Different Types of Ice Cream

When you think of ice cream, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely its common form: milk and cream frozen and slow-churned to perfection. But there are a number of different ice cream types to try out! There’s gelato, which gets its smooth texture from the addition of egg whites. You have sorbet, which is a water-based dessert that’s typically flavored with fruit juices and syrups. And then there’s frozen yogurt, which replaces milk with its protein-packed cousin, adding active cultures to the dessert which are great for digestion. No matter your personal tastes or dietary restrictions, there’s an ice cream type for you!

DIY Ice Cream in Your Kitchen

While you’re sure to find most of these ice cream types at your grocery store, there’s something magical about making your own. This recipe for DIY ice cream calls for just a few ingredients and two zip-up bags to create. If you’re dairy-free, replace the half-and-half with a suitable vegan substitute. Within minutes, you’ll have at-home ice cream to customize with the toppings of your choice! Try pouring on salted caramel sauce to amp up plain vanilla, or add in edible flowers for a gorgeous pop of color.

Explore Local Ice Cream in Des Plaines

As a new resident of Buckingham Place, you’ve made your home in a community that loves its desserts. If you’re looking for great local ice cream in Des Plaines, you won’t have to look far. La Michoacana is great if you’re a fan of traditional Mexican desserts. From an array of ice cream flavors, paletas, and snacks, La Michoacana is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Check out their Yelp page for information on their operating schedule!

Celebrate this National Ice Cream Month with a scoop and a smile! How are you ringing in this sweet month? Let us know in the comments!

Trending Apartment Decor to Spruce up Your Space

Trending Apartment Decor, Summer Decor, Trendy Decor, Apartment Decor, Minimal Decor

As a new resident of Buckingham Place, you have the power to personalize your new home to fit your unique tastes. That starts with adding in some trending apartment decor! Read on to find out how you can tap into your inner interior designer side to spruce up your space.

 

Minimal Decor for the Modern-Minded

 

One design trend that never seems to go out of style is modern minimal. Minimal decor is composed of clean lines, geometric patterns, and marriage between form and function. The best part about the modern minimal style is that because it’s so simple, it matches with almost every existing apartment layout. Check out this helpful guide on minimal decor for more inspiration for your decorating journey!

 

Summer Decor for Fans of the Season

 

Now that it’s June, we will transition from spring to summer! That means longer days, brighter sunshine, and laid-back vibes all around. You can reflect these sunny feelings with summer decor in the home! This fun design trend welcomes pops of color, nautical-themed accouterments, and natural textures like wood and jute. You can read this listicle for more brainstorming tips on summer decor organization. 

 

Get Trendy Decor Delivered to Your Door

 

Now more than ever it is easy to get your favorite picks delivered to your door. With the convenience of online shopping options, you can browse stylish selections and have them shipped directly to you, avoiding the time sink of shopping in a physical shop. For fans of modern minimal decor, check out All Modern. This website has tons of classy offerings, like this chic coffee table. And for summer decor stans, hop over to Etsy! You support independent creators with every summer decor purchase, like these cute citrus-themed coasters. 

 

Take the time to revamp your apartment and breath new life into those living spaces! How are you planning on redecorating? Let us know in the comments!