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If you're like most busy residents of apartments in Chicago, you may have not yet had time to add festive holiday accents to your home. If you're hosting a dinner party or other holiday gathering in your home, you may be scrambling for ideas for creating a holiday atmosphere if you don't have time to thoroughly deck the halls or trim a tree. Fortunately, there are strategies designed to help you create a holiday mood in a hurry. The following are five ways that you can create a celebratory holiday mood in less than half an hour.
String Some Lights
It should only take about five minutes at the most to string some festive lights around your doorway to welcome guests with a holiday glow. You could even string the lights around a window indoors if you don't want to put them outside.
Simmer Some Potpourri
Creating a holiday mood isn't only about visual elements. Many people associate certain aromas with the season, and it only takes a minute to add a handful of potpourri to some water in a saucepan on the stove and turn the dial to the simmer setting. If you don't have any holiday potpourri on hand, simmer a mixture of cloves and cinnamon instead.
Put on Some Christmas Music
Nothing sets the mood like a little music. If you don't have any Christmas music on hand, you can make a playlist online using a variety of services — even YouTube works for this in a pinch.
Pick Up a Miniature Christmas Tree
Miniature Christmas trees make great entryway decor and centerpieces. They can be purchased from a variety of retailers from your local nursery to a nearby supermarket. As an added bonus, you can plant them in outdoor planters after the holiday season is over.
Place a Holiday Bouquet on the Table
If you've got time for a quick stop at the florist, pick up a holiday bouquet to use as a centerpiece on your table. For an added festive mood, buy another one to place on the coffee table in your living room.
Our apartment community features views of the waterfront, easy access to downtown Chicago and floor plans from studios through two-bedrooms. Contact us today for more information.
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Each year, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions that fall short. That’s why we hope our Belden-Stratford community members in Chicago, Illinois, find these strategies helpful.
Start Your New Year’s With a KISS
One of the common pitfalls of making a resolution you are unable to successfully fulfill is making it too complicated. Consider the adage Keep It Simple, Silly by selecting something manageable. The idea that you will drop 50 pounds or complete a master’s thesis in under three months can just become overwhelming. It’s not that you cannot accomplish these or other goals, it’s just they might be too big for a resolution.
Set Incremental Resolution Goals
In terms of achieving your goals this year, it’s essential to lay out reasonable objectives. A common strategy among athletes is to set monthly goals that are not difficult to attain. That might sound less challenging than you might like. But the value in making seamless monthly goals is that by the end of 2020, you can multiply them by 12. Making 12 small goals can tally up to a big win.
Enlist the Support of Friends & Loved Ones
During the 365 days that you will be carrying this resolution, it’s bound to get heavy. That often results in significant setbacks such as binge eating when striving for weight loss or twisting an ankle while training for a 5K. Whatever the goal may be, there are ways it can get derailed. People that include friends and loved ones to share their resolutions can help each other at crucial moments. Not only will your success be more likely, but so will that of your inner circle.
Take Copious Notes
Keeping track of your incremental accomplishments provides a physical record. This is important because you can look at a journal or notes on your smartphone and review the gains you have made. It also delivers motivation by highlighting that your resolution is that much closer to achievement.
Practice Self Care
Making a New Year’s resolution doesn’t mean you joined the ranks of Spartan warriors. Going hard for 52 straight weeks is bound to get boring and, perhaps, discouraging. That’s why it may be worthwhile to have some planned indulgences. Taking two steps backward after taking 10 forwards is still a net gain of eight. Enjoy life a little.
We hope our Belden-Stratford residents find these tips useful. If you or a friend would like more information about our Chicago apartments, call us today.
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