Ideas to organize your storage room

Storage rooms are generally the place to put all those things that don't fit in your house and you don't used on a daily basis. The problem begins when you have too many things in there and you can’t go into the storage room; or when you want to get something but you can't find it due to the mess; or if you find it, you are afraid of moving it, because it might be holding other things.

The first piece of advice when trying to arrange your storage room is the following: if you haven't used the object for some time now, throw it or give it away. If the element is in good shape, you might give it away, but if it’s broken, just throw it, don’t keep it thinking you might fix it; you will not use it, or if you need it you will probably don’t remember where it is or you won’t know how to fix it, and you will end up buying a new one.

Once you have thrown all the unnecessary objects, it is time to start organizing your storage room. One idea that might be useful is that you keep things in boxes. Still, don’t put everything in boxes at random; since you are cleaning and organizing, do it right and in a useful way. The best way to keep things in order in the long run is to know what you have in each box, so you don’t have to open each box every time you need something. In order to do this, you may want to put all the objects according to the place they belong; for example, things that go in the kitchen; things that go in the living room, the bedroom, etc. etc. etc. The ideal thing is that you make a list of the things you might find in each box, and put a number to each box and the place of the house they belong. This way you can look for things easily. You check the list, see in which box it should be, and that’s it.

These ideas might seem a bit weird or that it might take too long to put things in order, but if you think about it, if you organize the storage room this way, and if you keep it like this, you will never have to organize it ever again. If you keep it organized and in order, you won't be touching and opening the boxes you don't need, so they will stay there, organized. Try it. Keeping your storage room organized is simpler than it sounds.

Ideas to decorate the balcony with plants

Nowadays, buildings have taken over the city and even though many of them have a common garden, we all like spending some time in a natural environment on our own, and rest.

For this reason, whether you have a big balcony or a small one, it is always nice to decorate it with plants and small elements that make your balcony look nice and you enjoy being there and spending your summer/spring afternoons.

Firstly, an idea to decorate a balcony is to do it with the plants and colors you like. Before start filling your balcony, you should think about the color you would like to have in it; which pots you want to use for the plants; the types of flower you like; etc. Moreover, you should bear in mind that most plants are seasonal, which means that you will not have them all year long. For this reason, you should consider having some perennial plants (which will be green all year long).

Those who have space on the wall of their balcony might be interested in putting a creeper plant, like the jasmine or the bougainvillea. Those who don’t have a wall on their balcony may put a plant that hangs from their balconies, to make it look bigger.

Those who enjoy having a minimalistic décor, or don't have much room and would like to keep it simple, may buy mini cactus or bonsai plants. This would add life to your balcony, it will look nice and it will let you move around it. You may also have space for a small table and a chair if you'd like.

If you want flowers and plants in your balcony but you don't have much space, you might consider putting your pots vertically. You may do this by hanging pots on the wall, or hanging them in the balcony rails. Nowadays there are also some metal structures (like bars), where you can hang your pots, so they don't take up too much space from your balcony, and still you have flowers and plants that give life to it.

There are thousands of ways and ideas to decorate your balcony with plants, it is a matter of choosing which plants you like, the pots you want, and just filling your balcony with plants and flowers. This way, your balcony will be full of life and color, and you may have a new place to relax and rest around the “wild” in the middle of the city.

 

Requirements for renting an apartment in the City of Buenos Aires

When it comes to renting an apartment in the City of Buenos Aires, you should have in mind that there are some requirements you need to comply with in order to do it. For this reason, we will now mention some steps to follow when you rent an apartment in the City of Buenos Aires. Still, you should know that some owners may ask you for other stuff too.

Firstly, every person that wants to rent an apartment must be of age (i.e., at least 18 years) and must have a valid ID or passport (its validity must last at least until the end of the contract).

Besides these two things, when it comes to renting an apartment in Buenos Aires, you will need to have a solvent warrantor. The warranty is something all owners ask for, since it works as a security of payment, should you not pay your rent. The warrantor generally signs the tenancy agreement as well as the tenant.

Another thing you need to have in mind in order to rent an apartment in Buenos Aires is that you will probably need to make a deposit. This deposit will be returned to you once the contract ends; nonetheless, the landlord will keep the deposit if you have some debt with him or if the apartment is not in the same conditions as it had been given when you moved in. Usually, the amount of the deposit equals a month of rent, or two, depending on the owner. If it is a furnished apartment, they could ask for a two-month’s deposit.

Moreover, if you want to rent an apartment in the City of Buenos Aires, you will have to prove you have sufficient incomes in order to pay each month.

In the City of Buenos Aires, the minimum term for signing a tenancy agreement is of 2 years (unless it is a temporary rental). After 6 months, the tenant may rescind the contract, and he/she should warn the landlord with 60 days in advance, and he/she will have to pay compensation.

In addition, when signing the tenancy contract, it is not compulsory to do it in front of a notary public; still, many people choose to do it, in order the notary checks that the law is being complied with and everything is in order. If you don’t want to have a notary when signing, it is advised that you verify that the landlord is actually the owner of the property, that the contract has all the covenants in order, that you understand everything, etc.

Last, you should make it a requirement to know your rights and duties, in order to defend yourself, should you have any problem.

How to get a credit to buy a house in Buenos Aires

Nowadays, the government of the city of Buenos Aires and the National Government are granting credits for people to buy a house. For this reason, many people have been looking for the requirements to apply in order to get the credit.

Even though each bank has its own requirements in order to grant a credit, we will now mention some key things that are quite similar in most cases. Nonetheless, remember to find out which particular things you need in each case and bank.

For starters, some banks have different minimums and maximums of age in order to apply for a credit, which can be for people over 18 or 21, up to the 65 years old approximately. The same happens with the minimum monthly income, which these days rounds the 2000 and 2500 Argentine Pesos, and you have the chance of summing your partner’s wage.

Moreover, each bank has a different a minimum amount of seniority at work.

In relation to the documentation you need to submit in order to apply for a credit, you will need: the Argentine ID (called DNI, LC or LE), a utility bill in your name, the CUIT or CUIL (identification number for workers), and according to your marital status, your marriage certificate, your divorce certificate, your certificate of cohabitation and/or birth certificate of your children, and a judicial sentence of separation.

In order to prove your working status, you may have to submit:

- If you are an employee: the last wage receipts (the amount of receipts depends on the bank), and an employment certificate done by the employer.

- If you are self-employed: professional registration, degree title, or municipal authorization, a certificate that proves the beginning of activity in the AFIP (institution in charge of taxes in Argentina), the affidavit of income, and its corresponding receipt of payment.

In relation to the property you want to acquire, you may need to submit some of the following documents:

- For already built houses: a photocopy of the title deed, and a receipt of the property or municipal tax that shows the “nomenclatura catastral" (identification of the house and its location). In case of apartments or horizontal properties, the cohabitation rules must be submitted as well.

- For houses to be built: the approved municipal planning.

As we have mentioned at the beginning, each bank will ask to submit different documents. Remember to keep all your documentation together and to make a copy of every document; Do not submit any original document, only a copy (still, you may have to show the originals, but do not submit those).

Buenos Aires’ neighborhoods with the best access to public transportation

The City of Buenos Aires has a great number of options when it comes to moving around the city. Even though there are some hours with too much traffic, and you may get some place in more or less time, public transport in Buenos Aires gets you anywhere.

Starting with the subways, the metros in Buenos Aires are not as long as in other cities of the world, but they do connect some neighborhoods of the city. Likewise, some trains are perfect for crossing the city from one side to the other in a few minutes. Nevertheless, the most importat way of moving in Buenos Aires which has the greatest amount of lines and routes is the bus (called "colectivos"). Buses move around the city, and they will take you anywhere, although if there's too much traffic, it could take you longer than going by train or subway.

The neighborhoods of the City of Buenos Aires which have the best access to the different means of transports are:

- Belgrano: The neighborhood of Belgrano has many means of transports, such as the line D of the metro in the Av. Santa Fe, which takes you to the downtown area, and it passes along Palermo, Tribunales, and other areas of the city. Moreover, there are a great number of buses that take you around the city and the outer areas of Buenos Aires. Also, the train communicates Belgrano with the neighborhood of Retiro, so you can be in the downtown area in a few minutes. The train lines are Belgrano Norte and Mitre.

- Palermo: Even though Palermo is big and there are some areas which are not as connected as other areas, if you walk some blocks you will find something that takes you around the city. The neighborhood of Palermo has the line D of the metro in Av. Santa Fe, and if you are closer to Av. Cordoba, you can walk towards Av. Corrientes and take the line B of the metro. Moreover, if you wish to go to the west-south areas of the city and province of Buenos Aires, you may take the train. The San Martin line also takes you north, to the neighborhood of Retiro. Of course, there are many buses that take you anywhere you want.

- Retiro: Retiro neighborhood is where the business area of Buenos Aires is, and many big companies have their offices there. There, you will find many train lines that end and start there, and they travel many places around the city and the province. Moreover, this is where the line C of the metro begins, which takes you to Constitución (to the southern area of the city), and connect you with other metro lines.

- Downtown area: In the downtown area of Buenos Aires (which is not the geographical center) is where many lines finish their routes, so you will be able to move around in these lines.

Caballito: The neighborhood of Caballito is a residential area, with many shops, and means of transport. In this neighborhood (located in the center area of Buenos Aires), you will find many buses lines, and the metro line C, which take you to the downtown area.

These are the main neighborhoods which offer a great variety of means of transport to move around the city.

Things to consider when buying an air conditioner

Due to the extreme weather changes that we are having, the air conditioner has become really popular these days. Whether because it is too cold or too hot, the air conditioner, as its name shows, “conditions” the rooms at the temperature we like.

For those who are considering buying an air- conditioner, we will now mention some things to have in mind when looking for the perfect air-conditioner for you.

Firstly, you should see what type of air conditioner you need/want in your house/office/etc., since there are many types of air-conditioners: split, compact, portable, central, etc. The type of air-conditioner you need will depend on the size of the room you want to refrigerate and the use (more or less) you are planning to give to it. Besides the type of air conditioner you need, you will have to see how many BTUs (Thermal units) you need, which will also depend on the size of the room you want to refrigerate. In order to calculate the amount of BTUs you need, there are websites that can help you, or you can go to a store and ask for a specialist to help you. They will probably ask you the measures of the room you want to refrigerate.

Other factors that you should have in mind when checking what air conditioner you need to buy are the number of people that live or work in the place where you want to install the air conditioner; the thickness of the walls; the number of windows and doors the room has; the house orientation (to see if it gets too much sun or no sun at all); etc.

Moreover, other things you need to have in mind when buying an air conditioner are the following:

The air conditioner should at least have an adjustable thermostat. Plus, you should be able to move the diffuser grille, and it should have an energetic regulator that stops the fan when the air is not cooling. Moreover, it should have filters which are easy to remove and clean. For those who suffer from allergies, an air conditioner with electrostatic filters could be a good alternative to consider. Likewise, if you are installing the air conditioner in a place with low humidity, you might be interested in buying an air conditioner with a humidifier.

Moving on, once you have bought your air conditioner, it is of great importance that you call a licensed specialist to install it. Even though they can charge you a lot, don't hire some person that says they might do it, and don’t try to do it yourself, on the contrary; If the air conditioner is wrongly installed, it could break.

Now you know. If you want to buy an air conditioner, check some shops, ask a specialist and salesmen, and see which one is the best for your house. Remember not to buy the first cheap air conditioner that you find… first, see if it suits your needs.