How to make a vegetable garden in you balcony

Even though some people may think that they need extensions of land in order to have their own vegetable garden, this is not totally true. If you have some fertile soil and you provide the plant some space to grow and some light, you can have your own vegetable garden in your balcony, patio or terrace.

For starters, those who want to have a vegetable garden in their balconies should first check if they have enough light for the plants. All plants need natural light, at least a few hours a day, in order to grow. Once you have checked that, you should get some plant pots (at first they can be small pots), fertile soil, compost or manure (it can be earthworm humus), and small stones.

As we have mentioned, the plant pots can be small, since the seed needs to germinate first. Once it has grown roots, you can pass it into a bigger pot, in order it can grow better- remember that plants need space to grow. Those who want to have a vegetable garden on their balcony and don’t have much space may choose a medium-sized plant pot.

Now, another question you might be wondering is, what type of plants should I plant first? According to a specialist, it is recommended that in order to have a good vegetable garden –in your balcony, or wherever you want-, you should start by growing vegetables and legumes and aromatic plants. This type of plants are said to generate the right ecosystem so that you can add more types of plants later. Some people may just want to plant aromatic plants to season your food. Those who want to have those types of plants in your balcony may choose to plant oregano, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, among others. This is an interesting option if you like cooking with those species.

Before growing your own vegetable garden in your balcony, you should bear in mind that plants need special attention, and each type has its own needs. Likewise, not all plants are planted in the same season; some grow in winter, other in spring, etc. Moreover, remember that you need to water the plants, but you shouldn’t drown them. The soil of your vegetable garden in your balcony should be always humid, not soaked; there shouldn’t be any puddles of water.

Lastly, those who don’t have much space on their balconies but still want a vegetable garden may choose to make a vertical vegetable garden. For that, they could hang pots on the wall (if they have one), or buy some pot hanger that are lowered and which allows you to put more than one pot on the same space. This way you will have more places where to have your vegetable garden without invading your balcony with pots.

Working and living in the same apartment

Nowadays, it is common that many people work from home, whether because they decided to work on their own or the company they work for allows it. For those who have never worked from home, it may be difficult for you at the beginning, specially for those that are independent workers and earn what they work, and think all they have to do is work, work and work, 24 hours a day. But not to worry, you will find the balance.

At first, working from home can be challenging, but it is only a matter of organizing. First, it is important that you separate the working environment from the house environment. It doesn't matter if you live in a studio; you need to have a separate desk which will be your working area. This will be good because you will be able to stop working and relax although you are in the same room.

Many specialists or people that are used to working at home think and believe that it is better to choose a bright place to work, and if you have a nice window with a view, you may also want to choose to put your desk there, so you can see the view and relax while at work.

This idea of working and living in the same place has been studied thoroughly and there are many ideas on how to decorate your working space so that it adapts to your house decoration. Decorating the working space can be a good way of mixing and at the same time, separating work space and living space.

Working and living in the same apartment can be a challenge, as we have mentioned, but if you know how to organize and separate spaces, it shouldn’t be. Some things that you might have in mind if you work and live in the same apartment is to have different phone lines, because you don't want friends calling you while you work, or clients calling at night, while you are watching a movie.

These types of things of separating the work from the leisure time are important, so you should have separate spaces (even if it is in the same room). If you need some ideas on how to decorate your working space at home, there are many websites that can help you with that. The rest, is just a matter of adjusting.

Decorating your apartment with recycled products

For many years now the new idea of recycling apartments and houses to make them more attractive and a little bit more chic, has become more popular. Now, for those who want to give their houses or apartments a new touch, why not try with recycled products and decoration objects?

These days, there are many shops that sell recycled products that are ready for sale and to be put on the shelf, without the need of doing it on your own. Nevertheless, many people find it entertaining and relaxing to recycle their own things, so you can do that too.

The most common examples of recycled decoration objects and things are the food or beverage containers. For example, the cans (from tuna, peaches, peas, corn, etc) can be turned (after being cleaned and painted) into a pencil holder, a little plant pot, or whatever you can think of. Likewise, the glass or plastic jars may turn into a pretty good container after you decorate it, and you can put sugar, coffee, tea bags, etc in it.

Another thing that can be recycled and that has become really popular these days is recycled furniture. Chairs, tables, and, why not, wooden stairs can sand down, painted, adjusted and turned into a pretty cool new decoration piece for your house. You can choose to put it in the living room, the kitchen, or wherever you like! Nowdays, it is really popular to have chairs of different types and colours in the living room; all of them have generally been recycled (each one of them in different ways). Moreover, the old wooden stairs, once they have been reinforced, can be good as decoration or furniture. You can use parts of the stair as shelves or put some wooden shelves on the open stairs and use it as a place to put your plates and glasses on your kitchen.

So, you can decorate your apartment and recycle all the things you want and make your apartment or house as cozy and personal as you like it to be; plus, you will be making it a bit more environmentally-friendly and chic at the same time. This is a new trend that is becoming popular, so you can find a new hobby and start recycling things, while decorating your apartment.

Building a flood-proof house in the City

After the big storm that Buenos Aires suffered in April, it seems that the storms will continue to come unless something is done. Since this is not only a matter of structure but a matter of great amounts of water falling in little time, the idea of building a flood-proof house is good and logical.

For those who are thinking of building a house, here are some tips and pieces of advice that may help you build a flood-proof house, or at least they will prevent from tons of waters entering your house.

The first thing to have in mind when building a flood-proof house is to build it as high as possible. Elevating your house can be a good start to prevent it from flooding. The higher the house, the less likely it will inundate.

Even though it may be a good idea to build your house on a second floor and put a garage on the first, the garage should also be high. During this last great storm many garages that were at the level of the street got flooded. Of course, that a subterranean garage goes against any idea of having a flood-proof house!

Another idea that may help to make your house flood-proof is to have the floor that surrounds your house in decline, so that water doesn’t accumulate. This would mean having your house raised from the level of the street, as we have mentioned at the beginning. Still, before doing anything, you should check if the municipality allows this type of constructions (having the land in decline), since it could affect your neighbours.

One tip to have in mind when building a flood-proof house is that you should have a gabled roof. This way, the water can’t accumulate in the roof, so water shouldn’t start coming down from the ceiling.

Likewise, it is recommended that besides having your house a bit higher than at the level of the street, you should put all the electrical appliances and systems a bit higher too, just in case some water enters into the house. This way they don’t get ruined (in case water does enter into the house, of course).

To conclude, if you want to have a flood-proof house first you need to think of building it a bit higher. Surely, the higher it is the land where you build the house, the better. Once you have that, you can close your doors and windows hermetically to avoid any filtration, and there, now you can be a bit more relaxed when it starts raining.

Most affected areas by the rough weather in the City of Buenos Aires

In the early morning of April, 2^nd, between 12am and 7am, around 155 millimetres of water fell non-stop over the City of Buenos Aires, La Plata and the surroundings. This great amount of water caused damages, flooding and even deaths.

According to the news, in the City of Buenos Aires there were 8 people who lost their lives. In La Plata, it had been estimated that the number have reached to 51.

According to the media, the most affected areas during the big storm was Barrio Mitre (in the neighbourhood of Saavedra), although a great part of the neighbourhood of Belgrano also suffered a lot due to the floods. Likewise, other neighrbohoods like Caballito, Parque Chacabuco, Villa Ortúzar, Villa Pueyrredón, Villa Soldati, Villa Lugano and Mataderos flooded and the water reached really high levels. Many people had to be moved from their houses because they have flooded, and so it was done to prevent any deaths. This type of weather may be fatal, especially for those people who are in the street at the time. Imagine that if the torrent produced by the rain moved cars, it can easily move people.

After the storm and the flooding, once the water started to go down, many people around the city of Buenos Aires found pilled cars and branches fallen on the streets, together with a power cut (some done on purpose to prevent problems, and others because of broken engines), and many houses with their sofas on the kitchen.

Many organizations, people and the government started helping all those people who have had problems due to the great storm.

According to the Observatory in Villa Ortuzar, the amount of rain that fell -155mm- broke the history record (in the month of April). The previous record during the month of April was in 1989, when 142mm of water fell. Still, the greater amount of infrastructure in the whole City of Buenos Aires and the surroundings have probably affected and increased the chances of flooding and damages.

The storm has affected many people and many neighbourhoods of the City of Buenos Aires, and other localities of Buenos Aires (La Plata was deeply affected). Thanks to the help of many neighbours, NGOs and the government, things are slowly going back to normal, and solutions are being given.

Coexistence between neighbours in a building

As it can be difficult to live with other people in the same house, it is also difficult to share a whole building with other people.

Even though it isn’t always the case that neighbours have trouble, or don’t get along, during the last years, there have been some situations of conflict between neighbours within a building.

The most common problems are: party wall issues, noises and filtration. The party wall issues are frequent both in buildings and between houses in a neighbourhood. When a neighbour builds (or destroys) part on the party wall and breaks something from our house, or its creeper invades our house, etc. this usually means trouble.

In relation to the noises, the new buildings these days usually have thin walls, so you can generally listen to everything your neighbour does or says, and so, if that neighbour likes hearing loud music and you don’t like it, there is going to be trouble.

And there are plenty of examples that we can mention that affect the coexistence of neighbours within a building, and there are some cases where people like seeing problems where there isn’t any.

The solution or the best way to prevent conflict between neighbours is to keep a good communication (always a respectful one). Likewise, it is important to have a code of conduct for the building inhabitants and to stick to them in order to avoid having problems.

Nowadays, there is a way of solving problems between neighbours in Buenos Aires (if the communication is not good) where mediation takes place, without the need of going to a court office. This service is provided by the Government and it is useful for those cases where the neighbours or its administration have some problem that they cannot solve alone.

Even though coexistence can be complicated, if each neighbour tries to be understanding and respect the rules, there shouldn’t be any trouble between the people living in the same building.

Cheap heating alternatives for winter season

Autumn season has already begun with cold weather, so probably the winter season will also be like this. Besides the low temperatures, winter will receive us with a rise raise on the prices, so we will all want to save as much as possible; still, we don't want to freeze in the process.

Nowadays, heaters that work with gas are not the cheapest heating alternative, and that is why many people are trying to look for other options to heat their homes without spending a fortune.

For starters, a cheaper alternative of heating are the heating panels that are of low consumption. The problem of these panels is that they aren't very efficient in big rooms, so I would suggest you ask a specialist before buying these types of panels for your house, and make sure they will heat properly (besides saving you a few bucks).

Another option that is being considered on those houses that are being built at the moment is the heating through the radiant floor panels. Currently, there are new technologies over this type of heating that allow you to save money and heat your house greatly. Moreover, this type of heating generally comes with a thermostat which allows you to control which rooms you want to heat and at what temperature. This helps you save money as well.

A downside of this type of heating is that its installation can be a bit expensive and complicated if the house is already prepared for some other type of heating system. Still, if you are constructing or making changes around the house, this is a good option to heat your house and save some money.

A good way of saving money a bit ago was to heat your house through the fireplace (if you had one) and use wood. Nowadays, wood is expensive so, this method is no longer an option. Moreover, it was only useful for small rooms, and not big ones.

Lastly, it is important to mention that besides looking for cheaper alternatives to heat your house, it is also important to isolate it so that the cold doesn't get in and the heat stays inside. A good isolation of the doors and windows will make you heating system more efficient, and you may not have to have your heating on all day long, so it will also make you save money.

Each house is different, so each house needs a different heating system, and it will depend on the size of the rooms and the type of heating you like. So, you should ask a specialist, do the math and see which type of heating system will work and make you save money this winter (and the ones to come).

Population per square meter in the City of Buenos Aires

During the last Census done in Argentina in 2010, results showed that the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires is the most populated city of Argentina. This means that the number of people per square meter in this City is much bigger than in other city of the country.

According to the results shown during the last census, the total population in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires is of 2,891,082 persons. This number has increased by 114,944 people in ten years. This means that the number of people per square kilometer in the City of Buenos Aires today is of 14,185 people; more specifically, this means that there are 14.5 citizens (approximately) per square meter within the City of Buenos Aires.

This number seems a bit high if you imagine what a square meter is and how much space a person can occupy. Although this number may seem illogical, the explanation of the big amount of people living in the City of Buenos Aires and the space that there is for that people is that there are many high buildings and houses with more than one floor, which allows more people to live inside the City of Buenos Aires. Still, the number of people that lives per square meter in the City of Buenos Aires is high.

Since the beginning of Argentina as an independent country (or at least with its own government), migration started from the countryside to the big cities. Even when Buenos Aires wasn't the capital city of Argentina, it was important, because of its harbor. So, many people came to Buenos Aires searching for a job and a better life. Plus, many immigrants from other countries arrive to Buenos Aires on boats and stayed in the city. For these reasons, the population in the City of Buenos Aires has increased and has never stopped increasing. Moreover, even though some people are moving from Buenos Aires and going to smaller cities in other provinces of Argentina, the number of people that keeps coming and staying in the City of Buenos Aires still surpasses this percentage.

Recyclable dust bins in buildings

Recycling is a hot issue that has been on the agenda for some time now. Nevertheless, Buenos Aires hasn't still made any rule or law when it comes recycling or reducing the amount of garbage its citizens make. Still, some buildings and houses are beginning to move the “recycling mind wheel” and they have started to separate their garbage.

There are many ways of separating (and classifying) the residues. For example, you can put different bins and separate the wet and the dry waste; or you can have more bins and separate papers and boxes, plastic waste, glass, etc.

A good way of classifying garbage for recycling in buildings is to put bins of different colors so people go and through each type of waste in the different bins (color tend to caught people’s attention and it’s a good reminder). This method can be complicated to introduce on a building and it could take time for people to adapt to it; still, it can be a really good option if the neighbors agree.

Moreover, a simpler method that is being used today is to put two bins: one for recyclable residues and one for non-recyclable waste. This way, many janitors of the buildings take out the non-recyclable waste out for the garbage trucks to take them, and give the recyclable waste to the people that gather boxes, paper and plastics. This way they are helping the people that gathers this type of residues (because they don’t have to be looking around the waste), and they help the environment too.

Even though the governments are beginning to raise awareness among people and they are trying to change the way the residues are treated in Buenos Aires, some buildings have already started making this residue classification. If everyone starts doing this division of the waste at home, within time we could start making a more detailed division and start helping the environment, so that the city, the country and the world can be cleaner.

Best pets to live in apartments

Many people know that pets are very lovable creatures that make us our lives happier. They are our travel buddies and our life companions as well… Nevertheless, if we live on small places, like a studio apartment or the like, having a pet might be complicated. For starters, every pet, and every human, need their space.

For this reason, we will now mention some of the pets that can easily adapt to living in an apartment, so that you and your pet can get along and have no trouble.

As we have seen in previous articles, cats are a good pet option for those who live in apartments. Nonetheless, as we have mentioned previously, there are some breeds that may adapt easier to living in an apartment. Same thing happens with some dog breeds who may adapt easier to living in an apartment. As the cat article, you may also find here an article on the dog breeds that adapt easier to living in an apartment.

Moreover, there are other pets that could be good if you live in apartments. For example, some people enjoy having hamsters as pets. These little animals live in cages, so it wouldn’t matter whether you live in an apartment or a house. Now, having a hamster as a pet means paying attention to it and taking care of it as any pet, although it could need more attention than a dog or a cat, since hamsters aren't able to look for us and ask for food (among other things).

Meanwhile, other people have adopted LIZZARDS or IGUANAS on their apartment. Many pet shops of Buenos Aires sell these animals as pets nowadays, and they have become really popular. These types of pets can be a good pet if you live in an apartment, but they may also need to be looked after more closely than other animals.

In general, the best pets to live in apartments are the smaller animals. Still, whether you choose a big or a small animal as a pet, you should always do some research on how to take good care of it. Once you've done that, it is only a matter of getting along, adapting to your pet and living happily in your apartment.  

Living on a house or an apartment?

Many people have tried to answer this question for some time now: Is it better to live in a house or an apartment? Of course, the answer is 100% subjective. Nevertheless, an analysis can be made in order to see the pros and cons of living in a house and in an apartment.

First point to consider when it comes to analyzing whether you prefer to live in a house or an apartment is maintenance. Generally, maintaining a house (whether big or small) tends to be more expensive than an apartment. One thing to have in mind is that in a building all the maintenance expenses tend to be shared among all the neighbors (although it can turn expensive too).

Secondly, another thing to consider when deciding to live in a house or in an apartment is the space/room. Even though the newest buildings now come with amenities like gardens and pools, these spaces are not the same as having them in your own house. In a house you have your own patio, or garden, or whatever it is that you own. Moreover, when talking about space in an apartment and a house, the new buildings now tend to have smaller rooms than the old buildings; meanwhile, the rooms of the houses tend to be bigger and wider.

Another controversial topic when discussing life on a house and on an apartment is the neighbors. Many people think that living on an apartment means having to put up with annoying and loud neighbors. Nonetheless, even though some walls are too thin and you can listen to everything your neighbor says, building have rules of conduct, so people have to respect them in order to avoid having trouble. Moreover, some people who live in houses may have annoying neighbors who love listening loud music, or shout all day long. So, annoying neighbors can be found whether you live on a house or an apartment really.

Lastly, another topic to discuss referring to houses or apartment life is security. Even though the security issue is a problem that strikes everyone (both people living in apartments and in houses), it is believed that living on an apartment is safer than in a house, since the house is more exposed. Likewise, nowadays many building have chosen to hire a private security service within the building, which makes it safer.

So, the conclusion should be made by you, since as we have mentioned at the beginning deciding whether living in a house is better/worse than living in an apartment is totally up to you and your likes and dislikes.

Essential services and furniture for your new house

When the time of moving houses comes, especially for those who do it for the first time, one should organize and start searching for the essential items. Before moving, the person should check if he/she has all the basics. For those who are scare of forgetting something, we will enumerate the furniture and services that you must have before moving:

Let’s start with the basic services that you must have:

-    Electricity: Without electricity, you won’t be able to do much, especially at night. If you have an electric oven, you will be in even more trouble. Electricity is a must.

-    Gas: Besides using it for cooking (for those who have the burners and oven that works with gas), it is also necessary for having hot water at home.

-    Water: You will need to bathe, wash something and other basic needs for which water is of the essence, so you definitely need water before you move into a house.

-    Others: A telephone is something you can rescind of at first, especially if you have a mobile phone. Same thing happens with the Internet service, except you work from home, and then you will definitely need an Internet service provider ASAP. These two services and some other are not mandatory to have as soon as you move in… they can wait.

Now, let’s pass onto the furniture and appliances that you should have before moving:

-    Bed (or mattress): In order to have a good night sleep and survive the daily hustle and bustle, a good bed (or at least a good mattress) is a must.

-    Fridge: The fridge is an electrical appliance that you must have at home as soon as you move in, since most of the food we eat every day require refrigeration.

-    Table or coffee table or the like: Having a table, whether small, big, medium, or whatever you find at hand, is a good option. This will provide a place to eat. If you have a coffee table, you may find some cushions and sit on the floor (you won't even need chairs!)

-    Oven: The oven, as well as the fridge, is an item that we tend to use a lot. Whether you have an electric oven or one that run with gas, whether big or small, it won’t matter, but you will need one.

-    Others: If you already have a bed, a fridge and an oven, you will survive. The rest of the furniture as the couch, a good eating table with chairs, a TV (if you want one), a Computer (again, if you need one), closets, etc. will come with time…

So, now you know which furniture, services and electrical appliances you need to get before moving into a house. Of course that the more you have, the better it will be, but it is also nice to buy things you like little by little, so you can make out of your new house, a home.

How to maintain carpet floors

Keeping a clean carpet floor in not complicated, although if it is a very busy area it could need a bit more maintenance.

Currently, there are many ways and products available to keep your carpet floor clean and in good conditions.

Firstly, the key point to keep a clean carpet floor is by vacuuming at least three times a week. Carpets tend to accumulate dust and hair, so the more you vacuum, the less dirt you will accumulate, and the easier it would be to keep it in good conditions. Before you vacuum, remember to check that the vacuum cleaner is (indeed) clean and that it doesn’t have too much dust inside; if that is the case, you should clean it, otherwise it will not vacuum and it would be as if you didn't clean at all.

If you have some specific stains in your carpet, (for example if something falls on the floor), as we’ve mentioned, there are many products you can buy in order to clean the carpet floor: foams, liquid shampoos, and others. So, if you have a specific stain in your carpet, you should rub some of these products by following the steps mentioned in the packaging, and that’s it.

Now, going back to maintaining your carpet floor, besides vacuuming, it is recommended that every few months, you make a good, deep cleaning to the carpet floor. In order to do this, you may use of the aforementioned products, or you may call a professional service provider. Generally, the professionals use a special machine that soaks the carpet, and then absorbs the water. This way, the cleaning is very deep, since besides water, they generally use shampoo and antifungal products or the like. In some countries, you may rent these carpet cleaning machines, but before you do, make sure you know how to use it.

So, even though having a carpeted floor has its pros and cons, if you are considering installing one in your apartment, now you know how to keep it clean; it is not difficult!

Problems in the garbage recollection in Buenos Aires

Since mid2012, the recollection of garbage in the City of Buenos Aires has had its ups and downs. There have been some days when people woke up and found the bag of garbage that they had left the night before on the street, or when they went to take their bag to the special container, it was completely full.

This was because the employees of the Ceamse (company in charge of managing waste and developing national environment) had an uncertain future. By March 2013, the landfills where the waste of the whole city and surroundings is left would be full. This would bring unemployment to Ceamse’s people and of course a chaos in the City for the lack of garbage recollection.

For this reason, in 2012 there has been several months of uncertainty and many days where the garbage hasn’t been collected and it began to accumulate. In addition, there was a lack of communication between the government of the City of Buenos Aires and the Province of Buenos Aires.

In order to keep updated and to try to see if there was a solution for this, the “Asociacion Gremial de Obreros Y Empleados de la CEAMSE (AGOEC)” [Ceamse’s Union] met the employees in several informative assemblies.

After several days of no recollection, the trucks went to collect the garbage of many days, but the system collapsed, so it took some days for it to go back to normal.

It is estimated that around 60 tons of garbage are gathered in the City of Buenos Aires and about 11,000 tons are collected in the surrounding localities, known as Gran Buenos Aires.

In relation to the solution, in January 2013, the government of the City of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri and the government of Gran Buenos Aires, Daniel Scioli, met during the opening of the new waste treatment factory in José León Suárez. This new factory and Mauricio Macri’s commitment to reduce the waste of the City of Buenos Aires in 78% should make the system work properly.

Currently, the waste recollection situation seems to be normal, although there have been some union problems that could bring new chaos to the city; let’s hope it doesn’t.

More spaces for bikes in the city of Buenos Aires

For some years now, the government of the City of Buenos Aires has been promoting a system of “sustainable mobility”. In order to accomplish that, it is promoting the use of bikes around the city. In order to motivate people to ride their bike to work, 25 Km of bike lanes have been constructed around the City of Buenos Aires and new rules are being implemented so that people have more space to park their bikes.

One of the regulations that the city’s government has implemented is that every parking has to have 8 spaces for bikes for every 50 car spaces they have. Moreover, the rule established that the price for leaving the bike in the parking must not exceed the 10% of the price for leaving a car.

Another way that the use of bike is being promoted is through agreements with private businesses. Many companies, especially banks in Buenos Aires have accepted to promote their employees to go to work by bike. The way of promoting the use of bikes in companies is by installing places for employees to leave their bikes, build lockers, showers and dressing areas, etc. This way of promotion of bike use in Buenos Aires is working really nicely, and more and more people are using their bikes every day.

Moreover, the government of the City of Buenos Aires is planning to install parking spaces for bikes in the Governmental buildings, for employees and neighbors.

In relation to private buildings, each administration is different, and there are still no rules or solutions to the bike parking there. Many people receive complains because they get on the elevator with a bike, or that they leave their bikes in the parking space and t is not allowed, etc.etc.etc… Despite these things, the system of sustainable mobility is expected to continue summing people and so building administrators and people can get to an arrangement.

The City of Buenos Aires seems to like moving on two wheels, and more citizens are adding to this idea each day.

Exotic pets living in apartments in Buenos Aires

It seems that as years went by, cats and dogs have stopped being funny and peculiar as they have always been; now, the exotic pets are ruling. Each day, more and more people in Buenos Aires choose to have exotic pets. Although the list is getting longer within the days, the most famous exotic pets at the moment are: lizards, snakes, parrots, spiders, guinea pigs, porcupines, turtles (although now they are not for sale), and even monkeys.

The variety is wide and the number of people who buys these pets increases each day. Even though these types of pets are not as loving as cats and dogs may be, exotic pets have their benefits.

Many people choose to have small animals, like lizards, spiders and guinea pigs because they are easy and cheaper to keep. For example, lizards do not smell and they eat small insects, so their food is not expensive.

In the city of Buenos Aires, there are around 50 pet shops that sell exotic pets. For some years now, the lizards have become really popular. Some shop owners estimate that around 1000 lizards are sold within two or three months.

The problem of having exotic pets in apartments (in the middle of the city) is that this is far beyond their natural environment. Likewise, many people that have these exotic pets in their apartments don't always know how to take care of them and which are their special needs. Most of the exotic pets now living in Buenos Aires’ apartments are not that easy to look after. They generally cannot eat all types of food, even if they are vegetables or fruit.

Despite this, the apartments of Buenos Aires are filling with exotic pets, so don’t be frightened if you find a lizard in your kitchen one day… it could be the neighbor’s pet. And, on the other hand, if you choose to have an exotic (or not that exotic) pet, check what their needs are and how to look after it in order they have a healthy and long life… and please, don’t abandon them.

Best cats to live in apartments

Unlike dogs, cats are not usually considered “men best friends"; still, they are also good companions and caring if you give them the care they demand. According to some specialists, cats may be the best pet for those who live in apartments, but it should be a calm cat. Not all cats are the same, of course. For those who are considering having a cat in their apartment, we will mention which are considered the best cat breeds that adapt best to apartments. Still, you should bear in mind that not everything is black or white, so you may get a cat which should be of a calm breed, but he can still be full of energy... basically, it will all depend on the cat.

For starters, one of the breeds that are considered perfect to live in small places is the Siamese cat. Specialists say Siamese cats have some “dog” characteristics in relation to their relation with their owners, and they are perfect companions. The Siamese cats are playful, they adapt to change and they are always looking for something to do.

Another cat breed that is considered good for those who live in apartments is the Ragdoll cat. This breed is obedient and patient. As most cats, Ragdolls are independent, but also home-loving, since they don’t go out much - perfect for apartments!

Another breed that could be considered by people who live in apartments is the Persian Cat. Persian cats adapt easily to change, they are very calm and they almost never meow. One feature of the Persian cats is that they don’t tend to be curious, so they won’t go out in search of adventures, like other cats.

Even though there are breeds that tend to adapt better to smaller places, all cats tend to adapt in the end. If you are planning to have a cat in your apartment, you may consider adopting one. Adopted cats tend to be really grateful towards their owners, and they are usually great companions. If you train you cat to live in an apartment, they will get used to it, and if they don’t, you can try taking them for a stroll. The truth is that an adopted cat may be more loyal than any breed… Whatever cat you choose, as long as you play with it, and take care of it, it will always be there, waiting for you.

Apartment-friendly dog breeds

Dogs have always been considered a good company for men; they are loyal, friendly, and they are always willing to give love. Many people enjoy having a dog, even when they have to live all together in the smallest apartment ever.

Even though some people like big dogs, the truth is that in small apartments, having a big dog wouldn’t be good for either the dog or the person living there; the best option is to have small or medium-sized dogs.

Before mentioning some of the breeds of dogs that would adapt best to living in an apartment, it should be mentioned that even if you have a small dog, they always need to take fresh air, move, and do some exercise. It is not good for a dog to be locked all day anywhere.

Now, we will now mention some of the dogs that could get used to living in an apartment:

Pug: They are very small, good companions, although they can be a bit jealous.

English bulldog: This breed doesn’t need to do too much exercise, which makes them perfect for those living in an apartment. They are an easy breed to train, and they are really good companions.

French bulldog: This breed is loyal and friendly, and it generally adapts to its owner and not to the place they live in, which means they should adapt great to an apartment.

Maltese: Maltese dogs are quiet and sociable. Even though they enjoy the outdoors, they are a good option for those living in an apartment, since they spend a lot of time resting.

Poodle: This breed requires only little time in the outdoors, and they don’t usually smell, which is perfect if you are living in small places.

Cocker Spaniel: Besides being really cute, cockers usually adapt to the space that surrounds them, which means they are ideal for apartments (plus, they are small sized).

Pekingese dogs: The good thing about this breed is that they tend to be more independent that other dogs, and they don’t usually get on top of its owner and stick to him/her all day long; The dog will be happy by just having its owner near (in the same room).

The good thing about dogs, in comparison with cats, is that they generally care more about the owner than the place they live in, so they tend to adapt easier to small places. Still, you shouldn’t forget that they are living creatures and they have needs. So you should pay attention to them, play, take them out, etc… So if you are planning to have a dog in an apartment, you should at least take him out once or twice a day.

Few 3-bedroom units in the City of Buenos Aires

Prior to 2012, the trend over the construction world seemed to be heading this way: many construction authorizations where made for 1 or 2-bedroom apartments, unlike other years where the 3-bedroom apartments were at the top.

There are 2 main reasons that stand out when explaining why there are fewer 3-bedroom apartments in Buenos Aires: first, people now look to invest in smaller places, since they are cheaper and easier to rent. And, second, the construction businesses want to build more units in a certain space (generally a small one); generally, in the most popular neighborhoods (where the land is more expensive).

Since the beginning of the construction boom in the City of Buenos Aires, the construction businesses have looked for investors that could put the money before the construction began. Since the installments for a 1 or 2-bedroom unit are cheaper than the ones for bigger units, like the 3-bedroom units, the construction businesses went to the easiest and more safety place: smaller apartments.

So, currently, all the building that are about to be finished are smaller and have no more than 2 bedrooms. Decades ago, the trend was the other way around: the 3-bedroom units were ahead on the list, and people used to rent or buy bigger apartments. Nowadays, as we said previously, this has changed and 3-bedroom units or bigger apartments are not so popular, since they are more complicated to sell or rent, since they are harder and more expensive than smaller apartments when it comes to maintenance.

Increase on taxes for the City of Buenos Aires

Before the arrival of 2013, many citizens of Buenos Aires received a not-so-pleasant present: the “ABL”¹ bill. In an attempt to calm the negative reaction that the increase on the Lighting and Cleaning tax created, the chief of government, Mauricio Macri explained the reason of said increase and apologized for it.

According to Macri, the rise on the ABL in the City of Buenos Aires is due to the inflation that the country is having. According to the Chief of the Government of the City, there is a current 25% of inflation that affects everything: salaries, services, fuel, etc. The increase would round a 23%; nevertheless, many people received an increase that exceeded the 23% and got up to 100% or more. According to what Macri explained, “The idea is to take the tax rate up to 1% of the commercial value of each house; so if a property is worth 1,000,000 pesos, the owner will have to pay 10,000 pesos of tax.

Since many of the new increases still don’t cover that 1% of the total value on some houses, during the next years the prices on ABL will continue to rise until they reach that percentage.

The increase on the ABL in the City of Buenos Aires wasn’t well received by the citizens specially after having suffered some troubles weeks ago, where the garbage on the streets hadn't been gathered; there were also some electricity shut downs and flooding in many areas of the city.

Many citizens of Buenos Aires have made their claims to the “Asociación de Defensa de Usuarios y Consumidores de la Argentina (Adecua)" [in charge of defending consumer’s rights]. This association is investigating the cases, although it states that the increase on the ABL is supported by the Law no. 4040”, which was approved in 2011, and which allows the executive power of the City of Buenos Aires to update the tax rate once a year.

The reason why the increase was so big in some cases is because this tax has never been automatically updated, so, for many years many people have paid too little, and now the updating came and the change is too big. The overall problem and discontent of the citizens of Buenos Aires is due to the fact that the tax seems too high for the services that are being provided.