Give Me Some Advice
So, we have these two vents in our apartment, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. They have these knobs on them that don't seem to do anything, and for some reason they spit out hot air at random times. Is this something common in housing from the 60s? Are we paying for this hot air? And if so, why don't we have control of it? And why did they plant the vent on the only wall that's suitable for our bed, and the only wall suitable for our couch? Why?
I don't think I've ever lived in an apartment that was designed by someone who thought twice about what it'd be like to live there. Our third apartment had a light switch to the bathroom outside of the bathroom. Which totally invited mean pranks like turning off the light while someone is in the shower. And I mean, that's funny and all, but still, it's not a smart idea. That very same apartment had a thermostat planted right in the middle of a wall that would otherwise be perfect for a bookshelf. Oh! And they put the medicine cabinet in the bathroom on the far right, right next to the sink. So that you bump your elbow when you're brushing your teeth. And my gosh, why is it that no apartment over 20 years old has ANY ventilation in the bathrooms? Did poop not stink back then? Was there no such thing as steam, or did everyone take cold showers because those go-go boots and mini-skirts were just too much? And y'know what happens when the bathroom is left with steam in it that can't be dried quickly? MOLD. Yucky, lung-infecting mold.
But hopefully poorly planned-out apartments will be a thing of the past for us soon. Nothing's concrete yet, or even nearly concrete, but we're considering buying a condo when our lease runs out in late Spring. This all depends on how things go between now and then, but it'd be really nice to not throw our money away on a monthly basis. So if you have any advice for first time buyers, I'd be much obliged. Is there anything we can do ahead of time to make things easier? What do you wish you'd have known before your first venture?
I don't think I've ever lived in an apartment that was designed by someone who thought twice about what it'd be like to live there. Our third apartment had a light switch to the bathroom outside of the bathroom. Which totally invited mean pranks like turning off the light while someone is in the shower. And I mean, that's funny and all, but still, it's not a smart idea. That very same apartment had a thermostat planted right in the middle of a wall that would otherwise be perfect for a bookshelf. Oh! And they put the medicine cabinet in the bathroom on the far right, right next to the sink. So that you bump your elbow when you're brushing your teeth. And my gosh, why is it that no apartment over 20 years old has ANY ventilation in the bathrooms? Did poop not stink back then? Was there no such thing as steam, or did everyone take cold showers because those go-go boots and mini-skirts were just too much? And y'know what happens when the bathroom is left with steam in it that can't be dried quickly? MOLD. Yucky, lung-infecting mold.
But hopefully poorly planned-out apartments will be a thing of the past for us soon. Nothing's concrete yet, or even nearly concrete, but we're considering buying a condo when our lease runs out in late Spring. This all depends on how things go between now and then, but it'd be really nice to not throw our money away on a monthly basis. So if you have any advice for first time buyers, I'd be much obliged. Is there anything we can do ahead of time to make things easier? What do you wish you'd have known before your first venture?
