The Essential Supplies Your Apartment Home Needs

Moving is the perfect time to purge your home of all the unnecessary items that have been accumulating over the years. However, there are a few things that we think are necessary for you to keep and bring with you during the move, or buy if you don’t already own them. Below, we’ve listed some essentials that every resident should have in their new Arcadia Run apartment!

Cleaning Supplies

When life gets busy, having a clean home can become an afterthought. Have cleaning supplies readily available for those busy weeks when the last thing you want to do is go to the store to buy a duster or a mop. Make sure to stock up on supplies that are easy to grab, such as cleaning wipes or paper towels.

Area Rug

Putting a statement rug in your home is a way to show your personality while bringing together the atmosphere of a room. Not only will this rug accentuate the ambiance of a room, but it will also create a more comfortable space!

A Good Vacuum

Having a good vacuum can save you time and energy when cleaning your apartment. Vacuuming for only a few quick minutes once a week can dramatically decrease the dust and allergen build-up in your home.

Toolbox 

A toolbox should include all of your essential tools and accessories, such as a hammer, nails, screwdrivers, duct tape, a box cutter, and more. You can easily purchase a toolbox at any local home improvement store!

Emergency Medical Kit

Cuts and scrapes are normal occurrences for any person, so having an emergency medical kit in the home is necessary! Stock up on Band-Aids, pain relievers, and a thermometer, especially if you have kids and live in a busy household, you never know when you might need it.

These are just a few of the many important items that you should keep handy in your new apartment home. Whether its making a statement with a new rug, or being able to fix a broken shelf with your tools, you will have everything covered. For more information on our wonderful apartment homes at Arcadia Run, check out our website and schedule a visit today!

Sources: bedbathandbeyond.com, homefloorexperts.com

Moving With The Family Made Easier

Moving can be very stressful and laborious for any family, especially if it is your first big move to a new apartment home. There are a few ways in which you can make the transition of moving more enjoyable for the whole family just by following a few simple tips. At Arcadia Run, we strive to make your move go as smoothly as possible, so check out our recommendations below!

1. Research the Moving Company

Many people think that researching a moving company takes too much time. However, it is crucial that you find reliable help who will not only move all of your belongings into a truck, but someone you are willing to trust with all of your belongings. Take the extra time and choose a company who you feel you can trust. That being said, a reliable and helpful mover may not be the cheapest option, but spending the extra money will ensure the safe arrival of your truck with all items still inside.

2. Get the Supplies

Two of the most critical supplies needed when moving are boxes and tape. Make sure that the boxes are sturdy and can withstand the weight of plates, books, and any other heavy objects that will neatly fit inside. Bubble wrap is always good to have when moving fragile items such as glasses or picture frames that you would prefer not to bounce around on the drive. Making a checklist before the big move is always helpful when trying to gather the packing materials.

3. Plan Your Move

Everyone is aware that moving takes a lot of time and energy. If you are moving with children, you know that this is doubly true! However, your time can be more efficiently managed if you plan ahead and write down everything that you want to finish before the big day. Making a list of everything that must be completed is a good way to set goals and have them visualized in front of you If you are moving with small children, plan extra time for breaks so the kids stay happy!

4. Label! Label! Label!

After you have set your goals, made your lists, bought the supplies, and researched the movers, don’t forget to label your boxes! If you forget to do this, moving into your new apartment will take double the amount of time than it should have. Make sure you write the room where each box belongs, and whether the content inside is fragile. Giving movers a heads about the fragile objects will decrease the chances of opening boxes to broken items. If you want to get even more detailed with labeling, you can choose to label the boxes by priority, such as “high” for items that should be unpacked immediately and “low” for boxes that can wait a few days.

5. Pack an Overnight Bag

Finally, make sure that everyone packs an overnight bag. This is the most forgotten item when families move into their new apartment!. A few items that should be packed in the overnight bag include a change of clothes, toilet paper, toiletries, water bottles, phone charger, plastic utensils, garbage bags, any necessary medications, and entertainment for the little ones. This way, you won’t be digging around through all of your boxes trying to find your PJs!

Hopefully, these tips have been helpful and can help you better prepare for the big day! For more information on how you can enjoy a brand new apartment home at Arcadia Run, visit the arcadiarun.com.

Apartment Features Renters Adore

As a new apartment home community, Arcadia Run knows how important it is for our residents to have the best experience possible while living here! This is why we have brand new community amenities and luxury apartment features to fit the growing needs of apartment renters. Take a look below at what we concluded to be the top features that renters adore!

top features

Why Manassas is the Ideal Location to Rent an Apartment

At Arcadia Run, we could not imagine living in a better location than Manassas in Northern Virginia! With beautiful apartment homes, rich history, amazing local businesses and a central location, you can’t beat the accessibility and convenience of our city. Take a look at the many reasons why Manassas is the ideal location to rent your new apartment home!

One of the Best 

WalletHub recently named Manassas one of the best small towns in Virginia! By combining factors like, affordability, economic health, education & health, and quality of life, 1,268 small cities were ranked in WalletHub’s study conducted in October. Our amazing “small city” of Manassas was ranked the 8th best small city in Virginia and #276 overall on the list. The website explains their methodology by saying that living in a small city “creates a sense of greater wealth because of cheaper living cost.”

History

The local culture in Manassas is infused with a rich American history wherever you turn. A very prominent location for important events and battles during the Civil War, Manassas is still home to many historic sites. The Manassas National Battlefield Park, Old Town Manassas, and the Stone Bridge are just a few of our favorite spots to explore!

Convenience

Just minutes from Arcadia Run, is some of the area’s best shopping and dining. From the Manassas Mall, to Bull Run Plaza, and downtown Manassas, there are endless stores and restaurants to visit for your everyday needs! Additionally, Historic Downtown Manassas has weekly events as well as some of our favorite local shopping and dining spots!

Location

Located in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, Arcadia Run is a great location for those who want to be close to the city for work or for play! Manassas allows for a suburban lifestyle while still being less than 30 minutes to Dulles International Airport and just 45 minutes to the heart of D.C.

Luxury Apartments

At Arcadia Run, there are brand new apartments and amenities to enjoy! Our luxury apartments for rent include modern features such as granite countertops, 42” designer kitchen cabinets, vinyl “hardwood” flooring, abundant storage space, and a variety of floor plans to choose from.

If we haven’t already convinced you that Arcadia Run is the perfect home for you, visit us today to take a look at our brand new amenities, apartments, and meet with our amazing sales team!

Sources: visitmanassas.orgvirginia.org

How Off-Season Apartment Hunting Can Benefit Renters

It’s true – many renters believe there is an ‘off’ and ‘on’ season when it comes to finding a new apartment to call home. And while that’s true to some extent, it doesn’t necessarily mean ‘off’ season isn’t the time to land that dream apartment.

The winter months are typically considered the ‘off-season’, and believe it or not, there are several benefits to apartment shopping this time of year!

Less Competition:

When searching for a new apartment home during the winter, when most of your fellow renters aren’t, much of the competition that’s present during the spring and summer is eliminated. Less competition in general gives you a better chance of finding that perfect apartment!

Less Pressure:

And, with fewer renters hitting the market, there will be less pressure to move quickly. While an opportunity might not last forever, you could have a little more breathing room and the luxury to take your time. But believe us, once you see our new apartments at Arcadia Run, you won’t want to waste another minute searching anywhere else!

Better Selection:

Also because of reduced competition, renters may find they have more selection when it comes to choosing their next space. Here at Arcadia Run, we take great pride in offering several apartment home floor plans, giving our tenants the best variety any season of the year!

Get In Early:

Come spring, when other tenants are just starting their search, you’ll already be comfortably living in the apartment community of your choice! Who wouldn’t enjoy that?

Truly, any time of the year has its own benefits when apartment hunting, but not all as unique as the winter. So take advantage of the season and choose a new apartment home at Arcadia Run. Phase 2 of our community is now leasing, offering tenants with an incredible selection of newly built, luxury apartments.

Get used to getting more with Arcadia Run – granite countertops, luxury ‘hardwood’ vinyl flooring, upgraded kitchen appliances, extended windows, plans for outstanding community amenities and so much more!

Spotlight On: Education in Manassas (Part II)

Arcadia Run apartments have a number of benefits to offer their residents—one of which is its ideal location in Manassas, VA. Manassas is part of Prince William County, which was recently named one of the Nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance . Prince William County was awarded this honor as it offers an array of educational opportunities for its residents, ranging from excellent preschool and kindergarden programs to exceptional high school and college educations. The top notch primary and secondary schools and continued education opportunities in Prince William County factored into America’s Promise Alliance’s decision for this award. 

There are a number of opportunities to continue one’s education in Prince William County—be it through one of Prince William County School’s Adult Education Programs, pursuing a degree at the local George Mason University campus or enrolling in courses at Northern Virginia Community College’s Manassas or Woodbridge Campus. 

Prince William County School’s Adult Education Division in Manassas offers support to the community in a number of ways. This office is home to a number of study aids intended for the GED exam in addition to teaching basic computer skills, housing english as a second language sessions, offering support in math, reading and writing.

Northern Virginia Community College’s Woodbridge and Manassas Campuses offers a variety of distinctive academic programs and degrees to continue one’s education including business management, fine arts, massage therapy, and photography. The Woodbridge campus sits on 109 acres with 11,000+ students enrolled each year, and Manassas campus has over 10,000 students enrolled each year.

George Mason University’s Prince William campus was established in Manassas in 1997. GMU’s Prince William campus is home to over 4,000 students and sits on 134 acres with state of the art facilities laboratories, libraries and buildings for the arts among others. The Prince William campus was GMU’s third Northern Virginia campus—providing convenient university access for residents in the area. Academic programs available at GMU’s Prince William campus include: Nursing, Systems Biology, Science, and Recreation, Health & Tourism.

The continued education offerings in the greater Manassas area are substantial both in quantity and scope. One could improve their computer skills with a class through the Adult Education Division of Prince William County Schools, supplement their knowledge in photography through a course at one of Northern Virginia Community College’s campuses, or work towards a degree in Recreation, Health & Tourism at George Mason University’s Prince Williams campus. The top notch primary and secondary institutions, in addition to the continued education opportunities in the Manassas area are two of many reasons Arcadia Run’s location is so attractive. Come out to Manassas to check out Arcadia Run’s luxury apartments today!

Sources

Apartment Cleaning Shortcuts

Cleaning your apartment can feel like a never-ending task. Luckily, finding a way to keep your space clean with minimal time and effort is easy to do by using these shortcuts provided by Apartment Guide!

Do A Little Each Day:

If you are like many busy people, you simply do not have time to give your entire apartment the thorough cleaning it demands each week. It can take hours to vacuum, mop, dust and scrub every surface of your space at one time. However, if you regularly devote 15 minutes per day to a specific task, you can keep your apartment looking great. For example, make an effort to vacuum on Mondays, clean the bathrooms on Tuesdays and so on.

Show the Kitchen Some Love

The kitchen may be among the most visible and most used rooms in your apartment, so it deserves regular attention. The good news is that at Arcadia Run, our kitchens feature granite countertops, updated appliances, designer cabinetry and luxury vinyl flooring – all surfaces that are easy to clean.  Next time you’re waiting for food to cook or water to boil, consider sweeping the floor, loading the dishwasher or wiping the counters down.  You’ll have a clean kitchen before dinner’s ready!

Tackle the Microwave

Microwaves are unfortunately prone to splatters. Ideally, you will simply wipe up the mess while it is still wet and easy to remove. However, if you leave the mess sitting there, it can harden and even become caked on with repeated use of the microwave. Rather than spend your time scrubbing the microwave, simply microwave a bowl with a half-water, half-vinegar mixture on high for five minutes. The steam will loosen the debris so that you can easily wipe it away.

Wipe Down Your Bathroom 

The bathroom can easily accumulate mess, especially since many of us are in a rush most mornings. Few people have time to clean the bathroom every day, but the mess from using this space can quickly turn into an unsightly problem. Consider wiping down the sink daily, before you leave in the morning and before bed at night.  It only takes a few seconds and will keep the area spotless between cleaning days.

Just by their nature, older apartments can be difficult to clean.  But at Arcadia Run, this is never a worry for our residents!  Our apartment buildings are brand new, and with Phase 2 now leasing, there are even more luxury apartments to call home!   So rest assured, by employing these simple ‘shortcuts’ in your weekly routine, your space at Arcadia Run will stay looking its best!

Fourth Quarter Highlights in the Apartment Industry

With the release of 2013’s fourth quarter results for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area’s apartment industry comes excitement and promise in the market.  It’s all good news for those who rent their space around the beltway!

According to reports published by MPF Research, one of the biggest standouts from last quarter was the marked increase in construction volumes.  In fact, this has been a highlight for this region for the past two years.  Since 2012, and through the last quarter of 2013, construction volumes remained above 20,000 units, a very comfortable amount.  Better yet, the delivery volume hit a 10-year high last year, ranking our metro with the largest completion volume in the nation.

The apartment industry is growing in the D.C. metro area, and Arcadia Run is no exception!  This year, we plan to bring a new clubhouse for residents to socialize, a fitness center, a swimming pool, ball courts, a playground and walking and jogging trails all to the Arcadia Run development.

So, what does this all mean for potential renters?  Rent!  As the industry continues to advance and flourish, more and more people will opt to rent apartments like the ones available at Arcadia Run.  The more people signing their lease, the more competition will increase, lowering overall supply and raising rents.  With so much activity in the multi-family housing sector, smart renters are moving into their new apartments as soon as they can.

If searching for the right apartment in the D.C. Metro area, the luxury apartments at Arcadia Run in Manassas are the only choice!  One of the hottest apartment communities on this side of the beltway, the spaces at Arcadia Run have everything renters look for.

Arcadia Run focuses on providing the most for tenants.  Our luxury apartments are truly some of the nicest and most extensive in the Manassas market.  Every unit features 9-foot ceilings, extended windows, patios or balconies, vinyl ‘hardwood’ flooring, and completely updated appliances.  With the option of one or two bedrooms, some apartments even have walk-in closets.

The close proximity to various dining and shopping venues, as well as Jiffy Lube Live, are both huge advantages to the active Arcadia Run resident.  And as mentioned, with new amenities, luxurious apartment features and a promising market, moving into Arcadia Run is one of the best decisions a renter can make!

Source: MPF Research

Apartment Trends to Watch for in 2014

Some trends come and go, others are here to stay. This year, renters will be looking for more in their apartments and communities – and Arcadia Run is way ahead of the curve. Our luxury apartments for rent come with features, finishes and amenities that renters didn’t even know they wanted until they found them here!

Granite Countertops: Granite countertops are timeless, there’s no doubt about that. In Arcadia Run, all of our apartments come with oversized kitchens complete with granite countertops. These counters are durable, functional, and beautiful – not many tenants can say they have this luxurious feature in their space!

Convenient Washers & Dryers: In-apartment washer and dryer units will also be a hot commodity this year. Yet another trend Arcadia Run already features in all apartments! Our washer and dryers are full-sized and stacked to save space. We can’t promise the same for other apartment complexes!

Conversation Pieces: As far as décor goes, more people will use a ‘conversation piece’ in their apartment space. This could be a piece of furniture, fixture, or item that is different and special to you. But no pressure; anything you find particular interesting works too! And with a spacious Arcadia Run apartment, tenants have plenty of room to bring in something truly unique.

More Color: Want to add more color to your apartment? Many renters will be utilizing pillows and bold rugs to add a little splash of color to their living rooms and bedrooms. Pillows not only add color, but can also help make any room cozier. Daring and eye-catching rugs also add a touch of personality and can help to separate rooms within your apartment.

Complete Amenities: What’s the fun of living in an amazing apartment community if you can’t enjoy all that it has to offer? Arcadia Run is one of the most complete communities in the Manassas area. This year, we plan to open a fitness center, clubhouse, resort-style swimming pool, ball courts and playground. Arcadia Run is truly an incredible place to rent a new apartment!

Plan on moving into an Arcadia Run apartment this year? We can’t wait for new residents to join our luxury apartment community! Who would’ve thought you could have all of this and more in your new apartment space? Check out our features page for even more information on all that we offer at Arcadia Run.