Moving OUT!
 

I just got a new apartment! Here is the layout!

http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/...x/serenity.gif

very nice! i cannot wait until i can afford to move to a bigger place. i am actually *gasp* considering moving out of my urban environment of NYC into *gasp again* the border of Long Island/Queens. I want to be closer to the beach.

Nice! :) Is that a fireplace in the corner of the living room?

Yep! And right outside the door off the living room is the porch w/ a storage area. I was hoping for an upstairs apt but the only one they had open was downstairs!

Is it in a tower or a complex?

It's a complex...the only tower worth considering in Lexington is still stuck in the 80's & hasn't been cleaned up since!

Cute! You may be glad you're downstairs every time you go grocery shopping or take your laundry out! And when you move in, actually!

Dee

Congratulations on your new home.

Congratulations on your new apartment!

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Thanks guys! I'm super excited to be living somewhere other than a dorm or at home! Now I just have to find stuff to put in the apartment! :D

Just be careful with windows and door locks since you are on the first floor!!!

THAT'S the fun part! :D

Congrats on getting a place of your own! And in honor of this auspicious occasion... how's a little Billy Joel... :)

Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
from The Stranger (Released: 1977)

Anthony works in the grocery store
Savin' his pennies for someday
Mama Leone left a note on the door,
She said, "Sonny, move out to the country."
Workin' too hard can give me a heart attack-ack-ack-ack-ack
You oughta know by now
Who needs a house out in Hackensack?
Is that what you get with your money?

It seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.

Sergeant O'Leary is walkin' the beat
At night he becomes a bartender
He works at Mister Cacciatore's down on Sullivan Street
Across from the medical center
He's tradin' in his Chevy for a Cadillac-ac-ac-ac-ac
You oughta know by now
And if he can't drive
With a broken back
At least he can polish the fenders

It seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.

You should never argue with a crazy mind-ind-ind-ind-ind
You oughta know by now
You can pay Uncle Sam with overtime
Is that all you get for your money?

It seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.

You know, last night I just realized how terrified I really am of living completely on my own. Especially in a first floor apartment. I'm so scared I could probably cry about it right now!

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to get over my fear?

get yourself a huge, mean, and barking guard dog. or, have a baseball bat nearby just in case you might have to use it :)

Here in Oklahoma, we have conceal and carry laws that allow us to have handguns hidden on our person (with the appropriate licensing). Does Kentucky have anything like this?

I can't have a dog 'cause I can't afford the pet deposit. I might just have to have a Louisville slugger by my side!

I'm not sure if we can carry concealed weapons but I'm sure that if I get the appropriate license I could purchase one for my home. I know how to shoot a shotgun, maybe I'll attempt to purchase one & get the license!

I guess I'm just looking for some ideas that don't require guns/dogs/alarms because those are things I either can't have right now or can't afford to have just yet!

i guess you can just stick with the baseball bat and sharp knife

You could try a tape recording of a big mean dog barking... ;)

If you're worried about break-ins, you might want to look into installing a deadbolt on your front door and/or a security bar on the door to your balcony (especially if it's a slider) - if you're allowed to make that kind of modification. You could also try making up some stickers that say something like "Protected by Acme Alarm Co." and putting them on your windows to act as a deterrent even if you don't have an actual alarm system. It won't stop a determined burglar, but it might slow down or deter someone who doesn't really know what they're doing.

Also, keep valuables (computer, sound system, jewelry, cash, etc.) out of plain sight as much as possible.

If you're worried about being alone, maybe you can convince a friend to sleep over on your first night in the new place.

I'm sure you'll be fine. :)

Oh this is the fun part!!!! Shopping!!! Be sure to go to Bed Bath and Beyond, Pier 1 and Crate & Barrel (if they have them by you). Ikea is great too!!!!! Also Target has lots of inexpensive home stuff.

You can get some cute ideas though for decorating, check out the websites:

www.pier1.com

www.bedbathbeyond.com

www.crateandbarrel.com

www.ikea.com

www.target.com

double lock your front and back door. keep you windows down and locked when you aren't there. get yourself some renter's insurance. it's not horribly expensive and it's good peace of mind. make sure you have a good porch light at your front door. light is definitely your friend. the first floor will be a goodsend in terms of move ins, groceries and laundry. stow an extra key with a friend, just in case. no way under the mat.

Thanks you guys! I think that when I go shopping I'm going to look for those battery operated alarm things. You can put them anywhere (windows & doors mainly) & they have 3 different settings I think. Alarm, chimes, & off. That way when I want to I can put them on alarm before I go to bed or on my windows before I leave the house. Since they are battery operated I can just hope they'll scare someone away. (And at least notify my neighbors.)

I know that everyone has their own priorities, but I would think that a single woman living alone on the ground floor should seriously consider her safety above everything else. Deadbolts can be your best friend! Also, call the NRA or any police department, and see what type of safety devices they suggest. Contrary to popular thought, the NRA doesn't always suggest having a weapon, and teaches a great Personal Protection course!

Do you have locks on your windows? You should get them. My sister has a timer set to turn on her lamp so it looks like she's home even when she isn't.

To cosign on the deadbolts, get a floor bolt installed. It doesn't have a lock, so you only use it when you're there. I saw this home security special once, and the specialist said that is the best kind, its harder to break open. And since its an improvement on that unit, most places won't mind. They usually only mind if its something that could possibly mess up the apartment. This would actually make it better.

I TOTALLY feel your pain, because, regardless of the convenience, I dunno if I could do it. I'm scared to get a house (even though I will) because there are too many entances and you're not connected to anyone, so you can't bang on the wall for help LOL. My friend said the same thing, so I stopped feeling like a punk about it.

I'm pretty sure the windows have locks on them already. I'm terrified about people breaking into my home while I'm not there & taking everything I've ever earned/worked for in my entire life! Or worse, they break in while I am there!

I actually have two lamps that I NEVER turn off, whether I'm home or not. I figure that should confuse enough people!

I like the idea of a floor bolt, BirthaBlue. I know that the chain things aren't worth the money you put into them.

i own a townhouse and it's the greatest thing on the face of the earth....especially that i'm the only one who lives in it