DIY Design: Tips for Decorating Your Apartment on a Budget

Once you've moved into your apartment, those blank white walls can be intimidating. As a renter, your lease might not let you repaint, put up wallpaper or drill holes in the walls. Add in classes, work, and the student loans looming over your head, and you might feel like you don't have the time, money or energy to fix up your new place at all.

But you do have options. There are simple, frugal, and easy ways to make your new place yours-- and keep your landlord happy, too.

• Buy a blank canvas and a few tubes of acrylic paint and make your own modern art.
  
• You may not be able to put up traditional wallpaper, but how about making your own out of fabric and a little starch? It's cheaper, easier, and one hundred percent removable. This is also a good option if you're allowed to paint or wallpaper but can't afford to or don't have the time.
  
• Another inexpensive (but less removable) wallpaper alternative is to make a dictionary wall out of a secondhand, falling apart dictionary (or book of your choice).
  
• Apply a wall decal or two in lieu of paint, wallpaper, or artwork. Wall decals are removable and stylish. The downside is that they can be expensive, and once removed they cannot be re-used, so it's not a good option if you might relocate over the next few years.
  
• Art prints and postcards make for beautiful and cost-effective decor. Small 9 x 13" prints run around $5 each at museums. Postcards are 50 cents! Vary the sizes (and artists) and stagger them for visual appeal.
  

Art prints, posters and postcards nicely arranged, the day after moving into my first apartment.

• DIY artwork is even cheaper. If you're not artistically inclined, find a friend who is. One of my roommates paints and does quirky ink drawings. Not one of our walls is blank or boring.
  
• Save greeting cards, postcards, and flyers and hang them up. This is a great way to add character to a room, and it won't cost you a cent.
  

Foolproof Chicken & Asparagus

I was always a very plain eater growing up. No sauces or radical cooking for me! Like most graduate students, I am busy most nights with classes; however, when I am home, I find myself wanting not only a delicious home-cooked meal, but one that was easy and nutritious. After many trial runs, using different combinations of ingredients, I have found an easy meal (with just the tiniest kick) that is healthy and can be adjusted according to your palate preference.

Baked Chicken & Asparagus

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bread crumbs (preferably Italian-seasoned)
1 ½ tablespoons red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 stalks of asparagus
Aluminum foil
Salt and Pepper (optional)

Oven Temperature: 400 degrees
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Cook Time: Approximately 45 minutes
Servings: 2

1. Place foil on baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Mix bread crumbs and red pepper flakes on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Run chicken breasts under cold water just to moisten. Coat chicken breasts in bread crumb mixture completely.

2. Place on foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Put chicken in the oven and set timer for 20 minutes. After that time, turn chicken over and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and set aside, loosely covered with the foil to keep warm.

3. Put a fresh piece of foil on your baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Chop off the ends of your asparagus stalks and discard them. Run your asparagus under water, rinsing thoroughly. Place asparagus on foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over them. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Place asparagus in oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on how crisp you like it. Remove and serve with chicken.

*Note: Every oven temperature varies, especially between gas and electric ovens. Keep an eye on your chicken, the cooking time may be more or less. Also, cook time depends on the thickness of your chicken breast. A thicker cut will take longer to cook.

This is a great meal that is high in protein and vitamins and low in carbs. You may add different herbs to the bread crumbs depending on your taste. This is also a great dish if you’re not adventurous with cooking quite yet. You live a busy grad life—don’t put any more on your plate…other than this meal!

How to Throw a Great Dinner Party

Want to hang out with your grad school buddies but sick of going out every weekend? Bring the fun to your apartment by throwing a dinner party! To have a successful dinner party, you need:

• Invitations - Send out invites to 4-7 of your closest friends a couple weeks prior to the party. Chances are your apartment won't hold more than 7 people and your neighbors won't appreciate the noise of a larger crowd. Save money by sending the invitations electronically via Evite.com or Sendomatic.com.

• A Theme - Dinner parties are always more fun if there's a theme. Print up a food menu and give each dish a name fitting to your theme, such as "Astronaut Brownies" if your theme is Outer Space. Decorate your apartment to look like your theme, make a song playlist to set the mood and tell your guests to come dressed appropriately. Some great party theme ideas can be found here.

• Games - Get your entire group to interact by planning some fun games (preferably ones not centered around drinking massive amounts of alcohol. A grad school dinner party should be a step up from an undergrad frat party!) Charades is always a good choice, or you can incorporate your party's theme into another game. Some game ideas can be found here and here.

Save money on food by asking your guests to each bring a side dish to pass. If you want to mix up some cheap drinks for guests, check out Miranda's "Look! Cheap Cocktail Night."

I’m In a Relationship With my Crock Pot

I might sound like a middle aged women when I say this but regardless: I am in love with my Crock Pot. Being a student and especially a graduate student means your time is precious. Between balancing school, work, and some semblance of a social life, one of the last things I have time for at night is deciding what to cook for dinner.

I’m not one of those people that hates to cook either, I actually love it. You can usually find me on a weekend evening enjoying a glass of merlot and trying out a new recipe. But during the week, I really start to miss the old days of when my mother would ask me what I wanted for dinner. Consequently I was living the dream back then and never knew it until I put on my “big girl pants”, got a one-bedroom apartment and started graduate school.

This is just about the time I discovered the crock-pot and was introduced to it’s magic. Not only can you plan ahead and make it in the morning before work or school, a delicious meal can be waiting for you when you get home.

One easy and delicious meal to make in Crock Pot is chili. This is a great fall or winter meal, but with a side of corn bread I can enjoy it anytime of the year.

Black Bean Chili with Beef

Source: Southernfood.about.com

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cooked black beans

1 lb. stew beef, cubed

2 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green peppers

1/2 cup diced green chile peppers

3 tbsp. tomato paste

3 to 4 beef bouillon cubes, or beef base

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. salt and pepper

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Brown stew beef in bacon drippings or oil with onion and green pepper. Combine all ingredients except cheese and cook 6 to 8 hours on low. Serve hot in bowls with a little cheese sprinkled over each serving.

Another delicious meal that can be served year round is chicken with potatoes. Also a good tip when using a Crock Pot is to give yourself enough time. Most of the recipes usually need between 5 and 7 hours to cook.

Easy Chicken With Potatoes

Source: Southernfood.about.com

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or mix basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder to equal same)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

4 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or thick slices

Preparation:

Place chicken in bottom of Crock Pot. Sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing, spices, and the grated cheese. Put the potatoes on top or around the chicken. Sprinkle with the rest of the dressing, spices, and cheese.

Shopping Guide for Beginning Grads: These are a few of my favorite things

As important as it is to be frugal in grad school, it's also important to eliminate stress wherever you can. I'm a big believer in buying the right tool for the job, and these items are some of the best buys I've made in trying to simplify my life.

Air Mattress: because futons are so undergrad!

Grad school can be stressful and a well timed visit from friends or family can help restore your sanity. Making your visitors crash on the floor or sofa (if you have the luxury of space to accommodate a sofa) will pretty much pretty any return visits, however. The price of an air mattress is far outweighed by the knowledge that you can make your guests comfortable and welcome.

• My tips: Avoid air mattresses that have a built in pillow bump, which do nothing but give you a crick in your neck. Mattresses with electronic pumps are also unnecessary (you can just use a blow dryer set on cool), but mattresses with built in manual pumps are really handy for getting it to just the right firmness. Also, when you make up the mattress for your guests place another blanket between the bottom sheet and the mattress itself; this just makes it more cozy and gets rid of that vinyl feeling.
• My pick: Wenzel Full Insta-bed with Comfort Adjust Pump (Amazon $39.99)

Functional Bag: because a crooked spine is rarely sexy

A backpack? As an adult? Yeah, I know, I felt the same way. I crammed by laptop, books, notepads, and various other accouterments into my purse

for my first semester—until it started crushing my spine. I then gave up and made the adult decision to go for functionality over fashion, and I’m really glad I did. It’s great for toting around all your class stuff, lugging

groceries home, or packing for a weekend escape.

• My tips: Think about how you’re going to use the bag first: Will you be carrying a laptop? Snacks? Water bottle? Sunglasses? Pens, pencils, PDAs, and such? Then find a bag that will meet all of those needs. I love Dakine bags because they have a ton of differnt types and styles, but are consistently high quality and very user friendly.
• My pick: Dakine Women’s Academy Pack (Moosejaw $29.99-$45.99)

Water Bottle: one that you’ll actually use

This is just a practical must have. Having a water bottle on hand keeps you hydrated and saves you from buying bottled water which helps your wallet and the environment

• My tips: Make sure it’s leak-proof! I mean really leak proof—like trust it in your bag with your laptop leak proof. It’s also helpful if it has a built-in clip to attach it to your bag, so you don’t have to carry it around. My pick is a BPA-free plastic water bottle (for more info on BPA-free items check out Nalgene’s site); however, you may want to opt for a metal version,which is even more eco-friendly since it isn’t made with non-renewable petroleum products.
• My pick: Contigo AutoSeal BPA Free Hydration Bottle (Amazon $9.59)

Shelving Cubes: classier than plastic crates but holds

just as much crap

As a grad student, you’re probably going to moving a few times during and after your studies, and you’ll be able to alter these shelves to fit any space or decor you run into. They also come apart easily and stack neatly to take up less space during the actual move. They’re great because you can toss a ton of stuff into them, slide them shut, and look totally organized even when you’re not. I’ve used mine for an entertainment center, bathroom storage, an entryway bench, shoe storage, bookshelves, and a filing cabinet.

• My tips: Comparison shop; you’ll probably be making more than one trip to numerous big-box stores during your preparations, and most of them will have a version of these shelves. Just make a note of their prices so you can get the best deal. Price the canvas drawers separately because one store may have the best deal on the shelves while another has a better deal on the drawers themselves (the shelves and drawers are typically a foot square but double check just to be sure). You can also buy additional shelves to make new configurations in the future without having to redo the entire shelving unit.
• My pick: ClosetMaid 6 Cube Organizer (Target $49.99)

For more tips on simplifying the space you live in, check out Stefania's Home Sweet Home: Five Steps to Making your tiny studio Feel Like HOME.

Free Internet Access for Students on the Move

Whether Verizon/Comcast/RCN screwed up again or you're just stuck studying far from home, every grad student needs easy Internet access--and getting stuck paying an hourly rate while trying to stick to a budget is never fun. Thankfully, many shops and restaurants are recognizing this need and rising to the occasion by eliminating fees, required log-ins, and other hurdles many Internet-seekers had to jump over in the past. Here are some coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants that feature free wireless Internet, no matter your location (just make sure you're using a WiFi-enabled device!):

• Starbucks recently quit charging for unlimited Internet. While you're there, use some of Get Grad Schooled's budget-friendly coffee shop tips!
• Panera Bread has free WiFi hotspots at all locations. Their salads and sandwiches are pretty phenomenal, too.
  
• Au Bon Pan offers a location search on its web site to help patrons discover if their local cafe is WiFi-enabled. Some locations have a six-hour limit.
  
• The New England-centric Boloco is a popular spot for burritos, smoothies, and of course-- free WiFi.
  

And if a quieter, less aromatic atmosphere is more your studyin' style, then the national bookstores might be your salvation. Both Barnes & Noble and Borders now offer free WiFi to all patrons. Libraries often have free access, either in general or by using an easily-obtained--and free--library card, so check your local library's policies, too.

If you prefer avoiding the chains, visit the web sites of (or pick up the phone and call) your nearby independent stores and eateries to discover which locations have WiFi, and never be without free Internet again!

Hard-to-Kill Plants for the Graduate Home

Sorry. No pets allowed in your current apartment. And even if there were, with your hectic schedule of class, internships you aren’t getting paid for and menial paid labor, poor Tin-tin would probably waste away from lack of care. But if you absolutely, positively have to have something living in your living space, we suggest one of those spindly green things that sit in that brown stuff.

Plants are considerably easier to take care of than animals (sorry Tin), often needing no more than a splash of water and a ray of sun to keep on trucking. However, as a self-admitted plant killer, I am more than aware that this easy scenario could go horribly wrong. Here are some low-maintenance, hip plants that might work for you.

Indirect Sun and Minimal Water Plants   

Blooming Jade Plant

Jade This dark green, juicy-leafed succulent does well in small pots and stores water much like cactus plants. 

Aloe Vera

  
Aloe Beautify your home and your body with this multifaceted succulent. Unlucky cookers and sunbathers can also use it for nasty burns. What a gem.



 

Christmas Cactus

Cactus You don’t have to go for the three-pronged stereotype from the westerns. The Christmas Cactus, also known as the Orchid Cactus, is a sprawling beauty with gorgeous pink and white flowers. 




 

Sun and Water Loving Plants

Bamboo

 
Bamboo The tall, elegant bamboo is not only chic, but a tough to kill. Place these plants in a water-filled glass bowl or vase with colored stones at the bottom to hold down the roots. Voila, instant decoration/centerpiece/room accent.

 

Silver Vase Urn Plant

Urn Plant Bring the Amazon to you with this pink flowered, spike-leafed bromeliad. Or if you don’t care much for flowers, check out the silvery octopus-like Tillandsia Xerographica.


 

Tillandsia Xerograhpica

Plant Care Resources

The National Gardening Association
The Flower Expert
Plant Care.com
Bromeliad.com
The Bromeliad Society International


Image Credits: Anika Malone. “Jade Plant is Blooming.” Flickr, 11.26.07; Biology Big Brother. “Aloe Vera.” Flickr, 2.11.07; Spablab.“Full Bloom” (Christmas Cactus).  Flickr, 1.20.2009; Dizfunkshinal “Plant Love” (Bamboo). Flickr, 8.20.2005; Cliff1066. “Silver Vase, Urn Plant (Aechmea fasciata).”  Flickr, 9.14.2008; I-saint. “Tillandsia Xerographica.” Flickr, 6.6.08