It’s hard to avoid them when everyone around you is constantly asking, “What’s your New Years resolution?” For most people it’s the same old thing every year. They make the resolution to lose weight or quit smoking, and by February, they’re eating fast food and wasting money on cigarettes again.

Making a resolution isn’t half as difficult as keeping it. We’ve listed the top 3 New Years resolutions with tips on how to keep them:

1. Lose Weight

Making a resolution to lose weight is really broad which makes goal setting and tracking your progress practically impossible. There are several things that contribute to your weight, and each of these should be addressed as mini goals to meet your big goal of shedding pounds:

Eat Healthier – Break your progress down by the meal. For each healthy meal you eat, mark it down. Bigger numbers will make you feel like you’ve achieved more. Knowing that you’ve eaten 19 healthy meals is a lot more encouraging that thinking you’ve only been eating healthy for one week. And, don’t go on a gimmicky diet. The fastest way to fall off of the healthy eating bandwagon is to go on a crazy diet that deprives your body of vital nutrients.

Exercise More – This one is harder because you’ve got to motivate yourself to do it. Start with small goals and work your way up to more strenuous exercise. Don’t just jump in the gym and try to sprint on the elliptical for an hour. Create an exercise plan and have a buddy to keep each other accountable. Make use of that Louisville apartment gym.

Photo by: Chandan Nandrajog

2. Quit Smoking

You know it’s a waste of money, and you know that it’s unhealthy for you, but you still can’t quit. It’s an addiction. It’s going to be hard to quit. But, this can be your year. Trying cold turkey may work for some, but it’s not the easiest or most effective way. There are tons of quit smoking gimmicks and treatments out there, so you should talk to your doctor about the best way to quit. He will be able to direct you to the best how to quit smoking program or medication. This method goes for any type of unhealthy addiction.

3. Get Out of Debt

A lot of people vow to get out of debt at the beginning of every year, but some seem to slip even deeper into debt as the years go by. Just like any life change, getting out of debt isn’t going to happen over night. It’s going to take planning and patience. If you truly want to get out of debt, you have to look at your finances for what they are. Confront the total you owe, and devise a plan to pay it off. If you have to change your spending habits to devote more money to paying off your debt, then do it.

Photo by: Darren Hester

General Tips for Keeping Resolutions

1. Set small achievable goals. You have to be realistic.
2. Make strict deadlines for your goals.
3. Have someone to hold you accountable.
4. Don’t give up when you have a set back, just keep truckin.
5. Track your progress in a visual way – keep a tally or calendar.
6. Reward yourself when you complete a big goal. You need the motivation.
7. You don’t have to wait until the New Year to start. You can change your life anytime of the year.

You have the whole year to keep your resolution. Just because you fall off of the bandwagon in February doesn’t mean you’ve lost the game. Start over and keep working towards your goal. Eventually eating right, budgeting your money, or exercising will become a habit, and you won’t have to think twice about doing it.

Photo by: C Oda

Creating Your Own Fireplace

Start by purchasing a fireplace mantel. You can find the perfect mantle at a home improvement store, such as Home Depot, or even a local flea market. Be sure you measure the area in the room, so the mantle is the right size. If you would like to refinish the mantel, experiment with painting techniques such as distressing or staining. Just follow these steps to create a fabulous faux fireplace.

Sprucing up Your New Fireplace.

After you have created your apartment fireplace its time to make it the focal point in the room. Try hanging a beautiful painting, mirror or picture above the mantle. Keep the mantle simple. Add some vases on each side of the mantle, or a few candles of different heights. If you want to get more creative, change the mantle décor with the season. For example add some beautiful garland to your mantle in the winter months.

Photo by: Ashley P

All About Portable Fireplaces

Now, another option if you absolutely must have an apartment fireplace is to look into the purchase of a portable fireplace. A portable fireplace produces no smoke, no harmful fumes and no ashes. These systems are a great alternative if you live in an apartment without a chimney.

There is no better time to add a decorative fireplace to your home than this winter. Whether you create your own faux fireplace or purchase a portable one, you are sure to enjoy the comfort of the fireplace in your home. You will instantly love sitting in front of the fireplace with your afghan draped over your legs, a book in your lap, sipping on hot tea.

Looking for some thrifty decorating ideas for your bedrooms? A great do it yourself project is to make your own custom upholstered headboard. Decorating bedrooms with upholstered headboards can be fun and add personality to your rooms. You may choose from a variety of fabrics, such as cotton, linen, velvet, or even fake fur and denim! You’ll be surprised how easy and fun an upholstered headboard is to do. So…let’s get started.

Assembly Tools and Materials:

• Tools
• Jigsaw
• Drill
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Staple gun and ¼ inch staples
• Tape measure
• Utility knife
• Screws
• Flush mount brackets (2)
• Black marker

Supplies

• ¼ inch plywood (you may use ½ inch for extra stability)
• Sandpaper
• 2-inch foam
• Batting (also known as “fiberfill”)
• Upholstery fabric (the thicker the better)
• Large piece of paper to create a template

Plan Your Project

What material will you use as the base of your headboard

1. Use a headboard your currently have.
2. Go to a thrift store or yard sale, etc. and find a headboard.
3. Build your own headboard from scratch with a piece of plywood and a jigsaw.

To get started you need to determine a few things:

1. Width of your bed: The headboard should be slightly wider than your mattress.
2. Height of the headboard: You will need to determine how high you want this headboard. Is it purely for looks or are you going to want to rest against it when you are reading in bed?

Photo by: Blissful Begonia

Shopping

1. Lumber – Here you will need to buy the plywood if you are building your own headboard. You should have already determined what size you need. Check your list, do you have a staple gun (electric is great!), staples, jigsaw, tape measure, screws and utility knife?
2. Foam – Check out the thrifty decoarting stores in your area. You need 2-inch foam, batting and upholstery fabric. The foam should be the exact size of your headboard.
3. Batting – Be sure to add at least 12 inches of batting to the length and width of the size of your headboard to wrap around the foam and board.
4. Fabric – Next pick out the fabric your want for decorating your bedroom. Remember thicker is better and again you will need at least 12 inches more that the length and width of your headboard.

Creating your Own Shape

If you are going to create your own shape for your upholstered headboard here are a few steps to help you:

1. Make a template: Draw the shape that you want on paper such as brown Kraft paper first, cut it out and trace the template on the plywood using your pencil.
2. Cut the plywood: For straight cuts use a circular saw or a handsaw and for curves use a portable jigsaw. Leave the bottom straight.
3. Sand the edges: After you have cut the wood, sand the edges to remove splinters and round over the edges.

Getting Foam and Fiberfill Ready

Lay the foam on the ground and place the cut plywood or your headboard you are using on top of it. Trace the shape using a black marker, and cut the shape out using a utility knife. You may also use an electric carving knife if the foam is thick. Now you need to place the plywood or headboard on top of the batting, trace the shape and remember to cut it out 5 to 6 inches larger than the area you have traced. Next you need to cut out your fabric, and it needs to be slightly larger than the batting that you just cut out.

Put It All Together

You will need a large, clean, flat area like the floor to put your new upholstered headboard together. Here are the steps:

1. Iron the fabric first and then place it face down on your work area.
2. Place the batting on top of the fabric, then place the foam on top of the batting, and finally the headboard on top of the foam. You should see the batting and the fabric 5 to 6 inches around the headboard.
3. Begin stapling the fabric and batting over the back of the plywood using a staple gun. Staple every 2 inches around the edge. It is best if you use a couple of staples on the top and bottom then the middle and sides the same way. Flip it over and see if it looks centered and smooth, and then continue stapling on alternating sides. You want it to be tight and smooth but not too tight where it distorts the design or puckers. Next, trim any excess fabric and batting, and you may staple a plain lining fabric onto the back of the headboard to cover the raw edges.

Photo by: wendi_00

Putting Your New Upholstered Headboard in Place

If you have used a headboard that you already have, then just attach it to the bed frame. If you created your own headboard, then flush mounts are the best hardware to use to secure your headboard to the wall. Install these mounts to the wall and headboard using your drill and screws. Now you are ready to attach your headboard to the wall, just lift and slide down as the flush mounts hook together.

Stand back and admire your “do it yourself” creation! Aren’t you proud! Whether you wanted a new thrifty look, to add some color or just create a mood, creating your own upholstered headboard has accomplished that in your Louisville apartment.

2. If you’d like to spend your online learning time becoming bilingual, try About.com’s Spanish Word of the Day. Once you get to the website you can sign up for a daily email. Think about it, one Spanish word a day could really add up over time!

3. If you want to play with words instead of just learning them, try this Daily Word Search website. You’ll have fun solving the puzzle every day and you’ll keep your mind sharp in the process.

4. Lacking inspiration? Go to Motivational Quotes of the Day for uplifting quotes.

5. If you feel like you need a break and want to do something silly, check the Unnecessary Knowledge website. Refresh the page to get another piece of knowledge if one-a-day just isn’t enough.

Photo by: Jennifer Peters-Lise

Ready to Dive into one of the most Inexpensive, Do-It-Yourself Projects? Follow these 5 Easy Steps.

1. Select a Wall to Paint – This wall will become the focal point of your Louisville apartment. You might want to match this wall to an adjacent room or match it to a special piece of artwork or fabric in the room. Once this wall is painted, all attention will be drawn to it, so choose carefully.

2. Buy your Paint – Choose the color, sheen and amount of paint you’ll need for your accent wall. When choosing from a wide variety of paint colors, keep in mind that a neutral color has a subtle effect while a bright color adds drama. The sheen ranges from flat to high gloss. Select a sheen based on the lighting, type of room you’re painting and type of sheen that’s on nearby walls. Measure your walls and take your measurements to your local home improvement store for guidance on how much paint to buy. Don’t forget to buy your primer, paint brushes, roller, pan, spackle, painter’s tape and drop cloths.

Photo by: Roger Mommaerts

3. Get the Room Ready – Cover all of your furniture and floors with tarp, drop cloths or old sheets. Spackle and sand down any holes or rough surfaces. Gently wash the wall surface with water and mild detergent such as dish soap. Take off outlet covers and light switch covers. Remove curtains or window blinds from the area. Cover any fine edges with painter’s tape in case your hand isn’t steady when painting those small places.

4. Apply Primer – Putting primer on before painting walls is not mandatory but it will help the paint wear better. If your walls have stains on them or have a dark color paint, it may be necessary to cover the wall with primer.

5. Start Painting – You can paint with a roller brush, a paint brush or both. A second coat is optional and generally necessary for dark colors. For best results, let the paint dry in between coats.

Photo by: Dan Budiac

What Next?

After your hand painted wall dries, use your own unique home decor, like decorative accent pieces and wall accessories, to finish the project.

Related Websites

How to Use Bold Color in a Bedroom
Advice on Paints
Accent Wall Painting Ideas

When planning for your new Louisville home, maybe you’re on a budget or maybe you have a big bank account balance set aside to buy some top-of-the-line items. Whatever your financial situation, you most likely won’t purchase these 6 outrageously expensive household items.

Bed

The world’s most expensive bed comes with a big price tag. It costs 1.5 million dollars and was invented by Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars. Why the sticker shock? This bed actually floats in thin air. It’s a sleeping surface suspended entirely by magnets.

Sheets

Now that you’ve got your million-dollar bed, why not deck it out with a set of bed linens priced at $60,000? A set of Léron sheets takes a year to hand-embroider in Italy. The sheets are 800-thread count but the true cost comes from the Fuselli lace woven tightly.

If the 800-thread count is too expensive for your taste, try one of the sale items like the 400-thread count Egyptian cotton ‘Emily’ design for the bargain sale price of $1865.

Photo by: doNUT

Bottled Water

Whoever thought ‘getting your bling’ might mean buying premium bottled water? Bling H20 is the creation of Hollywood writer-producer Kevin G. Boyd and it’s marketed as ‘fancy water that’s more expensive than wine’. Bling H20 comes in limited edition reusable glass bottles, hand-crafted with Swarovski Crystals. A 375-ml small size starts at $20 per bottle.

Toilet

If you drank too much bottled water and now you need to go, try the $5,000 high-tech Neorest toilet. This ‘hands-free’ toilet, made in Japan, offers luxury features like a front- and back-aerated warm-water spray, an oscillating spray massage, heated seat, catalytic air deodorizer and a warm air dryer. It’s also environmentally friendly, using only 1.2 gallons of water per flush.

Refrigerator

No luxury apartment or home is complete without the Sub-Zero refrigerator. With a price tag of $12,000, Sub-Zero’s newest stainless steel refrigerator boasts close to 30 cubic feet of storage space. The new models of the PRO 48 refrigerator will automatically adjust defrost patterns according to your usage and activate an alarm when you’ve left a drawer or door ajar.

Coffee

Photo by: miscpix

No refrigerator is complete without some premium coffee beans chilling inside. At a cost of $120 to $600 per pound, Civet Coffee is the most expensive in the world. The robusta or Arabica coffee beans are eaten and passed through digestive tract of a common Asian palm civet, a cat-sized mammal.

The civet eats the soft outer part of the coffee cherry but doesn’t digest the inner beans. It then excretes the coffee beans, still covered in inner layers of the cherry. It’s believed the enzymes in the Civet’s stomach add to the coffee’s flavor through fermentation.

With over 250,000 residents, Louisville is one of the largest cities in the state of Kentucky and is known as “The Derby City” for good reason as it is famous for hosting the the Triple Crown and Kentucky Derby.

The city is also known for its rapid growth contributed to its location on the Ohio River making it into a major shipping port. The economy thrives and welcomes headquarters of Fortune 500 companies such as Kindred Healthcare, Humana, and Yum! Brands, Inc.

Besides the wealth of career opportunities, Louisiville’s mild climate also attracts many residents with warm summers and cold, snowy winters offering year round outdoor recreation opportunities. For more information about Louisville, check out the interesting facts, top restaurants, apartments and more listed below!

Photo By: Shana Lee

Interesting Facts About Louisville, Kentucky

• The baseball glove inside the Louisville Slugger Museum is made of 17 tons of Kentucky limestone.
• Louisville is home to the 10th busiest airport in the world and the 5th busiest cargo airport in the United States.
• The Louisville Zoo is 134-acres and home to 1,300 animals.
• The largest collection of Victorian homes in the United States is located in Old Louisville.
• Nearly 90% of the disco balls produced in the United States come from Louisville manufacturers.
• Thunder Over Louisville is North America’s largest annual pyrotechnics show.
• Papa John’s Pizza’s headquarters are in Louisville, Kentucky.
• University of Louisville researchers are responsible for the development the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil.
• Cassius Clay, better known now as Muhammad Ali, was born in Louisville in 1942.

Photo by: nick4900

Top 10 Cultural Activities in Louisville

Louisville is home to a diverse community of residents and interests. In the downtown area you can find a strip of museums and galleries known as “Museum Row,” and throughout the year residents enjoy a variety of annual festivals:

1. Kentucky Derby Festival

2. Thunder Over Louisville
3. Bluegrass Balloon Festival
4. Kentucky State Fair
5. Abbey Road on the River
6. Kentucky Shakespeare Festival
7. Muhammad Ali Center
8. Frazier International History Museum
9. Louisville Science Center
10. Speed Art Museum

Photo by: Aaron Landry

Top 10 Louisville Restaurants

One of the best things about Louisville is its local flavor. Check out a few of these eateries that you can only find in Louisville:

1. Jack Fry’s – $$$$
2. Lotsa Pasta – $$
3. Proof on Main – $$$$
4. Mark’s Feed Store BBQ – $$
5. The Irish Rover – $$
6. Sapporo Grill and Sushi – $$
7. Havana Rumba Cuban Restaurant – $$
8. L&N Wine Bar and Bistro – $$$
9. Toast on the Market – $$
10. Wick’s Pizza Parlor – $$

University of Louisville

Photo by: Jonathon

For the sports fan, you can’t be happy without a home team to cheer for. If you’re looking for college sports, one of the best places to get in on some NCAA action is the University of Louisville. Most sports fans know about the Cardinals since they’re known as one of the winningest teams in Division I basketball. And, football fans might have noticed the recent emergence of Louisville’s football team as a worthy opponent in the Big East. Track and Field, hockey and soccer are all known to bring home the trophies as well.

However, you can’t talk about the University of Louisville without mentioning the university’s academic achievements. The school enrolls almost 20,000 students. Undergrads can choose from over 70 majors, and over 100 fields of study are available for graduate students. The school is also famous for several “World’s first” including first ever cervical cancer vaccine and self-contained artificial heart transplant. The university’s law and business schools are also both nationally acclaimed.

Top Louisville Apartments

ApartmentGuide.com offers over 120 apartment listings in Louisville, but to help you narrow down your search results, below is a list of apartments according to price range and amenities.

Pet-Friendly Louisville Apartments

• The Overlook at St. Thomas Apartments – $675-$2175
• Hustbourne Grand Apartments – $497-$1197
• Crescent Centre Apartments – $630-$810

Luxury Louisville Apartments

• The Crowne at the Summit Apartments
• Aspenwood Apartments
• The Paddock at Eastpoint Apartments

Cheap Louisville Apartments

• Preston Oaks Apartments – Starting at $450
• University Park Apartments – Starting at $450
• Greenwood Place Apartments – Starting at $465

Be sure to head on over to Apartment Guide if you’re searching for Louisville apartments. Also, if you’re researching neighborhoods be sure to checkout the new living guide where you can find the best Louisville apartments for rent.

If you’d like to share your favorite spots in Louisville or offer advice on where to find the best apartments, just let us know in the comments!