Blog Posts

3 Tips on Trying Something New

When was the last time you tried something new? Too often we get caught up in a routine and end up being disgruntled or unhappy with how our life is. If you find yourself in this circumstance, then this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog is for you! Keep reading for 3 ways you can broaden your horizons and break your boring routine! Make a Plan If you’re looking to break your routine, you may want to start by planning it. Not everyone is spontaneous by nature and many find it uncomfortable to break their routine, so planning can help ease those concerns. It doesn’t matter what you plan to do, as long as it doesn’t fall in line with your regularly scheduled activities. Make sure you’re trying something new! A good plan makes a change to your routine more enjoyable. Change One Thing The easiest way to broaden your horizons is by making a singular change to start! Every big change starts with a small step, which is why changing one thing about your routine can lead to you trying more things! Start with picking a new place to have dinner, or picking something new off the menu at a place you regularly eat at. It may seem weird at first, but give it a try! Make a List As much as we stick to a routine, it’s only natural to want to try different things. While you go about your life, write down the new things you wish to try in a list! Once you’ve gotten a decently long list, go through them and prioritize which items on your list you’d like to try first. As you go about your life, reference this list and do one every so often! What are some ways you’ve been attempting to try something new? Share those ideas with our Tacoma, WA apartment community by leaving a comment!

3 Tech Items to Make your Life Easier!

Though we may lament how much time we spend on our smartphones and theorize about the downfalls of pursuing artificial intelligence, there's no doubting that technology is boon to society generally. In this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog, we’ve got a few suggestions on pieces of tech that you could invest in to bring your apartment into the future and make your life easier! Amazon Echo Smartphones were the start of a technological revolution and a glimpse into the possibility of applications of technology in homes. The Amazon Echo is one way technology can be implemented into your home! The Echo grants you access to the online ordering of Amazon, as well as, playing music, and linking to smart home peripherals. Investing in an Amazon Echo can be just what your home needs! Google Chromecast Ultra If you’re someone who uses their phone or tablets to watch videos, you may want to invest in this lovely piece of tech: the Google Chromecast Ultra! The Chromecast Ultra allows you to stream from your tablet or smartphone directly to your television, providing you with minimal buffering and smooth streams. No more squinting at your small screen or having to give your phone away to someone else so they can see what you were laughing at. Orbi WiFi System As our most expensive recommendation, the Orbi Router is one of those items that can be a great improvement to your home, but will cost you a pretty penny. As a wi-fi system, the Orbi keeps your wireless internet connection strong throughout your home. Traditional routers and systems can be inadequate when you have multiple people in your home streaming shows or playing games, so if you’re the type that has heavy internet usage, you may want to consider investing in the Orbi WiFi System. Each of our recommendations is not sponsored in any way, but rather are gadgets and tools that we think could be good for your home. If you have any gadgets or items that make your life easier, we’d love for you to leave a comment for our Tacoma, WA apartment community!

Keeping A Journal

The Nantucket Gate Blog is writing about writing this month! There are plenty of benefits to keeping a journal. Keeping a journal can help you manage stress, improve your self-confidence, and even help you heal. Writing every day can help you keep track and eventually reach your goals, and, of course, it’s a great way to remember your life, as well as keeping a record of what’s happening in the world. You can find a full list of the benefits of journaling at the Huffington Post . It’s important to know what kind of journal you would like to keep. Will your journal be focused on making and celebrating your goals? Will it be a line-a-day journal or an online journal? Will you use a pen and paper or a journaling app? While these decisions might seem off-putting the most important thing to keep in mind is this: do what makes you comfortable. You don’t have to follow any rules or commit yourself to write at a certain time every day (unless that’s what you want to do, of course!). You don’t even have to write every day. You can write every week, every month, or even once a year. Journaling is very personal, and you shouldn’t feel constrained to writing about what you did or ate every day. Instead, write whatever you want. There are even online journal prompts to help you get your creative juices flowing. Just remember to keep writing. While it may seem boring to write about your everyday life, one day you’ll appreciate the record you have of your life and all of the memories behind it. We hope that this post has inspired you to start journaling if you don’t journal already. Perhaps you can visit your local bookstore here in Tacoma, WA to pick up your next journal. Whatever kind of journal you decide to keep — a dream journal, a daily journal, or a Five Year Journal — we hope that you keep writing!

Take Time Out to Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community where you live. There are so many different ways that you can volunteer here in Tacoma, WA and the surrounding area. Find a cause that you are passionate about and get involved! Our Nantucket Gate Blog is sharing a few of the benefits that come along with volunteering in today’s post. Making Connections Volunteering allows you to connect with others around you in a meaningful way. You will make new friendships, improve your social skills, and expand your network. You will also have the satisfaction that comes from being a part of something bigger than yourself. New Skills You often learn and develop new skills when you volunteer and these new skills can be beneficial for furthering your career. You can gain experience in an area that interests you through volunteering and then add that experience to your resume. Health Benefits You feel good when you serve others, but there may be even more health benefits behind volunteering. Volunteering may also help you stay physically and mentally healthy. Serving others is helpful in combating depression, as well as counteracting the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. Boost Your Resume Having volunteer experience on your resume is a good sign to potential employers. It shows that you care about something and that you are self-motivated. While we don’t recommend volunteering only to put it on your resume, it can act as an extra motivator to help you take the leap. What is your favorite thing about volunteering? What benefits have you seen in your own life from volunteering? Share your thoughts and experience with the rest of our apartment community in the comments. Thanks for reading our post. We hope you enjoy getting out of your apartment and volunteering this month!

5 Ways to Spruce Up Your Deck or Patio

Nantucket Gate apartments have beautiful patios and decks for you to enjoy. Maybe you love your deck or maybe you haven’t used it much. We want to help you better utilize and fall in love with your deck. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air this month here in Tacoma, WA using our 5 tips to spruce up your space. Add Plants Your deck or patio is the perfect place to put out planters and find your green thumb. Plant an herb garden or any other plant that loves the Washington weather. Different varieties of ferns are great plants that will do well on your deck. Make this DIY Pallet Vertical Herb Garden for fresh herbs all year. It’s a great way to plant your herbs without taking up much space at all. Create Comfortable Seating Creating a comfortable atmosphere with comfortable seating will make it that much more likely that you’ll spend time on your patio or deck. Purchase an outdoor seating set from a local department or home store. You could also go the DIY route and make a pallet wood sofa . Either way, just add some pillows and cushions and enjoy your outdoor seating! Use Lighting Lighting can make a huge difference for a balcony and the feel that is created. Sting strands of lights across the balcony for some nice nighttime lighting. You could also potentially install a floodlight to add extra lighting. Use these options to create a romantic setting to enjoy for years to come. Bring Out a Table Tables are a practical item to have out on your patio. They bring the option to play a game outside, to have a drink with a friend, or to hold a book for you to enjoy. This is another item that you could DIY or purchase from a local department or home store. A table would also allow for added decoration such as planters or other outdoor decor. Add Character A patio or deck can be a peaceful place to drink coffee in the morning and read a book or it can be a place to host guests and play games. Add details and create a space that is congruent with what will be enjoyable for you. Maybe that means adding large comfortable sofas with pillows and blankets, or maybe it means using folding chairs to provide space for groups of people. Whatever it is, make it you! How do you decorate your outdoor space? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Recipes for National Blueberry Month

Welcome back to the Nantucket Gate Blog! In celebration of July being National Blueberry Month, we are sharing a few blueberry recipes that you are sure to love. Visit your Tacoma, WA farmers’ market to pick up the blueberries and other fresh ingredients you will need for these recipes. As you cook, you will fill your apartment with the mouthwatering fragrance of blueberries. Made from Scratch Blueberry Pancakes This recipe comes from Creations by Kara and is perfect for a Saturday morning breakfast. You will need the following ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and fresh or frozen blueberries. Want even more blueberry flavor? Make this blueberry syrup to drown your pancakes in. Balsamic Blueberry Grilled Cheese This grilled cheese recipe from Rachel Schultz is unique and delicious. To make it, you will need fresh blueberries, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, sliced wheat bread, fresh spinach, Havarti cheese, and ground pepper. Prepare yourself for a flavor experience like no other. BBQ Feta & Blueberry Flatbreads Try this unique pizza recipe from The Sweet and Simple Kitchen for dinner this month. You won’t be disappointed. Start by making a homemade flatbread with flour, active yeast, warm milk, sugar, olive oil, and salt. You will need the following to top your flatbread: sweet BBQ sauce, feta cheese, fresh arugula, fresh blueberries, honey roasted ham, fresh oregano, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Blueberry Dump Cake This recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe is simple and makes a sweet finisher to any meal. All you will need is fresh or frozen blueberries, vanilla cake mix, butter, and buttermilk or milk. The result is similar to a cobbler and tastes amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a generous dollop of whipped cream. Do you have any blueberry recipes to share with us? Leave them in the comments so that everyone in our apartment community can check them out. Thanks for reading our post. Happy National Blueberry Month!