Blog Posts

Preparing for the 4th of July

The 4th of July is just around the corner, and for some, it’s a big deal. If you’re one of those people, then you might want to get a jump on preparing for the day! In this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog, we’ve got a few tips on how you can better prepare for and enjoy the celebration on the 4th of July. We hope you get some good insights as you read this week’s blog! Shop Early If you’re going to be celebrating with others, getting a jump on buying the necessary items for your celebration will be a great benefit to you. The last thing you want is to be going shopping last minute and realizing that there’s nothing left to get! Getting ahead of it will allow you to secure the necessary ingredients for whatever you choose to serve at your celebration, even if it’s just something simple like hot dogs or hamburgers. Don’t Forget the Sunscreen Barring inclement weather, the 4th of July is generally going to be hot and sunny, even here in Tacoma, WA, which is why you should remember to purchase (if you don’t already have some) sunscreen to keep your skin from being damaged by the sun while you’re enjoying your Independence Day. Be Respectful Independence Day is known for fireworks, parades, and extravagant festivities, but don’t forget to ensure that everyone is having a good time. Being respectful of others is the simplest, yet most effective way to enjoy your holiday. But what does being respectful mean? Though it’s a day of loud festivities, there is a time when the fireworks, loud yelling, and generally raucousness needs to die down. There are people with children who sleep at an earlier time, so keep that in mind when you’re participating in your Independence Day celebrations. What are your plans for this upcoming Independence Day? Share those thoughts with our apartment community by leaving a comment! Thanks for reading.

Picnic Tips

Since the weather is getting warmer here in Tacoma, WA, it’s the perfect time to get out and enjoy the sunshine with a picnic! Picnics are the perfect way to get out and enjoy the nice weather without expending too much energy. In this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog, we’ve got a few picnic ideas for you to make your picnic experience a little more enjoyable! Pick the Right Spot The fate of your picnic rests on picking the right spot! Not really, but picking a good spot can greatly enhance your experience. Picking a spot truly depends on your preferences, whether you’d like a picnic with tables or if you prefer a blanket laid out on the grass, it’s all about finding what works for you! We recommend finding a location that has shade options so you can escape the sun when it gets too hot! Bring Some Music Music makes a great picnic even better! A Bluetooth speaker or even bringing a guitar (assuming you or someone you know can play) is a great option for entertainment while having a picnic! Nothing beats jamming out to some tunes while enjoying the sunshine! Don’t Forget the Food We can’t forget about the best part of a picnic: the food! One of the hardest decisions to make is deciding what you’re going to bring on your picnic. We recommend foods that can easily be eaten without utensils, like sandwiches or even a pizza, as things are a lot simpler and easier when you don’t have to wash or throw away any utensils! Don’t forget to pack sufficient trash bags and napkins so you can keep your person and the area you’re in clean! Picnicking can be fun for everyone, especially if you take our tips into consideration! If you’ve got additional tips for our Tacoma, WA apartment community, leave a comment for us!

Summer Hobbies to Try

What are some things you like to do during the summer? Finding something to do in the summertime may not be a difficult task, but there can be so much to choose from that settling on something could take a while. In this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog, we’ve got a few suggestions of hobbies you could try out, specifically focusing on hobbies you don’t need to leave your apartment to do! Grow a Plant/Garden If you’re looking for a hobby that doesn’t require you to leave the house, you should try growing a plant or even a small garden! You may not have much space in your apartment, but if you can make some space in your home, this is a good hobby to pick up that will give you satisfaction. The feeling of being able to get something to grow or even bear fruit is a unique feeling all on its own, so give it a try! Before you get your hopes up, remember that growing a plant takes time and may require specific conditions, so give it your best shot and don’t give up! Building Miniatures If you’re good with your hands, you may want to start building miniatures! There are plenty of miniatures to choose from when starting this hobby, from model trains and planes to wargaming pieces. This hobby may need a few extra pieces of equipment, but it’s well worth it when you’re assembling and painting those miniatures. You’re going to need dexterous fingers, so be prepared to take it slow and be careful! Cooking What better hobby to get into than cooking? Not only will you have an experience putting things together, you’ll also have something delicious (hopefully) at the end of it all to dine on! There are plenty of recipes to try out on the internet, so give the world wide web a good scour to find a recipe that fits your taste buds best. Do you have any hobbies you like to do when you’re at home during the summer? Share those ideas with our Tacoma, WA apartment community by leaving a comment!

Things to Do Once Summer Begins

Let’s be honest, you’ve probably been looking forward to the summer all through the colder months of winter. Now that it’s here, it can be overwhelming to choose something to do, and choosing can get in the way of doing the necessary chores. Don’t worry, we’re here to help! In this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog, we’ve got a few reminders for you of things you should be doing once the summer begins!. Clean the House Your home or apartment is the place you come home to after a long day of work or school, which is why it’s important to keep it clean. Do yourself a favor and give your apartment a good scrub down and get into the nooks and crannies for that extra measure of cleanliness. Not only will a clean home tidy up your living space, but it can also breathe new life into how you feel when walking through the door. De-junk Once you’ve cleaned your home, you’ll probably have a few items around your newly cleaned home that you may want to give or throw away. Dejunking your home is a good way to free up space in your home and helps you prioritize items in your life. Of course, what you do with those items is up to you, but we recommend donating them to a homeless shelter or a thrift store so those items can get a second life with someone else. Store Winter Clothing There comes a time during the year when you’re not going to need to use a heavy winter coat. That time is now. You’re not going to need more than a thick sweater (at most) for the odd cool evenings here in Tacoma, WA. Gather all of your winter clothing and put them into a bin that can easily be stored in your closet or another storage facility. If you don’t have any, we suggest getting a few large boxes or totes so you have uniformity and ample storage opportunities. Do you have anything you do when summer starts? Share them with our apartment community by leaving us a comment!

Treats for a Warm Day

As much as we love warmer weather, it can get hot. To fight off the heat and make the change of weather more enjoyable, indulge in some cool treats! In this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog, we’ve got a short list of treats you can be partaking in on a warm day here in Tacoma, WA. Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles Ingredients: 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese 2 cups strawberries, halved 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/3 cup milk 1/4 cup Greek yogurt Enjoy the taste of a strawberry cheesecake in popsicle form! No need for a fork and plate for this treat, you can take it with you wherever you go, but these are so tasty, you’ll probably want one for each hand. Chewy Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches Ingredients: Cooking spray 1 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 1/2 c. sugar 4 large eggs 3 pt. coconut gelato, softened Shredded coconut, for coating People often ask: How do you make an ice cream sandwich better? Well, the answer is very clearly to slap ice cream between two brownie pieces! Indulgent and delectable, you’re probably going to need a large mug of milk with these cool treats. Frozen Mocha Oreo Bars Ingredients: 5 cups crushed Oreos (about 4 sleeves) 8 Tablespoons butter 4 cups whipping cream 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature 2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk 3 Tablespoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water 1/4 cup chocolate sauce, plus more for the top 2 teaspoons vanilla If you like oreos and coffee, you’re going to love this recipe! Once you’re done making this recipe, you’ll have plenty of delicious oreo bars to go around. Share them with your friends or eat it all yourself, you do you!

3 Tips on Getting Work Done in Summer

When the summer rolls around, it can get difficult to keep focused, especially when the weather is nice and all you want to do is travel or have fun. Whether you’re in school or working, you may have difficulty getting stuff done, which is why we’ve decided to share with you 3 tips on how you can be more effective in the Summer and get work done! Put it on the Calendar This tip works for everyone, even if you don’t use a calendar regularly. Ensuring the work you need to get done is on your calendar will ascribe a level of importance to the task. If you view your calendar regularly, having a calendar item will keep the task fresh in your mind so you can tackle it immediately. If you aren’t a calendar user, you can become one by setting calendar reminders on your smartphone or computer that will alert you of when you’ve scheduled the time to complete your tasks! Prioritize There are times when we’re so busy that the list of items needed to be done seems never-ending. The best thing to do in that situation is to prioritize. Ordering your tasks in terms of importance and how quickly you can get each task done is a good way to blaze through your list so you can have the time to do the fun things. Reward Yourself Our last tip is to reward yourself when you complete tasks! Working hard is said to be its own reward, but we disagree. When the weather is beautiful and there are plenty of recreational things to be done, we suggest using that as a reward for when you complete your school or work tasks! It may not be wise to use it as a reward after every task, but group your tasks and set milestones so the reward is adequate for the group of tasks completed. Summer is a hard time to stay focused, but you can do it! Share with our Tacoma, WA apartment community some of your favorite tips by leaving a comment.