Blog Posts

A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place

Storage. No matter how much storage we have in our homes, we manage to fill it up. And then what? How about some tips for creating/maximizing your storage space. First, purge. Simply getting rid of extra things that you dont really need cuts down on the clutter. Consider donating your gently used clothing and household items to a womens shelter, a Goodwill, or a halfway house. Knowing that something that was just taking up space has found a new home and is being used, creates warm fuzzies inside. Do you actually need to keep every single paper that comes home from school? Or notebooks from college? Or ten-year old business reports? But what if you may actually need it, or what if you really love it? Take a picture that way you can keep the memory intact, without having to keep the stuff. After purging, look for furniture that can double as storage. For example,put your bed on risers, and then use the space underneath to store items that are rarely used, decorations come to mind. What about seating that doubles as a storage chest? Or use a loft bed, which leaves room underneath for a desk, toy box, or cubed storage. Go vertical. The back of the door is a great place to gain some storage. A shoe organizer can do duty as a holder for office supplies, or in the kitchen it can hold all of the random little things that currently clutter the drawers. Bookshelves and baskets are a pleasing combination that can keep game controllers out of the way, and off the floor, provide a place for random DVDs, and keep the books you are currently reading handy. If you have a balcony, outfit it with weatherproof boxes for additional storage. Or hang your kite collection on the wall there, adding a decorative touch. Is your closet overflowing? Rotate your clothes on a seasonal basis. Put the off season in totes (perhaps they can go under the bed) and keep what you are currently wearing on the shelves and hanging up. As you sort at the end of each season, cull old and worn out items before you put away them away in storage. At the end of the day (or week, or month) after you have created a place for everything, and everything is in its place, admiring your clutter free spaces will bring a smile of satisfaction to your lips. Please feel free to share your storage tips in the comments.

This Week In Tacoma Nantucket Gate Apartments

Tango for Beginners Backstreet Tango is a Tacoma-based dance studio that specializes in the Argentine style of Tango dancing. Every Sunday at Noon the studio holds a class for absolute beginners, where inexperienced dancers can go to learn the basics. If youre already an experienced tanguero (or tanguera) they have classes for you too! Check out Backstreettango.com for additional information. Introduction to Archery Skookum Archers Club and Range offers an introduction to archery class each Thursday from 6:00pm 7:00pm. Admission is $5 per person and includes instruction on safety and archery fundamentals. Get there on time, because once the safety class starts no additional shooters will be admitted. Ford Mustang Exhibit at LeMay This year is the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, arguably one of the most iconic of the American muscle cars. To honor the occasion the LeMay Museum will be opening a new exhibit on the legendary automobile. The LeMay museum invites you to join them on Saturday, June 14 for Insider Talk, a behind the scenes presentation by Chief Curator Scot Keller, as he gives insight into the creation of this impressive exhibit. Tickets and event information can be found at the museums website.

Wine Tasting in Tacoma

Whether you are a sommelier, oenophile or just a wino, it is hard to ignore the versatility of Chardonnay. These seemingly plain, green-skinned grapes are planted in more regions than any other grape; And, their ability to grow in a numerous geographic locations has led to a variety of differences, not only in production and aging techniques, but in the grapes themselves. This is the reason behind the vast differences between chardonnays from wineries around the world. If you want to learn more about this versatile grape, and the wines produced from it, go to the Black Door Wine Company in Tacoma on May 31, from 5:00pm 7:00pm. The knowledgeable staff at Black Door will guide you through a tasting of several Chardonnays from domestic vintners and wineries, as well as one from Chablis, France. They will discuss the region and the techniques used to craft each bottle, and allow you to compare them for yourself. If you cant make it to this one, dont worry; Black Door regularly hosts tasting events like these throughout the summer months. For pricing or other information visit Blackdoorwinecompany.com .

SW Andover Bike Path Cleanup

Whether you are an avid bicycle commuter, or only take the beach cruiser out for a few short trips when the weather is nice, you cant ignore the benefits of our communitys bike path infrastructure. Aside from the obvious benefits of decreased traffic congestion and improved air quality, many of these bikeways provide area residents with a peaceful and serene escape from nearby city streets, while making cycling safer for everyone involved. If you want to show your appreciation for this trail network, and give back to the community in the process, consider joining Tree Ambassadors in their efforts to clean up and maintain the SW Andover Bike Trail. [caption id="attachment_31" align="aligncenter" width="470"] Join Tree Ambassadors on 5/31 as they revitalize the SW Andover Bike Path[/caption] On Saturday, May 31 from 9:00AM - 12:00PM, volunteers will get together to rejuvenate this valuable community resource. From removing debris and overhanging vines, to managing invasive plants on the side of the trail, the effort aims to make the pathway to ride on. It is a bit of a drive from Nantucket Gate, but the impact of your efforts will be appreciated by countless people as they ride along this soon-to-be revitalized section of trail.

Support The Troops at JBLM s Armed Forces Day

Living in a military community, we are surrounded by reminders of the sacrifice made by men and women in our armed forces. If you want to show your support for these brave members of our community, head over to JBLM on Saturday, May 11th for Armed Forces Day! [caption id="attachment_27" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Armed Forces Day at JBLM[/caption] Visitors have access to a variety of attractions including: military vehicle displays, rides, music and a climbing wall, just to name a few. There will even be reenactments of historically significant military battles! Admission to Armed Forces Day is free, so the only things you end up paying for are rides and food! The fair runs all day from 10:00AM to 6:00PM and is only a short drive from the Fort Lewis housing at Nantucket Gate. For a detailed schedule of events and other pertinent information, visit the event website at http://www.jblmmwr.com/armedforcesday. Enjoy an afternoon of relaxation while you support the troops in our community!

Berry Picking Near Your Apartment in Tacoma

Berry season is just around the corner, and your apartment in Tacoma is within minutes of two of the best pick your own farms in the state! Pichas Berry Farm and These farms are a fun way to get fresh produce, and some fresh air, all at the same time. Pichas has been a fixture of the Tacoma agricultural community for over 100 years. Founded in 1904 by Mathias Picha, the farm has been in the family for 3 generations with no plans on changing. They have two locations: one on 74th and Tyler in Tacoma, and another near River Road in Puyallup. While you pick tours are only available for their Strawberries, Pichas is also well known for their variety of raspberries and blackberries sold at fruit stands daily. Terrys Berries is another incredible resource for local produce! This certified organic farm was founded on the owners personal philosophy regarding the importance of knowing where your food comes. Modern society has become largely disconnected from our food supply. With the prevalence of fast food and drive through windows, people rarely put much thought into what it takes to get the food to that point. The folks at Terrys seek to bridge that gap through their pick-your-own (seasonal), and CSA programs. CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a system in which a portion of the community shares the potential risks, and benefits, of food production. Members pay a subscription, usually near the beginning of the growing season. In return, they receive regularly scheduled shares of the yield once harvesting begins. Terrys was one of the first farms in the area to start such a co-op, and they were recently voted one of the best CSAs by Weekly Volcano readers. Both Pichas and Terrys are great places to go for fresh produce, and theyre only a short drive from Nantucket Gate. You can get delicious, fresh produce for less than you might pay at a store by cutting out the middleman (Middleperson? I dont want to limit anyones ability to act as an intermediary), and picking it yourself.