My Journey of Apartment Maintenance – mrfloris

Maintaining an apartment can be a daunting task, especially when you’re not sure where to start or how to address certain issues. I know this feeling all too well. For the past five years, my apartment has had a high-priority list of obstacles that I didn’t know how to tackle. I struggled with mental blocks when it came to sharing my problems with others and asking for help. But, I took small steps forward, even if it was just once a month, or even once a week. And sometimes, I pushed through a whole week by doing daily tasks that only took five minutes.

Now, in 2023, I can look back and see that I’ve made progress with maintenance, cleaning, and even sharing my experiences with others and asking for help. And while I am far from done, I’ve come a long way. I want to share my tips, suggestions, and ideas that I’ve collected over the last few years, learned from listening to those who helped me, and from what I incidentally found online. My goal is to motivate and inspire others to create a healthier and more comfortable living space.

The goal here isn’t to be perfect, or for one person to be better than another. It’s about motivating each other and helping to build a place that we live in daily that’s healthier and more comfortable to be in. Building space and creating time for bigger changes such as painting the walls, getting new furniture, inviting more guests, and having dinner parties. And feeling comfortable doing so. After all, enjoying life is important, and it starts at home, right?

If you’re interested in sharing your tips and tricks, and experiences for keeping your house, apartment, or mansion, all tidy, I invite you to visit my blog at mrfloris.com or join the omgboards thread where we can share our daily tasks for motivation and inspiration. Let’s support each other in making our living spaces a place we truly enjoy.

Maintaining a clean and well-functioning apartment is essential for comfortable and healthy living. Here are some must-do tasks for keeping your apartment in tip-top shape:

Cleaning and vacuuming regularly is a great way to keep your living space looking and feeling fresh. Not only does it improve the overall appearance of your apartment, but it also helps to reduce allergens and dust. More info and tips about my experiences dealing with a lot of dust are further below in this post.
Leaks and water damage can lead to serious problems, such as mold growth. Be sure to check for any signs of leaks, and address them immediately. My sister just informed me they noticed water damage from a slow drip, causing mold and damage below their sink. I immediately double-checked all my connections in the apartment to try and catch an issue early. Thankfully none. Go check yours!
Your appliances are some of the most essential parts of your apartment, and they need regular maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Make sure to keep them clean, and schedule repairs or service as needed. On my cleaning todo list I have an extra entry to wipe of surface areas of appliances once a month. And then what I notice I note down in the todo list for that week. I wipe the dryer, but realise I haven’t cleaned the filter in a while. I write down: clean dryer filter, and make it a seasonable repeat todo item.
Heating and cooling systems are essential for your comfort, so keep them in good working order. Regularly check the filters and schedule professional maintenance as needed. My radiators need some love. I’ve tried my best to stabilize pressure and remove the air from them, but they need a professional to look at. I should get someone to check for me, but never heard back. Might follow up in February.
The electrical and plumbing systems in your apartment are also crucial, and require regular maintenance to keep them working properly and safely. But nothing I can do about this, I can’t touch it. But I have to go through it, review what I have and what’s wrong, and then report to the landlord for review. Maybe something can be done by other if there’s an issue. My tip: Don’t let it linger – the faster it’s fixed, the better. The longer before you get it dealt with the bigger the problem.
Common areas, such as hallways, stairwells, and laundry facilities, are shared spaces that need to be kept clean and well-maintained. Do your part by cleaning up after yourself and reporting any issues to your landlord or property manager.
Pest infestations can be a serious problem, and they need to be addressed promptly to protect your health and the integrity of the building. If you notice any pests, notify your landlord or property manager immediately. In 2021/2022 it was about getting the apartment to the point it is now. 2023/2024 it’s about fighting bugs, mold, bacteria, etc. I have to learn a lot, but I guess the kitchen and the bedroom will be the two most important spots for a healthy life. Oh yeah, check your air filters!
Fire safety is of the utmost importance, so make sure to conduct regular fire safety checks, such as checking smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. I think in this year mine expires, so I added ‘review extinguishers’ to my list.
Lastly, make sure to communicate any maintenance needs or issues to your landlord or property manager in a timely manner. This will ensure that problems are addressed quickly and that your apartment stays in great condition. I’ve bothered them about ten little things, and now four of them are addressed, with more to come. Even the tiny fixes really help.

To keep your apartment dust free and tidy, here are a few tips:

Keep windows closed during days when the pollen and dust count is high
Use microfiber cloths and mops to pick up dust instead of just pushing it around with a traditional feather duster
Use air purifiers to filter the air and remove dust, allergens, and other pollutants
Keep your shoes at the door and avoid tracking in dirt and dust from outside
Keep clutter to a minimum, as it can easily accumulate dust and make it harder to keep your apartment clean.

Specifically about dust, ..

Do you find yourself constantly fighting a losing battle against dust in your home? Dust can not only make your home look dirty, but it can also aggravate allergies and asthma. I was so surprised how much my apartment felt clean when I finally got rid of the dust that kept building up. With a little bit of effort and some helpful tips, you can keep your apartment dust-free and breathe easier. Less bugs and mites, less stuffy nose, less throat problems. And more time for other cleaning tasks.

Start with a thorough cleaning. Before you can effectively combat dust, you need to get rid of the dust that’s already there. Use a damp microfibre cloth or duster to wipe down surfaces and vacuum or sweep floors.
Use a high-efficiency air filter. I never had one, and I got one. They can be pretty pricey, but boy they are WORTH it. A high-efficiency air filter can help capture dust particles floating in the air. This is especially important if you live in an older building or have pets. Change the filter regularly to ensure it’s working at peak efficiency.
Keep humidity levels low. Dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments. Keep your apartment at a comfortable temperature and use a dehumidifier if necessary. I learned my apartment was actually too dry, I got a humidifier and it gave me insight into the % levels for each room. Hopefully next black Friday I will get a dehumidifier, so I can better balance the whole of the apartment.
Use dust-resistant products. Look for furniture and decor that are made with dust-resistant materials, such as leather or metal. Avoid using curtains and blinds, which can collect dust. Unfortn. we love what we have, and we can’t just always replace everything. But I feel that in the future I will certainly keep this in mind. Because cleaning my curtains is still on my list. I’ve done about 35% of the cleaning and it’s already made a huge difference.
Minimize clutter. Dust loves to settle on clutter, so keep your apartment as organized as possible. Make sure to store items in sealed containers to prevent dust buildup. I have moved more and more things I almost never use into boxes into storage. Or I gave it away. I try to keep around me what I actually use. And I have started to take the policy on: Clean what you pick up, and don’t put it down, but put it away.
Avoid creating dust. Certain activities, such as sanding or sweeping, can create dust. If possible, avoid these activities or do them outside. The apartment renovation and the maintenance I’ve done on it, oh boy, I had at least six months of just layers of white fine dust particles everywhere. I felt like I needed to walk around with a mask on 24/7. Having dealt with that finally has drastically improved the quality of my apartment.

It is recommended to vacuum your apartment at least once a week and dust it twice a week for the best results. You won’t see me do that. But, I try to stick to that policy. If I have nothing to do and feel motivated, I really do try to dust, even if it’s one side of one room.

Note: This is not professional advice. Please consult someone if you deal with breathing issues such as asthma.

Please post below your tips on what you believe are critical things to do to upkeep your home.