Blog Posts

Exercise this Summer!

Last month we covered some ice cream shops you should visit in Arlington, VA to cool off! Summer, with its longer days and warmer weather, provides a good opportunity to get back into the groove of exercising! This week on Wildwood Towers Apartments Blog, we’ve got some tips for getting back into exercising this summer and taking advantage of our apartment community fitness center. Dress for Success What you wear can have an effect on your mood as you exercise, having clothing that you feel and look good in can give you that added motivation to work hard and to keep going to the gym. If you’re getting back into exercising, consider buying some new workout clothes to get you excited to start. Look for exercise clothes that are light and breathable. There has been a trend to exercise in compression gear lately, as it’s said to reduce muscle fatigue and prevent strain. Compression gear is also stylish, so you can’t go wrong! Consistency As much as we would love to believe that going to the gym once or twice is enough, it’s not. Strength is built over time through exertion and consistency, so make it a goal to go to the gym on a consistent basis. Don’t make excuses not to go. If it helps, schedule it in your calendar so you’re reminded that it’s what you should be doing at that particular time of day. Knowing your limits is also a part of consistency. If you’re looking to maintain going to the gym on a regular basis, it’s imperative to keep your body in good working order to handle the rigor of consistency. Start light and slow. You might think you can lift as much or run as far as you used to, but remember that muscles do atrophy after disuse. Take it slow and build up to it. Rest The most important tip on this list. Rest in an integral part in sustaining a healthy lifestyle. As important as it is to work out your muscles, strength comes when you let your body repair itself. Resting allows you to maintain consistency and staves off injury. Do yourself and your body a favor and rest, but don’t make that be an excuse to stop! What tips for working out do you have for our apartment community? Share with us in the comments so we can all take advantage of knowing them.

Ice Cream Shops in Arlington

Looking to cool down during a hot summer’s day? Luckily, Arlington, VA is full of great little ice cream shops for you to try. In this week’s Wildwood Towers Apartments Blog, we’ll list some great ice cream shops for you to check out, with reviews so you can get a feel for what to expect from your visit. Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream & Coffee “It was ridiculously crowded, the line moved quickly. The ice cream was delicious and perfect for a cold treat on Mother's Day. “However, one employee kept shouting and waiving his arms to have everyone file in all the way to the back so they could keep the front entrance door closed. At one point he waived and pointed at my mom and said ‘hey move back so everyone can get in’. Unfortunately the table set plus the line at the counter prevented my handicapped mother from moving any further back than she already was. It was a bit rude. That was the only complaint I have. Everyone else was perfectly delightful. Though my mom was a little embarrased, the lovely employee with the pastel pink braid made a point of being overly kind and getting my mom to smile.” — Lanie Beyer Nicecream From the website: “Handcrafted ice cream is our passion. We start our process by combining fresh local grass-fed cream and local ingredients from nearby farms. Using our freezing agent, liquid nitrogen, we freeze the ice cream on the spot in front of our guests, creating the freshest handcrafted cup of ice cream you can get. “From ice cream to cappuccinos; we proudly brew Swing's Coffee. Join us for a cup of coffee and hand crafted hot chocolate. Visit our stores in Old Town and Clarendon open 7 days a week, all year round!” Carvel From the website: “In an imported, pre-packaged, flash frozen world, true freshness stands out. It takes time, effort and passion. It’s carefully crafted. Tom Carvel started out creating real ice cream right in his shoppe. His Soft Serve ice cream was a way to deliver fresher, creamier treats, novelties and cakes to our guests. Since then we have continued to make all our products locally from the finest ingredients. It’s a difference you can taste. Which is why we are so loved by our fans and continue to make new ones.” Do you have any favorite ice cream shops that you frequent? Let us know of those if they aren’t on the list by leaving a comment below! Thanks for reading!

Spring Cleaning Tips

Take care of the dirt and clutter accumulated over winter months by diving into spring cleaning! In this week’s Wildwood Towers Apartments Blog, we’ll share some tips that will make cleaning your Arlington, VA apartment more efficient! Take it Slow Decluttering and cleaning your home can be an involved process, but if you were to start slowly, you will see the fruits of your labor manifest. Start by cleaning the areas of your home that see the most usage, and once those are done, evaluate your home to find the places that need to be cleaned the most. Don’t worry if the cleaning takes multiple days, spreading out the cleaning and decluttering make it less overwhelming, and you can really focus on doing a good job on the selected areas. Declutter Decluttering is an exercise in prioritizing. As you walk through your house, or look through your closets and storage spaces, take mental notes on the things that you need to take care of. Piles of junk mail, used boxes, and empty bottles can be thrown out and recycled . Unused clothing, the ones kept away in boxes and never seen, can be donated to homeless shelters and thrift stores for repurposing. Getting rid of the useless items in your house frees up space that can be used to store more useful items that don’t have a purpose currently, but will be used in the future. Be Prepared Before you start cleaning, make sure that you have the appropriate cleaning supplies. Wipes, sprays, and garbage bags are among some of the needed supplies for a spring cleaning job. She Knows has a list of 22 cleaning products that practically do the work for you . Once you have these your cleaning job is that much easier, but you still have to get down and put in some elbow grease to really get the job done! Do you have any tips for cleaning out your apartment? If you do, leave a comment below! Thanks for reading, and happy cleaning!

Health Tips for World Health Day

Did you know there’s a day dedicated to celebrating healthy living? Here on the Wildwood Towers Blog, we’re excited to celebrate on April 7th. We’ll be sharing a list of health tips to help you enjoy a healthy and long life. Enjoy your month here in Arlington, VA. Drink more water. You may hear this tip all the time, but it can make a big difference. It’s recommended that women drink 91 ounces of water a day and men drink 125 ounces. Start by purchasing a water bottle and bringing it with you wherever you go to make it more natural. Find the right exercise for you. Not all exercise programs and types of exercise are right for everyone, so try out a new type of exercise to discover what’s best for you. For some, doing CrossFit isn’t reasonable for their fitness level, but maybe a beginning yoga class is. For others, playing a team sport is a great and motivating way to move, while for others a personal workout would be better. Try out a new type of exercise this month and see what you think! Let yourself sleep. Oftentimes we don’t let ourselves get the sleep our bodies crave. Get to bed early and let yourself take it easy in your apartment. Don’t feel bad about sleeping in every once in awhile as well. Your body will thank you. Plan out healthy meals. Take some time to meal plan something delicious that you’ll enjoy! We suggest trying this Cilantro Lime Chicken With Avocado Salsa from Joyful Healthy Eats . You’ll need these ingredients to get started: boneless chicken breast, lime juice, olive oil, fresh cilantro, ground cumin, salt, avocados, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and a garlic clove. Do you have any other health tips that you would add to our list? Share them with us in the comments below. Thanks for reading. Be sure to visit the Wildwood Towers Blog again next month!

Adjusting to Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time is beginning this month on March 11th which means we’ll all be moving our clocks forward an hour. This time change can be more difficult for those who enjoy sleeping in. In today’s Wildwood Towers Apartments Blog we’ll be sharing a list of tips on how to adjust to the new time change as well as some background on how it came to be. We hope you have a great month here in Arlington, VA! The History There are many misconceptions about where and how Daylight Saving Time began. To learn some of the facts, check out this Stuff You Should Know podcast entitled How Daylight Saving Time Work . They dispel some of the myths surrounding this interesting annual event. Did you know that Benjamin Franklin didn’t actually start Daylight Saving Time? He was in favor of making daylight hours more effective by changing the clocks, but William Willett was the first person who proposed and led a campaign to implement this practice. It was the work of a few different people that eventually led to this change happening. It wasn’t until 1966, though, that the Uniform Time Act standardized this movement in the United States. Some states though, still do not practice Daylight Saving Time including Hawaii and Arizona. Learn more about Daylight Saving Time from 8 Things You May Not Know About Daylight Saving Time written by History . Tip #1: Be patient and give yourself time to adjust. If you have a set sleeping schedule, then this can be a difficult thing to transition into. Be patient as your body adjusts to this time change. For some people it can take anywhere from a day to a week or so before you start to feel normal again while others make take longer. Tip #2: Get to bed early on the night of March 10th. Make sure that you get to bed at a reasonable time because you will be getting an hour less of sleep. If you have a chance, a short nap on the 11th may help if you’re feeling sleepy. Tip #3: Consider your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm should be considered throughout this transition. “Often referred to as the "body clock", the circadian rhythm is a cycle that tells our bodies when to sleep, rise, eat—regulating many physiological processes.” To keep this process healthy and in motion, stay away from bright lights at night and spend time in the light during the day. To learn more check out How Sleep Is Affected by Time Changes from WebMD . Do you like or dislike Daylight Saving Time? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

Get Organized With These Simple Tips

Keeping your space organized can be difficult at times. Take some time to put forth some effort to make your space a more enjoyable and beautiful place to live. In today’s Wildwood Towers Apartments Blog, we have some tips on how to organize your space. We hope you enjoy these tips and that they help you feel better about your space here in Arlington, VA. 1. Foldable Drawer Dividers This is a great solution to many people’s clothing storage problems. It’s easy to neatly store smaller clothes in these multi-sectional organizers and they can be found online on many different websites. For a great example, check out these foldable drawer dividers from Sorbus. 2. Hanging Closet Storage Organizer One example of a great hanging storage option is the Over Door Fabric Organizer from mDesign . Store your wallet, purse, hats, gloves, mail, or a number of different items inside. One satisfied Amazon customer said, “It helps me go through the mail right then instead of throwing it on my kitchen table to look at weeks later. I have broken down the slots by importance and let’s not forget the neighbor’s mail which I deliver as soon as I can. It fits perfectly on the back of my front door and does not look too messy if kept neat.” 3. Foldable Storage Containers These foldable storage containers can be easily inserted into shelves, on the floor, or in tight spaces. They’re available in a variety of colors and sizes. They are also great for toys, clothes, books, or whatever else you can fit inside. 4. The Key Holder If you often ask yourself where your keys are, then it might be time for you to make or buy a key holder. Storing keys has never been easy. At the end of the day sometimes we just toss the keys onto the counter or couch with little thought about it. Then, when morning comes we start to panic — “where are they?” With a key holder, you no longer need to ask that question. Check out these 16 Key Holders To Keep You Organized for some ideas. While these are just four simple solutions to a never-ending problem, know that there are other suggestions (some even better) out there. If you have any tips, tricks, or suggestions for how to better organize your apartment, please share them in the comments below. Let’s help each other to better organize our apartments! Thanks for reading today’s post.