Auston Grove Apartment Homes Blog

Adjusting to a new apartment kitchen takes time. Before you crank up the oven or fire up the stovetop, take a look at our tips to help you avoid some common cooking mistakes - and perhaps save your dinner, if meal preparation goes badly.

Avoid a major malfunction

Major appliance malfunction, that is. When you move to a new apartment, your cooking techniques may need to be revised to make them work with your kitchen. Cooking with a new stove or oven may take some getting used to: if you had a gas stove in the past and are switching to electric, for instance, it could take longer for your burners and oven to heat up.

On the flip side, if you are going from electric to gas, you may find yourself burning or overcooking your meals. Before you invite everyone over for dinner, do a few test runs to get comfortable with your new appliances.

The same rule goes for your refrigerator and freezer. Keep an eye on the temperature so you don’t end up with frozen milk for breakfast or half-thawed ice cream for dessert. You should also get an oven thermometer to get an idea of how hot your oven runs; with that information, you can adjust your recipes as necessary to get the results you are used to achieving.

While everyone loves home cooking, no one wants to have to evacuate their home just because they tried a new recipe. Be aware that the smoke alarms in your new apartment might be closer to the kitchen or more sensitive than your previous ones. The fan for your range may also function differently. Before you fire things up, know how to open your windows quickly in order to air out your apartment in case things get smoky.

Shop for new stock

When you move into a new apartment, the first things you might stock up on are decorative items, furniture and linens. While you are shopping, don’t forget one of the most important rooms in your apartment - the kitchen. Now is a great time to toss your old dried herbs and replace them with fresh containers. Did you know most herbs only stay flavorful for one year? The same goes for other dry goods like flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Invest in a fresh batch of baking supplies to make sure your cakes and cookies come out perfectly. You might also want to replace old pots, pans and bakeware. Over time they can get worn or warped and won’t heat evenly, so refresh your recipes with a new set of tools. You might be surprised to find everything tasting better!

Make a back-up plan

Even if you test your new cooking equipment, buy fresh supplies, and read your recipes thoroughly, there is always a chance that you’ll have a meal mishap. Your best strategy is to be prepared with a backup plan. Make sure you have easy-to-prepare foods on hand to serve guests or your family at the last minute. Stock your freezer with pizzas, mini-quiches and vegetables. Pack your pantry with instant mashed potatoes, spaghetti sauce and macaroni and cheese. You might spend a little extra and buy gourmet pre-packaged products, so your guests will be impressed with your recipe rescue skills.

Apartment cooking can be really fun, if you are prepared. Be aware of common cooking mistakes, so you can avoid them in your own kitchen. Soon, you’ll be on your way to preparing the best meals you can and making the most of your apartment kitchen.

So you’ve just moved into your new apartment, great! How exciting is this, a new start in a new place! When searching for apartments you only visited the ones you believe to be in a desired location; but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow a few extra resident safety precautions. Here are a few tips Auston Woods recommend:

Resident Safety Tip Sheet

As a resident at an HHHunt Community we unfortunately can never provide any assurances or guarantees for your personal safety.  Crime and other emergencies are often inescapable and occur indiscriminately.  However, all of our residents can be certain we are committed to a proactive approach concerning deterring and managing criminal activity at our communities.  It is in your best interest and ours to take the necessary steps to deter crime from occurring when possible.  Below are some general safety tips for you to follow while living at our community to help protect yourself, your family and your property from criminal acts.

• Always report suspicious people or cars to the proper authorities, then to the Management Team
• Keep all doors and windows locked in your apartment home, even if home or taking a short walk.
• Never open your door to strangers and report solicitors to the Management Team immediately.
• Teach your children not to open the doors to strangers, talk to strangers, or get into a vehicle with any strangers and to report strangers to an adult..
• Always be aware of your surroundings and avoid strangers at night.
• Avoid walking or running alone at night.
• Avoid using headphones while walking or running.
• If someone in a vehicle stops and asks for directions, answer from a distance. Do not approach the vehicle.
• Try to take trash out during daylight hours.
• Never give amenity access codes or gate keys or codes to friends or guests.
• Do not label your keys with your address.
• Report inoperable window or door locks to the Management Team.  Inoperable window and door locks are considered emergency service requests.
• Do not discard mail with your name and address listed into common area trash receptacles.  Shred all mail or documents with your personal information (name, address, social security number, etc.) listed prior to disposing.
• Never publicize planned vacations or business trips.  This may notify potential burglars of opportunities to commit theft.
• Use lamp timer devices when out of town for an extended period of time.
• Request a mail and newspaper stop when out of town.
• Let a spouse, friend or other relative know your whereabouts, especially if you live alone.
• Vary your routine.
• Do not hide a key to your apartment under a mat, plant or other patio decoration.  Give a spare key to a trusted friend or relative instead.
• Purchase a Renter’s Insurance policy to cover loss of personal property due to theft.
• Purchase Comprehensive Insurance to cover loss due to auto theft.
• Take pictures or a video inventory of all valuable possessions in case of theft or fire.
• Never leave candles, oil lamps, stoves, ovens, or any other heat-producing element unattended.  
• Know all escape routes from the building and discuss escape routes and how to react in the event of fire with all family members.
• Report lighting outages in the breezeway to the Management Team.
• Check the backseat before entering your vehicle.
• Always lock your car doors.  
• Never leave packages, store bags, and other valuables in plain sight in your car.
• Avoid leaving cars running in the parking lot unattended to “warm up” during winter months.
• Always have car keys or apartment keys in hand when walking to and from your vehicle.  Never overload yourself with packages, bags or groceries when coming home.
• Do not leave your keys in your car.
• Develop a Family Emergency Plan to prepare for natural disasters, fire, crime, acts of terrorism and other emergencies and communicate to all family members.