Dinner ideas for a smooth flatsharing

Flatsharing is all about sharing, be it the bathroom or the kitchen. But it is also about living in community.

In order to help you with that, we have put together a list of 5 recipes that are perfect to gather around your flatmates around a good dinner and laughter.

Our best recipes for successful evening with your flatmates

Pasta

Any kind of pasta is not only easy and cheap to make, you are 90% sure that it will please your flatmates to have a plate full of spaghetti after a long day at the office… or right before going out.

Little tip to satisfy all your flatmates : try making a pasta without meat or prepare two different kinds, say pesto and bolognese to cater to all the different diatery requirements.

Pizza

Italian food in general is great for a shared dinner and nothing bonds people more than pizza in front of a movie. And the greatest thing about Pizza is that, while it is easy to make, it’s even easier to order and have delivered.

Again, remember to pick two type, a veggie one and a meat one for all types of eaters.

Cookies

It’s Sunday afternoon and it’s raining (because, let’s face it, the weather in Luxembourg is not the sunnier one), the laundry is done and you have been watching Netflix for the past 3 hours. Time to get proactive and dig out your inner Master Chef. Baking cookies is super easy and chances are that your flatmates will pop in the kitchen when the smell of cookies reaches their room.

Crêpes

Reclaim your French inheritance (or find someome in the flatshare that is French) and organize a crêpe night. Salty, sweet, jam or Nutella, everything can be put on a Crêpe and it’s super fun to try flip them while cooking them.

Summer salad

Summer is just around the corner and there is nothing better to empty the fridge than creating a huge salad with all the leftovers (fruits, veggies, chicken, poached eggs, etc). Not only will you be enjoying a healthy meal but you will also make a head start on the Spring Deep Cleaning. 

14 Decorating Tips while on a Budget

You’ve just moved in into your new flatshare but it does not feel at home yet? Decorating it is a great idea but how to justify the investment it represents? After all, you will only be staying for a few month, probably not even a year. So, in order to remedy to this problem, we have put together some tips for decorating on a budget.

Remember, though, that before you do anything in your flatshare – painting a wall or even hanging a piece of art – it’s wise to check with your landlord first what you can do. 

Touch Interiors
Tape up wallpaper

Nothing makes a room more inviting than a wall of colors and while painting or parpering it can be tricky (especially if you are in a flatshare), we have found a great solution for you to add color to your life (and your room). Buy a single roll of wallpaper and hang it like a sheet using double-sided tape. Easy to do and even easier to remove!

Luci.D Interiors

Cushions to the power!

Adding cushions to a room, any room is the perfect (and playful) way to brighten-up a space without worrying about having a long-term commitment. We’d recommend chosing bright colours and patterns – and remember that it super easy to empty them, fold them and bring them to your new apartment.

As for the filling, little tip from us to you : use a larger cushion pad to have a firmer cushion that can be turned into an extra sit when guests come by for an « apéro ».

Arkee Creative

The unsuspected powers of the rug…

A sofa is great, cushions to decorate it are attractive, but a rug… a rug has so many different uses that it is an imprescindible of interior design.  It will not only hide an unattractive floor, but also bring colour without painting, and, if you buy a large enough one now, you’re likely to have a place to put it in your next home.

 

Studio Revolution

Stick ’em up

Another alternative to nailing up numerous frames is to hang lightweight images, which can be suspended with Blu Tack or bulldog clips attached with double-sided tape.

Lindye Galloway Design

The headboard

A headboard serves to anchor a bed and by extension the room it is located in. Adding a large headboard to your bed can give a dramatic look to your room and give an impression of more filled-in. Buy one that is freestanding and you will even be able to reuse it later on.

Dreamy Whites

Introduce mirrors

A tall mirror leaning against a wall can expand your space and dress the room without being hung, and you’ll always be able to find a use for it in a new home. For even more impact, paint or gold-leaf the frame, and don’t be afraid to group a few mismatched mirrors together.

Just Perfect!

Layer throws

Like cushions, throws are great for adding instant colour that can move not just between homes, but between rooms. Folded neatly on the bed, tossed over a chair, spread across a sofa – there are so many ways to use them. Plus, they add a sense of inviting warmth.

The Room Illuminated

Light with lamps

A tall, dramatic lamp is a good way to emulate the light from a nonexistent ceiling fixture, while also adding a feature that makes the room feel more filled-in. Choose a chunky work-lamp-inspired style for high impact and plenty of light.

Owl Design

Opt for black and white

Another strategy to give a place a styled look is to stick to a mostly black-and-white theme. It works with any flooring and simple white walls and, combined with neutral basics, creates an austere, Parisian-studio look. Simply add a colour pop with fresh flowers and you’ve got a fully formed concept with just a few pieces and no stress – perfect for a busy life on the go.

Coworking: an increasingly popular solution

What is coworking?
You’ve probably heard of coworking. But just in case, coworking is about sharing an office space together with other companies even if their sector of activity is different. This type of « roommating » has no limit in terms of number of « roommates » or even duration. This cohabitation can extend over a few hours as well as several years.

The advantages of coworking
If this trend is spreading more and more, it is primarily for financial reasons. The reasons are exactly the same as in a flatsharing between students for example.

A division of rent and charges is not the only benefit. Indeed, the equipment, such as the coffee machine, the internet network or the telephone, can also be shared and therefore included in the costs to be divided.

Coworking in a workspace means meeting new people and new companies. These companies that join your office space are a great way to expand your network (even if the industry is not the same as yours). Creating relationships with these companies could be very useful to you (partnership building, customer portfolio development, advice exchange, etc.). So it’s a great way to boost your business!

In case you are a young company for example, it is difficult to engage in the long term to have office space. Coworking is very advantageous for this. Indeed, you have no obligation to sign an entire year, you can simply rent a space for a client meeting or for the purpose of working on a specific project.

The last point is that it is very easy to access to a coworking space as the documents needed to be submitted are less than those required for a conventional commercial lease.

In a few words, the business world has reached the 21st century and has applied the same principles that allow students to afford an accommodation in a city center to the world of start-ups, increasing the number of industries that use the shared economies model to improve and encourage the new generation.

Well, it’s not working anymore… but why, what’s going on?

You’re getting home from work, you’re tired and then you switch on the light and… nothing, the lamp does not work anymore!

The first step is to eliminate the evidence :

  • Was it the right switch ? A moment of inattention is so quickly arrived!
  • Do you have electricity in the residence?
  • The lamp turns on but flashes, in a Night-Fever kind of way? No doubts anymore, if you have power, the bulb is probably dead! Or in the case of a neon, the choke is on the same track.

The lamp does work but the shutter does not close properly, impeding you to get your well-deserved rest, even after going up and down several times? Geometry will be your ally! Observe the blades: if they get skewed, the wings of the shutters no longer work. It does not close completely? The reel is in fault.

Even worse: it’s winter, a snow storm is coming but the only thing your radiator does is a « gurgling » noise that serves only to bother you? It will need to be purged of the air inside of it. A metallic noise is heard during the heating? The thermostatic valve no longer works! The heating is down throughout the entire flat? The boiler is certainly involved.

In any case and if tinkering is not your forte, don’t hesitate to consult your flatmates, one of them is probably a Bob-the-Builder in the making. In the worst case, your landlord will certainly be able to assist you by sending a professional to fix the problem. Remember to ask if your lease covers these incidences!

Biking in Luxembourg, the greener way to discover the city!

Luxembourg is a huge city gathering so many different cultures. When you come to work in Luxembourg, you usually remember only the ride from home to work. But some people might not know how beautiful the city is once you start to wander around the streets. On one hand you have all the buildings and the constant evolution of the city, on the other hand the capital offers many great green areas to relax. It is also a very big city to visit, but of course when you come to work here for a couple of months, you may not have a car.

How about a bike ride then? You can find more than 50 bike stations to rent a bike and go around the city. There are many great spots to visit, such as the Grund, the Clausen Hill, or Place d’Armes for example. Or if you want to see more of Mother Nature, you can stop by one of the three nature reserves of Luxembourg. Why not go for a picnic by a river or a lake? Or go on a hike on the Mullerthal trail? There are so many different cycling path you can find on Luxembourg’s Touristic Office website.

The bike ride is very cheap, a one year subscription is worth 15.00€. A good way to discover your city and to be green at the same time, isn’t it?

Don’t hesitate to share with us pictures of you architectural discoveries !

A weekend in the Big Apple

We mentioned in a previous article that flatsharing was about making new discoveries and, of course, sharing them with others. 

This week, we moved to New York to discover how flatsharing was done on the other side of the Atlantic. 

With its hundred of thousands of students, New York is definitely one of the most popular destinations in terms of flatsharing. Universities offer dorms, usually shared with other roommates but apartments with 2, 3, 4 or 6 flatmates flourish all over the city. 

We have met a some of these flat mates to understand how it is to live in the city that never sleeps. 

Students from Columbia university answered our questions:

Question: Is it expensive to live in NYC?

Answer: Living in New York is very much expensive. Rents are not easily affordable and that makes flatsharing a great solution to avoid living too far from the Uni. 

Question: Is it easy to find an apartment?

Answer: People tend to find their apartment thanks to the ads posted at Uni. Since so many students come and go, there are always apartments freeing themselves for new comers. 

Question: What are the benefits of living in a flat share?

Answer: Sharing the expenses! And getting to know people in a new city and discovering it with them. Sharing tips and great spots to enjoy the city. 

Question: Would you do a flatsharing somewhere else?

Answer: My experience with flatsharing was great even counting in the moments of frustration we experienced with one of our roommate! I will definitely choose a flat share again  and actually I am moving to Rome where I have found a new flat share already. 

Question: Would you enjoy an all-in flatshare?

Answer: It would be great to have a professionnel offer a service of flatshare where we can be sure of what we are booking. And it would make things easier of the room/flat was already furnished.

Here are some of the response we got from the students at Columbia university that are preparing there graduation. 

Flatsharing is definitely there choice of predilection when it comes to accommodation in foreign countries. Will it be yours? 

Our trip in New York is not over yet, follow us on Instagram to see the rest of our adventures in the Big Apple! 

How to become the « perfect » roommate in 10 lessons

Living in a flatshare is rather nice provided you follow a few rules. Furnished lists for you the 10 rules to follow to become the ideal roommate.

1. Tranquility and calm
Flatsharing necessarily means sharing several spaces together. You are at home, of course, but it is not needed to make all your phone calls from the living room, to put the TV in the background, to play the guitar in the dining room. Respect the tranquility of the place, especially if your roommates are working!

2. Sharing of tasks
No, your roommates are not your maids! It is essential to set up a schedule of household chores to be done in your home and to distribute the work fairly. You will live in a healthier environment knowing that you have done your part.

3. Respect for privacy
Everyone’s room and everyone will be happy! So, you always knock before entering the private areas of the other occupants of the flat. Same for the bathroom and toilet, especially if your flatshare is mixed.

4. Caring and positive spirit!
Between roommates, we give each other a hand, we help to move a piece of furniture, to fillout paperwork … In short, we are present as we would be with friends and we remain positive in case of problems! This is the best way to make friends and especially to maintain a good atmosphere.

5. Clear and frank communication
Communication and honesty are also assets to have good relations with your roommates and avoid frustrations. Do not keep what’s wrong with you, be clear and say it calmly. There is bound to be a solution and you will find it together.

6. Pay your share
Money matters must be settled as quickly as possible. It’s not complicated, just share all the fees according to the number of people sharing your accommodation. Expenses equally divided will not create any conflict. And do not be late to pay your dues.

7. Minimize the number of big parties
You like big parties, so much the better, but that may not be the case with your roommates. So, avoid organizing one every weekend. And, by the way, even if your roommates like it from time to time, they may end up getting tired of seeing a crowd come home every night!

8. Avoid inviting « weird » buddies
Of course, you can invite friends, but know how to choose them! Indeed, your boyfriend, with his gritty jokes, or your friend with well-defined political ideas may not please your roommates. In short, do not mix genres to avoid unpleasant surprises.

9. Be clean and organized
Be clean everyday. Do not leave your dirty dishes lying in the sink, leave the toilets and the bathroom clean behind your , put away your books that invade the living room … In short, once again, be respectful of others by being organized. If you do not do it for yourself, do it for your roommates, they will be delighted.

10. Cooking for roommates
From time to time, do not hesitate to please your roommates by organizing a small dinner, by cooking a dessert, improvising an aperitif! There is nothing better to create a warm atmosphere between you and get to know each other little by little.

Behind the scenes of the administration in Luxembourg

As is the case every year, the Direct Tax Administration (CDA) will send taxpayers their tax deductions form. Said like that, it seems very daunting but the reality behind it is very important for newcomers.

Indeed, without this tax deduction form, the amount retained from your salary is quite consequent!

This form allows then your employer to apply the exact tax deduction on your remuneration. 

It is therefore very important to check the data in the form to avoid any unnecessary taxation.

The beauty of the Luxembourguish administration is that the tax slip is updated automatically, excepting you change your address and you are a non-resident taxpayer.

You have not yet received your tax deduction sheet? No worries, the RTS offices are open every morning from 8am to 11:45am to welcome you and assist you with your deduction form

Little tip: it is advisable to wait until March 1st before contacting the RTS office to report that you have not received your form as it can take up to that date to be sent to you.

Apartment pictures: Professional or amateur?

Real estate is starting to catch up with the rest of the world with technologies worthy of the future. VR to visit new apartments without coming out of the agency office and photos taken mostly by iPhones.

But is it really a good strategy to save money by not hiring a professional? After all, the game of real estate, especially in the case of a flatsharing is based on pictures and how attractive they are.

Only a professional photographer will be able to draw the quintessence of a room. And while people want « real » pictures, a photographer will be able to not only capture the room’s image but also its atmosphere. Airbnb has understood this concept and employs more than 3000 professional photographers around the world, involving them systematically for each posting. And for good reason, having professional pictures taken makes it more than 2.5 times more likely to score a reservation!

That is why at Furnished, we always use a professional photographer for each of our rooms: to give our tenants a fair idea of volumes, brightness, and comfort but also capture the ambiance of the residence.

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