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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
APARTMENT GUIDE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16. 2005
Mission possible: cheap, great décor
BY NATE McGINNIS
correspondent@kansan.com
KANSAN CORRESPONDENT
Moving into a new house or apartment is like having a blank canvas waiting to be painted. The problem is that most students find their canvas a little bare either because of lack of money or ideas. The solution lies in a little creativity, not lots of money.
in a little creativity, not lots of it.
A simple way to cover up dull, white
wall space is with a can of paint. Home
Depot, 1910 W. 31st St., sells gallons of
interior wall paint ranging in price from
$18-35 and spray paint for as little as 99
cents. Painting is a quick and easy way to
brighten up a room, but make sure to check
with your landlord before you paint. Even
though most complexes repaint the walls
after each tenant, they might not be too
keen on using 10 coats of white paint to
cover up the midnight black color you used
in your room.
Kyle Gorynski, Topeka sophomore, and his roommates decorated their house with paint they found in the basement when they moved in. They all chipped in to make the kitchen several different colors.
"I like the way we did our kitchen," Gorynski said, "because it is a unique thing we all took part in that makes it feel like home."
The house Gorynski lives in on Mississippi Street has been rented by students for years. Gorynski said that by adding his own artwork in the kitchen he would be passing down something to the house's next tenants.
house's next tenants.
If you live in a complex that doesn't allow you to paint or you fear getting paint on your Uggs, many Lawrence stores offer great alternatives to a simple paint job.
The Third Planet, 846 Massachusetts St., is a unique shop that has been a mainstay downtown for many years. With such popular items as tapestries, posters, vintage metal signs and Buddha statues, there's a good chance you can find something funky and affordable to decorate your place with.
decorate your place with.
Some students take a more relaxed approach to decorating than the usual, and try to work with what they and their roommates already have. Layla Habibi, Wichita sophomore, lives with three roommates in Jefferson Commons, 2511 W. 31st. St., and enjoys the unique items each person brought from her former residence.
brought from her former residence.
"I have my entire life to match and live in a picturesque living room," Habibi said,
"but since I am in college I really just want to have a bunch of cool stuff, whether they match or not."
For decorations, Habibi shops at Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa St., and Target, at 3201 Iowa St., for the low prices. Habibi said these stores were good alternatives to places like Bed Bath & Beyond, 3106 Iowa St., because she was short on cash.
St., because she was short on cash. "If I had the money I would shop there," says Habibi, "because they have some very unique items that not a lot of people have, but sometimes they are too expensive."
Wherever you choose to shop or whatever mantra you invoke during your decorating endeavor, one simple rule can be applied: Your options are limited only by your own creativity. With a little imagination, some thorough shopping and some initiative, anyone can have a superbly decorated place without spending an exorbitant amount of money, time or effort.
Kyle Gorynski, Topela sophomore; Tyler Anderson, New York junior; Drew McKay, Lee's Summit sophomore; and Andrew Kissel, Montgomery, Ala., sophomore, talk in the kitchen of their house, 1140 Mississippi St. Thursday. The group decorated their kitchen with paint found in their basement. Nicoletta Nlosi/KANSAN
- Edited by Jesse Truesdale
Sheena Jacobi, Cedar Falls, Iowa, junior, and Janeel Huelat, Pittsburg senior, shop for the best price on laundry softener last week at Dillon's, 1740 Massachusetts.
Grocery shopping with personality
One would think that after nearly four years of college I would have learned the essentials of grocery shopping. Unfortunately, I am still a novice when it comes to "paper or plastic" and organizing my pantry. With all the mandatory classes that the University of Kansas offers, I would choose Grocery Shopping 101 as the latest addition. Even with the guidance of my friends and family, I cannot seem to perfect the art of food purchasing.
to perfect the use of children.
There are certain individuals, however, who have grocery shopping down to a science. They pull into the hot spots in the parking lot with confidence, snag the well-oiled shopping carts and skillfully move through the express lanes.
LAUREN DEBIAK
conduct@kansan.com
Of course, what supermarket trip would be complete without an encounter with an angry shopper? These individuals can be irritated mothers, frustrated fathers or sassy senior citizens. One thing is for sure: They share a striking resemblance to "Supermarket Sweep" contestants, violently throwing elbows to be the first customers to greet the butcher with a long list of fish and meats. These customers have supermarket madness and spare no mercy for onlookers or stragglers. They are not difficult to spot, either. They dash
correspondent@kansas.com through the aisles toasting rice cakes and soda into their baskets with a child in one hand and a cell phone in the other.
When I arrive at SuperTarget, my grocery store of choice, I walk in with an open mind and an empty stomach. That may be my first mistake. Although I never seem to have time to make a list or cut coupons, I do my best to maintain a level of objectivity when purchasing the bare necessities — Smart Ones meals, pickles and wheat bread.
Often meals, pots and strolling down the aisles when I should be pacing the perimeter, I imagine myself preparing gourmet cuisine that would make Martha Stewart weep for joy. How I habitually end up with the same microwavable meals that take 10 minutes to cook and even less time to consume is beyond me.
to consume
I have found that grocery shopping is a fascinating way to discover a person's preferences and personality
traits. Impulse buys, such as a hanging plant or a delightful scented candle, may demonstrate an individual's spontaneity, whereas Save Brand basics can indicate a more conservative approach to life. The decision between creamy and crunchy peanut butter can be difficult, but the determining factor is how the shopper handles that situation.
Maybe when I am older, and hopefully wiser, I will have acquired the skills needed to be a Grade A shopper. For now, I think college students should have their own formula. For instance, some students prefer hand-held baskets, to maneuver easily through aisles. I am more of a shopping cart girl, myself. I like knowing that if I needed to race a motorized cart to the checkout lane, it would be available. Also, while many shoppers appreciate the food samples provided, I try desperately to dodge the friendly faces behind the booths. I have no idea how long those tiny hot dogs have been sitting out, and I am not willing to take that chance.
Grocery shopping is entertaining, but I suppose it is a good thing that pizza delivery remains a reliable option.
* Debiak is a Lenexa senior in journalism.
WEDNES
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