With downtown apartment occupancies at an all time high, people are settling for smaller and smaller apartments. This means that more and more people are running out of space for their belongings. Do you hold a yard sale and sell what you don’t really need or do you call the local self storage place and rent a shed? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of both ideas.

The first question you should ask yourself is how permanent is you current living situation. If you see yourself living in an apartment like the one you are in now for the next few years, it may be time to sell some of your extra belongings since storing them for that long a period of time could get expensive. If you see yourself buying a bigger place in the near future, than hold on to your things and simply pay what you have to to store them.

You can also go through your entire belongings one by one and sell the things you really don’t need. Many people buy things like skis or exercise equipment with the best of intensions only to realize that they don’t really use them after all. Websites like Craigslist will allow you to place individual ads for items so that you don’t have to hold a complete yard sale.

If you do choose to store your items, make sure you choose your storage facility wisely. Most storage facilities offer climate control and around the clock security, but not all of them do. Check online to see if you can find crime statistics and ask the people who run the storage facility if they have had any recent break-ins or security lapses. If you can’t find a climate controlled facility, you might as well throw your belongings away since mold, mildew and pests will likely do them in anyway.

If you are new to apartment renting, you may be surprised at all of the extra add-ons that you can choose from. You may be able to pick from vaulted ceilings, a water view or the use of a garage. On the surface, renting a garage may seem like a great idea, but there are a few things you should do before you sign on the dotted line.

First, call your car insurance company to find out how much your insurance is going to change now that you live at your new address. You will need to have some basic information to give to your car insurance company, such as your work address, so they can figure your new rates. One area in which you might be able to save significantly is if you use a covered or secured parking area to park your car. Depending on your neighborhood, the car you drive and how secure the garage is, you may be able to save a ton on your car insurance.

Try and take a look at car crime statistics in your area. Most cities have these statistics available on the Internet and you can see how much safer your car will be if you lock it up at night. If the lock on the garage is flimsy and your landlord doesn’t want to let you put your own lock on the door, than it might not be worth it, but if the garage is secure, it might be worth the extra investment.

Many people simply decide to park their car outside, but don’t think of the consequences. Not only are you allowing leaves and tree debris to cover your car year round, you will be much more susceptible to bird waste and to irresponsible drivers who might ding your car and drive away. If your car is worth anything at all, then it is probably a good idea to park it in a safe and secure spot like a garage.

Sometimes, no matter how well you plan out your budget, things happen that blow everything out of the water. We all know that rent is due at the first of the month, but what happens when the money just isn’t there. Every lease out there has a different rule about when rent has to be paid by. Some of these clauses are influenced by state or local law so it is important that you understand clearly when rent has to be paid by and what the penalties are if you can’t meet the deadline. Here are a few other tips on how to handle late rent.

First, be in clear communication with your landlord or management company the moment you know that you won’t have rent in on time. Believe it or not, if you treat your landlord with respect and honesty, you have a much better chance of being treated in the same way. That’s not to say that your late fees will be automatically forgiven, but there is at least a chance that could happen if you are honest and up front about your situation.

Some leases allow you to pay rent as late as the third of the month without penalty while others absolutely require you to pay on the first. You don’t want to get into the habit of paying late, but if you know this clause exists you will be in better shape.

Finally, know exactly how much your landlord can legally charge you in late fees per day. If you think the amount is too high, talk to a renters rights representative in your area to find out. If you are renting from a big corporation, chances are they are playing by the rules, but if you are renting from an individual, they may hope that you don’t check to see if they are fleecing you or not.

If you have found yourself rapidly running out of room in your apartment, it may be time for a yard sale. However, if you live in a downtown core, you may not have much in the way of yard to speak of. Here are a few tips for holding a successful yard sale in the middle of a big city.

First off, talk to your landlord or building management team to find out how you exactly go about this. It may be possible that such sales are illegal or you may need a permit of some kind. These permits are usually only a few dollars and are only required to stop homeless people from selling items on the street.

Once you have the legal hurdles out of the way, you can set up your table and get to work. It is important to note, however, that many cities in North America such as Washington D.C., Toronto and San Francisco are dealing with issues regarding bed bugs, and no single activity spreads bugs like yard sales. Put up a small sign on your table noting that you and all of your items are infestation free, otherwise you may have trouble selling anything.

You want to keep a close eye on everything during your yard sale, especially if you begin to attract a crowd. Try to get another person to help you for an hour or two, otherwise things may begin to disappear from your table while you are helping other people.

You also don’t want to keep a cash box out where people can see it. Keep any change you are using for your yard sale in your pocket so no one else can get to it. Remember also that the lower your prices are, the faster things will sell.

If you are not able to get a permit or if yard sales are absolutely forbidden, you can always use Craigslist to sell things.