3 Steps to a Cleaner Bathroom

CHS Student Residents, Welcome to our Vlog! Today, I wanted to share with you 3 simple steps that I take to clean my bathroom. It goes without saying how important it is to take care of the space we are living in—not only for ourselves but for those who live with us. You’ll feel better about taking care of your bathroom and you’ll more than likely have a happier roommate.

So, the first thing I do is collect all of the dirty items in my bathroom and throw them into a pile outside of the door for washing. Then I take a basic cleaner and simple rag that can easily be found at the dollar store and start with the least dirty thing, for example: the mirror, then work my way to the sink, shower, and lastly, the toilet. This will not only save you time but will save you towels as you will only need one cleaning towel if you work in this way to clean everything.

After all is finished, I then take the cleaning towel, toss it in the pile of dirty bathroom rugs and hand towels and then toss it all in the wash. It’s easy as one, two, three. And you will definitely thank yourself later. If you do this once a week, it will be an easy ten minutes of your time and a lot less stressful for everyone involved. Let us know how this works for you and if you have any questions or suggestions for videos.

What Happens If There Is a Vacancy in My Apartment?

Please keep these tips in mind if you have roommates moving out of your apartment.

Keep your apartment clean and follow the community and CHS rules. This will reduce your chances of being chosen for an involuntary transfer.

Be on the lookout for a new roommate notice. This is typically provided approximately 2 weeks in advance of a new person moving into your apartment.

CHS will conduct an inspection the day before a new roommate is scheduled to move in. If your apartment is not ready for a new roommate, professional cleaners may be sent in and current residents may be charged accordingly.

Remember, cooperation in making your apartment ready and inviting for your new roommate will avoid potential cleaning charges and welcome your new roommate appropriately!

Please see your DOH for more details.

Where do I get furniture?

Remember the time you first moved out from living with your parents, and you felt like the weight of the world had lifted from your shoulders, only to realize you never really thought about details such as: “How and where do I get furniture?” Yeah. We’ve been there! 

We understand that things like furniture, utilities, rent, food, etc. can add up pretty quickly. That list of necessities could make or break your choice of where you should, and even could, live… Not to mention, if moving out is actually even a realistic option anymore. And then you realize that sleeping on the floor, or on a friend’s couch, isn’t a plan for success. 

When putting together our housing program, we did so with you in mind. We thought about the different scenarios and situations that each person may, or will, find themselves in and we created something that not only works, but is doable for you! That is why, when you choose to become a student resident with CHS, your apartment isn’t completely empty when you arrive. At Collegiate Housing Services, we provide a bed, dresser, night table and lamp for you in your bedroom. Also, a couch, dining table and chairs for your living space, and a fridge and other appliances for your kitchen. We also typically have an onsite laundry facility at the apartment complexes, so that you don’t have to travel outside of your living quarters to get laundry done. It’s the best setup for your school season! What more could you ask for?

Let us know how we can help you get started with our housing program today! 

Resident Life at CHS

You know how moving to another space makes way for you to meet new people, make new friends and start out on your own cool adventure? Some of you are reading this and thinking “Yes! I love it. I enjoy meeting new people.” Then there is the other of you reading this thinking, “I dread this part of the transition. Meeting new people is so challenging for me.” At Collegiate Housing Services, we make it easier for you to meet new people and make new friends with our “Resident Life” events.

Resident Life events are where other student residents, from many different backgrounds of study, come together over games, food, contests, and various other planned nights of fun! We understand that the transition can be super taxing; not to mention the load of a school schedule. So we know how helpful it can be when you are surrounded by a community and have an outlet for good old fashioned fun, in a safe and friendly environment.  CHS is constantly drumming up new ideas to get together and build new friendships. Each activity and dates differ by campus. Please reach out to your local CHS staff for upcoming Resident Life events. And if you have any ideas for an event in your area, please let us know!

Is it Rent or is it a Housing Fee?

Over the years, many have asked questions about our student housing “rent.” “Why is it that price?” What does this include?” Today, we wanted to break this down and give you an inside scoop into what it is we offer, and why we call it a housing fee instead of rent.

A typical rent payment for an apartment, house, loft, etc. covers just that: basic rent for the space! At Collegiate Housing Services, the monthly housing fee covers much more than just a place to live. The payment covers your housingneeds above and beyond what you would find at your typical place of residence.

Collegiate Housing Services’ housing fee includes:

  1. Rent – This covers the space you reside in.
  2. Utilities – In a typical housing setup, utilities are handled separately. You usually need to call and set up—pay a deposit and wait for someone to come out and turn on. Not with us! With Collegiate Housing Services, this is included in your monthly housing fee. (Note that if students decide to leave lights, television etc. on 24/7 they could be responsible for excessive overages)
  3. Furniture – We provide a fully furnished living space so that you can come right in and make yourself at home. This prevents you from the “movers process” of buying, renting, loading and unloading furniture. Our goal is to create a space for students to feel at home, while they are away from home, so that our residents can study and focus on their classes.
  4. Resident Life Events – What is Resident Life? We know the importance of community and connection. Our student housing program creates a way for our residents to connect with other students in similar fields. We know that building friendships can help students when school gets downright tough. Our events range from bowling nights, go cart racing, sporting events, games, prizes and food!
  5. Financial Protection – The CHS housing program includes an individual student lease.  So you don’t have to worry about your roommate paying their share of the expenses!  And, if there is a vacancy in your apartment, your expenses will not increase!  
  6. CHS Staff – As a parent, the anxiety  of your child moving away for school is a transition in and of itself. To face this as a student is almost always challenging. We don’t expect you to tackle this alone. Please know that we have onsite staff at your campus and RA’s at many apartment communities to assist you with any questions, issues or concerns you may have. Our staff has been trained to take care of needs and problems that may arise and to encourage you along the way.

All of the features listed above are included in your housing fee. At Collegiate Housing Services, we want to see our student residents thrive and not have to worry about these logistical issues.  Is the CHS housing fee more than basic apartment rent?  Yes, but look at all that is included in our fee! 

For more information about our housing programs, speak to one of our housing team or click here to learn more.

What Does Collegiate Housing Services Really Offer?

When it comes to student housing, many different thoughts and ideas begin to swirl in our minds. If you’re a parent, you may wonder how your student will be able to get everything they need, find roommates and live in close proximity to their campus. If you’re a student, you’re probably wondering how you are going to afford the expenses that living away from home brings. And if you’re a college campus, you may question whether or not Collegiate Housing Services can set this up in a way that everyone will benefit from an off-campus living experience. Here you will find some of those budding questions answered in reference to the student housing services we offer and how they will benefit you, no matter what position you are in.

Does Collegiate Housing Services own a housing complex near the campus that I will attend?

While we do place you in an apartment that is near your campus, we do not own these complex’s. We partner with trusted, affordable communities near your campus that are willing to set aside apartments for our student residents in order to ensure availability, affordability and a student-friendly lease.

Do I need to have a perfect credit score in order to apply?

No. Our student housing has been set up with you in mind. We understand that this is the first time most of our student residents have ever lived on their own. It isn’t realistic to expect a credit score of perfection or even a few months of rent in advance in order to provide you with student housing. We meet you where you are. Give us a call today or send us an email with any questions you may have with the application process.

When it comes to most apartments, understandably, you have to bring your own furniture. What does that process look like with Collegiate Housing Services?

We pride ourselves in the details. That is why we have taken the liberty of furnishing each apartment, so that our residents do not have to arrive to an empty space. Things like beds, couch, and chairs are in place when our student residents arrive.

What about roommates, do I have to find them or does Collegiate Housing Services help me? And what if one of them leaves during the school year? Will I be stuck with a higher payment?

Here at Collegiate Housing Services, when you apply for our Shared Housing Program, we ask several questions to learn about the applicant and to find out what kind of roommates would be best suited to live in that apartment. If you find that you were paired with someone and the living situation isn’t working out, we can work together to move you to another place inside of our housing program. On top of that, should anyone leave during the year, you are completely covered by our individual lease protection. Our individual lease keeps you financially protected from roommate move-outs or nonpayment, so your housing payment will stay the same, for the length of your initial lease.

This all sounds great but how much extra will all of this cost, and what about utilities?

Your housing payment includes everything we spoke about above; including utilities. It’s all one package deal so you don’t have to worry about leaving one of our services behind because we bring all of this in one affordable price. Not to mention, we have staff available just for our residents, should you have any questions or issues arise. We also have what we call “Resident Life” events. This is where we’ve made time, space and activities available for our student residents to connect and have some fun!

We certainly hope we’ve answered many of your questions in today’s blog article for Collegiate Housing Services! We would like to hear from you. Please leave us a comment or reach out to us.

May Housing Tip

Do I Really Need To Separate My Laundry

Color matters because dyes can bleed, with red and blue fabric causing the most trouble, according to Mary Zeitler, a consumer scientist at Whirlpool Corporation’s Institute of Home Science. “However, after a few washes, dyes become less likely to release and transfer to other clothing,” she explains.

It’s not just when you wash, but how you wash your clothes also matters to unwanted color crossover. Dyed pants (e.g., jeans) will stay blue (or black) longer when they’re washed inside-out; their outer-dyed surface won’t rub against as many other clothes. And, using cool water in the wash can help cut down on bleeding for all colors.

 

April Housing Tip

Car Savvy Advice For Your Apartment Complex

Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

We know that sometimes you just have to be somewhere in a hurry. Whether you’re late for class or work… or just trying to get home to catch the latest episode of Fast n’ Loud. (We’re addicted too.) But, speeding through your apartment community is serious business. There are people all around you, not to mention those pesky speed bumps. Watch your speed to save damage to your vehicle, and others. Save the speeding bullet thing for Superman.

 

 

March Housing Tip

Cut Down On March Madness With Your Neighbors

Yep, it’s that time again…March Madness! We love the Cinderella match ups and competitions just like the next guy. But your neighbors may not share our same enthusiasm. Keep these things in mind during the games to prevent “March Neighbor Madness.”

  1. There are people living on all sides of you. They most likely can hear your cheers!

  2. Jumping, stomping or doing somersaults off your couch can be felt by your neighbors.

  3. After your team wins or loses, remember when you go outside to be considerate of others. Some neighbors my be trying to sleep.

 

Employee Spotlight | Jeff Hayes

Name: Jeff Hayes
Position: Vice President of Housing Services
Location: Corporate Office

What is your favorite part of your job?
I have been in the lodging and housing industry for over twenty-five years. I truly enjoy providing a “home” away from “home” experience for our guests and clients. It is always a stressful time to be living in temporary housing and away from your permanent home, anything we can do to go the extra mile, make our guests feel as if they are among friends and family is very rewarding. We do this by having fun ourselves and providing good service to each other. I recognize this can be a tough business that we are in, however, when we approach it with a service and hospitality mindset it is very rewarding.

What kind of hobbies or activities do you enjoy doing outside of work?
In the winter, I enjoy attending my son’s hockey games and skiing with my daughter. During the summer I enjoy playing golf and spending time on the water boating and fishing.

What are your favorite sports teams?
Minnesota Wild Hockey
Purdue Basketball
Pittsburgh Steelers
Minnesota Twins

Do you have a favorite quote or saying?
“There are no traffic jams along the extra mile!”

What is your greatest achievement?
Creating a close knit family and raising two children, who are now teenagers.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned?
“Seek first to understand, do not rush to judgment”

Is there a “fun fact” about yourself you’d like to share?
I grew up in Elkhart, IN and have strong ties to Indiana. Most of my extended family is from Elkhart and Crawfordsville. I lived in Indianapolis for four years.