8 Home Flaws to Stop Feeling Guilty About

While it's easy to get consumed by all the actions you want to take to physically improve your space, we want to take a moment to focus on bettering the way we think about our space. In short, we want to let go of the guilt we have over our home's imperfections.

To get you on your merry way toward home love, here are eight things to stop feeling guilty about:
Still Renting

Your best friend has a white picket fence and walls she can paint without needing to ask permission. You, meanwhile, are still sending off rent checks every month and crossing your fingers that the flatscreen you mounted in the wall won't mean saying goodbye to your deposit when you move out — if you ever move out. I get it; I've been there. While it seems like everyone you know is moving on to greener pastures, in reality, you're not alone. Instead of having home ownership envy, focus on all the perks of renting, like having a landlord to manage and pay for all maintenance.
Designs in Progress

When I moved into my current apartment, I discovered that all the living room furniture from my previous home was a complete mismatch in the new space. Financially unable to overhaul the entire room at once, I spent months redecorating, inching toward my vision one baby step at a time. Eventually the room reached a liveable place, but for one old and dirty love seat. Ashamed of the incongruous furniture piece, I insisted on leaving a swatch of the fabric I was planning on (one day) reupholstering it in as a means of explanation. A year later, the swatch looked more ridiculous than explanatory. I finally removed it and owned the mismatched seat as it was.
Hacks and DIYs

Yes, it would be great to have real hardwood floors, but for now wood laminate will have to do. Make the best of what you have spending what you can afford, and don't apologize for it. An Ikea kitchen remodel, Craigslist bedroom set, or DIY bathroom tile job should be domestic badges of honour, not reason to feel inferior or ashamed. One of the best pieces of furniture in my house is a media console I found on the street corner, took home, and refinished, and I love to brag about how little ($30 in all!) the project cost.
Dead Houseplants

There are numerous benefits to having live flora and fauna in the house — unfortunately, these benefits can only be reaped if the plant is kept alive. Despite successfully caring for a dog and baby, I have yet to keep a potted plant going for more than a month. Que sera, sera. Faux ferns it is for this black thumb.
A Visible Television

Televisions feel like an eyesore, but they're an unavoidable part of home life. As long as you haven't focused your entire living room around the screen, there's no need to feel guilty. If it's going to be in the room anyway, might as well accept it and be grateful today's models are sleeker and less aesthetically disruptive than the bulky tube models of yesteryear.
Some Dirt and Messiness

Your co-worker's home looks positively spotless in the background of the baby pic she posted on Instagram, but in reality, ruffled blankets, piles of toys, and dirty dishes were merely pushed out of the tiny square frame. Homes get dirty. It's an inevitable byproduct of living in them. Cleaning as you go is the best way to quell the chaos, but on any given day you could run out of time to make your bed or load the dishwasher. It happens, and it's OK — even if guests come over and see it. A little grime or clutter doesn't classify you as a slob, just as a human.
Outdated Rooms

You moved in with big ideas for updating the bathroom and overhauling the kitchen — and then the property taxes increased and the plumbing went, along with your reno budget. You are not the ugly tiles on your kitchen backsplash, and no one is judging you for them. Eventually they will reflect your design aesthetic, but Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your dream home. Stop fretting, and make the best of what you have right now.
Large and Beloved Collections

When you live in a small space, shelves flowing with books, rows of antique teacups, and racks of shoes take up valuable real estate. While it's always a good idea to sort through and clean out these collections regularly, don't feel bad for having them. Your home is defined by you — your interests and passions — and your collection is a part of this that you shouldn't give up entirely. Quite on the contrary, we recommend you display them with thought and gusto. 

Resource:http://www.popsugar.com.au/home/Home-Flaws-OK-Have-42188210

Adopt-A-Family Uniform Drive helps change students' lives

Every August when I write about Kevin Buckel's Adopt-A-Family Uniform Drive, I also write a check. I feel compelled to because it's such a perfect program and helps so many children.

I know that every dollar raised goes to buy school uniforms, and I love getting thank you notes from the kids. Usually, the notes are from elementary school students, and they're illustrated with rainbows and crooked houses and smiling children wearing new uniforms. But last year, I got a note from a junior high student that took up a whole page.

She said her house had burned down and that she did not know where she would end up or how her parents would find the money to buy her and her brothers new uniforms and other clothes. She explained how worried she was about her future.

"Then about a week before school I found out that we had uniforms," she wrote. "I was so happy I was jumping out of my skin. That means that we are one step closer to getting our new home and getting everyone situated. You have made a really big step in our lives, and I can't thank you enough."

Her words reminded me of the whole purpose of the program, and why Buckel began it back in the '90s.

In 1992, touched by the poverty of many New Orleans families, he dreamed up his nonprofit Adopt-A-Family program, a way for groups with something to give to help families living on the edge. He asked schools, civic groups and church groups to collect household goods for people who'd lost their belongings in a fire or were moving out of a shelter into an apartment. It helped families dealing with a crisis.

His Adopt-A-Family Uniform Drive grew out of his program. When he was getting Adopt-A-Family started, New Orleans public schools were adding uniforms, and parents would tell him uniforms for their kids were what they needed most.

He figured out a plan that has been outfitting the city's neediest children for more than two decades. It works like this:

People send contributions in any amount, and school social workers identify students and use $50 vouchers to buy two complete uniforms for them. Everyone who supports the program gets a thank-you note and a receipt for the uniform purchase.

Buckel, who moved to Long Beach, Miss., years ago, works with school social workers to make sure uniforms go to the students most in need, and two local businesses help with the paperwork and costs of running the drive.

Staff members at Pedelahore & Company, a New Orleans accounting firm, copy and mail the receipts and send out the thank-you notes, and the company also donates the postage. 

Cynthia Cabibi Bird writes the checks and does the bookkeeping, and her father's law firm, Cabibi and Cabibi in Metairie, does an audit every year to make sure all the money goes towards uniforms.

"All of us, working together, make a good team," Buckel said, when I talked to him a few days ago. "Every year, when the checks start coming in, I feel a certain responsibility and obligation to make sure we're doing it right."

Last year, one of the most successful since Hurricane Katrina, the drive outfitted 970 students across the New Orleans area. This year, the needs are as great as ever, and schools are already opening.

At Arise Academy on St. Claude Avenue, which opened this past week, school social worker Kathleen Stevens sent Buckel a request to cover 51 of her students.

"I had more requests than I usually have," she said, when I talked to her on Wednesday. "I am surrounded by uniforms in my office."

She was grateful that Buckel was able to get them to her so quickly.

"I sent him an email, and he approved my request in a day, and I had the uniforms a few days later," she said. "The uniforms mean we have no bullying because of clothes. They help the students blend in with their peers."

Stevens was a second-grade teacher at Arise before she moved to Chicago to go to graduate school and become a social worker. She never planned to move back to the city.

"But you can't get away from New Orleans, and whenever I came back to visit, Arise was always one of my first stops," she said. "We have a great sense of community here, and I've been able to see a lot of the kids grow up."

For Paula Brandon, the mother of two sons and a daughter who attend Esperanza Charter School on South Carrollton Avenue, Buckel's drive is a godsend, though she never expected to be on the receiving end of it.                                 

"I donated so many uniforms over the years to help other families, thinking 'One day that could be me,' but I never really thought it would be," she said.

Then this past year she had to move her children from the house they were renting because the owner wanted to sell it. Her new home in Gentilly is more expensive, and she isn't getting as many hours of work at City Park as she needs right now.

"I do weddings, and things are slow because it's hurricane season," she said. "I clean houses, too, but school starts so early this year, and I just don't have the money for uniforms."

Her daughter is in kindergarten, and her boys are 9 and 13, and quickly outgrow their clothes.

"They're good children. They're awesome kids," she said, " I really wanted them to have nice uniforms when school opened."

When she went online, she found Buckel's program, and she called him to see how she could qualify for it.

"I got a phone call back, and he told me how to get the help I need," she said. "He was just so nice. He understands that everybody goes through rough times."

Buckel -- who is director of sales and marketing for Ship Island -- has never forgotten the roots of his program. He still matches up families in jeopardy with those who are able to help. This July, when he sent out letters to donors, he reminded us that he also needs gently-used household items, furniture, toys, books -- things people starting over might need.

"I'm working with with five or six homeless families right now," he said.

He recently delivered items to a family of six in eastern New Orleans who had almost nothing in the rugged place where they were staying.

"It was really eye-opening. I felt like I was in a third-world country," he said. "The woman told me, 'I'm just glad I've got a place to live.' It's one step at a time when you're in those situations."

Since he sent out the letters, Buckel has been hearing from people who have items they'd like to donate, but no way to deliver them. So he's looking for a volunteer or two.

"I'm getting offers of a lot of good stuff, but I need someone with a pickup -- maybe a retired person who knows the city, who'd like to give me a little help," he said.

That's all Buckel has asked of us from the beginning: A little help.

He started the Adopt-A-Family Program nearly a quarter of a century ago, and it's still going strong. He's learned that all of us, working together, make a good team.

Checks should be made out to Adopt-A-Family and sent to Adopt-A-Family Uniform Drive, P.O. Box 457, Long Beach, MS 39560.

Find out more about donating household items to the Adopt-A-Family program at www.la-adoptafamily.com. If you have a pickup and the time and desire to help struggling families, contact Buckel at 228.343.2245 to learn more about delivering donated items in the New Orleans area.

Resource: http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2016/08/adopt-a-family_uniform_drive_h.html

Pune: Rented furniture peps up living spaces of new-age city residents

The trend of hiring furniture on rent seems to be catching up among Puneites, especially the youngsters, who stay on rent or have a transferable job.

Sometime in 2015, when Mehtab Khan and his wife were planning to shift from their house in Kolkata to a rented apartment in Pune, his wife didn’t want to sell their furniture and other goods due to sentimental values attached to them.

Instead, she started looking for options that allowed her to take the furniture on rent and she stumbled upon a firm catering to her requirement. Once the couple shifted to Pune, they ordered the entire furniture for their living room and bedroom as well a television on rent. The couple pay around Rs 4,000 a month on rented furniture and appliances. The option, they say, is hassle-free and keeps them away from the worry of shifting furniture from one city to another or one apartment to another.

The trend of hiring furniture on rent seems to be catching up among Puneites, especially the youngsters, who stay on rent or have a transferable job. This is why firms are tapping the growing trend and are looking at the city as an emerging market in the furniture rental industry.
RentoMojo, which began catering to Puneites in October 2015, has been recording a steady 30 per cent month-on-month growth. Geetansh Bamania, CEO and Founder of RentoMojo, attributes it to the fact that population of those aged between 22 and 35 years is higher in Pune. “The city sees people, especially students and young IT professionals, migrating to Pune from different cities. Besides, the difference in the amount one spends on an unfurnished and furnished flat is huge. And thus, renting comes as an economical option. In Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500, one can not only take furniture for the entire house but also appliances like TV, fridge and washing machine,” said Bamania, adding, the most rented items in the city are beds, mattresses, wardrobe, bedside table, wardrobe, bean bags, study table and dressing table.

While most customers rent minimum for a year or more, there are also customers who prefer changing it every six to eight months. Anantpal Singh Saluja (28), who stays in a rented apartment in the city, is a wedding photographer and travels a lot. Pointing out another benefit of rented furniture, he says, “Other than being a convenient and economical option, this concept also offers me a choice to change my furniture anytime I want.”

Furlenco, an online furniture rental company, which started operating in Pune in April this year, rents out an array of award-winning designer furniture that is high on quality and comes with matching furnishing and decor for a minimum subscription fee of Rs 999.

Ajith Karimpana, CEO and Founder of Furlenco, a firm that designs and curates its own furniture, says, “What attracts customers to our concept of renting furniture is that it’s hassle free. We don’t want our customers to be tied down by contracts of any kind. We have affordable premium furniture, which makes setting up a home really easy. What works for us is a subscription model, which allows customers to avail facilities such as free relocation of furniture, damage waiver of up to Rs 10,000, cleaning and interior services.”

Siddhant Jajodia, a 24-year-old bachelor, says that in the last seven years, he has shifted five cities for his education. Presently, he is in Pune for his job. “Buying luxury furniture is a costly affair. Besides, when one shifts from one place to another, there’s a possibility of damage to the goods. Hence, I feel renting makes it convenient. The kind of luxury furniture I have taken on rent is not something that I can afford with my current salary,” he says.

Resource: http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/pune-rented-furniture-peps-up-living-spaces-of-new-age-city-residents-2904696/

New office' helps staff create and firms profit

TOKYO —

The office is changing. No longer just the place we go to work, it has become much more entwined with corporate identity and the way staff see themselves.

Indeed, an office that is designed well can be a hub for collaboration, creativity, productivity, and safety. It can also be a place for fun; a space that enhances the wellbeing of workers.

Conversely, poorly designed offices can not only taint the reputation of a company, but can lead to financial loss, low productivity, dissatisfaction, and poor health.

It comes as no surprise, then, that the office design and creation industry is experiencing change. But it is not only the space and its furnishings that are undergoing a revival. Where, how, and with whom we work are also evolving.

WORK–LIFE

The business case for a well-designed office is clear, say the experts, including US-based office furniture and architectural design company Steelcase.
“The most successful organizations are now turning their attention to employee wellbeing as a way to gain emotional, financial, and competitive advantage,” it argues in issue eight of its in-house 360 Magazine.

The company points out the wealth and healthcare issues at hand. On the rise are stress- and sedentary lifestyle-related illnesses—from obesity to diabetes to heart disease.

And while greater demands are being made on the average employee, research shows that their senses are inundated with some 11 million bits of information per second; “but the conscious brain can effectively process only 40 bits of information.”

If that level of distraction leads to a person switching from one task to another, it can reduce their productivity by 40 percent.

Steelcase’s survey of over 37,000 North American workers is even more revealing: 95 percent said they need a quiet spot for private conversations; 95 percent said a quiet place for concentrated work is important; 50 percent said they don’t have pleasing views; and 30 percent said the air quality at work is poor.

And what about a company’s bottom line? The cost to the economy due to distracted and unhealthy employees is more staggering still, research shows.
Gallup’s 2013 State of Global Workplace Report shows the cost to the economy from disengaged employees in a number of countries, including the US ($450–550 billion), Germany (€112–138 billion), and the United Kingdom (£52–70 billion).

IDENTITY AND BELONGING

While the cost of a poor work environment is becoming increasingly clear, the benefits are also gaining recognition: workplace satisfaction bolsters employee engagement, productivity, and wellbeing. It also boosts the company’s corporate identity and bottom line.

In an interview with The Journal, architect and frontofficetokyo co-founder Koen Klinkers said, “The office space has become a reflection of what you want your brand to be.”

Jean-Charles Touquet, project director at Midas Company, Ltd., an office environment solutions provider based in Tokyo, agrees. And the research seems to back them up.

“One common request from our clients is design that will help them attract and retain employees,” said Touquet.

A Steelcase/Ipsos poll shows that 11 percent of workers were highly satisfied with their work environment.

These workers “were also the most highly engaged,” showing high levels of concentration (98 percent), as well as the ability to express ideas fully (97 percent), choose where to work in the office (88 percent), and feel a sense of belonging to the company (97 percent).

JAPAN LAGS

Companies in Japan lag behind those in the United States when it comes to office design. “Japanese companies do not spend as much money,” explained Hideo Sugano, president of The Design Studio, a Tokyo-based facilities consultancy and architectural design office. “That is because companies here have not noticed the importance of the office environment for the employee’s loyalty and productivity.”

Olga Vlietstra, general managing director at Servcorp, makes a similar observation, noting that the idea of serviced offices — an area in which her firm is a global player — has yet to reach its full potential.

“In the United Kingdom and the United States, the idea of a serviced office is very common; around 4 percent of every building has such offerings. In Japan, serviced buildings are less common,” she said.

Part of the reason for this, Vlietstra believes, is that there has been a tradition in Japan for companies to manage and own their property. She is bullish, however, that the services her company provides — including “virtual offices” — will continue to expand in this market.

ROAD WARRIOR

Flexible workspace provider Regus, which operates in over 977 cities in 106 countries, offers products that cover a wide range of work styles. Regus is a good option for those who need a place to work short-term as space can be reserved for five or ten days at a time. This can be especially useful for travelers, consultants, and others who occasionally need a quiet space in the city with secure Internet access and business amenities. There are also options for those with longer-term needs. “Customers can own personal desk space in a shared office environment with access to all the benefits of Regus,” explained Marketing Director for Japan Satomi Kawasaki.

MAKING WAVES

More companies in Japan are beginning to add color to their offices and are shaking off the cobwebs. US-headquartered commercial real estate services company CBRE Group Inc. is an example.

When The Journal featured CBRE in 2014, the company had just rebranded their Tokyo headquarters based on the idea of Activity-based Work (ABW) styles and eye-catching color.

ABW styles are designed to create offices in which people are “efficient, collaborative, productive, and simply happier,” the company stated in 2014. Such styles offer flexibility in how and where staff work.

Over a year after the rebranding, The Journal asked CBRE for an update. “Based on our post-move survey, we have seen the following results: 90 percent feel the current environment reflects the CBRE brand and promotes a positive image of the company,” said Laurent Riteau, director of Workplace Strategy at the company.

Additionally, more staff prefer the new work environment (88 percent), say they are more productive (76 percent), and believe the new office is a great tool for recruiting talent (79 percent).

Other improvements since the revamp include a reduction in overall real estate space (18 percent), reduction in on-site paper storage (92 percent), and room to increase headcount (more than 10 percent) without a change in layout.

CBRE’s results show that concerted efforts to reform the office environment can lead to positive results.

SERVICED OFFERINGS

In addition to Servcorp, Midas, and The Design Studio, companies such as Regus, Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd., and Space Design Inc., are making their mark on the office rental, design, and serviced buildings market in Japan by offering services such as office design and project management consultancy, furnished or unfurnished offices, bilingual secretarial support staff, and information, communications, and technology services.

Which begs the question: To whom do they cater? Inbound high-end firms wishing to establish a foothold in the Japanese market and established local firms in need of professional and modern services are examples, Servcorp’s Vlietstra said.

All of them — especially new market-entry firms (many of which are established in other markets) — want to hit the ground running, and rely on serviced office providers to ensure smooth operations here, she explained.

This is not to say there are no challenges. Speaking to The Journal, Saori Fujita, service office general manager at Space Design, explained one surprise that inbound companies may face in this market.

“The amount of deposit one pays when renting an office space in Japan may surprise non-Japanese. It is usually 6–12 months. In other countries, this rule may not apply. In such cases, we have to find an alternative solution.”

That said, Fujita and her colleague Kaoru Okabayashi have noticed a recent trend in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games: the demand for serviced apartments — something their company offers in addition to serviced offices — is rising.

Even while the concept of serviced offices takes hold in Japan, there are players to ensure needs are being met.

GET UP AND GO

According to Steelcase research, we spend more time at work (36 percent) than on anything else—more than on sleep (32 percent), leisure and sports (10 percent), caring for others (5 percent), or eating (4 percent).

The company has also identified six areas that, if improved, can lead to employee wellbeing: optimism, mindfulness, authenticity, belonging, meaning, and vitality.

Considering the last point — vitality — five design strategies are recommended: areas that give people choice over the level of sensory stimulation; easily adjustable furniture that promotes all-day movement; in-house cafés and healthy food choices; natural daylight, views, and ventilation; and support active lifestyles. In a nutshell, increased “get up and go” in the workplace.

MOVING PARTS

Institutions, companies, and communities, are taking note, and global players in the office design and creation sector—such as home and office furnishings suppliers IKEA Japan K.K. and Herman Miller Inc.—are leading the way.

One item that both companies are pioneering is the height-adjustable table. As Herman Miller Japan’s Marketing Manager Keiko Maezawa notes: “The average worker spends eight hours a day at their desk. [And] research shows that many of us sit more than we sleep.

“Height-adjustable furniture can reduce sitting time by up to 60 percent, giving great health benefits by a simple change of posture.”

IKEA Business Country Manager Alan Mackenzie sees similar opportunities in the market, adding: “We want people to get away from the idea that they are anchored to the desk.”

To this end, both companies have made innovations in office products that can be used, reassembled, repaired, and maintained repeatedly using standard parts, thereby making them sustainable.

Indeed, a trend originating in the US and Europe that is becoming prevalent in Japan is the open-design office. Modular and easy to reshape, such arrangements banish traditional dividers and cubicles. Instead, office desks are organized into easy-to-reassemble modular formats, white boards that allow for co-creation are installed, and lounge areas where people can relax are added.

The idea is to “reduce barriers to communication and mobility at work and promote camaraderie among staff.” The rest, as research shows, will follow.

THIRD PLACE

The mobile and decentralized office environment has given rise to a relatively new concept known as “the third place,” says The Design Studio’s Sugano.
He distinguishes this from the first place (home) and second place (traditional offices). The third place encompasses in-house business lounges, zoned spaces, cafeterias, coffee shops, cafés, shared offices, and co-working spaces.

Some of the top-end third place providers in Tokyo are Servcorp and The Design Studio, as well as real estate companies such as Mitsubishi Estate and Mori Building Co. Ltd.

Mori’s Academy Hills, for instance, is a co-working space that attracts businesspeople — mainly from the fields of finance, IT, and consulting — who seek spaces to work, network, and study, said Manager Hiromi Arasawa.

The mixed-use space — of which the company has three in Tokyo — offers meeting rooms, library, work stations, and café-style lounge.

Seeing opportunity for growth in this area, Mitsubishi Estate has created five co-working spaces in the Marunouchi area, Manager Yoshio Sakai told The Journal.

The location in one of Tokyo’s key business districts attracts many tech, creative, and media companies from Silicon Valley, Sakai’s colleague Asuka Kitagawa added.

NOMADIC CREATIVES

But high-end co-working spaces are just the tip of the iceberg. When Robert Millar looked into starting a co-working space in Tokyo in 2014, his research showed that there were at least 70 such places in the city. Millar is an entrepreneur catalyst who runs Ginza Hub, a shared office space that holds about 12 people from various industries.

It was access to such a community that attracted Alex Fazel, CEO of marketing consultancy Chameleons Customer Service Eigo, who joined the hub more than a year ago.

“I’ve come to realize that it’s not just the place; it’s the people. I get free consultancy from sharp individuals on a daily basis!” Fazel told The Journal.

Along similar lines, the Impact Hub Network brings creatives, founders, venture capitalists, and consultants from a number of sectors together via co-working spaces around the world, said Misaki Iwai, events and community and entrepreneurship program manager at the initiative’s Tokyo branch.
The community, Iwai explained, acts as an accelerator for startups and outsourced company projects, and has more than 15,000 members in five regions around the world.

Spacee Inc., a startup based in Impact Hub Tokyo, aims to become “the AirBnB of workplaces” according to the company’s co-founder Takuya Umeda.
Via Spacee’s platform, any unused office space in the city—such as a meeting room—can be located and used (for a fee) by anyone who happens to be in need of such a space.

COOL AND CREATIVE

A niche player in the co-working market is Lowp, a community-driven company catering to the digital arts and crafts community. “We are a worker–maker space with a focus on monozukuri, making things,” explained the company’s Social and Creative Director Guy Totaro.

“All of our residents have access to our micro-factory, which has tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and saws. This means designers working upstairs in the space can realize their ideas in the basement of the same building instead of outsourcing it.”

Lowp — which stands for “low impact, high profile” — has a fully functional gourmet kitchen that can be rented.

“The idea of the kitchen is to reimagine networking,” Totaro explained. “Rather than taking a client or family and friends to an izakaya (traditional Japanese tavern), you can cook and wine and dine with them here.”

The prospect of gourmet dining with clients and like-minded peers was one of the reasons that Andrew Peters joined the co-working space. Founder and president of Best IT, an executive search company based in Japan that serves the Asia–Pacific region, Peters was also attracted by Lowp’s “cool creative vibe, unique facilities, and convenient central location.”

Among its future offerings, the company is planning “hacker events” at which residents can repurpose everyday items such as furniture.

MIRROR OFFICE

While the digital arts and crafts movement in Japan may be in its infancy, the idea has gained a strong reputation elsewhere in the world.
Referring to the modern Maker Movement, issue 70 of Steelcase’s 360 Magazine notes: “Modern craft is becoming an antidote to uninspired workspaces, not only heightening functionality and aesthetics but also humanizing the workplace experience.”

From serviced offices to high-end co-working spaces, and from founder hangouts to maker–hacker communities, the modern office looks increasingly less like its predecessors and more like the creatives who manage and occupy it.
Resource: http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/new-office-helps-staff-create-and-firms-profit

Furniture Rental for Apartments

Renting furniture is a suitable option for those who relocate within the country often.  In such situations it becomes a laborious and tedious task to carry your furniture along wherever you go by keeping track of shipment, its security, timely deliveries and of course damage control.  In order to get rid of this troublesome battle, Ahuja Rentals offers a flexible and economical way to meet your short/long term furniture needs. 

Ahuja Rentals is a pioneer in offering premium furniture rental services in Delhi NCR. We offer our clients a mix of contemporary and modern styled furniture, while projecting a new genre of wooden furniture. Ahuja Rentals offer furniture rental solutions ranging from sole pieces to complete packages. We provide an exhaustive range of furniture at affordable prices through convenient payment methods, suiting the buyer’s needs. 

For most of us, living in a hotel room is not a cost effective idea, be it an outsider or a newcomer, when you prefer to personalise your space. Thus, to ensure a comfortable stay for you, Ahuja Rentals offers Apartment Furniture Rental and homes, which help you redefine your living space, exactly the way you want it to be. We also seek to fulfil the needs of our clients with our continuous efforts which is a primary task for the Ahuja Rentals team.

 

Ahuja Rentals has created a unique blend of high-quality rental furnishings, intended to ensure consumer satisfaction. Our job is to help you get settled in your short term living or working quarters, while you take care of the rest. We bring in stylish and affordable rental furniture to light up dull surroundings. With delivery done direct at your door-step, providing a hassle-free furnishing setup for your home is our foremost priority.

 

Ahuja Rentals boasts of 100% consumer loyalty to its clients and guarantees a peaceful settlement to the buyer. We believe in making your living happy and comfortable.

Resource:https://furniturerentalnews.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/furniture-rental-for-apartments/

Short Term, Fully Furnished New York Apartments a Big Hit for Travelers

MyNyHousing Offers Exceptional New York Rental Options for Business Travelers, Relocating Residents, Tourists, Students and Anyone Looking for a Great New York City Furnished Housing

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/19/2016 -- Finding a comfortable and luxurious spot that feels like home can be a tremendous challenge for those travelling for business and tourism or those simply looking for a home between homes. Whether one finds themselves in any of these categories or any situation where they're looking for an apartment that meets a high standard of living, MyNyHousing offers the perfect solution.

"Our fully furnished apartments with short term rental options are truly spectacular living spaces that keep tenants from the hassle of having to worry about getting stuck in long term contracts or the huge headache of finding, renting and moving furniture," shared MyNyHousing Owner David Assouline. "Such issues are the last thing those staying for business, travelling as a tourist, or simply looking for a short term stay have on their mind. We are a team of professionals that understands this and has built an entire company to service these needs of our customers by offering them the best deals on luxury housing."

This month's featured listing on MyNyHousing is a state-of-the-art 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom on East 39th St & 9th Ave just steps away from Times Square, Penn Station, Intrepid Museum, Broadway shows, and plenty of restaurants and nightlife. This stylish and modern space comes complete with splendid city views, a 24/hr doorman, a dining table, spacious closets, a comfortable sofa and beautiful parquet wood flooring. The apartment also features a fantastic chef's kitchen featuring whitewashed oak cabinetry, a natural calacatta backsplash, caesarstone countertops, Bertazzoni range and microwave, and a stainless steel refrigerator and dishwasher. The bathroom is no less impressive with it Moss Lappato porcelain floors and shower wall, white caesarstone vanity top, rift cut white oak vanity with matching custom medicine cabinet, and a soaking tub to top it all off.

To see more photos and learn about the host of other high end amenities available in this wonderful living space, visit the listing on MyNyHousing's website here.

About MyNyHousing
MyNyHousing is a fully licensed, full service Real Estate Agency specializing in the rental of fully furnished apartments in New York City. They offer an inventory of over 400 listings, a professional website, and an international team of agents who will help apartment seekers to find housing based on your needs. Their clients include business travelers, relocating residents, tourists, students, and anyone looking for a great New York City apartment without having to sign a long term lease. Units are centrally located near multiple subway stops, parks, shopping, and other amenities.

www.mynyhousing.com
646-667-8144

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/short-term-fully-furnished-new-york-apartments-a-big-hit-for-travelers-706207.htm
Media Relations Contact

David Assouline
Telephone: 646-667-8144
Email: Click to Email David Assouline
Web: http://www.mynyhousing.com/

Resource : http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3009851

Delhi civic bodies to rent out schools to coaching institutes

Struggling for funds, Delhi’s three civic bodies plan to lease out their schools to private coaching institutions after teaching hours.

Money has been a problem. It triggered a civic crisis in late January when municipal staff, including teachers and doctors, struck work to protest non-payment of salaries. In the coming financial year, they are staring at a shortfall of Rs 5,100 crore, the civic bodies say.

Premises of only those schools that work morning hours — or first shift — will be leased out, officials said. The North Delhi municipal corporation (NDMC) has come out with a list of 390 such schools. The south and the east bodies, too, planned to do the same, sources said.

Around 1 million students go to the city’s 1,860 municipal schools, some of which have only a morning shift from 7am to 12.30pm. A majority of them, however, also have a second shift 1pm to 6.30pm — to make up for the shortfall of schools in the city.

“Thousands of students come to Delhi for coaching and to write competitive examination for courses like engineering, medicine, chartered accountancy and IAS. Institutes often face problems due to lack of space and that is where we want to come in,” said Mohan Bhardwaj, chairman, north Delhi standing committee.

The move would also help improve revenue flow, officials said. “Rather than the entire school, classrooms will be rented out,” an NDMC official said on condition of anonymity. It will allow schools to have more than one client. The north civic body alone has 1,800 classrooms.

The corporation has laid down a set of guidelines to ensure that the school work is not affected. The coaching institutes will have to deploy security guards, keep premises clean and pay penalty for any damage to building, furniture or other school property.

The civic bodies had earlier tried to rent out a part of the school premises to banks to set up ATMs but the project found no takers and was shelved.
Resource : http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/delhi-civic-bodies-to-rent-out-schools-to-coaching-institutes/story-E3EEgpMZAGrfB9RQPyV1LN.html

CoHo ties up with RentSher to enhance offerings in youth living spaces

India's leading long term managed Co-living space provider for students and youth (working professionals) has tied up with RentSher to provide furniture and appliances on rent in villas, apartments and student dorms currently operating in Delhi NCR.

The broad offering includes appliances like 42" LED television, front loading washing machine, double door refrigerators which are today's basic necessities for the students and youth living in cities such as Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore etc and range of set up for living, dining areas.

However, buying these products can be both expensive as well as complicated for cost sharing if you are living in a shared accommodation - renting the required products is a better solution for both for the end customer as well as the accommodation provider.

Convinced by the rental product solution - Coho.in, India's leading long term managed accommodation provider has tied up with Online Rental company- www.RentSher.com to provide complete setup of furniture and appliance on rent in villas, apartments and student dorms, thereby providing the end users with fully equipped residential facility in a "plug and play" format.

CoHo.in, which was started by Zocalo to provide fully-furnished comfortable long term home stay with an objective of creating a co-living community of likeminded people, has discovered a reliable partner in RentSher to equip the place with quality products on a monthly rental basis.

In addition to the facilities provided by Coho, the residents can also order for other products such as projectors, laptops, cameras, party products, costumes and dresses on a need basis at preferred rates from RentSher as additional potential benefits to be derived on account of the Coho RentSher partnership.

RentSher is growing rapidly in terms of business in Bangalore, Delhi NCR and now Gurgaon through both short term rentals and long term rentals as in case of CoHo.

RentSher's COO and Delhi Head, Karandeep, says: "This is one of the several long term partnerships we have built with home space providers, including PGs, Hotels, hostels and other formats.. Our customers get the hassle free experience as the delivery, installation and AMC is managed by us - all this at a fraction of cost of the product!"

Uday Lakkar, Founder cum CEO at CoHo and Zocalo validates the success of the model.

"RentSher could be our one stop shop as we expand our properties and locations across Delhi NCR and provide better housing experience to students and youth. One of the major requirements in Delhi is that of air conditioners on rent with maintenance which RentSher was able to provide, similarly we were able to get TV, Bicycles, PS3 and PS4 Gaming Consoles and other appliance on rent delivered quickly to match our business and community needs," says Lakkar.

Resource : http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/coho-ties-up-with-rentsher-to-enhance-offerings-in-youth-living-spaces-116070100654_1.html

Furniture rental startup RentoMojo bags $5 Million from Accel partners, DG Ventures

The new funding round comes after the startup last year raised $2 million in pre-Series A funding from Accel Partners and IDG Ventures.

It is a marketplace that offers furniture, furnishings, appliances and other home verticals that house hunters can book at affordable rentals. It works on an asset-light model, and makes anything from 40-50% of the rental fee as commission on every booking, with the rest going to the vendor. Customers need to submit identification and address proof, besides a security deposit.

Rentomojo was founded in November 2014 by IIT Madras graduates Geetansh Bamania and Ajay Nain. The startup allows users to rent furniture, home furnishings and appliances for at least three months. It operates in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Pune. The startup employs 50 staffers.

It claims to have about 4,500 subscribers on its platform and is targeting 1-1.5 lakh subscribers in the next 18 months.

IDG Ventures is a global family of venture funds with approximately $3.6 billion under management, over 200 investers companies and 10 offices across Asia and North America. team companies include Flipkart, Myntra, Lenskart and Yatra.com

Resource : http://knowstartup.com/2016/07/rentomojo-bags-5-million/

Exclusive: Furniture rental firm Rentomojo gets more funds from IDG, Accel

Bangalore-based Edunetwork Pvt Ltd, which operates home appliances and furniture rental marketplace RentoMojo, has raised about Rs 33.5 crore ($5 million) from existing investors including Accel Partners and IDG Ventures India, a person privy to the development told TechCircle.

The funding is believed to be part of the Series A round.

The deal closed in June, according to VCCEdge, the data research platform of VCCircle.

Rentomojo co-founder Geetansh Bamania confirmed the development but declined to give any details.

The new funding round comes after the startup last year raised $2 million in pre-Series A funding from Accel Partners and IDG Ventures.

Rentomojo was founded in November 2014 by IIT Madras graduates Geetansh Bamania and Ajay Nain. The startup allows users to rent furniture, home furnishings and appliances for at least three months. It operates in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Pune. The startup employs 50 staffers.

It claims to have about 4,500 subscribers on its platform and is targeting 1-1.5 lakh subscribers in the next 18 months.

Customers need to submit identification and address proof, besides a security deposit. The startup keeps 40-50% of the rental fee as commission on every booking, with the remainder going to the vendor. It claims to be growing at 30% on a month-on-month basis.

Online furniture rental is an asset-light business that has attracted many startups and investors. FlatFurnish recently raised angel funding from former Jabong CEO Arun Chandra Mohan while WhatsOnRent raised angel funding from CommonFloor.com co-founder Lalit Mangal and other investors in January. RentOnGo secured angel funding from Snapdeal’s former chief product officer Anand Chandrasekaran, GSF India founder Rajesh Sawhney and other angel investors.

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Resource : http://techcircle.vccircle.com/2016/07/13/exclusive-furniture-rental-startup-rentomojo-raises-more-funds-from-idg-accel/

Repair shops under Bhopal’s Chetak bridge pose a risk: Experts

Mushroom growth of repair shops under the Bhopal’s Chetak railway overbridge (ROB) in Bhopal’s MP Nagar area is a risk to the bridge and the people alike as the shopkeepers use inflammable gases and heavy hammering to get the jobs done, experts said.

They feared a Vivekananda Flyover-like tragedy, which had left over 20 people dead in Kolkata, if a proper monitoring was not done while allotting the shops.

There are around 25 shops under overbridge which deal in refrigerator, AC and automobile repairs.

Compressors and cylinders can cause damage if they burst

Refrigerators and automobiles in particular have compressors and cylinders respectively in them which can burst causing a severe damage not only to the ROB but also to the shopkeepers and passersby.

A shopkeeper said these shops were allotted to them on a lease by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The agreement was renewed after a fixed time. He claimed most of the shops have been given to a third person on rent by the original lessee.

Mohammed Baseer,65, of Kargil Nagar said he had been residing for more than 30 years near the bridge.

No such shop with so many equipment were there initially but printing, repairing and all kinds of businesses came up in the last one decade since MP Nagar developed as the main commercial centre of the city.

The scene is no different at Prabhat Talkies railway overbridge. There are a number of newly constructed shops waiting to be allotted. They are numbered serially and the wall all around has been white washed.

However, there are a number of houses too close to the ROB. Besides, construction work is going on the side where iron rods are piled up over the walkway with no protective shielding.

This pathway is the only way there for the persons living in the slums near the overbridge.

Social activist Abdul Jabbar says he has not witnessed any such activity near the bridges in Delhi or any other city.

They are not only risky for the bridges but also for the people nearby.
Resource :http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/repair-shops-under-bhopal-s-chetak-bridge-pose-a-risk-experts/story-h43vAaTUrksbVDfYiWzFLK.html

Exclusive: Furniture rental startup Rentomojo raises more funds from IDG, Accel

Bangalore-based Edunetwork Pvt Ltd, which operates home appliances and furniture rental marketplace RentoMojo, has raised about Rs 33.5 crore ($5 million) from existing investors including Accel Partners and IDG Ventures India, a person privy to the development told TechCircle.

The funding is part of the Series A round.

The deal closed in June, according to VCCEdge, the data research platform of VCCircle.

Rentomojo co-founder Geetansh Bamania confirmed the development but declined to give any details.

The new funding round comes after the startup last year raised $2 million in pre-Series A funding from Accel Partners and IDG Ventures.

Rentomojo was founded in November 2014 by IIT Madras graduates Geetansh Bamania and Ajay Nain. The startup allows users to rent furniture, home furnishings and appliances for at least three months. It operates in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Pune. The startup employs 50 staffers.

It claims to have about 4,500 subscribers on its platform and is targeting 1-1.5 lakh subscribers in the next 18 months.

Customers need to submit identification and address proof, besides a security deposit. The startup keeps 40-50% of the rental fee as commission on every booking, with the remainder going to the vendor. It claims to be growing at 30% on a month-on-month basis.

Online furniture rental is an asset-light business that has attracted many startups and investors. FlatFurnish recently raised angel funding from former Jabong CEO Arun Chandra Mohan while WhatsOnRent raised angel funding from CommonFloor.com co-founder Lalit Mangal and other investors in January. RentOnGo secured angel funding from Snapdeal’s former chief product officer Anand Chandrasekaran, GSF India founder Rajesh Sawhney and other angel investors.

Like this report? Sign up for our daily newsletter to get our top reports.
Resource : http://techcircle.vccircle.com/2016/07/13/exclusive-furniture-rental-startup-rentomojo-raises-more-funds-from-idg-accel/

Microluxe Hotel: Stay The Night & Buy The Furniture

As the little Old El Paso girl once said “Why can’t we have both?” and what a sentiment that has turned out to be. Fulfilling our 21st-century cravings for hybrids and 2-in-1 convenience, a Melbourne architect has turned a tiny one-bedroom flat into a an uber-cool retail concept where you can stay overnight, then buy the furniture the next day.

The “showroom, store and hotel in one” located in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy has been dubbed ‘Microluxe’ by architect Ben Edwards who works down the road at Edwards Moore studio with his partner Juliette Moore.

Microluxe is a retail space turned short-term rental that you can actually rent on Airbnb with everything that’s not nailed down for sale.

Yes, that’s right. Everything from the bath, kitchen fit-out, towels, chairs, paintings, couch, coffee table and even the olive oil soap is up for grabs at Microluxe via an iPad that allows you to order the items new from retailers that Edwards has sourced from…all with a 10% discount.

“It’s a shop you can stay in; an interesting cross-over between design and retail,” Edwards said. “You might get up from the bed and think ‘that was amazing’. So you get to try before you buy.”

At only $300 AUD per night, it’s a little slice of luxury convenience. Check out @micro_luxe for more.

Resource : http://www.dmarge.com/2016/07/microluxe-hotel-retail-concept.html

Stay Alfred: The biggest short-term rental startup you’ve never heard of is on track for $25M in revenue this year

Over the past decade, the lodging industry has split into two rival camps — hotels and short-term rentals — thanks to the rise of disruptive tech companies like Airbnb and HomeAway. But unlike these services, sold as everything hotels aren’t, Stay Alfred claims to offer the best of both worlds.

The unassuming startup has been slowly building its brand, reputation, and customer base since 2012. It operates short-term rentals out of the downtown neighborhoods of 13 major U.S. cities. With $13 million in revenue so far in 2016, Stay Alfred says it’s on pace to generate more than $25 million in revenue this year. CEO Jordan Allen says a consistent, branded experience at every location is key to the company’s success.

“Control of the entire guest experience is a major advantage for us,” he said. “At the end of the day, most of our ‘competitors’ are marketplaces for someone else’s widget. We’re the marketplace and the widget.”

Stay Alfred leases individual units and entire buildings and uses them as its inventory — effectively creating lodging space out of existing residential buildings. It controls the furnishing, cleaning, booking, and customer service for each rental. Its customers are primarily leisure travelers or people who want the consistency of staying in a hotel with the space and flexibility of a furnished apartment. For example, a patient traveling for a cancer treatment, with medical equipment and staff, may prefer a Stay Alfred rental over other accommodations.

“A hotel room is pretty small and then do you really want to be doing medical stuff in some guy’s spare bedroom? It’s just kind of weird. There’s an undeniable need for what our product is,” said Allen.

Stay Alfred has been battling regulation, like Seattle’s proposed 90-day cap on commercial short-term rental operators, since it was founded. But Allen says the startup has been able to avoid or work within regulations because it operates exclusively out of downtown locations. In many cities, rules aimed at curbing short-term rentals don’t apply to commercial districts — although that isn’t the case in Seattle.

Allen co-founded the company with Conrad Manfred, who eventually moved on to other ventures. “Alfred” is a combination of the co-founders’ surnames — though they went through at least three name iterations before settling on Stay Alfred.

The startup employs 60 at its Spokane, Wash. headquarters, and an additional half dozen remote workers. Allen founded Stay Alfred at 28 and bootstrapped it from the beginning. He was able to scale the business based on cash generated from the initial properties. Only now is Allen considering fundraising.

“Our vision for our company has really solidified over the last few months even.” said Allen. “What we really need to do is build our strong brand similar to a Marriot or a Hilton in this Airbnb vacation rental space. So the check-in experience is the same. The cleaning is the same. Your furniture is the same. It’s really creating this brand people can rely on. I think the Airbnbs and HomeAways do have some great experiences there. That’s why they’re growing so much. But you’re kind of rolling the dice. You never know what you’re going to get.”

Resource : http://www.geekwire.com/2016/stay-alfred-biggest-short-term-rental-startup-youve-never-heard-track-25m-revenue-year/

CoHo ties up with RentSher to enhance offerings in youth living spaces

India's leading long term managed Co-living space provider for students and youth (working professionals) has tied up with RentSher to provide furniture and appliances on rent in villas, apartments and student dorms currently operating in Delhi NCR.

The broad offering includes appliances like 42" LED television, front loading washing machine, double door refrigerators which are today's basic necessities for the students and youth living in cities such as Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore etc and range of set up for living, dining areas.

However, buying these products can be both expensive as well as complicated for cost sharing if you are living in a shared accommodation - renting the required products is a better solution for both for the end customer as well as the accommodation provider.

Convinced by the rental product solution - Coho.in, India's leading long term managed accommodation provider has tied up with Online Rental company- www.RentSher.com to provide complete setup of furniture and appliance on rent in villas, apartments and student dorms, thereby providing the end users with fully equipped residential facility in a "plug and play" format.

CoHo.in, which was started by Zocalo to provide fully-furnished comfortable long term home stay with an objective of creating a co-living community of likeminded people, has discovered a reliable partner in RentSher to equip the place with quality products on a monthly rental basis.

In addition to the facilities provided by Coho, the residents can also order for other products such as projectors, laptops, cameras, party products, costumes and dresses on a need basis at preferred rates from RentSher as additional potential benefits to be derived on account of the Coho RentSher partnership.

RentSher is growing rapidly in terms of business in Bangalore, Delhi NCR and now Gurgaon through both short term rentals and long term rentals as in case of CoHo.

RentSher's COO and Delhi Head, Karandeep, says: "This is one of the several long term partnerships we have built with home space providers, including PGs, Hotels, hostels and other formats.. Our customers get the hassle free experience as the delivery, installation and AMC is managed by us - all this at a fraction of cost of the product!"

Uday Lakkar, Founder cum CEO at CoHo and Zocalo validates the success of the model.

"RentSher could be our one stop shop as we expand our properties and locations across Delhi NCR and provide better housing experience to students and youth. One of the major requirements in Delhi is that of air conditioners on rent with maintenance which RentSher was able to provide, similarly we were able to get TV, Bicycles, PS3 and PS4 Gaming Consoles and other appliance on rent delivered quickly to match our business and community needs," says Lakkar.
Resource : http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/coho-ties-up-with-rentsher-to-enhance-offerings-in-youth-living-spaces-116070100654_1.html