We like to make living with roommates as comfortable as we can at RPM Living communities by providing convenient payment platforms, attentive resident service, and well-maintained amenities inside your apartment and out. Still, living with others isn’t always easy, and if you have roommates, it’s important to be thoughtful, respectful, and communicative in order to create a home that everyone enjoys living in. These five tips can help you develop excellent roommate relationships and a pleasant living environment.

Set Ground Rules and Stick To Them

Every group of roommates should have some kind of roommate agreement, whether it’s written down or just discussed in person. There are lots of logistics when it comes to sharing a home and failing to set expectations, boundaries, and responsibilities is bound to result in some discomfort. Take some time when you first move in with someone to discuss how you’ll handle things like cleaning the apartment, cooking meals, running the dishwasher, inviting people over, stocking the fridge/pantry, and so on. Once you’ve set these ground rules, stick to them. If you find any of them no longer suits you, have an explicit conversation with your roommates to discuss potential changes before you abandon any rules you had initially agreed upon.

Respect Others’ Privacy

You may be living in the same apartment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t maintain privacy! Make sure you don’t enter your roommates’ bedrooms or bathrooms unless invited. Be mindful of your roommates’ needs to sleep and spend time alone and make sure you’re not compromising their ability to do so. Even if you’re best friends with your roommates, we all need a little privacy in our lives; in fact, bear in mind that your roommate(s) may need more privacy than you do, especially if they identify as an introvert.

Always Clean Up After Yourself

You should be explicit about how you and your roommates will handle cleaning, but in general, it’s always kinder to clean up after yourself. Put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher and never hoard them in your room or leave them in a place that your roommates will need to use like the living room or sink. Throw away trash promptly instead of leaving it around. Never leave clothes lying around outside of your bedroom, especially dirty ones. Your private bedroom can be as messy as you like (within reason), but shared spaces should always be kept in a state that all can enjoy.

Practice Good Communication

There will inevitably be times when you and your roommate(s) clash, make mistakes, or fail to live up to your responsibilities to each other. As long as you have the ability to communicate effectively with each other, these situations don’t have to create major conflict. Make sure to be honest and respectful to each other while holding each other accountable. Share your feelings and ask nicely for behavior to change. If you’re the one at fault, be open to constructive criticism and apologize, then promise to do better and make good on that promise. Remember, you all want the same thing when it comes down to it: a good place to live. Create an environment where you and your roommates can continuously get better at meeting that goal.

Live and Let Live

You and your roommates all want to live life to the fullest and you all have an equal right to do so. So chase your bliss, but make sure doing so never impedes upon your roommate’s ability to do so as well. Don’t blast music loud enough for your whole apartment to hear, don’t monopolize access to in-home amenities like the TV or kitchen, and avoid interrupting your roommates when they’re hard at work or taking time to recharge.

That’s it for our roommate tips! If you found this post useful or interesting, we encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues! If you want to find your ideal home at one of our RPM communities across the US, check out our Communities page.

We love pets at RPM Living, so much so that unlike many property management companies, we impose no breed restrictions at our communities! Still, one of the downsides to owning a pet is the toll they can take on your apartment. Even well-behaved pets sometimes leave behind damage or make your living space a little less comfortable for you and your family or your roommates. Luckily, there are some very simple steps you can take to help pet-proof your apartment, preventing damage and minimizing discomfort. Here are our top pet-proofing tips for dog and cat owners living in apartments.

Pet-Proofing Tips for Cat Owners:

One of our top pet-proofing tips for cats is to have plenty of scratch-friendly items. In fact, get multiple types if you’re unsure what kind your cat will prefer. Scratching posts, cat trees, scratch lounges, and other scratch products use rope or corrugated cardboard to provide a spot where your cat can engage in their scratching instinct without harming your furniture, curtains, or other areas. Remember, scratching helps keep your cat’s claws healthy, so the goal is not to prevent scratching entirely, just to make sure they are scratching in approved locations.

You should also ensure that you have multiple litter boxes (and clean them regularly). Most vets recommend having one litter box per cat plus one extra. This helps ensure that your cat has a comfortable place to do their business. Many cases of cats urinating outside of a litter box are due to insufficient litter box availability or cleanliness—cats can be pickier about this than you might think, and can even develop stress-related urinary tract issues if not provided with just the right litter box arrangement.

For cats that fight, spray, or scratch where they aren’t supposed to, consider a feliway diffuser. This harmless diffuser releases a pheromone into the air that cats release when they are feeling at ease. For some, adding feliway diffusers helps reduce stress-related behaviors and aggression between cats.

Pet Proofing Tips for Dog Owners:

For dog owners, we highly recommend getting a safety gate. A gate can be a great way to introduce a new dog to one part of your apartment at a time without having to keep them behind a closed door. It also provides an option for separating visiting pets and/or people from your own pets and gives your pets a safe place to retreat to if they’re feeling anxious.

Getting a puppy? Definitely use puppy mats to help train them to use the bathroom in designated areas while they’re still on their way to being fully house trained.

General Pet Proofing Tips:

For both cats and dogs, ensuring your animal is fixed (if they are old enough) can help address undesirable behaviors and ensure all animals in your apartment are living together harmoniously.

When it comes to protecting your furniture, consider water-resistant furniture protectors like mattress covers, Scotchguard spray, or naturally resistant materials like faux leather.

It’s also important to have toys that captivate your pet’s attention. This will help keep them from directing their playful attention toward your furniture, clothing, and other belongings. Note that automated toys can be great for pets with boundless energy, but nothing beats setting aside time to play with your pet yourself.

For pets that like to chew on cables and cords, try a chew deterrent spray or electric cord protectors. These help prevent harmful electric shocks and damaged appliances.

Additionally, always ensure toxic items (including plants) are out of reach. Bear in mind that dogs and cats both have a habit of getting into unexpected places, especially if looking for food. You may even want to look into baby-proofing cabinet locks and similar items.

Finally, definitely go ahead and invest in a pet-specific cleaner spray that neutralizes odors. Even for well-behaved pets, having this spray on hand can help address pet-related messes quickly enough that they don’t leave behind lasting damage to furniture or fabrics.

That’s it for our pet-proofing tips! As always, if you’re looking to live in a community that takes pest control seriously, you can always shop RPM communities across the US by checking out our Communities page!

One of the best parts of living in Austin is the eclectic variety that “keeps Austin weird,” and the shopping scene is no exception! From local boutiques to major retailers, this city has it all in spades. Best of all, no matter where you live in Austin, there’s a shopping hub within 5 or 10 minutes of home (except maybe during those brutal Austin rush hours) that offers everything from daily essentials to holiday gifts and home decor. Here are some of our top shopping hubs in Austin that are well worth exploring.

South Congress

When you’re looking for boutique shopping, there’s no better place in Austin than South Congress. Walking up and down SoCo ducking into whatever shop catches your eye is the perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon—you can even stop into some of Austin’s most iconic eateries and cafes for a bite to eat along the way.

Some of our favorite shops on SoCo are the Kendra Scott Flagship store, Allens Boots, Parts & Labour, and Tesoro’s Trading Company, but there are plenty more to explore!

2nd Street

Another great place in Austin to explore local boutiques is 2nd Street, right in the heart of Downtown Austin. In addition to major retailers like Urban Outfitters, you’ll also find clothing boutiques like Austin Rocks, Hemline Austin, and Francesca’s alongside jewelry boutiques like Eliza Page and specialty shops like Toy Joy and Luxe Apothetique (a clothing boutique and hair salon).

Barton Creek Square

For residents of our luxury apartments in South Austin, Barton Creek Square is a convenient shopping hub focusing on major clothing, gift, and home goods retailers. Here, you’ll find big names like Macy’s, Hollister, JCPenney, Nordstrom, and Banana Republic alongside specialty chains and boutiques like Modern Man, Label Society, LOFT, and James Avery Artisan Jewelry.

Central Park

Located near the Triangle in Central Austin, the Central Park Shopping Center is home to boutiques and chains alike, all situated around the Central Market. Stop by and explore if you’re looking for clothing boutiques, stationery, cosmetics, and salons. You’ll also find multiple mattress stores, Gap, and Athleta. Plus, in the Triangle nearby are additional options like Texas Blooms and Gifts, InStep Austin, Natural Grocers, and Sound Sanctuary.

Mueller

For residents of our luxury apartments in North Austin, Mueller is one of the most convenient shopping hubs in town. Flanked by the Northwest Greenway, Mueller Lake Park, and Bartholomew Park are multiple clusters of shops, eateries, and attractions that have helped make Mueller one of the up-and-coming Austin hotspots. Here, you’ll find the Mueller H-E-B and major retailers like Marshalls, Bed Bath & Beyond, and rue21. Also present are boutique shops like Lilla & Beth, Toy Dojo, and ino Scarf Boutique.

What’s your favorite place to shop in Austin? We hope we’ve given you some new spots to explore near our Austin apartments! Meanwhile, if you want to shop our luxury apartments in Austin and other RPM communities across the US, don’t forget to check out our Communities page.

If you’re looking to add some greenery to your apartment, choosing the perfect plant can be harder than you’d think. That’s especially true for pet owners, since cats and dogs are notorious for chewing on houseplants while you’re not looking, and many plants are toxic to pets. Luckily, there are plenty of pet-friendly houseplants and flowers to choose from; you just have to know what to look for. These six plants are safe for dogs and cats and will add plenty of natural beauty to your luxury apartment.

Friendship Plant

So called because its cuttings grow roots quickly, making this plant a great gift for a friend, the friendship plant has velvety, quilted leaves with tons of visual appeal. This plant is also relatively easy to care for, requiring several hours of indirect sunlight a day and moderate temperatures. The only challenge this plant presents for residents of our luxury apartments in drier climates is that it prefers consistent humidity—a humidifier can help with this during dry months.

Lace Flower Vine

Lace flower vine is an easy-going houseplant that looks great in a hanging planter or overflowing along a windowsill or bookshelf. This plant likes bright light and will tolerate a little bit of neglect, which is perfect for beginners or folks who spend a lot of time out of their apartment.

Parlor Palm

For a taller plant option, a parlor palm makes a great pet-friendly addition to your apartment. This palm enjoys bright, indirect light and average humidity, though if you find the tips of the leaves browning, incorporating a humidifier may help the plant recover. This plant can grow up to around 6 feet tall indoors, so it is a great way to add visual interest and botanical vibes to a corner of your apartment.

Prayer Plant

A prayer plant is another easy houseplant for pet owners and features beautiful variegated leaves that add visual interest to your apartment. It tolerates a variety of light levels, preferring indirect light, and does best with soil that is kept moist consistently (without overwatering).

Spider Plant

The spider plant is a common go-to for beginners and it is mercifully non-toxic to pets as well! The curved, ribbon-like leaves of this houseplant look great in a hanging planter or spilling over a decorative pot on a table. It enjoys partial light and does not need frequent watering; once every 5 to 7 days—or however long it takes for the soil to fully dry between watering—should do the trick.

African Violet

The African violet is perhaps the most high-maintenance plant on this list, but careful gardeners can keep it thriving just fine in an apartment setting. Coming in a variety of colors, this flower makes a beautiful addition to your apartment as long as you give it plenty of indirect sunlight, consistent watering, and around 60% humidity (you may need to use a humidifier during drier months).

That’s it for our pet-friendly house plant recommendations! If you found this post useful or interesting, we encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues! If you want to find your ideal home at one of our RPM communities across the US, check out our Communities page.

Spring is here and that means it’s the peak season for household pests! While we take pest prevention measures regularly at our multifamily apartment community across the US, there are many actions that residents can and should take to prevent and eliminate pests in their apartments. Here are a few of the best strategies you can employ to help us keep RPM Living communities pest-free.

Keep Counters and Floors Clean

Keeping your apartment clean is your first line of defense against pests. That’s because pests are typically looking for sources of food and water that will allow them to thrive. Depriving household pests of these sources by wiping down surfaces, vacuuming floors, and cleaning up spills promptly will mean pests don’t see your apartment as a nice cozy home of their own.

Put Food Away

If you’re keeping food or dirty dishes out on the counter instead of putting them away, you’re increasing the chances that a pest will find their way to a tempting food source, which could also give them the opportunity to settle in and start multiplying. Always putting away food promptly can help prevent pest infestations. While you’re at it, take a look around your kitchen and see if there are any foods you could be storing differently to reduce the likelihood of pest infestations. For example, fruit left on the counter can attract fruit flies and ants.

Eliminate Sources of Moisture

Many pests thrive where humidity and standing water is present. In fact, some pests will specifically seek out standing water or moist organic material as a place to lay their eggs. Cleaning and drying your sink, clearing your drain, taking out the trash, and using the fan in your bathroom can help reduce the moisture in your apartment and give pests fewer places to thrive.

Get Rid of Clutter

Clutter like cardboard boxes and papers can provide extra places for pests to hide, making it easier for pests to stick around once they’ve arrived. Getting rid of clutter not only makes your home a less likely target for pests but also makes it easier to get rid of pests if they do show up in your home.

Notify Staff of Cracks & Leaks

Cracks in windows and exterior-facing doors are the most common ways that pests get inside your apartment. Leaky faucets or sweating pipes can also introduce moisture that makes your apartment a more ideal environment for pests. Always be sure to request maintenance promptly for cracks and leaks in order to reduce the chances of pest problems and keep your apartment in perfect condition.

That’s it for our pest prevention tips! We hope you’ve learned a few tips to help make pest prevention easier! As always, if you’re looking to live in a community that takes pest control seriously, you can always shop RPM communities across the US by checking out our Communities page!

Through our years of experience as a property management company in Houston, TX, we’ve had the opportunity to visit many of Houston’s incredible eateries. It’s not just BBQ and Tex-Mex that Houston does right (although these cuisines are certainly a must when you visit or live in Houston)! From staff favorites to resident recommendations, these six restaurants come highly recommended by seasoned Houstonians and newcomers alike.

Guard and Grace

One of the newer additions to Downtown Houston, Guard and Grace is just a quick drive or bus ride from our luxury apartments in Midtown, Houston and not much farther for those in the Museum District. If you haven’t visited this steakhouse since it opened in 2019, you should definitely check it out.

This restaurant is perfect for a date night or special occasion, specializing in upscale dining and great atmosphere. Folks rave about the great service in addition to delicious entrees like Alaskan Black Cod and Wagyu Brisket Melt.

Nancy’s Hustle

Located in East Downtown, Nancy’s Hustle has a more casual atmosphere but just as many rave reviews from our residents and staff. It offers a mix of New American and European cuisine, including must-tries like their lamb tartare, Nancy cakes, and parmesan cheesecake. This restaurant is a great pick when you want something innovative and unexpected.

Bludorn

Located in Montrose, Bludorn is a great option for residents of our luxury apartments in River Oaks, Houston looking for something a little closer to home, but it’s also well worth the quick drive from our other Houston communities. This New American restaurant specializes in seafood dishes like fresh oysters and their iconic lobster-chicken pot pie. You’ll also find decadent eats like their black truffle gnocchi and baba au rhum.

Caracol

Another local option for our River Oaks residents, Caracol is located in Uptown, just west of 610. Caracol specializes in Mexican food, especially seafood dishes like tacos de camaron (shrimp tacos) and pulpo ahumado (smoked octopus). People describe the atmosphere as chic and upscale and say the churros are a must-try for dessert, but we’re fans of the caballeros pobres ourselves (Mexican-style French toast with cherry compote, orange rompope, and cinnamon ice cream).

Brennan’s

Located just a few minutes from our luxury apartments in Midtown, Houston, Brennan’s is an upscale Creole restaurant with excellent service and an even better atmosphere. You’ll find classics like shrimp po'boys and gumbo done to perfection alongside other mouthwatering eats like blue crab ravigote and roasted bandera quail. You can expect to spend quite a bit here, so it makes a great option for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.

93 ‘Til

From its central location in Montrose, 93 ‘Til is a great option for many of our Houston residents! This unique restaurant is another relative newcomer to the Houston restaurant scene and it features refined homestyle fare, craft cocktails, and vinyl records that contribute to a great atmosphere and dining experience. We highly recommend their frisee salad, duck confit, and olive oil cake.

That’s it for now! We hope we’ve helped you discover a new restaurant to try in Houston! If you want to shop our luxury apartments in Houston and other RPM communities across the US, don’t forget to check out our Communities page.

Whether you’re working from home, co-working at a local WeWork, or commuting to a traditional workplace, finding the right work/life balance is never easy. For some, these realms can overlap considerably, especially during the pandemic when so many have transitioned to working from home. As a property management company, our management staff has seen a wave of residents transitioning to work-from-home setups either temporarily or permanently, which can make it more difficult to achieve your ideal work/life balance. These are the tips we’ve gathered that can help you make the most of your time and live a happier, healthier life.

Understand Ebbs & Flows

Firstly, it’s important to determine whether you’ve got a chronic or an acute problem on your hands. Life and work will both have regular ebbs and flows; there may be busy seasons and slow seasons, or emergencies may come up. Understand that there will likely be times when work and life are out of balance, but that’s okay on occasion. What’s important is that you have the balance you want on a larger scale.

Manage Your Technology

In the age of smartphones, we’re always connected to both work and personal life, if we choose to be. Often that constant connection actually makes it harder to focus on the task at hand. But luckily there are plenty of ways to manage technology to ensure you’re focusing only on what you need to focus on. Don’t be afraid to adjust your notifications, email forwarding, and calendar settings to help you attend to what’s important now and compartmentalize what can wait until later. That might mean turning off mobile notifications for your work email or messaging outside of normal work hours or ensuring that only important personal emails are able to reach you at work while more trivial ones are ignored.

Take Advantage of Your Paid Time Off

Most folks are much happier when they take regular vacations and stay home when sick. Ensure you’re taking advantage of all your Paid Time Off each year if you’re able. If your PTO rolls over, you might be tempted to save it up to use all at once, but bear in mind that shorter, more frequent vacation time could make you even happier than a single, extended break. Assess your short-term and long-term needs and plan accordingly.

Set Boundaries and Work Hours

Work and personal life will seep into each other if you let them. Coworkers will send emails in your off-hours, or you’ll remember you needed to buy a new sweater while you’re working on something you’d rather not be doing. Setting boundaries (and communicating them to others) helps ensure you’re focusing your attention and making the most of your work and personal time by not constantly context-switching between them.

That’s it for our tips on creating good work/life balance! If you found this post useful or interesting, we encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues! If you want to find your ideal home at one of our RPM communities across the US, check out our Communities page.

From our years of experience as a property management company, we’ve seen our residents put together some truly amazing kitchens in our apartment communities across the US. We love seeing how each resident makes their space their own, but we’ve also noticed that some gadgets and appliances tend to feature in more of our residents’ kitchens than others. These top five kitchen gadgets are some of our favorites for apartment dwellers, inspired by what’s most popular among our awesome residents! These five gadgets can save you time in the kitchen and allow you to be more adventurous in your cooking.

InstantPot

There’s a reason everyone was raving about the InstantPot when it first hit the shelves. This one appliance easily replaces your slow cooker, rice maker, pressure cooker, and yogurt maker (if you even have those other appliances to begin with). It makes cooking almost anything way easier and it’s perfect when you don’t have much time to throw a meal together. Plus, with just one appliance instead of several, you’ll save counter space and storage space in your apartment kitchen.

Air Fryer

If you know someone with an air fryer, you probably know that they’re obsessed with it. These kitchen gadgets make it easy to fry meats and veggies to the perfect crispiness while using less oil and creating less mess.

Ice Cream Maker

Homemade ice cream is easier than you think, and it can be so much fun! Having an automatic ice cream maker at home is an easy way to enhance your summers and keep competing tastes happy (if you’ve got people who don’t agree on ice cream flavors living in your apartment). Nothing is more fun than creating a new flavor combination in your ice cream maker on a hot summer day and having it turn out to be amazing.

Electric Kettle

Boiling water doesn’t have to be tedious. An electric kettle is a must-have for coffee and tea lovers, quick meals like instant mac and cheese and ramen, or even when you just want to speed up the process of boiling water for pasta.

Kitchen Scale

If you don’t have a kitchen scale already, you might be surprised at how much this cheap little gadget can up your cooking game. Having one is essential for baking (where precise measurements are key), but it can also help in a plethora of other ways. For example, it assists in following recipes that don’t use imperial measurements like the cup and quart. And since a product’s density can be variable, measurements done by weight are always more precise than measurements by volume. That means no matter what you’re making, a kitchen scale is likely to help.

With these five kitchen gadgets, cooking and entertaining at your apartment will become one of your favorite activities! We hope we’ve helped inspire you to create your ideal kitchen at one of our communities! If you want to shop RPM communities across the US, make sure to check out our Communities page!

Are you looking to get more involved in your community? Although many residents of our luxury apartments in South Austin work hard every day to support themselves and their families, many of these same residents also go the extra mile and regularly volunteer, donating their time and energy to deserving Austin organizations that make our community in South Austin and beyond a positive environment to live in. How incredible is that?

Like many of our awesome residents, our teams at RPM Living often donate their time and money through RPM Serves. RPM Serves is our team’s way of helping to give back to our communities by supporting organizations that help create a sense of home and community for those in need. In past years, we’ve partnered with amazing organizations like Toys for Tots and Foundation Communities, working together with residents to raise thousands of dollars for families in need and donate hundreds of toys to children during the winter holidays.

In addition to taking part in these community-wide initiatives at our luxury apartments in South Austin, we highly recommend you check out these five worthy organizations if you’re looking to volunteer your time to a worthy cause this year.

Central Texas Food Bank

The Central Texas Food Bank’s mission is to provide hunger relief for 21 counties throughout Central Texas, including our very own Travis county. The food bank relies on volunteers to get this important work done, and there are lots of ways to volunteer, including packing meals in their warehouses and helping with data entry in their offices. This is the perfect opportunity for individuals or groups who are passionate about feeding the hungry and who want the freedom to volunteer as frequently or infrequently as they like.

Keep Austin Beautiful

We live in a beautiful community in South Austin, and organizations like Keep Austin Beautiful help make sure it stays that way! Volunteers for Keep Austin Beautiful give back to their communities by picking up trash, cleaning public spaces, and helping with set-up and tear-down of local events. Their website has a very detailed and easy-to-use calendar of events and projects for volunteers to help with, so you can easily sign up to help with specific events or communities that interest you most!

Austin Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity helps provide much-needed housing for folks in need all over the world, and Austin is no exception! Whether or not you’ve ever built a house (we assume most of you haven’t), Austin Habitat for Humanity can use your help! Volunteers assist with both construction and non-construction tasks, and registering to volunteer is easy. If you’re passionate about making sure people have a safe home to live in, this is an excellent opportunity for you.

Austin Pets Alive

If you’re an animal lover, Austin Pets Alive is amongst the best places to volunteer in Austin! This no-kill shelter always needs volunteers to help meet the needs of Austin’s dogs and cats who are waiting to be adopted. Even if you don’t want to work directly with animals, you can help animals in need through APA’s thrift stores or by helping with clerical work from the comfort of our luxury apartments in South Austin. While we’re talking about volunteer opportunities for animal lovers, we should note that Austin Humane Society is another great organization in need of volunteer help.

Austin Central Library

If you’re a bookworm, or you just love the smell of books, there are lots of ways you can volunteer with Austin Central Library. Whether it’s working with kids, sorting through book donations, shelving, or being a Social Media Ambassador, there’s something for you to help with. Similarly, Inside Books Project is also a deserving project in need of bookworm volunteers. This organization provides free books and educational materials to prisoners in Texas who need them, promoting reading, literacy, and education among incarcerated individuals.

What did you think of our list of volunteer opportunities near our South Austin apartments? Let us know if we missed any of your favorite charitable organizations in Austin! And if you want to shop our luxury apartments in South Austin and other RPM communities across the US, don’t forget to check out our Communities page.

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, many residents of our luxury apartments in San Antonio are rushing to plan the perfect date night. Whether your idea of the perfect date is a fancy dinner, a planned activity, or just enjoying each other’s company, there are lots of ways to pull off a romantic Valentine’s Day date that shows your partner how much you care. In fact, you may not even need to leave home to plan your ideal date night, since our community amenities and apartment amenities offer a wide variety of ways to spend time together right here at the best luxury apartments in San Antonio.

Take a Romantic Stroll On The Riverwalk

Do you and your partner enjoy long walks together? Why not keep it simple with a romantic stroll along the Riverwalk? You can take in the sights of Downtown San Antonio while you hold hands and chat about your favorite moments together. Just make sure to bundle up and wear comfortable shoes! As romantic as it may be to let your partner wear your coat when they get cold, you’re both going to want a few layers between you and the February chill.

Cook Your Favorite Meal Together At Home

You don’t necessarily need to visit a fancy restaurant in order to enjoy a romantic dinner together with your partner. Why not try cooking one or two of your favorite dishes together from your designer kitchen at our luxury apartments? You can either work together to recreate a meal that is sentimental to your relationship or divide and conquer to each prepare a dish that the other person loves.

Share a Candle-Lit Dessert Course On The Balcony

If it’s not too cold (or you have a big fluffy blanket you can cuddle under), enjoying the view from your patio or balcony while you share dessert could be a great way to create a romantic atmosphere. For bonus points, light a few candles as the sun begins to set and enjoy a warm dessert like pie fresh from the oven or lava cakes with a molten center. Just remember to avoid any open flames by opting for electric candles, or skip the candles entirely and opt for twinkle lights instead.

Visit The San Antonio Botanical Gardens

Flowers are a go-to Valentine’s Day gift, but why not put a new spin on this classic by visiting the Botanical Gardens together? Although the weather is cold, the Botanical Gardens are always full of beautiful plants and easy walking paths. They even have a “Palentine’s Day Brunch” event on the 13th that could be the perfect way to kick off your V-Day celebrations; just be sure to register by Feb 11th!

Challenge Each Other at a Local Mini-Golf Course

Sometimes a little friendly competition makes for the perfect date night activity, and what’s more classic than a mini golf date night? There are plenty of mini golf courses to choose from near home: Monster Mini Golf, Cool Crest Mini Golf, and Embassy Mini Golf are all popular choices located near our luxury apartments in San Antonio.

If you prefer to stay home (or you’re just not a putt putt fan), try heading over to our resident game room for your friendly competition, or bust out one of your favorite games at home in your apartment.

That’s it for this year’s Valentine’s Day ideas! If you found this post useful or interesting, we encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues! If you want to find your ideal home at one of our RPM communities across the US, check out our Communities page.