​Planning for hurricane season can be a stressful and daunting task. It’s hard to know how in-depth each hurricane will affect your area until it happens. As we all know, hurricanes are known to cause widespread destruction to anything in their path. It’s important to understand the severity of the storm and how it can affect you and your home. Tonsmeire Properties and its communities have experienced hurricanes in all capacities. Whether a devastating hurricane or a large thunderstorm, we’re committed to helping keep you safe. 

We’ve compiled a list of hurricane tips to protect you and your home to add to your preparation list. 

Take a look inside of, and around, your apartment or house to ensure it’s safe to shelter-in-place. 

Make sure there is no loose debris lying around your apartment outside. These items can easily turn into dangerous, flying debris that can damage your apartment or house. 

Bring outdoor patio furniture, potted plants, toys and other items inside from balconies and patios. 

Not only can a hurricane destroy your personal property; it can use that very same destroyed material to damage your home or even cause injury to those inside the home. Avoid damage to your personal items by taking the time to find space inside your home to store outdoor furniture during a hurricane. 

Identify the safest room in your home. 

This can be an area that does not have windows. A closet, interior bedroom, bathroom or hallway usually provides great protection during a hurricane. Hurricanes can produce dangerous, windy conditions that can leave homes demolished. That’s why it’s important to establish a safe room to aid in hurricane preparations. 

Establish an emergency fund. 

Having an emergency fund on hand can sometimes be the difference between surviving or thriving through a storm. Hurricanes can bring unexpected events that can leave you in a difficult situation. The last thing you want to worry about during or after a hurricane is if you’re able to purchase the things you need. Have cash ready to go for any future event to happen. 

Contact your community’s office 

Living in an apartment, your community’s office has a preparedness plan in place for natural disasters like hurricanes. Reach out to them before hurricane season or before a hurricane hits to figure out information or what to do if something happens. 

Photograph your items. 

Last-minute evacuations are not uncommon when a hurricane is approaching your area. In the event of a hurricane following an evacuation, be sure to scan policy documents, legal

documents, licenses or any other important information you may need and store the files online. Your scanned documents and photographs will help you stay organized during such a chaotic time. 

Have emergency supplies. 

Having emergency supplies on hand is a key task to complete before a hurricane arrives. Be sure to purchase items like non-perishable foods, water, medical supplies, toiletries, flashlights, batteries and more to ensure you have everything you need. If roads are blocked, your vehicle is damaged or you become injured, it’s critical to have these supplies ready to go in the case of an emergency. 

Establish pet preparations. 

If you have a beloved pet, make sure you have an emergency kit for them, too! Be sure to purchase non-perishable foods, water, medical supplies, any medications they need, ID tags, pet carriers, comfort items and more to ensure your pet is taken care of through the storm. An extra step to take during preparations is to locate local hotels or shelters that can accommodate you and your pet. 

Get to know your neighbors. 

It’s important to know who may need or can lend a helping hand in an emergency. There are many preparations that neighbors can take together as a community to effectively prepare and plan for a hurricane, such as cleaning outside debris, exchanging contact information and more. 

Tonsmeire Properties has been building and renting apartments and rental homes in the area for over 50 years. Our professional team of leasing agents are ready to help our residents prepare for any storm during any season, especially hurricane season.

When you’re looking for the next place to call home, location is a major factor to consider. Whether you’re moving down the street or to a completely new city, finding a location that has the things you need, want and can enjoy requires a little research and education. Our Tonsmeire Properties communities are located throughout the state of Alabama in beautiful, developing areas for our residents to call home.

East Bay

East Bay Apartment Homes is located in Daphne, Alabama, which is otherwise known as the “Jubilee City”. The waterfront community largely relies on education, healthcare and retail for its employment. Daphne is also home to 50 schools ranging from preschool to high school, as well as local colleges. Grocery stores such as Publix, Rousses and Allegri Farmers Market are all within minutes of East Bay Apartments. Local hospitals, like Thomas Hospital, dentists, specialty physicians and urgent cares are nearby as well. When you live at East Bay Apartment Homes, you will also be near plenty of entertainment opportunities, including fun restaurants, quality retail shops, beautiful parks and more. Not to mention that hotspots like Gulf Shores and Downtown Mobile are only a short drive away. 

Bay Breeze

Bay Breeze Apartment Homes is our second apartment community in Daphne, Alabama. Located in the Lake Forest subdivision, Bay Breeze Apartment Homes is just minutes from I-10, schools, hospitals, stores and more. All of our Bay Breeze residents love where they live because of the endless entertainment opportunities available, too! Eat a delicious meal at Boudreaux’s before heading to the Eastern Shore Center for a day of shopping. Enjoy a stroll along Alligator Alley and then head to Eastern Shore Lanes for a game of Bowling. If you’re looking for convenient access to Airports you can get to the Mobile Airport of the Pensacola Airport in 45 minutes to an hour. 

South Pointe

South Pointe Apartments and Homes in Foley, Alabama has all the best things to offer about small-town living without the big-city environment! Foley is home to a variety of both public and private schools. Entertainment options include OWA, a local amusement park, The Gulf Shores Zoo and The Wharf. Restaurants like Lambert’s, Lulu’s and the Hangout are within just a few minutes drive as well. Retail shopping at Tanger Outlet is an easy trip from South Pointe Apartments and Homes. Enjoy the laid back lifestyle of a coastal local in Foley, AL.

Windscape

Windscape Apartment Homes is located in Madison, Alabama, a picturesque town near Huntsville, AL. There are plenty of entertainment options available for Windscape residents, including local sports, the Madison County Nature Trail and art events. There are also many retail and dining locations in Madison, such as the Bridge Town Center and Old Black Bear Brewing. And, of course, Windscape is near some of the biggest employers in the Madison area, including Huntsville Hospital, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Boeing.

Fairhope, AL

Although Tonsmeire properties does not have an apartment complex in Fairhope, AL, we do offer several rental homes throughout the city. The city itself is set on the Mobile Bay with a beautiful pier overlooking the water to enjoy fishing, live entertainment and walking. Downtown Fairhope is iconic for its local shopping. Stores like Ole Bay Mercantile, Fantasy Island Toys, Object and Cat’s Meow are staples of the Fairhope shopping experience. Fairhope, AL also hosts some of the most fun and unique restaurants and bars including DragonFly Foodbar, Thyme on Section and Locals. Thomas Hospital is located right off of Highway 98 and there are several physicians offices near the hospital as well. 

If you are looking for your next home in Alabama, Tonsmeire Properties surely has a place where you can enjoy the local culture, community and lifestyle. Visit our website to learn more about all of our apartments and homes we offer at Tonsmeireproperties.com.

Your apartment is your humble abode, your safe space and most importantly, your home sweet home! With that being said, making your apartment feel more like home is easy to do and can be accomplished with little effort. That’s why we’ve listed ways to make your apartment feel more like home for years to come.

When you rent an apartment, you want it to be your home. Home isn’t about how long you stay or if you own the property or not. Instead, home is about where you feel comfortable at the end of the day and where you want to spend your time relaxing and unwinding. Home is where you gather with loved ones. We want all Tonsmeire residents to find a true home in our communities.

Make Your Space Look and Feel Like It’s Yours

Rental apartments are usually pretty standard-looking. They have this streamlined look because we want all of our residents to feel at home regardless of their personal style. Having a standard-looking apartment gives you room to decorate and customize your space to fit your tastes with your own personal belongings. 

A great way to make your apartment feel like home quickly is to add your stuff. Unpack your boxes, get your favorite art up on the wall and start to feel it come together. You could consider adding some plants as well. If you don’t exactly have a green thumb, you can always check out our community gardens! Also, consider adding some color to your new home with pillows, throws and rugs.

Get Acclimated With Your New Space

Spend the day relaxing and taking in your new home, or spend the evening on the balcony or porch. Stop by and try all the amenities your community offers like taking a dip in the pool or exercising in the fitness center. Try taking a stroll around your community and visit the surrounding local shops. There is no better way to get to know a new area than wandering around the local hotspots!

Finding new hobbies and passions is a great way to make your own sense of home in your new space. This gives you the opportunity to meet new people and try new things all while being in the comfort of your community. Try cooking new recipes by picking vegetables from the community garden or finding a new love for reading books at the outdoor gathering spaces. The possibilities are endless!

With Tonsmeire Properties, we have homes to fit your lifestyle, and there are so many ways to turn a rental space into a dream home. We offer many choices when it comes to deciding on your new home and can help you find the rental property you’ve been looking for. Contact us today to be a part of the community by emailing us at rentnow@tonsmeireproperties.com. We look forward to helping you find a home.

Leading a more sustainable life is something a lot of us strive for, but don’t really know how to do. Things like going zero-waste or ditching our cars for only public transit might not fit your lifestyle, or the idea of greener living might just feel too overwhelming. It’s important to remember that if everyone does their part, no matter how small, we can make a big impact in the long run. 

How Tonsmeire Properties Promotes Green Living 

We know we aren’t perfect, but we’ve implemented some practices to help our rental communities be a little greener. One of the ways we do that is through green pest control and green landscaping at all properties. We focus on filling our communities with plants that are native to the area. 

We also use low volatile organic compound (VOC) paint. The chemicals in paint let off gasses that are very harmful to people and the environment, so by using low VOC paint in our community, we can ensure there are less unstable chemicals released into the air. We also try to utilize as many greenhouse supplies as possible. 

How Can You Do Your Part? 

You can do your part to live a more sustainable life too. Here are a few things to incorporate in your daily life that will be better for the environment. 

• Recycle – a great way to help reduce the amount of waste in landfills is by recycling. Recycle whatever you can, whenever you can. Glass, cardboard, paper and even many plastics can be recycled. 
• Donate – another amazing way to reduce waste is by donating. Instead of throwing out old clothes, books, toys and home items, take them to your local donation center so they can be reused. 
• Reduce Plastic Use – reduce your plastic use by cutting back on items with plastic packaging and using reusable items when you can. 
• Buy in Bulk – one of the main sources of plastic is packing from food. Try buying in bulk and using reusable containers to reduce waste. 
• Go Reusable – swap out single-use items like grocery bags, straws, zip lock bags and plastic cutlery for reusable items you can wash and use again and again. 
• Pick Up – if you do have non-recyclable waste, make sure you dispose of it properly and if you see trash laying about, pick it up and dispose of it. 
• Volunteer – find a local organization where you can volunteer doing things like planting trees or cleaning up litter. 

No matter what you’re looking for, Tonsmeire Properties has it. With rental apartments in Daphne, Fairhope, Foley and Madison, we’ve got a place you can call home. Give us a call today or visit us online to start touring our beautiful properties and find the right fit for you.

Spring and summer are premium gardening months. It is the perfect time to grow a few veggies in planters, have an indoor herb garden or try your hand at a few small outdoor flower pots. At our Tonsmeire communities, we have community gardens!

Community gardens are just one of the many unique amenities our rental communities have to offer. The community gardens are a great way to spend time outdoors, get to know your neighbors and have some fun. Not sure you’ve got a green thumb? We’ve listed some tips to help you get started growing some green goodies.

Gone are the days of needing a yard to have a garden. Neighbors can work together to plant, harvest and maintain the crops all in a space that’s professionally built just for that purpose.

Try growing some hearty home staples like tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery or go bold and try spicy jalapeno peppers and crunchy kale. The possibilities are endless when you’ve got a dedicated community garden just steps from your door. 

Is Maintaining/Harvesting a Garden Difficult?

The time and effort needed to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs depend on what the crop is. Different vegetables will need more water, attention, light and room than others. If you’re new to gardening, try low-effort crops with short harvest times to get you started. 

When your crops are almost ready to harvest, you’ll want to check them often. Once ready simply snip off, dig up or pick your produce. Don’t let ripe produce sit too long, or it might go bad.

I’ve Harvested My Produce, Now What?

Bring your bounty inside and give it a good wash before eating. Sharing with neighbors or having a potluck at one of the barbeque and grill stations is a great way to enjoy the bounty in your community. 

Wherever you find yourself looking for a rental, consider one of the Tonsmeire communities. We’ve been building and renting apartments and rental homes in the area for over 50 years and our professional team of leasing agents are excited to help you find your new home.