Sometimes in the cold of winter, or in the rainy season depending on where you live, the idea of going out to get exercise is miserable. Even if you have an apartment complex that has a workout room, you might not want to brave the inferior equipment and the crowded conditions to go and use it, but working out in your apartment is almost impossible since you hardly have any room to begin with. There are solutions, however, so let’s look at how you can stay in shape even though you have a crowded apartment.

While it may seem SO 1980’s, workout tapes are still extremely popular among people who don’t live in cities and can’t just go to the gym anytime they feel like it. These tapes have evolved far beyond Jane Fonda’s workouts and now feature such popular routines as Pilates and Tae Bo. To use one of these tapes, or more likely, DVDs, simply try to scoot as much of your furniture out of the way as possible, even if you have to move everything up against the walls and block some of your walk ways. If you have a room mate, make sure you tell them what’s going on so they don’t trip and fall. You can perform your exercises in the small space you’ve made and still get the workout you need.

The Internet is an excellent resource for those looking to get in shape in a crowded apartment, too. Simply Google “exercise routine at home” and feel free to try out any of the suggested routines it comes up with.

The world of apartment hunting sure has changed a lot in the last 20 years. It wasn’t that long ago that you had a copy of the local newspaper, and maybe a copy of a local apartment guide, and that was it. You hopped in your car and drove around for hours trying to find the right space. Today, apartment hunting websites take much of the guesswork out of finding the right place to live, but are they always 100 percent reliable? Here are a few tips.

If you know exactly where you want to live, meaning that you know the neighborhood because it’s close to work or other amenities you want, the online apartment hunting websites may end up being a bit useless. You can likely get more done on foot or in your car cruising the local neighborhood instead.

On the other hand, if you’re just moving to Dallas, and you have no idea where you want to live, online apartment hunting websites can be a lifesaver. Not only can you search by the amount of rent you want to pay, but you can also search by the number of rooms you want, by area or by dozens of other criteria. They can also help to introduce you to different sections of the city so you can learn about where you might want to live and where you might want to avoid.

One tip: other than the biggest sites, many of these apartment hunting sites aren’t updated very often, so call before you go.