Maria Gatea
Maria Gatea is a Senior Editor & Research Writer for Yardi with a background in Journalism and Communication. After covering business and finance-related topics as a freelance writer for 15 years, she is now focusing on researching and writing about the real estate industry. You may contact Maria via email.
Woman cleaning windows

Fall Cleaning Checklist: Your Guide to a Cozy, Organized Home This Season

Many of us feel the urge to prepare our homes for the season ahead as soon as the first yellow leaves hit the ground. With days growing shorter, families spending more time indoors, and holiday gatherings appearing on the horizon, it’s only natural that we want our homes to be neat, tidy and comfy.

Couple moving their TV

How to Move a TV: The Right Way to Pack, Transport and Store Any Television

TVs rank among the most stressful items to move. They’re large, awkward to carry and one wrong move can leave you with a cracked screen or dead pixels. Modern LED, OLED, and QLED panels are significantly more fragile than the heavy TVs of the past. Their screens are thin, their internal components are delicate, and they’re designed to sit still on a stand, not ride in the back of a moving truck.

Beautifully made bed

How to Store Bedding the Right Way (Without Smells or Flattened Fills)

If you’ve ever pulled a comforter out of storage and immediately caught a whiff of something musty, you know how frustrating it can be. Good quality bedding can be quite expensive, so you definitely want to keep what you own in pristine conditions.

Where to Get Moving Boxes in NYC: Your Complete Guide

Moving across New York City comes with all sorts of logistical puzzles. You’re working around narrow staircases, building freight elevators with limited hours, alternate-side parking windows, and doormen who’d rather you weren’t blocking the lobby with a dolly. The last thing you want to be scrambling for on top of all that is moving boxes.

2026’s Best Cities for Roommates: Irvine, CA, and Atlanta, GA, Lead in Shared Living Gains

Americans sharing a two-bedroom apartment instead of renting a one-bedroom alone can save, on average, about $6,700 per year. In some of the country’s most expensive cities, including Irvine, California, or Jersey City, New Jersey, the savings gap widens to around $13,000. For a growing share of renters, living with roommates is less of a lifestyle arrangement and more a conscious financial strategy.

Where to Donate Books in Chicago

As much as we don’t like giving up books, sometimes we just have to in order to create the mental and bookshelf space for new literary adventures. But we all want to make sure our books aren’t wasted and get a second life. Chicago has a generous network of organizations that will put your books back into the hands of readers who’ll treasure them. Here’s where to donate books in Chicago, based on our research.

How Snowbirds Handle Traveling South: Car Shipping and Storage at Your Winter Home

Every fall, millions of Americans are confronted with the same logistical puzzle: pack up one home, land in another, and somehow keep both places functional for months at a time. If you’re a snowbird, you know the challenge isn’t just the packing. It’s also figuring out what travels with you, what you leave behind, and what to do about the car.

boats in a marina

The Best U.S. Metros To Own A Boat

Boating is one of America’s favorite pastimes. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, nearly 100 million Americans go boating each year(opens in new tab), and recreational boating contributes over $230 billion annually to the U.S. economy(opens in new tab). It’s a lifestyle deeply shaped by geography, climate, and local culture.

kitchen drawer opened

How to Organize Your Kitchen Drawers: Smart, Practical Ideas That Make a Real Difference

The best way to organize your kitchen drawers boils down to a few core principles: give each drawer a specific role, store items close to where you use them, and choose organizers only after you’ve decluttered. Most kitchen drawers aren’t cluttered because of a genuine lack of space but because no one decided what belongs where. Fix that first, and the rest becomes much easier.

rv camping

How to Store and Winterize Your First RV: A Complete Beginner’s Guide

Storing and winterizing an RV properly is the difference between an RV that holds its value and stays reliable for years and one that greets you in spring with cracked pipes and a dead battery. This guide covers where to store your RV between trips, how to winterize it before the first hard freeze, and what to check before your first trip of the season along with the basics of choosing and buying your first unit.

interior of self storage facility

Do You Need Climate-Controlled Storage? A Practical Guide to Making the Right Call

Most people need climate-controlled storage for one of the following reasons: they’re storing valuable items that can be damaged by unchecked temperature or humidity, they live in a climate with extreme weather conditions or they plan to store their belongings for an extended period.

How to Store a Boat in Self Storage: Types, Costs & What to Look For

Storing a boat in self storage comes down to four decisions: how far the facility is from your launch point, what type of storage suits your climate (outdoor, covered, or indoor), how to prepare the boat before storing it, and whether the facility’s security and access hours fit how you use your boat. First-time owners who think through these factors before signing a lease tend to get significantly more use out of their boat.