Is it safe?  What's around there?  I read a little online, but nothing really jumped out at me. 

I still think you should use Padmapper.com.  I'll tell you a little about it since it doesn't sound like you looked at it.. Its pretty elegant.  Go to the bottom where it says address and type Cleveland, oh.  You'll see hundreds of markers.  Then start using the filters on what exactly you are looking for based on price, animals, bedrooms, and such.  Many of the apartments have pictures and much more detail about the apartments.  There is then additional helpful information in the "walkability" score.  It identifies for you how close markets, drugstores, or bars by how many miles they are.  I would recommend Padmapper to anyone that is looking at moving anywhere for a short to medium amount of time.  Its amazing how well you can get a feel of the neighborhood based on google maps and padmapper. 

Is it safe?  What's around there?  I read a little online, but nothing really jumped out at me. 

 

It's relatively safe (rough looking to be sure, but there are a lot of long-term residents.)  You should definitely take a walk around to check it out for yourself, since only you know what feels safe to YOU.

 

To be honest, there isn't a whole lot in Duck Island itself- basically you could walk to a few bars, a convenience store, and the Rapid (to go elsewhere.)  Of course, the West Side Market and the whole Market District area is right there, which is a huge plus.  In my opinion, its biggest advantage is that it's equally accessible from Ohio City (and especially the Market,) the rest of Tremont, and Downtown, but I would probably live in any of those neighborhoods over Duck Island. 

Another update!  I went and looked at two places in Lakewood today, one I liked WAAAY more than the other.  I filled out rental applications, so we shall see what happens!

It looks like I'm going to take the apartment in Birdtown.  I've been thinking about it, and it reminds me of where I lived before, which was Ypsilanti, Mi.  I'm waiting to hear from the landlord, but it looks like it's a go!

Congrats! Keep us posted.

I just have to sign the lease, and it's a done deal.  Now, what part of town should I check out first?  Oh, and if anyone knows of anyone or anywhere where I can get a decent, fairly inxpensive couch, I would appreciate it!

I'd look on craigslist and at goodwill.

You can also search for estate sales.  But, yes, craigslist and goodwill are good bets.

Hey everyone.  I'm so excited and I wanted to share!  I'm going to Lakewood City Hall tomorrow night for a Birdtown community meeting.  This is great!  I know this may seem silly to all of you, but I really want to get to KNOW my neighbors and neighborhood.  And I think this is a good way to do that. 

I just have to sign the lease, and it's a done deal.  Now, what part of town should I check out first?  Oh, and if anyone knows of anyone or anywhere where I can get a decent, fairly inxpensive couch, I would appreciate it!

 

http://lakewoodhomefurnishings.com/index.html

 

Pricy but some deals to be found:

http://www.chelseasconsignments.com

 

Worthless website except for getting the address (and call to make sure they're still in business...)

http://secondscity.com/ContactUs.aspx

 

When you need a lamp or an end table...

http://www.uniquethriftstore.com/index.aspx

Welcome to Cuyahoga County.  However, you and I need to have a little offline PM chat!  :whip:

Did I do something wrong?

With MTS you've always done something wrong.  Don't worry though its more like a love/hate thing than anything else.

Did I do something wrong?

 

You have a PM.

Emmie, don't mind MTS. He gets a little territorial sometimes.

Emmie, don't mind MTS. He gets a little territorial sometimes.

 

Speaking of "territorial" has your alien registration been updated?

Hey everyone!  I get my keys tomorrow!  SOoooooo excited.  I went to the planning commision meeting last night and that was really interesting.  I met my councilwoman, one of my neighbors, and the head librarian.  I'm also going to one of the local church's rummage sales tomorrow to see if I can pick anything up on the cheap.  I'm just getting really stoked about this!  Thank you all for being soooo supportive!

^Wow you sound like a great addition to Lakewood!  It's definitley cool to be involved with and knowlesdgable about your neighborhood.

 

When you get your sofa, just try to make sure it's bed bug and carpet beetle free.  How one does that I don't really know (quarantine it in freezing temps outside for a couple days?), but used furniture is an easy way to introduce bad critters into your home.

I agree, glad to have someone civic-minded and enthusiastic join our town and our UO board!

 

I think heat is the treatment for bedbugs but I don't know how you'd go about it.

Hey everyone!  I get my keys tomorrow!  SOoooooo excited.  I went to the planning commision meeting last night and that was really interesting.  I met my councilwoman, one of my neighbors, and the head librarian.  I'm also going to one of the local church's rummage sales tomorrow to see if I can pick anything up on the cheap.  I'm just getting really stoked about this!  Thank you all for being soooo supportive!

 

CONGRATS!

 

I strongly urge you not to buy any furniture at this time of the year.  As StrapHanger mentioned, it's a perfect place for bed bugs and the perfect vessel for other "critters".

 

Bed bugs and their eggs need to be killed with steam heat and at this time of the year, unless you have the $$ for a professional cleaner, I would pass.

 

I - a seasons dumpster diver/good will scrounger/estate/yard sale haggler - rarely pick up soft goods or upholstered items in winter.  Even if it looks clean, you cannot guarantee that there are no eggs.

FWIW........ I lived off of used furniture for 10 years or so and never had a problem with bedbugs or other critters.  Not saying it isn't a possibility, but I can't imagine it is too high a risk to put off getting the basics until the weather breaks.  JMO.

 

Welcome to Ohio's most populous county!

FWIW........ I lived off of used furniture for 10 years or so and never had a problem with bedbugs or other critters.  Not saying it isn't a possibility, but I can't imagine it is too high a risk to put off getting the basics until the weather breaks.  JMO.

 

Welcome to Ohio's most populous county!

 

Sweetie, 85% of my apartment is used furniture thats been repurposed. 

 

I tell anyone, especially those new to buying used furniture, to take someone with them.  It may look good on the surface but you never know what is really going on.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!  Looks like I'll be sitting on the floor for a while!  :-D

I tell anyone, especially those new to buying used furniture, to take someone with them. It may look good on the surface but you never know what is really going on.

 

Not all that different from buying a used car.

In college my roommates brought home a mouse via a couch they found out on the curb somewhere.  Didn't know it for about a week.

FWIW........ I lived off of used furniture for 10 years or so and never had a problem with bedbugs or other critters. Not saying it isn't a possibility, but I can't imagine it is too high a risk to put off getting the basics until the weather breaks. JMO.

 

Welcome to Ohio's most populous county!

 

Bedbugs haven't really been a problem up till the last few years, so that info may be outdated.  They're extremely difficult to get rid of, too, so better safe than sorry.

some info/advice when buying anything from a thrift/secondhand shop:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/nyregion/02bedbugs.html

Thanks for the info!  I went today to the Lakewood Public LIbrary Book sale, and was sooooo impressed.  I'm a bit of a library snob, and this place was amazing!  Can't wait to start using it!

Hey everyone!  I get my keys tomorrow!  SOoooooo excited.  I went to the planning commision meeting last night and that was really interesting.  I met my councilwoman, one of my neighbors, and the head librarian.  I'm also going to one of the local church's rummage sales tomorrow to see if I can pick anything up on the cheap.  I'm just getting really stoked about this!  Thank you all for being soooo supportive!

 

CONGRATS!

 

I strongly urge you not to buy any furniture at this time of the year.  As StrapHanger mentioned, it's a perfect place for bed bugs and the perfect vessel for other "critters".

 

Bed bugs and their eggs need to be killed with steam heat and at this time of the year, unless you have the $$ for a professional cleaner, I would pass.

 

I - a seasons dumpster diver/good will scrounger/estate/yard sale haggler - rarely pick up soft goods or upholstered items in winter.  Even if it looks clean, you cannot guarantee that there are no eggs.

 

I wonder if shark steam would kill them?

 

http://www.sharkclean.com/cgi-bin/livew/site.w?sponsor=000006

I MAY have found a couch!  My best friends brothers ex-roommate has one that has been stored in the garage for quite some time.  As long as he doesn't want it, it's mine!  Keep your fingers crossed!

Hey everyone!  I get my keys tomorrow!  SOoooooo excited.  I went to the planning commision meeting last night and that was really interesting.  I met my councilwoman, one of my neighbors, and the head librarian.  I'm also going to one of the local church's rummage sales tomorrow to see if I can pick anything up on the cheap.  I'm just getting really stoked about this!  Thank you all for being soooo supportive!

 

CONGRATS!

 

I strongly urge you not to buy any furniture at this time of the year.  As StrapHanger mentioned, it's a perfect place for bed bugs and the perfect vessel for other "critters".

 

Bed bugs and their eggs need to be killed with steam heat and at this time of the year, unless you have the $$ for a professional cleaner, I would pass.

 

I - a seasons dumpster diver/good will scrounger/estate/yard sale haggler - rarely pick up soft goods or upholstered items in winter.  Even if it looks clean, you cannot guarantee that there are no eggs.

 

I wonder if shark steam would kill them?

 

http://www.sharkclean.com/cgi-bin/livew/site.w?sponsor=000006

 

It has to be a vapor steam above 200∘F  plus some added chemicals.

Hi Emmie,

 

Welcome to Cleveland. I am also a lover of libraries.  I haven't been to the Lakewood library but I've heard positive reviews of it. It is one of the few libraries in the area that stays open until 9 p.m. during the week and has continued with Sunday hours.  I have been a frequent user of the downtown public library in Cleveland. It is very impressive and there is a beautiful pocket park next to it. It is a great place to sit outside and read a book when the weather gets nicer. There is also a branch on Lorain near 82nd on the west side. The architecture of the building looks very beautiful although I haven't been inside.

 

As far as your other questions about RTA, (I know it got moved somewhere else but I can't find it),  I have called RTA and they have representatives who have been very helpful if you want to know the best way to get from point a to point b. Also there is a google site just for transit which will give several alternative ways to get somewhere on transit. It is www.google.com/transit.  You can put in your start time or you can put in the time you need to arrive. I think you will find the transit in Cleveland very good (although a lot of people complain about it).

I MAY have found a couch! My best friends brothers ex-roommate has one that has been stored in the garage for quite some time. As long as he doesn't want it, it's mine! Keep your fingers crossed!

 

I'm sorry but you just reminded me of this from one of the most ingenious movies ever filmed (and, of course it's from the 1980s):

 

http://www.hark.com/clips/nbmtmhxtbh-i-guess-its-pretty-serious#

 

Welcome to my neighborhood!!

Hey everyone! I get my keys tomorrow! SOoooooo excited. I went to the planning commision meeting last night and that was really interesting. I met my councilwoman, one of my neighbors, and the head librarian. I'm also going to one of the local church's rummage sales tomorrow to see if I can pick anything up on the cheap. I'm just getting really stoked about this! Thank you all for being soooo supportive!

 

CONGRATS!

 

I strongly urge you not to buy any furniture at this time of the year. As StrapHanger mentioned, it's a perfect place for bed bugs and the perfect vessel for other "critters".

 

Bed bugs and their eggs need to be killed with steam heat and at this time of the year, unless you have the $$ for a professional cleaner, I would pass.

 

I - a seasons dumpster diver/good will scrounger/estate/yard sale haggler - rarely pick up soft goods or upholstered items in winter. Even if it looks clean, you cannot guarantee that there are no eggs.

 

I wonder if shark steam would kill them?

 

http://www.sharkclean.com/cgi-bin/livew/site.w?sponsor=000006

 

It has to be a vapor steam above 200∘F plus some added chemicals.

 

Any heat works.  The problem is its not really feasible for your average person to cover a couch in plastic (the kind that won't melt at high temperatures) and then heat the entire thing up high enough and for a long enough period of time to ensure everything dies. Better to avoid them all together. 

 

Some members of my family run a pest control business and they don't take bed bug jobs because of the headache.

Your family may be in pest control, but to say "any" heat is not accurate.

Well, I spent my first night in my new place!  Soooooo excited!  A little scary, but good. 

Awesome!

Congrats! I hope it all went well.

I'm happy for you, Emmie. Lakewood is a great place.

Good luck with the transition, Emmie.  By next year, you will probably be ready for the East Side ;)

Good luck with the transition, Emmie.  By next year, you will probably be ready for the East Side ;)

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Welcome to the city!