What Renters Want with Jessica Fiur: 50 Shades of Property Management
It’s Valentine’s Day on Saturday, which is a great time to show your residents you appreciate them. Are you searching for some ideas for something special to do at your community? Well, as you know, a little movie called Fifty Shades of Grey is coming out this weekend. And even though it’s a movie based on a book…
It’s Valentine’s Day on Saturday, which is a great time to show your residents you appreciate them. Are you searching for some ideas for something special to do at your community?
Well, as you know, a little movie called Fifty Shades of Grey is coming out this weekend. And even though it’s a movie based on a book that is just some poorly written Twilight fan fiction (seriously), and certainly something you should not be seeing with your residents, the name is definitely inspiring. So that’s something.
So in honor of Valentine’s Day, and the name Fifty Shades of Grey, here are 50 ideas for you and your residents to celebrate Valentine’s Day at your community.
- Put cards for residents under their doors
- Card-making station for kids (and kids at heart)
- Candy at the leasing office
- Romantic movie marathon (examples: When Harry Met Sally, Love Actually, Bridget Jones’ Diary)
- Anti-romance movie marathon (examples: The Exorcist, The Shining, Valentine’s Day)
- Happy hour
- Encourage people to post on your social media pages what they love about your community (#Ilovemyapartment)
- Make your own sundae bar
- Lonely hearts mixer
- Have residents (probably the kids) fill out Valentines cards and post them on leasing office door
- Valentine-themed scavenger hunt
- Valentine’s Day party
- Cooking demonstration
- “Justify that box of chocolates” work out class
- Chocolate tastings
- Class about pairing chocolates and wines
- Have babysitters and child-friendly activities so parents could drop off their kids for a few hours and have a night out
- DIY Valentine decoration station
- Dance at the clubhouse
- Cupid costume party
- Candygrams
- Take pictures of happy couple residents for your community Instagram account
- Cupcake decorating station
- Arrange discounts at local restaurants for residents
- Have a free shuttle to take residents into town/restaurants so they don’t have to worry about drinking and driving
- Cheesy love song karaoke
- Valentine’s Day fun run (with hot chocolate at the end)
- Hot chocolate bar (different marshmallows, whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, etc.)
- Pizza party
- Set up doughnuts and coffee
- Red Wedding (just kidding)
- Give out pet treats for all the residents with dogs
- Have volunteers to watch pets while residents go out for the night
- Raffle off passes for a couples’ massage
- Name a star in honor of your residents
- Signature drinks at the front with cute names (these don’t have to be alcoholic, but they obviously should be)
- Set up Skype in your computer area so residents can talk to their loved ones who don’t live near by
- Have chocolate covered cherries and strawberries
- Champagne bar
- Pin the tail on the Cupid game
- Bake heart-shaped cookies
- Valentine’s Day trivia
- Start a collection for people to donate to the American Heart Association
- Happy hour. I know I said that already, but, you know.
- Tacky Valentine gift exchange (chocolate from the drug store, flowers from the gas station, etc.)
- Poetry reading
- Invite people to post their best/worst/funniest Valentine’s Day stories on the community Facebook page
- Valentine’s Day Pinterest party (go on Pinterest and find some craft ideas, and get the supplies for residents to make them)
- Pet mixer (residents welcome, too)
- Do nothing. It’s just a dumb, made-up holiday anyway. Bah, humbug!
Love to hear some other ideas! What are you doing for your residents? Are you planning on seeing Fifty Shades of Grey?
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
-Jessica Fiur, Senior Editor
