Along with being very close to the city’s commercial and financial centers, the South Loop retains the cachet of downtown real estate while also having the community feel of an up-and-coming neighborhood. Within walking distance of some of Chicago’s best attractions and the summer’s most fun events, proximity to the South Loop is something to keep in mind when shopping for downtown Chicago condos.

Chicago Attractions near South Loop Real Estate

The Art Institute of Chicago – The Art Institute is one of the most famous art museums in world. It is as enjoyable to visit for its beautiful architecture and gardens as it is for its renowned artwork, and luckily, it’s located right on the Lake in the South Loop. Home to masterpieces recognizable even to the neophyte, the Art Institute is a great option for a  weekend activity– or just stop by to eat lunch beside the famous lions on the front steps.

Chicago’s Museum Campus – Chicago’s Museum Campus is a swath of land on the shore of the South Loop that acts as home to Shedd Aquarium. Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum. The Shedd Aquarium is the second biggest aquarium in U.S. and home to five permanent exhibits, a live show called Fantasea, a family of Beluga whales and the oldest fish in the country. Plus, on Wednesday evenings during the summer you can catch live jazz while interacting with the animals. The famous Field Museum has everything from dinosaurs to precious gems to ancient artifacts, and it welcomes the best traveling exhibits of natural history from across the world. Finally, the Adler Planetarium takes you to space at its Doane Observatory with the largest public telescope in the Chicago area.

Soldier Field – Home to the NFL franchise the Chicago Bears, Soldier Field is a historic sports locale in America. Not only is the neo-classical design stunning, but the games that happen there are exciting and part of Chicago tradition. In addition to Bears football games, Soldier Field also hosts events like music concerts from acts like U2 and The Rolling Stones, political debates and charity walks. The added activity of Soldier Field makes the South Loop a lively place to live.

Summer Festivals – Grant and Millennium Parks on the east side of the South Loop host many summer concerts and festivals. From the free concert series at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion to the Taste of Chicago, Lollapalooza, Chicago Blues Festival, Chicaog Jazz Festival and other expos and exhibitions, the summer is filled with food, dance, music and good times in the parks of the South Loop.

Living near these famous South Loop institutions is an exciting perk of downtown real estate. Not only will out-of-town guests love your location, you will never run out of activities with these attractions near by.

The Streeterville Real Estate Story: How the Neighborhood Got Its Start

Until you take an architectural tour of the city, you might never know the story behind the name Streeterville– but it’s one you don’t want to miss. The lakefront Near North Side neighborhood started as nothing but a sandbar and a landfill, and yet now it is some of the most sought after real estate in the country.

In the late 1880s, George “Cap” Streeter and his wife parked their houseboat on the sandbar, which had formed naturally from silt accumulation but hadn’t yet been put to use. Formerly, Streeter had been a lumberjack, a Civil War soldier and a circus performer, but along with his second wife, he decided to try to find his fortune in gunrunning. So he bought a boat and planned to take it Honduras to sell guns illegally. However, when taking a test-drive on the waters of Lake Michigan, Streeter and his wife stopped on the sandbar on the coastline of Chicago.

The couple claimed they had been shipwrecked there during a storm. They lived in the “marooned” boat and proclaimed the entire sandbar as their own land, creating what technically could be called the first Streeterville real estate!

Streeterville Real Estate: From Sandbar to Shantytown

Until this point in time, the Lake Michigan coastline was as far west as current day Michigan Avenue and was where many of Chicago’s elite had their lakeside mansions. The “shipwrecked” couple, upon establishing themselves on the sandbar east of the Gold Coast, started allowing construction companies to use the island as a place to dump construction materials.

By underselling legal dumps, Streeter quickly became prosperous, and his island began to grow. Garbage and leftover construction materials from the new skyscrapers being built in the city were dumped on the shoreline and built up the area where Lake Shore Drive now runs. Suddenly, Streeter had real estate that he could actually sell. He began selling lots on the island, and soon enough, an entire community of squatters lived in the area.

Streeter, of course, knew exactly what he was doing and was a criminal of the highest degree. He claimed the valuable lakefront land as his own and dubbed himself the mayor of the newly created District of Lake Michigan. He harbored criminals, sold prohibited liquor and ran brothels from that claimed tract of land. It wasn’t long before the wealthy Gold Coast dwellers became furious with these squatters obscuring their view of the Lake and sullying the cachet of their neighborhood. Plus, they realized a thoroughfare on the new tract of land would be beneficial for the city. They enlisted the police of Chicago to evict the squatters and Streeter.

When the city tried to evict Streeter, he waged epic gun battles against them. His second wife poured boiling water over cops to keep her husband from being arrested, and his third wife went after cops with a meat cleaver. For years, Streeter would be arrested and then released — the mayor of Chicago even pardoned him after he was convicted of murder, saying that he had been framed.

Finally, Streeter was arrested in 1918 for selling alcohol without a license and assaulting an officer. The squatters were ousted from his shantytown, and the land was returned to the city to be developed into Lakeshore Drive and the surrounding neighborhood. As the years passed, this lakefront land became some of the most valuable property in Chicago. Despite its literally and figuratively trashy origins, Streeterville real estate is now the height of luxury in Chicago– and George Streeter at least maintains his legacy in the name of the neighborhood.

Chicago High Rise Condo Amenities: The Shared Spaces of Aqua

On Aqua’s amenity deck, you’ll find two floors of indoor and outdoor features that residents are happy to share. From a fitness center with engaging group classes to a outdoor space equipped with features diverse enough to include a zen garden, there are various means for residents of Aqua to interact.

• Running Track – Many high rise condo buildings have indoor fitness centers. Usually, you’ll find an array of exercise machines and perhaps a pool and fitness class studio. Aqua has the additional fitness feature of an outdoor running track that circles the fourth floor of the building. For walkers or runners, the soft-surface track provides a low-impact place to run, instead of the concrete sidewalks of downtown Chicago. Plus, it weaves through the green lawns and gardens of the fourth floor amenity deck and provides panoramic views of downtown including Millennium Park, Lake Michigan and the Chicago River while you exercise. In cold weather, it is kept snow-free, so resident runners can brave the cold weather for a jog if they wish!
• Media Room – Aqua’s Media Room brings together residents to view big games, movies and other exciting televised events. The room seats around 30 people in comfortable leather chairs, arranged stadium-style so everyone has a great view of the large projection screen. For events like our weekly movie nights or the ongoing World Cup, residents are treated to use of the room free and provided with snacks. Residents can also rent out the Media Room for private events for a small fee.
• Outdoor Entertainment Space – Our outdoor amenity deck has all the anticipated features, like a pool, hot tub and sunbathing area. But Aqua’s outdoor entertainment spaces really bring residents and their friends together. Cabanas with seating and umbrellas provide a great setting for al fresco dining with friends. Fire pits make a cozy place to congregate as the weather cools down. And grills allow you to even do your cooking outdoors! Entertaining is easy when you can meet up with friends on the amenity deck, instead of preparing your own place to host guests.

Events for Our Residents

Throughout the year, our Community Relations Director and team plan exciting events to introduce our residents to each other and the city of Chicago. Here are a few of the successful events that have happened in the past year, many of which are scheduled again for this year!

• Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise – Over 150 residents were able to take advantage of the complimentary CAF River Cruise last September.
• Festival in The Park – Also in September, the Community Relations team plans a festival in the Park at Lakeshore East. This year’s 4th Annual Festival in The Park is scheduled for Saturday, September 18th. In years past, the festival has featured over 70 Magellan Reward Partners in the expo style event. Over 700 residents attended last year. Residents and visitors will enjoy food and wine samples, free massages and shopping incentives.
• Cuvee Ultra Lounge – Lakeshore East has hosted two very successful events with over 100 residents at the River North lounge. Residents get to take advantage of complimentary champagne and specialty cocktail drinks. The private event allows Lakeshore East dwellers to mingle in a swanky setting!
• Lakeshore East Young Professional Events – The resident-founded Young Professional Group at Lakeshore East hosts regular events for residents who are members or interesting in joining. A spring event at Sweetwater on Michigan Avenue drew over 150 residents and filled half of the newly-opened restaurant! Drink specials and complimentary appetizers are generally available, and residents can meet, mingle and network with others who live in Lakeshore East residential developments.
• Movies in The Park – Going into our second summer season, Lakeshore East hosts monthly movie nights in The Park for residents. This year’s movie evenings are sponsored by Fifth/Third Bank and will occur on the last Thursday of June, July and August. Over 200 residents participated in the voting for the movies to be shown! The Movies in The Park are great for families as well as single residents.

You can read more about the events planned for Lakeshore East on our Community Corner blog.

About Millennium Park

The park was commissioned by Mayor Daley and was completed in 2004. It has rapidly become one of Chicago’s leading tourist attractions and is a great asset for downtown residents and Loop professionals as well. It occupies a space that used to be the home of railyards and parking lots and is adjoined to the north side of Chicago’s famous Grant Park. The Park exhibits a wide array of public art, architectural features and masterfully landscaped gardens.

In the middle of downtown Chicago, the park is covers 24.5 acres and abuts the grounds of the Art Institute of Chicago. Some of its main attractions include The Cloud Gate (or Bean), the Crown Fountain, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and the Lurie Garden. On a pretty day, just a stroll around the park is a delight, even without all of the events planned throughout the year.

Millennium Park Condos and Their Surroundings

In all seasons, simply being close to the park gives Millennium Park condo owners a wide variety of activities to take part in. The famous ice skating rink opens in November and stays open until March for winter weather fun. The summer months bring festivals of all sorts to Millennium and Grant Parks including Chicago Blues Fest, Chicago Jazz Fest, the Taste of Chicago and Lollapalooza. The Park Grill, a restaurant and bar within the park, hosts smaller music and culinary events outdoor on its plaza as well.

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion and the Perillo Music Shell also bring musical acts to the park all summer long– from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to popular modern artists, the weekly concerts are free and open to the public. Accompanying these larger music events are smaller theater and dance performances at the many venues throughout the park. No matter what your interests are, the summer event calendar at Millennium Park will offer something you can enjoy in the biggest green space in downtown Chicago.

For urban dwellers who love nature, the proximity of Millennium Park condos to the city’s biggest park is of course a benefit. Not only does the park have intriguing art and engaging events but above all else, it has beautifully maintained green spaces, lawns and gardens that are fun to learn about through the many tours offered, or just to enjoy by lounging on a blanket in good weather.

The Lurie Garden at the southern end of the park was designed by renowned landscape architects Kathryn Gustafson, Piet Oudolf, and Robert Israel. It features a “dark” area of shade loving plants and trees and a “light” area of perennials and lawns with no trees. The Art Institute Gardens border the park to the south as well, creating more green space to explore.

Finally, for condo owners in the area, the parks near their residences provide softball fields, tennis courts and running paths for active individuals. The facilities provided by Grant Park and Millennium Park can be relaxing, entertaining, and athletic in equal parts. Even without starting to consider all of the nightlife, dining and entertainment options of Michigan Avenue and the downtown Loop that are also immediately adjacent to the location of Millennium Park condos, the park provides tons of entertainment and comfort that make a life in condos nearby all the better!

Luckily, this weekend brings the opening of Chicago’s public beaches for the summer, and one of the most popular places to be will definitely be Oak Street Beach in the Gold Coast. Real estate owners in the Gold Coast and downtown will have first access to hottest summer locale where people gather to play sports, swim and socialize in Chicago.

Beach Activities for Gold Coast Real Estate Owners

Although most Gold Coast locals know that the Oak Street Beach is a great place to see and been seen, relax and take in the coastline scenery, here are a few other ideas for how to incorporate some time at the beach into your day on the Gold Coast.

• Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner at Oak Street Beachstro – Located right on the beach across from the Drake Hotel, this eatery has the perfect combination of the upscale cachet of Michigan Avenue and the casual atmosphere of a beachfront joint. You can enjoy a meal, specialty cocktails and views of the Lake and the Chicago skyline from the restaurant’s open-air dining room. You can use their event space to plan a small or large party for any summer occasion. Or make reservations to watch the Chicago Air & Water Show from the comfort of their beach-side digs and you can avoid competing with the crowds for a viewing spot. Gold Coast dwellers can walk right over, but anyone in Chicago can enjoy this Gold Coast destination.
• Shop and Show Off – Great for Gold Coasters or any Chicagoan that wants to take a trip the best shopping in the city for day, combining shopping and sunbathing is a great weekend activity! Since Oak Street Beach is just a few blocks north of the Magnificent Mile and steps away from the boutiques of the Gold Coast, you can make a day of shopping for new swimwear and then making your way to the beach to show it off!
• Join a League - The Chicago Sports and Social Club brings together people from all over the city to play in sports leagues on the beach come summertime. Gold Coast real estate owners just have a shorter commute to get to the Oak Street Beach to play! Whether it’s flag football, beach volleyball, beach tennis or one of the other various leagues, classes and activities the Club offers at many of Chicago’s beaches, getting active on the beach is one of the best reasons to live nearby it.

For Gold Coast real estate owners, the summer season is eagerly anticipated… and for good reason! Along with the excellent shopping, entertainment and dining that residents or visitors will find in the area, the opening of the beaches brings a whole new element of fun to a day in on the Gold Coast of Chicago.

The Magnificent Mile: The number one attraction of Streeterville is the Magnificent Mile. A mile-long stretch of Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile is home to shopping that is arguably only bested in the U.S. by New York’s famous 5th Avenue. The dining is equally as impressive– for instance, President Obama’s favorite five-star Italian restaurant, Spiaggia, resides there. And of course, for anyone visiting the city or looking for a fun “stay-cation,” you’ll find world class hotels up and down the Mag Mile– the Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton, Intercontinental, Drake Hotels and a planned Waldorf-Astoria are all located in Streeterville on Michigan Avenue. These hotels are the pinnacle of service and house some of the best spas in Chicago.

Chicago’s Landmark Buildings: You’ll also find some of Chicago’s tallest, most recognizable and most renowned buildings near Streeterville condos. The 96-story John Hancock Tower sits right in the middle of it all on Michigan Avenue. Lake Point Tower, the only building in Chicago east of Lake Shore Drive, hosts celebrity residents and offers residences closer to the Lake than any other building downtown. Though construction has currently stalled, the proposed Chicago Spire is planned in Streeterville. The Spire would be the tallest building in Chicago and, with 150 floors, would also be one of the tallest freestanding structures in the world. 860 and 880 Lake Shore Drive represent the work of world famous architect, Mies Van der Rohe. And finally, the pictured Tribune Tower and Wrigley Building were some of Chicago first tall buildings and make up a historic stretch of Michigan Avenue in Streeterville.

Lakefront Location: The location of Streeterville condos offers a place at the confluence of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, a claim that only property in the New East Side neighborhood can share. This makes for scenic views and some of the most exclusive real estate in the city. It also gives condos in Streeterville accessibility to beaches, lakeside parks, the River Walk and the Lake Path — all great for the active Chicago citizen. You’ll also find Streeterville condos near famous Chicago tourist attractions like Navy Pier and the Museum Campus. Immediate access to the Loop makes for a short, walking commute for anyone who works downtown, and abundant public transportation in the form of buses, El trains and Metra trains makes the whole city accessible from Streeterville.

Living in or close to this historic neighborhood has perks of location, attractions and convenience, so it’s no wonder that Streeterville condos are some of the most sought-after addresses in Chicago. The New East Side neighborhood, immediately adjacent to Streeterville, hosts comparable luxury Chicago condos and gives residents complete accessibility to all the benefits of Streeterville, too. Start your Chicago condo search by taking a look at our New East Side listings.

Shopping on Michigan Avenue

Michigan Avenue’s chief attraction, and the element that has made it a travel destination, is its shopping. The mile of Michigan Ave. noted as the “Magnificent Mile” is filled with stores ranging from huge bargain bazaars like Forever 21 and H&M, to new international chains like Zara, to the outposts of some of fashion’s biggest brands like Ralph Lauren, Ferragamo and Michael Kors. On the north end of the Mag Mile, you’ll find the 900 Shops, a shopping center with department store shopping and upscale boutiques. Similarly, Water Tower Place just a block away is packed with all of the offerings a traditional mall in the heart of the best shopping in town.

Making a trip to experience this kind of shopping is nice, but when you live near Michigan Avenue in a residential tower on the Near East Side, you can regularly frequent the best shopping around town.

Where to Eat on Michigan Avenue

All that shopping have you hungry? Well, Michigan Avenue is made to be convenient for tourists and luckily, that makes it a great place to live near, too. Eateries high and low line the avenue, not to mention the dining options of several famous hotels. The Drake, the W, the Peninsula, the Intercontinental, the Hard Rock Hotel and the Palmer House Hilton all sit on or near the Michigan Avenue, which is good for their guests but great for downtown residents who can frequent their award-winning restaurants and bars.

Also, on the avenue is President Obama’s favorite Chicago restaurant, where he and Michelle often had their date nights– Spiaggia. Chef Tony Mantuano serves up perfect, high end Italian fare at his restaurant and its little sister, Cafe Spiaggia. He’s also a James Beard award winner and finalist on the TV show Top Chef Masters. Nearby on the avenue is a local and tourist favorite, Grand Luxe Cafe– the upscale American restaurant is known for great desserts like its molten chocolate cake. Finally, for a truly Chicago dining experience, eat atop the John Hancock tower at the Signature Room. On the 95th floor, not only do you get a beautiful dining room, world class service and fabulous food, but also views of four states on a clear day.

In addition to its shopping and food, living close to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue gives you the convenience and added value built into its touristy amenities. It is easily accessible by many kinds of public transit, it has great seasonal happenings like the lighting and ice skating rink during the winter holidays, and it’s connected to all the sights of Chicago you might want to see, like the Art Institute, Millennium Park, the Water Tower building. It’s a quick trip from the Magnificent Mile to Navy Pier, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium, as well as Soldier Field and the Field Museum.

Visiting the area is fun vacation for many people across the nation, and living there is a vacation everyday. See the appeal of Michigan Avenue living for yourself by expanding your real estate search to this well known Chicago destination.

Gold Coast History and Architecture

The history of the Gold Coast area is integral to its exclusivity. It has been one of the select places to live in Chicago since the city’s origination. Now, the area is defined by its borders on North Avenue and Division Street on the north, Lake Michigan on the east, Chicago Avenue on the south and Clark and Franklin Streets on the west.

During the late 1800s and after the great Chicago fire, the area began to see the mansions of many wealthy Chicago families because of its proximity to Lake Shore Drive and the beach. A neighborhood of prominent families and recognizable homes made the area’s real estate highly valued. Potter Palmer and James Charnley, two of the richest men in the country in the late 1800s, built mansions in the area. The Charnley-Persky House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, still stands and you can tour the historic home.

While there are still some single-family homes in the area, the real estate in the neighborhood now consists mostly of luxury condos, high-rise developments and townhomes. One of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country, it is a very safe, beautiful and comfortable place to live in Chicago.

Gold Coast Attractions: Food, Shopping and Oak Street Beach

With affluent residents and highly-priced homes, you can expect that incredible shopping will follow. From luxury brand locations to upscale boutiques, the Gold Coast is a known shopping destination in Chicago. Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Prada, Gucci, Chanel and Harry Winston are just some of the recognizable names you’ll find in the Gold Coast.

For food, you can eat at Oprah’s favorite fine dining location, Table Fifty-Two. Chef Art Smith brings upscale class to Southern soul food in a perfect mix of taste and flavor. Tavern On Rush is another well-known name on the Chicago dining scene, located in the Gold Coast. Rated the best outdoor dining in Chicago, you can dine on traditional American and steakhouse-style cuisine in the famous eatery. Stop by Luxbar for a weekend brunch or after work– it’s known for amazing cocktails, an upscale atmosphere and the quality of service to go with it. While you’ll find mostly upscale dining in the Gold Coast area, you won’t find anything to complain about.

And finally, Oak Street Beach is wonderful in the spring and summer, but beach paths and public parks make it a great asset all year round. Whether you are a runner, biker or just an admirer of nature, immediate access to the beach and waterfront adds value to the real estate and lifestyle of the Gold Coast.

Luxury, prime location and a sense of cache means that the Gold Coast is a good place to live in or near. If you are seeking the luxury lifestyle in Chicago, you’ll want to have access to the famous neighborhood from your own condo or townhome.

In fact, according to the Chicago Tribune, “The Near North Chicago neighborhood has 25,000 new residents occupying 10,000 new housing units built since 2000. Along with them have come offices, hotels, eateries, clubs, art galleries and shops. The central location makes whatever isn’t there an easy walk or cab ride away.”

But real estate in this Chicago neighborhood hasn’t always been so desirable. Keep reading to find out more about the history of the area and what it has going on now.

River North Real Estate History

The roughly 10-block area considered River North real estate used to be an industrial area in the city that subsequently became the Warehouse District. In the 1970s, the warehouses started to close, and the large, vacant buildings drew writers and artists to the area. The spacious, open buildings were perfect for creative work.

As artists moved in, so did the art galleries and show rooms of these crafts. Slowly, the area became full of culture and livelihood, but even today, it retains some urban grittiness that home-seekers in the city look for. River North real estate isn’t suburban condos replicated in the city– even with new construction condo developments and luxury dining and shopping, it is still an edgy neighborhood in the Near North Side of Chicago.

The Neighborhood Now: What Surrounds River North Chicago Condos

• Art: The main attraction of the River North neighborhood is its art galleries. You can explore the many galleries on the First Thursday events of every month– a complement to the MCA’s First Friday. On these Thursdays, River North galleries stay open until 7 and you can eat, drink, mingle and check out up-and-coming and established artists. There are also Saturday morning gallery tours of the area hosted by the Chicago Gallery News, introducing you to new galleries and exhibits in the neighborhood.
• Food: River North and the entire Near North Side host some of the most varied and upscale dining options in the city. From James Beard award winners and nominees to food that pushes the culinary envelope, River North cuisine is arguably the best in the city.  Rick Bayless serves up authentic, upscale Mexican at his River North restaurants, Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and Xoco. At Graham Elliot, Chef Graham Elliot Bowles whips up exciting creations like culinary lollipops and deconstructed Caesar salad in a hip restaurant nestled among art galleries. You can get a classic steak at the Kinzie Chop House, or grab handcrafted cocktails and elevated pub food at Gilt Bar.  Additionally, in the nearby Gold Coast and Loop neighborhoods, you can find even more eateries offering five star cuisine. River North is quickly becoming a dining destination for the city over!
• Nightlife: After dinner, River North can keep you entertained with a thriving nightlife scene, too. Bars and lounges like Fado Irish Pub, Clark Street Ale House, and Bull & Bear draw an after-work and a late-night crowd. For seekers of sleek lounges or homey sports bars, you’ll find a hangout in River North.

With an urban edge and plenty of real estate options in the neighborhood and close by, this culturally enriched neighborhood is a great place to start your real estate search. As your city home or your city getaway, living close to River North gives you access to many of  the best features that Chicago offers.

Well, we’ve gathered some home projects that you can achieve in any Chicago condo that will update your interior while also staying conscious of the earth.

1. Start a small garden. This is the most fun project for this time of year. Planting a garden gets you back in touch with nature, lets you grow your own edibles and fills your home with pretty plant-life. And while you may be thinking you don’t have the space for it in your condo, there are some creative ways to incorporate a small garden into an urban condo.

Try a “mini-farm box” just outside one of your windows planted with tomato or pepper plants. Plant herbs in old soda bottles– just cut of the top of a plastic 20 oz. bottle and fill it with potting mix. You can group the bottles in a larger pot or planter, or hang them along a balcony railing. If you’re bad with remembering to water or pick your plants, try potting a few low-maintenance succulents. They can survive in many climates, indoors or outdoors.

Try a hanging planter indoors if you’re working with a small space. Hanging plants can add some green to your home and utilize some unused space in your condo.

2. Install a recycled light fixture. A great way to change the feel of your interior decor without actually making a huge change is to update your lighting. And surprisingly, there are a ton of green options on the light fixture market. Check out the ones below, made from recycled glass jars and milk bottles, and search out your own in Chicago. And make sure you fit them with energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs!

3. Support a green designer. When going green in the home, it doesn’t all have to be DIY! You can always support green, sustainable designers by buying their goods. Start with Plover for organic bedding, Graypants for recycled light fixtures and Revision Home for vintage furniture and recycled homestuffs.

4. Green up your office. There are lots of ways to make your home office more energy-efficient. Using power strips that you can turn off or unplugging appliances when they aren’t in use can prevent them from leaching small amounts of electricity while in their “off”  mode. Setting your computer to energy-saving power settings helps save electricity, too. You can buy recycled tech accessories, like these laptop sleeves, and you should always make sure you are recycling batteries, ink cartridges and other tech stuff properly.

5. Incorporate recycled materials. Whether you are incorporating recycled wood or stone into your floors, a piece of furniture or a kitchen backsplash, repurposing old construction materials into a new home makes a statement both about your style and your sustainability. If you are planning to undertake a remodeling project, consider using materials recycled from an old home or construction site.

6. Use green products and ideas in your entertaining. Spring and summertime bring outdoor barbecues, pool parties and lots of other entertaining opportunities. By using biodegradable dishware and decorations, serving local and organic food and making sure to recycle afterward, you can make your get-together a little greener. Try little things like reusing rubber bands to distinguish people’s beers, making tiki-torches from old wine bottles or encouraging guests to carpool.

7. Green your move. If you are moving into a Chicago condo, you can go green from the get-go by making your move as green as possible. Reassess what you really need– by selling or giving away stuff you don’t use or need, you can limit the number of trips you have to take to move your things. Pack old boxes instead of buying new ones. Trying using biodegradable packing materials instead of styrofoam peanuts or plastic bubble wrap. If you do have to use plastic bubble wrap, try one of these ways to reuse it after your move!

8. Update your decor with recycled stuff. Maybe spring cleaning has gotten you in the mood to update your decor. Instead of going out and buying new accessories for your home, shop flea markets, thrift stores and craft fairs to find cool stuff to refresh your home style. Old bottles, street signs, advertisements and china dishware can make for cool home accessories or art and don’t need much alteration to add flair to your existing furniture.

9. Get rid of some of your stuff, in a green way! Even if you aren’t planning a move, going through your belongings and seeing what you can toss is an exercise in green living. Give away old clothes to those who need them, recycle or give away old electronics that take up space and power in your condo, and recycle or find uses for those old grocery bags you’ve been saving. Not only will a de-cluttered pad give you some peace of mind, it can also help others and contribute to a green society.

10. Participate in Earth Hour. Finally, you might have participated in Earth Hour on March 29, 2010, but we suggest you take part in Earth Hour as often as you can. Setting aside an hour every weekend where you can shut off all your electric appliances and lights might be good for your soul as well as your utility bills!