Leigh Kamping-Carder

One Roosevelt Island co-op board is giving a new meaning to the phrase “trunk show.” The board of the Rivercross, a 365-apartment complex, wants to chop down four nine-story trees in the courtyard, and residents are not happy, the Roosevelt Islander blog reports. When the building went up some 38 years ago, the trees were small, but since then, they’ve “grown considerably,” the board writes in a Sept.

Renovating your apartment solo—without a family member or significant other to pitch in—gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “do it yourself.” Luckily, there are a ton of shortcuts to make all sorts of jobs easier and safer. Apartment Therapy has a rundown of advice from around the web, including pointers on installing cabinets and using an extension ladder when you're taking on a project on your own.