Virginia K. Smith

Whether inspired by tiny houses or Marie Kondo's compassionate purging, streamlined, small space living seemed to be all the rage last year. And with the unveiling of a sample apartment at the much-hyped Carmel Place (formerly My Micro NY)—the micro-apartment development currently being built in Kips Bay—the trend shows no signs of stopping.

Now that Jonas has officially made the transition from a weekend winter wonderland to an icy Monday morning obstacle, all those inches of leftover snow have become a city-wide safety hazard. (Fun news, we know.)

Q: I live in a condo, and my downstairs neighbor's dryer vents directly into my kitchen window when the wind outside is blowing a certain way. I've complained, but he doesn't seem to care. Is there any legal action I can take to address the problem?

If your neighbor's been unresponsive, it's time to consider threatening both him and the board with litigation, say our experts.

One more reason not to move to the 'burbs: you'd have to deal with attic squirrels (NYT)

Yikes: a bunch of HDFC buildings landed on the city's worst landlord list (DNAinfo)

We're assuming you've heard a little something about some snow tomorrow, yes? That's what we thought. Now that you're stocked up on your extra batteries, beverages of choice, and snacks for the next few days, here's what you need to know about shoveling, the open house circuit, etiquette, and staying up-to-date on any announcements that'll otherwise affect your weekend:

Apartment essentials to have on hand for this maybe-blizzard (DNAinfo)

What it's like to live in the 79th Street Boat Basin, even in the dead of winter (West Side Rag)