January is definitely the month where we all feel that most motivated to clean and declutter our homes. Nothing beats having a fresh start at home by allowing more space and organization into your life and lessening disorder and chaos.

I know first hand how overwhelming decluttering can be and I found creating a checklist helped me stay focused and on track. It also helped me become more efficient as it served as a guide on what I needed to declutter. If you are unsure how to begin compiling your decluttering checklist, here is a tip that helped me. Step outside your home and view it as a visitor or ask a trusted friend or family member to do this for you. How organized and clean is the home? Write down your impressions and identify what you can do to improve the space.

Fewer things mean fewer distractions and less stress. Your home environment can highly affect your mood and that is why eliminating the clutter is so important. You’ll have more peace, more order, and more gratitude for things in your life which leads to a happier and healthier life. Now I have added decluttering to my household chores alongside cleaning.

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Kiddie condos have become a popular option for parents to invest in for their college student kids. It can be a worthwhile financial investment for parents while helping their children get through college easier. Here are three quick tips you need to know when investing in kiddie condos:

1. Identify your objective in buying a kiddie condo.
2. Create your strategy based on your timeline.
3. Determine the ownership method that works for you.

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The world of mortgages can sometimes be a scary place, especially if you’re just getting into the housing market as a first-time home buyer. There are so many places where you can get a mortgage, like a bank, private financing, independent brokerages, and every deal seems to be slightly different than the other. If you’re feeling a little lost, don’t worry, you’re not the only one! No one was taught about mortgages in school (except the brokers, of course!) so don’t be afraid you ask questions and really get to understanding how they work and what makes one different from another.

A few introductory things about mortgages: Posted rates, fixed-rate, variable-rate.

The first place many people go to see what mortgage rates are is Google. Type in “mortgage rates in Ontario” and you’ll see a bunch of ads leading to pages with columns and numbers and graphs. Just remember, even if you’re looking at the “posted” mortgage rates online, it doesn’t mean that you can’t still get an even lower rate when you deal with the bank or broker directly. Everyone comes into real estate from a different financial background, and many factors contribute to the calculation of a mortgage rate. If you’re looking to get a specific pre-approval, it’s always best to make an appointment with a mortgage broker to go over your options (I have a few recommendations on my referral page if you’re looking for a trusted mortgage broker). I always recommend getting a pre-approval before going house shopping so you have a clear idea of the range in which you can afford. Getting pre-approved can be seen as boring paperwork, but just think: get the un-fun paperwork done then you get the treat of going house shopping!

You can find current rates posted at RateHub.ca, which will show you a table of the going rates for different types of mortgages: variable of fixed. Variable rates means the percentage could fluctuate a little over time. However, in a stable market, this number doesn’t tend to fluctuate radically and most institutions allow you to lock in at a certain rate, which you could do if there’s an indication that the economy is going in a certain direction that could lead to an increase in interest rates and you want to gain some more stability.

If you’re less of a risky-type of real estate investor, you can always choose to go with a fixed-rate mortgage, which locks your mortgage into the same rate for the number of years you opt for (you’ll typically find that 3-year, 5-year and 10-year fixed-rate mortgages are the norm). The upside to this is you know your rate is guaranteed to be the same for whatever your length of term. The downside is, you end up paying a bit more for this security, and if the economy shifts and interest rates suddenly drop way low, you may be kicking yourself for locking in at a higher rate.

These are just a few of the basic elements of mortgages, to get you familiar with the language. If you’re looking to get into the real estate market, I have a lot of experience with a wide range of buyers: from first time home buyers to repeat buyers and everyone in between! Not only will we find you the best home for you, I’ll also make sure to put you in touch with the right professionals to make your home buying experience easy and fun. Buying a house is a big financial decision, and I’m here to make the process go as smoothly as possible from start to finish.

Buying a home in 2021 has definitely changed because of the pandemic. Record-low mortgages coupled with a shortage of available homes and the high number of aspiring homebuyers have transformed the housing market into a highly competitive seller’s market.

The stress of looking for a home within budget and winning the bid for it has caused many homebuyers to give up. But before you lose hope, there are still many ways to be successful in purchasing a house in this type of market.

Finding the perfect home requires a lot of time and effort. What more if you are buying a home during a seller’s market? You will definitely face more challenges as you will be competing against more buyers. But once you find the best home and finally get your offer accepted, it will be most rewarding. Follow this guide to help you be more competitive when buying a home in a seller’s market.

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Here in London, Ontario, we are lucky to have so many options for the health conscious shoppers. let’s take a look at the independently-owned health food stores in London, Ontario that are dedicated to keeping us healthy, day in and day out!

LYN-DYS HEALTH FOOD

Location: 1016 Oxford St. E.
Website: https://www.lyndys.com/

THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, FAMILY OWNED, HEALTH FOOD STORE HAS BEEN OPERATING IN LONDON, ONTARIO FOR OVER 23 YEARS! THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN HEALTH FOOD ASSOCIATION (CHFA) AND ORGANIC COUNCIL OF ONTARIO AND RESEARCH ALL THEIR PRODUCTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SUPPLYING THE HIGHEST-QUALITY, “CLEANEST” PRODUCTS AVAILABLE WITHOUT THE ADDITION OF HARSH CHEMICALS.

HOMEOPATHY LONDON

Location: 130 King Street (inside Convent Garden Market)

Website: https://coventmarket.com/merchants/homeopathy-london/

THIS INDEPENDENT HEALTH FOOD SHOP CAN BE FOUND IN COVENT GARDEN MARKET IN DOWNTOWN LONDON. THEY HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF FOOD OPTIONS, AS WELL AS COSMETICS. IF YOU ARE LOCAL AND HAVE NOT HEARD OF THEM, THAT IS LIKELY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT INVEST IN MARKETING, BUT INSTEAD RELY ON WORD OF MOUTH. 

QUARTER MASTER FOODS

Location: 176 Wortley Road
Website: http://www.quartermasterfoods.com/

HAVING SERVED LONDON FOR OVER 30 YEARS, QUARTER MASTER FOODS IS ONE OF THE LONGEST STANDING HEALTH FOOD STORES IN LONDON, ONTARIO. THEY HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO FIND AS WELL AS FRESHLY MADE MEALS TO GRAB AND GO.

GOOD HEALTH NATURALLY

Location: 301 Oxford St. W. (inside Cherry Hill Mall)
Website: http://www.goodhealthnaturally.ca

LOCATED INSIDE CHERRY HILL MALL, GOOD HEALTH NATURALLY HAS A WIDE SELECTION OF VITAMINS, SUPPLEMENTS, AND NATURAL PRODUCTS. UNLIKE THE REST OF THE HEALTH FOOD STORES ON THIS LIST, THEY DO NOT HAVE MANY FOOD OPTIONS. INSTEAD, THEIR MAIN FOCUS IS ON NATURAL PRODUCTS. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCT TO GET FROM THE HEALTH FOOD STORE? GOT AN INDEPENDENT HEALTH FOOD STORE IN LONDON, ONTARIO THAT YOU LOVE TO SUPPORT? LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

THANKS FOR READING, AND STAY HEALTHY!

MEL

Packing with kids when preparing for moving can be a challenge. It could take you endless hours to finish if you have kids around. They wouldn’t let you pack their toys or bring out every item that you’ve just thrown inside the box. You need the right strategy to deal with kids when packing for a move. So here are some packing tips for moving with kids:

• Pack when they are not around or when they are sleeping. This will make packing faster as they wouldn’t be around to disturb you.
• Use color-coded packaging tape to label boxes. This will be helpful if your kids want to help with packing. It’s a kid-friendly way to teach them to label their belongings.
• Pack their toys last. They will need their toys to entertain themselves. Trust me - the toy that they have not been playing with for a while will suddenly be their favorite toy.
• Allot an overnight bag for your kids. This can include their favorite toys, activities, and all essential items that you think they might need during your first few nights in your new home. So you wouldn’t have to rummage through the boxes for these items.
• If your kids insist on helping to pack, let them. Make them feel involved so they can somehow feel in control with the change that’s about to happen when you move to your new home.

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