Category: Tips & Tricks

As the children head back to school and the air takes on that fresh fall breeze it’s time to get excited about all that Ottawa has to offer! Fall is an amazing time to connect and spend time with your family after the hustle of summer. With Ottawa’s mix of big city culture and easy access to rural Ontario, Ottawa promises to be one of the BEST places to be this fall!

Topping the list of our favourite fall activities is visiting the historic ByWard Market. Fall is such a fantastic time in the market, with something for every member of the family. Wander the vendors, be a tourist in your own city, pop into a museum or visit the latest display ‘Loop’ where your family will bring music and fairytales to life. Don’t forget to grab a cup of hot cocoa and beavertail along your way.

Fall brings with it the excitement of halloween and pumpkins around the corner. It’s definitely time to plan a visit to your favourite pumpkin patch. Don’t have one? Don’t worry, there are many to choose from. It’s that time of year to time to bundle up in cozy fall sweaters plans the day out to take a hayride, sip ciders and shop delicious local produce. Of course, don’t forget to pick your favourite pumpkin or pumpkins! Don’t worry if you pick too many, you can incorporate them into a beautiful fall display, indoors or out. For the more adventurous test your scare factor at Saunders Farm with a haunted hayride or visit the Barn of terror….if you dare…. if thats, not your style check the farms websites for details events, you’ll find most places reserve the scare factor for the older crowd and during later hours because most importantly we want everyone to have a fabulous time!

For the adults in the crowd as the sun sets if a little more excitement is what you crave take in the Haunted Walk of Ottawa, a ghoulish figure guides you through a 90-minute walking tour of the most haunted sites of the city. If a scare isn’t what you need stop by during date night and see the ‘Northern Lights’  at Parliament Hill.

Most importantly have a great fall, and don’t forget your cameras!

As we gear up for Cinema Under The Stars, we thought we would bring you some top ten tips for an outdoor movie night.

1.    BYO Seat
A movie in the park is a fun experience for young and old. Bring a comfy lawn chair, beanbag or blanket to watch the movie.

2.    Bike, walk or carpool
There is parking across the street in a parking lot, however, if you can walk, ride or stroll it to the park, it will make it a less frustrating finding a parking space.

3.    Bring your friends
Bring your friends, family, and children. It is a fun night to share with the entire family.

4.    Don’t forget the essentials
You never know what you might need. Bring some bug spray a snack, hand sanitizer and a camera to capture your memories.

5.    Bring some fun
An outdoor movie start time is dependent on when the sun goes down. Bring a frisbee, some cards or something to do while you wait for the movie to start.

6.    Have some change on hand
There will be a concession stand with popcorn and drinks. These will be available by donation with proceeds going to the Stittsville Food Bank. It’s a good reason to buy some popcorn and help out your local community.

7.    Washrooms are very important!
If you have ever had a child that needs to go “right now”, you know how important it is to know where the closest washroom is. Stittsville Signs will be opening their washrooms for attendees of this event. Stittsville Signs is located next to the park. Please be aware that other local businesses have their washrooms for their patrons, so if you use them, please make a purchase.

8.    Layer up and bring a blanket
The evening can get cold. Bring a blanket or some extra sweaters in case it gets chilly.

9.    Get there early
Get there early so you can find the perfect seat to watch the movie.

10.    Turn off your phone
Just like for any movie, a cell phone can be distracting. If you have your cell phone, please put them on silent, so everyone can enjoy the show.

Ottawa is a great city with a lot going on around the area. This year we will see a burst of excitement as Canada’s 150th is celebrated across the city. There is a lot to celebrate and it will be a great time to live in Ottawa. Concerts, festivals, and the Juno awards will all be happening in this vibrant city.

Find our more about what is happening at the Ottawa 2017 website.

During a usual year, there is still so much to enjoy from museums, sporting events, skiing, tobogganing, sailing, hiking and so much more. Skating along the canal is especially one thing not to miss in this city.

Whether you are a foodie, sports enthusiast or lover of the arts. This city has something for everyone.

Festivals
● Winterlude – Canada’s biggest winter festival, which is held for three weeks in February, with ice sculpture competitions, snow games and skating.
● Bluesfest – with ten days in July of blues bands from around the world
● Canadian Tulip Festival – two weeks in May – the largest tulip festival in the world
● Ottawa International Jazz Festival – 10 days in June of jazz performers from around the world
● Fringe Festival – 10 days in June of plays and theatre
● Folk Music Festival – Four days of folk music acts in September every year
● Dragon Boat Festival – Four days of dragon boat racing in June every year
● Canada Day – July 1 every year

Cultural Centres and events
The Museum of Civilization (Gatineau)
The National Arts Centre
The Canadian War Museum
The Canadian Museum of Nature
The Agriculture Museum
The Aviation and Space Museum 
The Science and Technology Museum

So moving day is coming and you have decided to pack your own home? What now?

Depending on the size of your home will determine what quantity of supplies you need.
These cheat sheets from updater.com will help you estimate the amount of boxes, tape, markers, box cutters you will need to move your house.

Download the guide here

Happy moving!

I love entertaining and having friends over to my house. Most of the time the gatherings happen at my house on a whim. Being prepared makes entertaining on short notice a breeze. Just a little preparation and you can be the hostess with the mostess.

Entertaining kits
Organization is always key! We often entertain on the fly, so having extra glasses, napkins, plates and forks in plastic storage containers makes entertaining “grab and go”. Don’t forget to label the outside of the container.

Keep it simple
Some of the best gatherings I’ve had with friends are those times when I’ve simply put out appies and wine. It gives me a chance to spend time with my guests (which is why they are there).

Keep the party flowing
At any party, everyone tends to gather in the same place. To keep the flow, set up different areas (chairs and tables) for people to gather. Putting the food and drinks in different areas will encourage people to mix and mingle.

Extra food
Nothing dampens the party mood like running out of food. Simple backups like frozen pizza, chicken wings, and frozen appies are easy to pull out in a pinch.

Get a little crafty
Brown craft paper or black chalkboard paper makes a great rustic tablecloth, it also offers a place for kids to draw (big or small) and makes clean up a breeze. Win, win, win!

Warm up by the fire
When the nights grow cooler, there is nothing better than a patio fire. Don’t forget the marshmallows and the pack of hot dogs I am told that if you are using the fire to cook, the fireman doesn’t get upset.

Here are some must-do’s before you list your home.

De Clutter
Listing your home gives you a great opportunity to decluter. We all collect things that we don’t need and now are a good time to go through those items that have been hiding in the basement. Now is a great time to have a garage sale or donate these items to charity.
If you have a lot of items, junk removal companies can help you quick and easily remove your unwanted items.

Clean
Giving you house a deep clean can give you a competative advantage in the market. Give everything from the baseboards to the curtains a good clean. Ensure that your counters sparkle and the bathrooms are spic and span. If you need a hand cleaning companies can help give your house a good deep clean.

Storage
Storage is a key factor on most homebuyer’s lists. Half empty closets and cupboards to display your storage space. Buyers will be looking inside your cupboards so ensure you keep them tidy.

Make your “home” a “house”
The more personalized things you have in your house the harder it is to sell. Buyers find it hard to visualize themselves in a house that seems like someone else’s. Take the time to stage your house and take down items like family photos. Create a blank slate for those looking to buy your house.

Hide the dog
Family pets are also family members, but not everyone is an animal lover. If you are planning an open house, it is best to take Fido and all his items with you. This will open the market to pet friendly and not so pet friendly buyers.

Kitchen is key
The heart of the home is the kitchen. A quick refresh of your kitchen can make a big difference when selling your house. Fast inexpensive kitchen refreshes can be as simple as natural paint and new hardware. Other simple changes like painting cupboards and replacing the counter can take a kitchen from out dated to updated.

Smells like home
Not all smells are good for selling houses. A common mistake is too many plug-in air fresheners. A more successful approach is to air out your home and bake some cookies before your open house. Freshly baked smells make a house seem more of a home. Just don’t burn the cookies.