Decorating with Books

Books are entertaining and enlightening, and can be a beautiful decorative element in a room if you learn how to display them in an effective way.
 
Here are a few tips for incorporating books as part of your décor!
 
Sort your books following any criteria you want. If decorating is your main concern, focus on sorting by age, binding, or colour, or you can sort based on the content of your books.
 
Decide on the best place in your home to decorate with books. Look for spaces that aren't cluttered and can use some visual interest. Also, look for wall space where you can place a bookcase.
 
Use bookcases as decorating tools by focusing on the theme of your books. If you have a large number of beautifully bound older books, place these books together to create dramatic interest. Shelving books according to their height can add a pleasing order to the bookshelves and complement your décor. Create interest with the bookcases themselves by using a floor-to-ceiling bookcase or shelf to add drama to any room, regardless of the books it houses.
 
Display individual books on tables and other surfaces. You can use the classic coffee table display as you decorate and set one or more especially attractive books on the table. However, if you think more broadly, you can find more surfaces to decorate. A small shelf may be a perfect display for a book with an unusual cover or you might find that a small book fits perfectly in your pantry, bringing you a smile each time you see it.
 
Hardcover books look much better and more decorative without the dust jacket. The bindings are usually printed with nice script, and the colours give the book more of a classical look.

Books are great for elevating lamps that aren't quite tall enough or for bases used for staggering pictures or candlesticks on a dresser or table. Varying heights create more visual interest, and the combination of books and pictures and candles or a lamp is always a great vignette!
 
Need an end table? Stack sturdy books to the height you need. You can even place a tray or basket on top to hold a snack, phone, or remote!
 
Place a square woven bamboo basket with books on a hearth, or to break up a bookshelf. Use cookbooks on a kitchen counter or in a corner display paired with platters, pitchers or a serving bowl. Using an easel, rotate cookbooks and show off the covers if they are pretty and work with seasons—Christmas baking, soups, etc.
 
Place books around your home to draw attention to the function of a room or a corner. If you have a large book collection and want to make a statement in a room, build or purchase enough narrow bookshelves to fill one wall of a room, or one side of a wide hallway. You'll get lots of storage in only 12” to 15" of floor space.
 
Remember that you'll want to read the books from time to time, so make sure they are easily accessible.

Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

With winter just around the corner, it’s time to get your house in shape for the cooler months ahead. Although autumn can be one of the busiest seasons for homeowners preparing for winter, it’s also the best time to take advantage of the moderate weather to repair any damage before the first frost sets in. Here are some home maintenance tips that will keep your home running in peak condition all winter long.

Outdoor Preparation

• Check the roof for cracked or missing shingles, bald spots on shingles, missing or damaged flashing, and other conditions that might allow leaks. Replace any roof shingles that are missing or damaged. Seal minor cracks or tears with roofing cement.
• Check the gutters. If they are clogged with leaves and debris, clean them. Gutters prevent basement and foundation flooding and water damage to siding, windows, and doors.
• Check the siding for cracks or damage and seal any leaky spots with clear caulking compound.
• Windows and doors. Make sure they are properly sealed with weather stripping and replace any damaged parts. Weather stripping prevents drafts and winter heat loss.
• Trim trees and bushes away from the house.
• Cover the air conditioner and barbecue to prevent winter damage.
• Store lawn and patio furniture in a shed or basement. If space is limited, use weather-resistant covers that can protect outdoor furniture.
• Close your pool before leaves start to fall and nighttime temperatures begin to drop; otherwise, you may risk an algae bloom.
• Drain and shut off outdoor water faucets and remove and store garden hoses.
• Store kids' toys indoors or in an outdoor shed to prevent rusting and fading.
• Check and repair exterior lighting before daylight fades.
• Scrape peeling paint and apply touch-up paint to your siding, trim, and fences, and apply waterproofing sealer to your deck if necessary.
• Examine driveways and walkways for cracks. Larger cracks should be sealed to keep out water.

Lawn and Garden

• Prepare planting beds when the soil is relatively dry. By adding soil and mulch to your beds, you'll be a step ahead for spring planting.
• Plant spring-blooming bulbs and perennials.
• Protect roses, saplings, and small trees by sheltering them with a burlap screen.
• Pull weeds to reduce the number of seedlings next spring.
• Mow the grass short for the final cut of the year by reducing the cutting height gradually to 3.5 cm (from 7.4 cm) until the grass stops growing.
• Check ground grading around the house. All surfaces next to walls should be sloped to shed water away from the house. This is most important on warm winter days, as melting snow runs quickly across the surface of the frozen ground. If the grading is incorrect, water will potentially flow into the house, causing basement leakage. Now is the time to use a shovel to re-slope the grass, or call a paving contractor to correct a negatively sloped walkway or driveway.

Indoor Preparation

• Bring container plants inside and make sure they are free of pests. Doing so may enable plants to survive the season and bloom again in spring.
• Caulk around window and door casings to keep out air and water. If your house has wood siding with window frames that stand out from the siding, caulk the top and sides of the frame. Don't caulk under the sill, as this space should be left open to allow moisture inside the wall to escape. If your house is brick or stone, with window frames that are set into the finish material, caulk all four edges of each frame where the brick mould meets the masonry.
• Clean or replace furnace filters as needed. Check and clean the dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood, and room fans. Keep heating and cooling vents clean and away from furniture and draperies.
• Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are in good working order. Replace batteries as needed, or at least twice each year.
• Have your heating system checked by a licensed heating/air-conditioning professional. Most furnace manufacturers recommend annual inspections.
• Have your chimney(s) inspected by a chimney service and, if necessary, cleaned. Cleaning is generally recommended at least once a year for an active fireplace.
• Store plenty of salt or rock salt, snow shovels, and any other items you will need during the winter.
• Examine the basement floor and walls for cracks or leaks; seal as needed.

If you plan to reside elsewhere during the winter months, you may want to partially shut down your home. In addition to the tips above, consider the following:

• Leave the temperature at its lowest setting, usually between 5 to 7 degrees Celsius, or install a low-heat thermostat to maintain the air temperature at approximately 5 degrees Celsius
• Turn off and drain the water heater; leave a reminder to refill before restarting.
• Keep the electricity on sothe  lights will continue to function (put lights on timers).
• Unplug the microwave, clothes dryer, televisions, and other appliances not in use.
• To avoid large repair bills and the hassle associated with breakdowns, take the time now to develop an action plan for the coming months. You'll feel secure in your warm home or while you're away from home.

Winter can be hard on a house. Following these steps will help preserve your investment and prevent any unnecessary chores or repairs that might be difficult to do during winter.

Paid in Full! 7 Ways to Pay off Your Mortgage Faster

Paying down your mortgage as early as possible is one of the best suggestions that financial advisers make to their clients.  After all, throwing extra money at the biggest debt you may have can result in big interest savings and being mortgage-free years sooner.

Since mortgage payments are made with after-tax dollars, putting extra money down on a debt with an interest rate of 3.49% is equivalent to getting a guaranteed, risk-free return of over 5.0% for most taxpayers. If your mortgage rate is higher, your return would be higher too.

1. Shop around for the best mortgage possible with your credit score. 
When a mortgage company has a small overhead cost to stay in business, it typically means that they will not charge you unreasonable ongoing service fees. Make sure you know the fees charged by your mortgage company before you sign the loan.

2. Select weekly or bi-weekly mortgage payments. 
A bi-weekly mortgage payment means you make 26 half-monthly payments instead of 12 monthly payments. But keep in mind that unless your initial mortgage is set up as bi-weekly, some lenders charge an upfront fee of $300-$400 to make bi-weekly payments, and even though you're making a payment every two weeks, the lender only applies it once a month.

If you make bi-weekly payments of $415 instead of monthly payments of $830, you could save almost $27,000 in interest over the entire amortization period of your mortgage, and you could own your home about 4-1/2 years sooner.

3. Prepay a little extra every month, or any time during the term of your mortgage. Increasing your payment by even a few dollars each month will pay down your principal amount faster. It is a good idea to pay 10-15% more each month. This amount shouldn’t put too much extra burden on you, and it will help to pay off your mortgage much faster. For example, if you increased your mortgage payments by just $170 from $830 to $1,000, you could save almost $48,000 in interest over the entire amortization period of your mortgage, and you could own your home about 8 years sooner. 

4. Make an annual lump sum payment. Use your tax refund, work bonus, or any extra money you can save and apply it directly to your principal amount. Check your mortgage documents to find out how often you can prepay and in what amount. Many loans don't prohibit you from doing this; however, the lender may have parameters on how many extra payments you can make. Ask this question when shopping for a mortgage loan. 
 
5. Pay as much as you can at renewal time. 
Most mortgages become open at renewal. This means you can pay as much as you want on your mortgage. If you chose a 5-year, fixed-rate term, and made a $10,000 lump-sum payment every time your mortgage came up for renewal, you would save about $37,481 in interest over the entire amortization period of your mortgage.

6. Red flag your extra payments. Always check your mortgage statement to make sure that any extra payments you made are being counted against the principal and that your bank has accurately documented your payments. Make the extra principal payments on a separate cheque and make a note on the memo line stating that the payment should be applied to principal reduction only. At tax time, tally up those payments and make sure they've been applied correctly. 

7. Stay informed. Once you have a mortgage, aside from making the payments, it's easy to forget about it altogether. Keeping up-to-date on interest rates and new products could save you money. You may want to shop for another product that better suits your needs. For example, to qualify for a mortgage, you may have started out with a lower-rate adjustable-rate mortgage, but you want to switch to a more long-term, affordable fixed-rate mortgage later. 
Fortunately, it's easy to virtually play around with various payment scenarios. Most financial institutions, banks, and mortgage brokers have online mortgage calculators that can easily calculate the savings for you. Combining two or more of these above tips would result in even bigger savings.

Bank of Canada Cuts Rate - What it Means for You

The Bank of Canada today reduced its target for the overnight rate by 25 basis points to 2.25%, with the Bank Rate at 2.5% and the deposit rate at 2.20%. This is the second consecutive cut from the central bank as it cut its rate by 25 basis points in September. 

This move reflects ongoing softening in the Canadian economy, including slower business activity and easing inflation. It is intended to help support households during this transition. According to TD Deputy Chief Economist Derek Burleton, this lower rate environment is likely to persist for quite some time as the economy adjusts to its new trade normal

Canada’s economy contracted by 1.6% in the second quarter, reflecting a drop in exports and weak business investment amid heightened uncertainty. Meanwhile, household spending grew at a healthy pace. US trade actions and related uncertainty are having severe effects on targeted sectors including autos, steel, aluminum, and lumber. As a result, GDP growth is expected to be weak in the second half of the year. Growth will get some support from rising consumer and government spending and residential investment, and then pick up gradually as exports and business investment begin to recover.

Canada’s labour market remains soft. Employment gains in September followed two months of sizeable losses. Job losses continue to build in trade-sensitive sectors, and hiring has been weak across the economy. The unemployment rate remained at 7.1% in September, and wage growth has slowed. Slower population growth means fewer new jobs are needed to keep the employment rate steady.

For Canadians with variable-rate mortgages, rate cuts can mean more of their mortgage payments go towards the principal and less towards interest. Homeowners with a variable-rate mortgage and variable payments could see their total payment shrink.

For Canadians with fixed-rate mortgages, a central bank rate cut does not immediately affect them since fixed-rate mortgages are commonly based on five-year bond yields.

While market dynamics are evolving, this rate drop could create meaningful opportunities for homeowners depending on your current mortgage situation.

If you’re renewing soon…

A lower rate environment could improve your affordability and cash flow. It’s a great time to explore lenders and terms to avoid overpaying at renewal.

 

If you’re considering refinancing…

You may be able to:

• Lower your monthly payments
• Consolidate high-interest debt
• Access home equity for renovations or other financial goals

This change could make a refinance more cost-effective and worth reviewing sooner.

If you’re planning a purchase…

More favourable borrowing conditions may help expand affordability and boost confidence as you search for the right home.

The economic conditions are shifting, and even small rate changes can have a big impact on the life of a mortgage. Combined with softening prices and increased supply, this will give buyers more leverage, allowing for conditional offers and more time to make decisions.