Incorporate Items of Special Interest and Nostalgia
Being able to design a space that is uniquely you includes incorporating items and keepsakes that evoke a sense of nostalgia and comfort. For instance, that “well-loved” – but equally tattered blanked your grandmother knitted for you, those cheesy souvenirs you purchased on a recent trip to Peru or the comic book collection you have poured countless hours curating over many years. While these types of items may not fit within the parameters of traditional décor, they may be the difference between the feeling of home versus staying the night in a trendy hotel. There are several innovative ways to showcase your memories within your space.

Create Warmth With Removable Wallcovering And Carpeting
There may be certain restrictions that come with your new place. For instance, the walls and floors may be what they are – but you don’t have to be limited by them. If your lease agreement does not allow for painting, you can consider peel and stick wallpaper. Most are both removable and repositionable, come in a variety of colours and prints and guaranteed to spice up any living space! Choosing to add a great area rug can add a splash of colour and warmth. The addition of an area rug can both make a space more inviting and warmer on your feet!

Go Vertical
Empty spaces can feel cold and uninviting – the same holds true for empty walls, especially plain light-coloured walls. The selection of wall décor is seemingly limitless and can include anything from creative art pieces – purchased or home made, personalized photo galleries and space-enhancing decorative mirrors. Going vertical and adorn your walls with art, photos and mirrors.  

Brighten Your Day
Lighting can drastically alter the vibe of any space. Not many people enjoy the feel of a cold, sterile florescent lighting. There are countless ways to incorporate lighting to create an inviting place to call home. If a major overhaul of fixtures just isn’t in the budget – simply choose bulbs that emit a softer more yellow less white light. Adding a few lamps with dimmers allows you to both inject personality into your apartment while maintaining control over the lighting as you please.

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Community Experience 
Driving can cause you to miss out on experiencing all your community has to offer.  Strolling through the streets of your neighbourhood offers a more complete perspective as you discover shops and people you might not have had the opportunity to encounter from behind the wheel.  

The Walk to Wellness
According to Time Magazine article “10 Things Your Commute Does to Your Body”, a daily drive commute to and from work “impacts your mental and physical health” and is associated with increased cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure which over time can increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke.  Not to mention the toll it takes on your mental health, according to report from the U.K.’s Office of National statistics fighting traffic on a regular basis increases anxiety, puts you a risk for depression and actually declines “happiness and life satisfaction”.   In case you needed any more incentive to re-think a car commute, according to a 2014 study from McGill University, commuters who walk to work tend to be happier overall compared with those who have a lengthy commute. 

Cost vs. Car Share
A major bonus in forgoing a vehicle is saving on all the costs associated with regular maintenance, fuel, insurance, license, registration and parking.  According to the CAA car ownership is the second largest expense after housing for Canadians. On average, including depreciation, owning a vehicle in Canada costs approximately $9,500 annually.   Many would argue that the convenience of having a car is well worth the price tag, yet car sharing services like Modo are a more cost-effective option for those times when you just really need a vehicle.  Unlike traditional car rental companies, Modo bills by the hour or with a full day rate of $50 which is inclusive of gas, insurance and maintenance.  With the flexibility to book on the fly, residents in our Novare, Glenmore Central and Lynncreek Apartments have added incentive with Modo car share services located right on site.   

Central living maybe more costly rent wise but in a vibrant community close to major amenities, you have the luxury of living “car free” without the added stress and expense of owning a vehicle.  “Car free” may become the new “carefree”, healthier approach to urban life.  

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Despite the January blahs, the New Year is a time when we have a renewed sense of optimism, letting go of the old and making space for the new and improved version of us.  Moving is also a great opportunity to start an exciting, new phase of your life. It’s the perfect time to implement new ways to help keep your fresh start from going stale.  So here are a few strategies to keep the momentum flowing while developing some healthy habits designed to keep your home the sanctuary of rest and relaxation it should be. 

1. Commit to De-Clutter

Studies have shown there’s a very real connection between a person’s overall lack of wellbeing and clutter.   A 2016 study conducted by the University of New Mexico found that “because so many people identify so closely with their home environments, the extent to which it’s cluttered can interfere with the pleasure they experience when being in that environment”.  In fact, clutter has been said to be a reflection of the inner state of the mind and stepping into an environment that is disorganized and over-run with stuff can actually cause a person to feel irritated, exhausted and mentally foggy, which in turn negatively impacts crucial functions like eating, thinking and sleeping.   A separate 2017 study at Cornell University found that people tend to eat more sugary, high fat foods when placed in the chaos of clutter as compared to times when they are in a clean, organized environment.  The study concluded that when a person was subjected to a place where they felt “out of control”, stress levels started to climb causing them to reach for sweets as a source of comfort.   So, in case you thought clutter was just a harmless by product of contemporary life – it may be negatively impacting your overall sense of wellbeing, not to mention your waistline!   A great way to keep clutter to a minimum in your new home is to designate a place for everything.  Having a junk drawer for miscellaneous items is ok and can be a real sanity saver some days but keep it contained to one drawer.   Attempt to apply some order by sorting the junk in some way – drawer dividers or containers are a great way to organize the chaos and commit to clearing out the drawer out every couple of months to prevent a “spill out” to other places.  

2. Start a Schedule

Nothing can put a damper on your weekend like coming home Friday to a sink full of dirty dishes or mountains of laundry spilling down the hall – it doesn’t exactly scream “rest and relaxation” does it?   A great way to avoid this high stress scene is by prioritizing routine chores and designate time to tackle them.   The main thing to remember is be realistic about your time and make a plan that you can easily stick to. It can be a simple as setting aside 20 minutes a night to run the vacuum, put the laundry away or do a quick clear and toss of the fridge to prevent post week pile-up.  

3.  Avoid Procrastination in 24 Hrs or Less

We all have certain things around the house that we dislike doing more than others, things we tend to avoid and put off as long as possible until the smell from the fridge, the piles of clothes in the corner or the dust bunnies down the hall can no longer be ignored.   The trick here is two-fold, give yourself a 24 hr time limit, so you don’t have to do it right away but there’s a limit to how long you can procrastinate and then find a way to take the torture out of these tasks by incorporating an element of enjoyment into them.   A sure fail, simple way to accomplish this is, music, just put on your favourite play list and power through.   Dance party with the dishes may sound corny but it actually works.

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