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We've all heard it before: that house has good bones! But what are good bones? Today you're going to find out. 

First, what does it mean when someone refers to a home having good bones? Moving.com defines it as this: "In general, a home with “good bones” is considered to be a good home with the potential to be a great home. It typically describes a fixer-upper or some sort of neglected house (think: diamond in the rough) that features quality, well-made construction – hence the good bones meaning."

A home having good bones is a great thing! You certainly shouldn't buy a home with bad bones. However, you need to proceed with caution. A home having good bones can sometimes be another way of saying that the home needs a lot of work; the bones are good,…

Bedrooms are a place for ultimate rest. Here are some ways to make yours more cozy and restful:

• Create Ambiance with Lighting: "A cozy bedroom needs light, but not just any kind of light. Turn off the overhead fixture after dark and concentrate on low light. The key to an intimate mood is incorporating various sources of lighting, including soft bedside lamps and strategically mounted ceiling lights for a touch of drama." (Architectural Digest)
• Use Dark & Warm Colours: "While light colors are great for making a room feel larger, a darker hue envelops the bedroom, creating the perfect space to relax and slumber." (HGTV)
• Choose Calming Art: "Art selections are intensely personal and taste-driven, but Julie Daniel, from Los Angeles-based…

With Albertans feeling the crunch of utilities, here are some easy tips to save this winter:

Get an Energy Audit: Save On Energy writes, "you can't save on energy unless you know how you're using it. Getting an energy audit is the best way to understand what upgrades you should be making and it helps to identify if your home is running efficiently and effectively." Some households may be eligible for a free audit, so get some quotes today to find out where your home is expending the most energy!

Add Property Insulation: "None of the changes you make on your roof will improve home energy efficiency unless you have a quality ventilation system. Make sure all areas in your house such as attics, basements and crawlspaces are properly insulated. This…

Summer is the perfect time for reorganizing and decluttering your home. We like to call this two pronged approach The Summertime Purge. Not only will this help you mentally and emotionally, because a cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind, but it will also help your home! With less clutter your home becomes less hazardous to occupants and less likely to be damaged. 

There are a lot of experts out there claiming to be the voice of wisdom when it comes to purging your home and doing so well. However, it is important to have a nuanced approach when doing so. In this blog we're going to take the practices of three home organization and decluttering experts, and show you how when joined all together they can help you navigate this process…

If HGTV is any indication, people love the idea of renovating a home. Shows like Fixer Upper and Property Brothers are wildly popular, audiences tuning in every week to see neglected homes turn into dream homes. There's something about an underdog that people love to root for--homes included. 

These shows are inspiring. They make fixing up a home seem easy! You drive past an old house and say, "some exposed brick would do that property wonders," or, "it's got great bones - imagine what a fresh coat of paint could do!" Don't let the edited smiles of Chip and Joanna Gaines fool you; renovating a home is hard work. It can be incredibly rewarding and profitable, but you should know these things before making an offer on that shack down the street:

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It's still a little chilly outside, which means that most of us would rather be curled up inside with a warm drink instead of out in the cold. While temperatures are expected to rise soon, you can never be too weary when it comes to weather in Calgary, Alberta. Our friendly groundhog Phil may have promised winter was at it's end, but that does not mean our toes will be thawing anytime soon. For now, we're going to keep our sweaters on.

During cold winters a fun pastime is scrolling through Pinterest, dreaming of all the fun projects you can do once it is warm enough outside. This is especially true when it comes to home renovations, which most people tend to complete during the summer months before a big freeze. After all, most home renovations…

Autumn is the perfect time for finishing renovation projects you started in the spring/summer and beginning new ones to prepare your home for winter. Remember that home renovations are an important part of keeping your property up to date and in the best condition possible. They add incredible value to your property!

Here are three great renovations for your home this fall:

Painting

• A fresh coat of paint is a great way to spruce up your home’s aesthetics. Not only will paint make your home look fresh and new, but there is also a psychology behind painting. Certain colours can elicit certain psychological responses. For example, blue is a colour that is great for productivity. You may not want to use extreme bright or dark colours, so look…

Working from home was essential as businesses shut their doors to the public following strict quarantine rules. For some, working from home was the dream scenario. Who doesn't love working with their pet at their side and their favorite tv show playing in the background? For others, working from home became a nightmare. Enter scenes of kids yelling and coffee spilling on the laptop keyboard.

This work from home movement meant many spare rooms became overnight office spaces. Even though some businesses are reopening their doors and calling their employees back into cubicles, some are continuing to ask employees to work from home for the time being. Whichever office space you fall into, we thought it was time for some office organization tips. 

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Smart Home Technology is a booming industry. What used to be the creative imagining of science fiction stories is now a reality. Homes are now being built with built-in smart home technology or retrofitted to accommodate smart home technology. These products aim to help our homes run more efficiently, from energy use to time spent.

Here are some new smart home technology products for you to check out:

Lockly: A door lock that does so much more than a simple key ever could. Digital Trends writes, “Lockly is known for its high tech smart locks that have advanced features like fingerprint sensor technology, a touchscreen keypad that moves the numbers for added security, app control, voice control, and temporary codes for guest access.”

Jupiter…

Summertime is coming in hot and we are ready to bask in the beautiful weather. After weeks of quarantine the forecast looks great! If that is not something to celebrate, we don't know what is.

With so much nice weather on the horizon, now is a great time to check off any summertime renovations you had on your to-do list. We don't want you to get caught mid-winter with half-finished projects, so here is your reminder to grind it out. Remember: if you get it done today, you won't have to worry about it tomorrow. 

Do you want to change things up but aren't sure where to start? Are you wondering what things you should be working on that you have not yet? Look no further. We have got you covered. Here is the ultimate outdoor summer renovation list:

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