Labour Day is closing in...

Traditionally Labour Day, the first Monday in September, originally gave workers the chance to campaign for better working conditions and/or pay.  It was a day to celebrate workers' rights with parades and picnics organized by trade unions.

Today, for many parents, it marks the end of summer vacation and a breather from the kids with the beginning of a new school year.  For others the weekend marks the end of summer and the start of the fall season.

Check out some events happening in London  www.londontourism.ca/Events.

This weekend would be a great time to take a late summer trip, enjoy the company of family and friends, visit a fair or festival or perhaps host a BBQ.

Whatever your plans, have a safe Labour Day weekend and kids... sharpen your pencils!!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
cell 519-495-1541
email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com

Furnish Your Home for Less

Furnish Your Home For Less

Starting out with a "blank slate" can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing comes if you have enough money to furnish your home with whatever you want from wherever you choose. Furnishing a home on a shoestring, though, takes creativity, an eye for a good value, and possibly some elbow grease.
While some discount stores, such as Ikea, sell inexpensive new furnishings, careful shoppers can find better quality for less money with used furnishings. Here are a few ideas for getting what you need at discounted prices.

Inspiration

Whether you are furnishing one room or a whole house, it's important to have an idea of how you want the room to look before you go shopping. Once you have the design in mind, it's easier to shop for the components.
Model homes in new home communities are great places to get decorating ideas. These homes are carefully decorated to appeal to a broad range of home buyers. Colour schemes, accessories, furniture choice and placement all play to the shopper's emotions.
Interior design and decorating websites may also be good sources of inspiration. Check out Better Homes and Gardens, HGTV or Houzz, for project ideas to get your household furnished for less.

Used is Good

One of the hardest things to learn is how to look beyond the obvious wear and tear to the actual "bones" of used furniture.  Look beyond the fact that the upholstery is ratty or the legs are scuffed – look at style.
If you like the lines of the coffee table, buy it. Scratches and dings are easy to fix. Hate the ugly green upholstery on the otherwise perfect Chesterfield-style sofa? Buy it. Have it recovered in a yummy fabric of your choice.
Once you've mastered the technique of not judging furniture by its cover, it's time to go shopping.

Garage and Estate Sales

Yes, there are differences between garage sales and estate sales. The latter is the disposition of goods of a person's estate. The garage sale, on the other hand, is the sale of a person's extra belongings or things they no longer need. Both sales offer used items, but estate sales typically have a better variety, and the items are usually in better condition.
Expect to pay more for estate sale items than garage sale items, and prices are typically not negotiable. In both cases you'll need to supply your own moving labor and transportation, so factor that cost into the cost of the items you want to purchase.
You can find garage and estate sales advertised in newspaper classified ads, and by following directional signs in neighbourhoods.

Consignment Stores

Furniture prices tend to be a bit higher in consignment stores than if you were to purchase the items directly from the owner's home, but you can occasionally find some bargains.

Thrift Stores

Salvation Army and Goodwill thrift stores are sources of deeply discounted used household items. Finding something decent is a bit challenging, but once in a while you'll find just the piece you've been searching for, so don't disregard these sources.

Online Shopping

Kijiji is the best online site for inexpensive home furnishings – mainly because it's local. The first place to navigate once you arrive on your local Kijiji page is the Browse Categories section, where you'll find a link named "Free." Everybody loves free, right? Within this category you'll see ads that contain free items available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Join the freecycling group in your area at Freecycle.org. Membership is free, and so are all the items posted.

Shopping frugally allows you to make big, dramatic changes to your home decor without breaking the bank.


Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Cell: 519-495-1541
email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com

How To Design A Kid-Friendly Backyard

How To Design A Kid-Friendly Backyard

One of the pleasures of having a home is the space that a backyard provides for activities with family and friends. A backyard can be a great place for kids to burn off energy, explore the outdoors, and simply relax.
When children are small, care should also be taken to ensure their safety. The following are things you can do to design a kid-friendly backyard that is both fun and safe.

Maximize Exercise Space

It's tough these days for children to get enough exercise, but an area dedicated to lawn makes a more kid-friendly backyard. Provide enough space to run around, play tag, or throw a ball. The shrubs around this activity area should be tough, thorn-free, and able to withstand occasional abuse from balls or kids running into the beds.

Plant Fruits and Vegetables

Getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables can also be a challenge. Why not make eating colorful, nutritious food more interesting by letting children grow their own fruits and vegetables? Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, raspberries, and blueberries are all easy to grow. When children see fruits and vegetables go from seed to plate, they are more likely to eat them.

Create Interesting Garden Spaces

Is there anyone who hasn't played hide-and-seek? Providing a lawn isn't the only way to ignite a child's sense of play and creativity. Gardens can be divided into "garden rooms." Think of the lawn as the living room of the backyard, but you can also create a cozy nook with a bench surrounded by shrubs. This kind of space might provide a great kid-friendly place to read a book or the perfect hiding place for that next game of hide-and-seek.

Provide Protective Fencing

Designing a kid-friendly backyard is also about safety. When young children are present, it's important to provide protective fencing that not only keeps them from wandering off, but also keeps strangers and stray pets from coming into the backyard.

Don't Plant Poisonous Plants

Babies and toddlers are always putting things in their mouths. Leaves, bark, colorful flowers, and berries can all look very enticing to curious, young children. Before planting any plant in your backyard, do a little research. Look the plant up in a plant encyclopedia or online and see if it is poisonous. Some very common plants are poisonous: daffodils, daphne, foxgloves, and rhododendrons, just to name a few.

Don't Allow Unrestricted Access to Pools and Water Features

Babies and small children can drown in a surprisingly small amount of water. Therefore, it's important to supervise children around swimming pools, hot tubs, fountains, and water features. These water-based amenities can provide hours of enjoyment, but their location and access to them should be carefully planned to prevent accidental drowning. Provide locked doors or gates where appropriate to prevent small children from playing in water unsupervised.


Designing a kid-friendly backyard involves finding ways to inspire creativity and play within a safe environment. It's as easy as that. Now go outside and play!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Cell: 519-495-1541
email: rthyssen@rogers.com
web: www.thyssengroup.com