How to Organize Your New Home in 5 Easy Steps

Once you arrive at your new home after cross border moving, you’ll be surrounded by boxes, or if your moving company unpacked, things might be in random places. There needs to be some strategy to where each item in your household goes. It simplifies life and makes finding items easy. As you start to rearrange, follow these five easy steps for successful organizing.

1. Make a system in the garage. This is the last space people organize, but the place where everything seems to end up. Make sure there are shelves for items relating to the car and yard, and a place for tools. Hang bicycles from the ceiling with hooks, and organize storage items like holiday decorations in plastic bins with labels. Keep hazardous materials up high out of children’s reach, and sports equipment and outdoor toys where kids can find them.

2. Get your entryway organized. Have waterproof mats for shoes, a hook for everyone’s coat, and a place for kids’ backpacks. If each person can have a bin for the random things they bring in and out, like scarves and hats, it will organize a potential mess.

3. Work on the kitchen. Put everything away except what you use on a daily basis. Put things in logical places, like the cookie sheets near the stove and the glasses near the fridge where people will be finding drinks. Conquer the “junk drawer” with dividers for like items.  Make a rule that the top of the fridge remains cleaned off; this is a tempting area to make a mess with underused items.

4. Get ready for important home office work by setting up a clean and organized work space. Find a spot in the house where your desk can remain undisturbed and uncluttered. Have a place for bills, mail, catalogs, and all the items you need at your fingertips such as a stapler, tape, etc. Make it known within the family that office items stay in the office, or things might walk away!

5. Tackle the closets. Make sure each person in the family has what they need to keep a tidy closet. Are there enough shelves and bins? Do they need a shoe rack or an over-the-door hook? Help children to separate seasonal clothing and provide under-the-bed zippered bags or boxes to keep out of season items.

Once you have a plan, you will be much more likely to keep your home organized. After the chaos of cross border moving, you will definitely need a plan! Make one and stick to it.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @LizMarie_AK via the creative common license)

5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy This Summer

After cross border moving, you’ll be getting settled in your new home, and your kids will be adjusting to the new house and city. After they are out of school for the summer, the first thing they tend to complain about is boredom. Prevent this pre-emptively by planning for activities that will keep your kids occupied.

Set up a small garden for them to tend all summer. Look at www.kidsgardening.org. This National Gardening Association site provides multitudes of ideas for different garden types and layouts. A fun choice might be a butterfly garden. You need an area with six hours of sunlight, colorful flowering plants, and leafy plants that attract egg-laying butterflies and become food for the larvae.

Be an idea-generator for your kids. Set up a “boredom box” that they can choose 1-2 ideas from each day. Include ideas such as making sidewalk chalk art, creating a scavenger hunt, and playing dress-up. If they don’t like what is in the boredom box, they aren’t allowed to complain anymore about being bored.

Every kid needs to try a lemonade stand. Teach your kids how to have a really good one. Have it at the same time as your or a neighbor’s garage sale to increase traffic. Give each child a job; money-keeper, lemonade-mixer, sign-maker. Try to sneak in a little math as they add up their profits and subtract their expenses.

Help your kids out by setting up play dates. This is really a babysitting swap service with your friends, but will seem to the kids like a special day out. And do try to make it special. Make ice cream or go to the neighborhood pool. Choose something they can all do together despite any age differences.

You might want to invest in a museum membership. Do you have a history museum or children’s museum? Members often get special access to activities, and you can go anytime you want. Give the kids disposable cameras and make a game out of finding a list of items you create and photographing them.

With these ideas, your kids will forget their cross border moving experience, and will be excited about the summer ahead.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @sfajane via the creative common license)

Four Lifestyle Resources That Can Help Your Family Adjust After Moving to Canada

If you’re planning on relocating your family to Canada, there are several things you’ll need to do before starting the process of Cross Border Moving. Here are four resources that can help your family members adjust during this transition phase.

Weather Office

For one thing, the weather will likely be different in Canada since every province shares a border with the Arctic. You can refer to weatheroffice.gc.ca to find valuable information such as air quality, average temperatures and rainfall totals, as well as current conditions. The homepage provides a map of the entire country, allowing you to get more specific by region.

CBC News

One way to formulate a decent understanding of a country’s culture is by keeping up with its news, and CBC News is one of the most prominent names north of the U.S. border. The CBC website offers a wide variety of categories, including community news, which can help you learn about your specific locale. You’ll even have the chance to choose your specific region.

Canada Only

Although Canadian cuisine is different in virtually every town, you can check out CanadaOnly.ca to get a feel for which food items are most available. This resource, which is a major online retailer that provides categorized links to various food products, can be particularly useful if you don’t know what to expect at local grocery stores.

Recreation Canada

It’s safe to say that outdoor recreation is one of Canada’s most renowned pastimes, as locals take their natural treasures very seriously. RecreationCanada.ca is an easy-to-use tool that allows you to select primary cities to obtain information about local clubs, organizations, parks and additional recreation resources. You can even scroll to the bottom of the homepage to choose from a list of specific activities and watch videos from particular regions.

Living in Edmonton: How to Enjoy a Staycation

After all the work of cross border moving, you may need a vacation, but on a budget. Consider a staycation in your new town of Edmonton. There is much to keep you entertained.

Test out your family dynamics by experiencing a high ropes course together. Ropes Quest at the West Edmonton Mall takes you to three levels of beams and ropes in a challenging obstacle course. You will be securely harnessed in, but will enjoy the sensation of being high above the crowd! Admission is $9.95 per person.

Head to the Art Gallery of Alberta in downtown Edmonton to see the “Icons of Modernism” show during February and March. You will see the work of artists who left behind the Paris Salon, and entering into Surrealism, Futurism, Suprematism, Constructivism and Dadaism. Enjoy artists such as Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Francis Picabia, Ferdinand Léger and Marcel Duchamp.

Cheer on your new favorite hockey teams– the Edmonton Oilers (Wednesday March 28th against the Dallas Stars) or the Edmonton Oil Kings (Saturday, March 10 against the Red Deer Rebels).

Spend the day at the Royal Alberta Museum, one of Canada’s most popular museums. Take an outdoor self-guided grounds tour. See a natural history frieze, petrified wood (the national stone of Canada), and a totem pole in the Native Northwest Coast art style.

Get to know Edmonton as the festival capitol of Canada, with 30 festivals in Edmonton year-round. Upcoming festivals are the Global Visions Film Festival, and the Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival.

As a new resident of Edmonton, you’ll want to stick close to home and experience all there is to do in the area. Once your cross border moving is over, check out these tips for a fun family staycation.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @oddsock via the creative common license.)

Living in Canada: Top Spring Break Destinations

You won’t have any trouble finding an interesting destination for Spring Break now that you live in Canada. It’s a big country with many options for fun. Once your cross border moving tasks are complete, you can focus on planning for a Spring Break getaway.

Visit Montreal. The French influence and old-world feeling is charming. You can easily get around the city in a car, allowing you more freedom of travel. Or, you can take an Amtrak into the city. You can visit La Ronde with the kids, an amusement park on an island in the St. Lawrence River, or shop the main strip on Sainte Catherine Street. End the day with a meal in the old quarter.

Try out Quebec City. You’ll want to visit the Chateau Frontenac, a hotel dating back to 1893 which is standing on a cliff. Eat at L’Auberge du Tresor across the street. Check out The Battlefields Park, an urban green space similar to New York’s Central Park.

Head off to Banff National Park, known as Canada’s protected playground. The mountain views are out of this world, and many cozy and romantic accommodations can be found. Try the Buffalo Mountain Lodge or the Deer Lodge in Lake Louise. Ski at Mt. Norquay, the Lake Louise Ski Area, or Sunshine Village. All are top notch, and cover almost 8,000 acres of skiable terrain.

See the Cherry Blossom Festival in Vancouver. March and April are months in which they honor the 37,000 ornamental cherry trees that were a gift from Japan in the 1930’s. You can attend the Cherry Jam Downtown, the Haiku Invitational, Bike the Blossoms, the Japan Fair, and more. This is a special time in the city that you won’t want to miss.

Cross border moving can take a lot of time and attention, and you just might need to get away from it all and spend spring break somewhere wonderful. Research these destinations, and choose one to visit.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @Moyan_Brenn (I’m Back) via the creative common license.)

First Year in Canada: 5 Canadian Valentine’s Day Traditions

Cross border moving will take a lot of effort and planning, and may consume you to the point that you aren’t interested in adding more to your plate. But consider making some plans for Valentine’s Day. In Canada, this holiday is celebrated by everyone as a commemoration of their adoration of loved ones.

February 14 has been a day of love for centuries, established by Pope Gelasius in 496 AD for an early Christian martyr named Valentine. Ever since, in Canada and elsewhere, people have shared their love in many different ways on this date.
In Canada, social events are planned around the holiday. Balls and parties are held. These are sometimes elaborate celebrations where all the stops are pulled out.

Valentine cards are often exchanged, especially by young school children. Often these cards are handmade for the classroom holiday party. Also, children decorate boxes like a mailbox for their collected cards.

Elementary students also celebrate by learning songs and skits and putting on concerts for parents on Valentine’s Day. These are sometimes historical, and are of course centered on the theme of love.

In older grades, students are invited to attend Valentine’s Day dances organized by the school or another organization. Students often dress semi-formally for these dances, and attend with and without a significant other.

Gifts are popular on Valentine’s Day, such as flowers, chocolates, sparkling wine, or with committed couples, jewelry. Some consider it a religious holiday, but others take it as the chance to spend special time with loved ones.

As you are cross border moving, be sure to make time to tell your loved ones of your affection on Valentine’s Day in the traditional Canadian ways.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @Partha Sarathi Sahana via the creative common license.)

Living in Vancouver: Tips for Staying Active This Winter

A month of planning your cross border moving can leave you worn out. But they say that along with a little rest, you should add a little exercise. Vancouver offers infinite options for physical activity. Try these three tips for staying active this season.

1. Try the Kitsilano Adventuring Moms Meet-up group. Meetup.com is a site where you can find other people who enjoy the things you enjoy. People meet about pets, politics, religion, cooking, crafts, and so much more. This adventuring group of moms will keep you active in the winter months. There are often activities for both you and the kids to participate in.

2. Sign up for classes at Inner Space Yoga in Gastown. This all-inclusive stop for physical health won’t disappoint. It is a beautiful space, meant to slow you down and relax you. It is a “boutique” studio with smaller classes and a more intimate, authentic experience. They offer Hatha, Anvsara, Vinyasa, and Yin yoga, but they have more than yoga. Experience meditation, Pilates, massage, infrared saunas and more.

3. Try Cypress Mountain for cross-country skiing. You can rent your skis here and try this cardio workout. Their Nordic Trails are groomed and track-set. They are good for both the Classic and Skate technique. Take a friend and enjoy the snowy views.

4. Head to Grouse Mountain for some outdoor ice-skating on an old-fashioned, 8,000 square ft. pond. The ticket includes a gondola ride, access to many peak activities such as sleigh rides. You can get a nice warm cup of hot cocoa at the nearby Peak Chalet.

After cross border moving to Vancouver, you may need to get out of the house and get some exercise. Maybe a meet-up group, a yoga class, or a day of cross country skiing will do the trick.
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @ronsombilongallery via the creative common license)

Living in Vancouver: 3 Tips for Ice Skating This Winter

Living in Vancouver has many benefits, one of which is easy access to ice skating. After cross border moving to Canada, you may want to take up the activity like a local. Here are three great places to start.

GE Ice Plaza at Robeson Square
This is a unique, sunken outdoor and open-air ice rink, which was reopened in 2009. After ten years of being closed, it is now refreshed and reopened with a slightly larger ice area. Admission is free through Games-time, and skate rental is $3. Open daily from 9 am to 9 pm.

Grouse Mountain’s Ice Skating Pond
This is an 8,000 square-foot outdoor rink at the peak of Grouse Mountain, a popular skiing resort. It’s the only old-fashioned skating pond in the city. A ticket includes a gondola ride, access to many peak activities such as sleigh rides. It’s near the Peak Chalet where you can warm up with a hot chocolate. Be sure to check the mountain weather report before you head up. Open daily from 9 am to 10 pm.

Trout Lake Rink
This rink at the Trout Lake Community Centre was renovated for the Olympics, and is now state-of-the-art. Its aerodynamic design is conservation friendly, and serves as an example to other rinks on conserving water and energy. There is a beautiful arched wood ceiling that was made from salvaged Stanley Park windfall.

The City of Vancouver also runs seven other rinks located throughout the city. Confirm holiday hours before you go.

Cross border moving is all work, so get out a play a little on one of these world-class skating rinks.
Photo provided by Flickr user @dnigh under the creative common license.

Living in Vancouver: 3 Tips for Skiing This Winter

Cross border moving to a new country and city can bring welcome changes. Now that you are a Vancouver local, you have easy access to snow skiing. Whether you are a beginner or pro, you will enjoy the views and the experience of being on the mountain. Here are three great locations for skiing in the Vancouver area.

Cypress Mountain
This is the home of Canada’s first Olympic Gold Medal on home snow, and they are very proud of this! Their Nordic trails are groomed and track-set for the classic and the skate techniques. A fun tube park tows you up to the top, then down the chute you go! There are plenty of opportunities for lessons if you are a beginner. Check out some of the daily entertainment if you need a break from skiing. You can park and ride the Express Bus to the top of the mountain, only $48 for a yearly pass, and only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver. They also provide activities for younger and older children.

Grouse Mountain
This local and tourist destination is 15-minutes from downtown Vancouver.  During the summer, there is hiking, zip lining, paragliding, sightseeing, lumberjack shows and other entertainment. In winter, there is skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, sleigh rides, and helicopter rides. Grouse Mountain is a favorite for weddings. They are proud to host a refuge for endangered wildlife. When it comes to dining, Grouse Mountain has many choices. There is the café style Lupins, casual dining at Altitudes, and fine dining at the Observatory.

Mount Seymour
Located to the north; Mount Seymour is only a 20-minute drive from downtown Vancouver. This is a local favorite with nice skiing and snowboarding areas. There are special activities for younger and older children both. From the top of Mount Seymour you can see east to the Cascade Mountains, south to Washington State and the San Juan and Gulf Islands, west to Vancouver Island, the Georgia Strait and all of Greater Vancouver below. Get a bargain on first-time lessons compared to the other resorts, and rent equipment from the on-site shop. Have fun in the Enquist Snow Tube Park tobogganing and snow-tubing.

After cross border moving to Vancouver, be sure to try out the skiing this winter. With mountains so close to home, it will be easier than ever!
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @nonanet via the creative common license)

Moving to Canada: 5 Fun Fall Festivities That You Can’t Miss

When cross border moving, you should take time to learn about the local culture. Festivals are a great way to do just that. Canada is bursting with fall festivals that are fun for the whole family. Look into these five events.

1. The Toronto International Film Festival is known throughout the world as a leading film festival, right in line with Cannes and Sundance. They were first to feature hit films such as Hotel Rwanda, American Beauty, and The Big Chill. This is event is held each September.

2. Enjoy the fall harvest at Pumpkin Fest in the town of Wellington in Prince Edward County. See the winning largest pumpkin, watch the parade, participate in contests and games and have some delicious fall treats.

3. Head to the biggest Oktoberfest in North America in Kitchner-Waterloo. This event celebrates the Canadian Thanksgiving with a parade and events for adults and children alike. This is a great event to support because the proceeds go to 70 non-profit organizations.

4. Stay up all night in support of the arts. The Toronto Nuit Blanche presents more than 150 contemporary art projects that are installed across the city and unveiled during one all-night celebration.

5. Visit the Celtic Colours International Festival, on Cape Breton Island. See 350 artists perform, attend workshops and lectures, see visual art, play along with your fiddle, or eat at a community meal.

You will forget about the hard work of cross border moving once you get out and experience these traditional fall celebrations.

(Photo attributed to flickr member @Kam’s World via the creative common license)