Recently I have had the opportunity to partner and work alongside Aerecura; a family owned business that builds rammed earth homes, and here is what we did, and what I have learned.

In late January, we held an open house at the Salmon Point Road build, or as the home owner calls it the “Mud Hut”, and enjoyed an afternoon filled with talks on what rammed earth homes are in their makeup, alternatives to the standard method of home building, and a personal story of what its like living in a rammed earth home.  Many attended, and it was quite the hit. 

People from London, Sarnia, Ottawa and Toronto were eager to learn, and bring their learning’s back to their current projects and future planning. To see so many interested was a testament to the curiosity this type of building brings, and were very happy with the results. I was there to foster questions on land purchasing, as that’s really the first step. Securing a plot of land that is a. zoned for building residential, and b. a lot that will be suitable for this type of structure ie. flooding, sloping, drainage considerations is really where you need to start.

Before we go any further lets talk about how this all started. Well ” It began with an idea: Build the most sustainable home, ever.” says Syliva the founder of Aerecura. In 2009, Sylvia and her son Graham, along with a small crew of eager builders, worked and brought to life the first of their builds, an insulated rammed earth wall in Ontario,
the first rammed earth wall of Sylvia’s home, and the rest is well history.

So what is Rammed Earth? To explain it, its better to use their words; “Rammed earth is a natural wall building material, created by compressing a mix of gravel, sand, and a binder into a form. The act of compression does in a few moments what gravity does over thousands of years: create rock. This technique - coupled with modern engineering and building science incorporating rebar and insulation - makes rammed earth structural, airtight, and heavily insulated enough to exceed Ontario’s building code, and succeed through our winters.”

If you want to learn more about what this company is doing to build sustainable living in Prince Edward County and Surrounding area make sure to reach out!

Well we all have it in one shape or another, the summer lull. That feeling of missing something that’s gone, but not sure what it is. And then you remember the freedom of summer… ah how glorious that was.

Well something that summer might have also left you with is a lot of odd socks, mixie match dishes, and a few extra piles of laundry in places… So take this time now that things are getting back on track to find time to declutter your surroundings, I can’t tell you it does a world of good.

Try this list and see how it goes, even these simple steps can make a world of difference.

 - Laundry room. Go through all the shelves and bins in laundry room. What odd socks you find, pile together and have kids go through to find matches. Any old socks head to the garbage. Anything you haven’t worn in 6 months or that doesn’t fit donate.

 - Kitchen. The container drawer. Now that kids are back to school, you are most likely using this drawer on the daily. Empty the drawer and find all the sets, what doesn’t have a match goes to recycling. You will be shocked with the space you just gained.

 - Bathroom. Under the sink. In my home, this is a spot that quickly accumulated junk from camps and beach days. First start under the sink, everything comes out. Next go through the items, and if sunscreens or bug repellents aren’t expired, give them their own basket and neatly organize for next use. recycle old bottle, and them remove and clutter. Next start on the drawers.

 - Mudroom Closet - this is a time to donate anything that doesn’t fit, or that doesn’t serve a purpose any longer. Also pack away summer jackets and sandals, to make way for what is coming. If you have the energy take a look at footwear, and anything that seems too small or old can be removed.

Decluttering is a way to keep your home feeling calmer, and more organized. I am a firm believer in keeping your surroundings tidy, as it just keeps my overall being feeling better.

What do you do through the seasons to keep clutter under control?

Earlier this week, The Bank of Canada today held its target for the overnight rate at 5%, with the Bank Rate at 5¼% and the deposit rate at 5%. That’s good news for Canadians and specifically new buyers who are entering the fall market. So now what! Well if you have been thinking about a home purchase this fall, a pause in a rate increase is a great time to start looking as it will give added incentive to the real estate market. The break in rate hikes adds confidence in the market for sellers, people who might be holding off putting their homes on the market will use this time to list their property, giving you access to inventory.

And if you are holding off and want to save a little more through this time, here are a few tips to deal with the interest hikes, lets hope this is all behind, but being prepared is key.

The key word here is DEBT. get rid of the debt and the future is bright, and when you are ready for that purchase, your bank account will be ready too.

Preparing for a change in Interest rates.