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My Vacation Cruise Package – Beware of Extra Costs
Have you bought a vacation cruise package? Back in 2019, I received a phone call about a Caribbean cruise package deal. It was for a discounted price and also included a few days stay in a couple of hotel resorts in Florida and the Bahamas. (Of course, they also required me to listen to a timeshare presentation.) Thanks to the…
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10 Things to do to Reset & Have a Great New Year!
The new year is symbolic of a new start and a great time to reset several areas of your life. Here are ten things you need to do to reset for a fabulous new year. Reflect on last year with gratitude… What did you accomplish in the last year? Even if you had a particularly hard year and barely made…
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Make a Vision Board – Clarify Your Goals & Dreams for the New Year
Do you have a vision for how you would like this year to go for you? Whether you make New Year’s Resolutions or sit down and write out your goals for the year, having a clear vision of what you want can help. I love this time of year. It is a time of new beginnings, a chance to reset…
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The Benefits of Travelling with a Friend
Travelling alone can be fun but travelling with a friend also has it’s benefits. On my cruise vacation to the Bahamas and Florida, I went with my long-time friend, Deb. We refer to ourselves as “Thelma and Louise” on our adventures, although we have never robbed or killed anyone, or driven off a cliff. This was our fifth adventure together.…
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Packing in a Knapsack for a Ten Day Trip
For my vacation to Florida & the Bahamas, I packed in a knapsack for a ten-day trip. On my last trip, to British Columbia, I packed with a small carry-on suitcase and knapsack. Although that worked out well, I thought I would challenge myself to go more minimal. It is a lot easier to get around on buses and trains…
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Organizing for the Holidays to Minimize Stress
Do you have your holiday plans organized yet? The gifts, the food, the events, the decorations, and card sending (if you do that)? I know some people put their tree and decorations up right after Halloween. Some people, not naming any names, leave all their gift-buying until December 24th and end up over-spending. The more organized you can be for…
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More Travel Tips – What I Learned on My First Trip in Years
Looking for more travel tips? As many of you know I recently flew on my first trip in several years to Vancouver Island and learned some new things. What worked and what didn’t? Even with doing extensive research into an area you are going to, there are bound to be surprises. Some nice, and some not so nice. For the…
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Stress-free Trip Planning (Airline & Budget-friendly)
If travel is back on your agenda, you might be looking for some tips to make it as stress-free as possible. It’s been a number of years since I went anywhere on a plane and there have been some changes since then. Trip planning research…Step One First – where are you going? And will it be for business, pleasure or…
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Back Patio Refresh 2022 (Budget-Friendly)
This year I finally got around to doing a refresh on my back patio for my guest suite #2. Everyone likes to have a nice place to sit and enjoy the sunset. What can you do to make a special outdoor area for yourself? Even small areas can be transformed to make your own special oasis and be budget-friendly. Back…
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Airbnb Guest Suite #2 Updates Before and After
My Airbnb guest suite #2 had the biggest transformation over the last couple of years. From little repairs, to some new furniture and accessories, to a major kitchen renovation. As you enter my Airbnb guest suite #2… First the entrance door was replaced and I got a new screen door. Unfortunately, a windstorm wrecked the hinges on the screen door…
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Airbnb Guest Suite #1 Updates 2022
It’s been a couple of years since I started my Airbnb guest suites and I’ve made a few minor changes to my guest suite #1. Whether someone is coming for work or leisure they like to have a safe, homey place they can stay. New Barbecue. My newest Airbnb update to guest suite #1… I have added a little barbecue…
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Small IKEA Kitchen Organization-Guest Suite #2
Organizing a small kitchen has it’s own special challenges. I had to re-examine what was needed with my newly renovated IKEA kitchen in my guest suite . My accent colour of red remains to co-ordinate with the colours in the living room. Halfway between kitchen declutter & organizing. Step One in kitchen organization… Of course, I had to declutter before…
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Guest Suite#2 Makeover Part Three – IKEA Kitchen Reno
Well, I finally got my guest suite #2 kitchen reno done. Thanks to the supply delays that IKEA has been experiencing, it has taken three months to complete. (It’s a good thing I don’t have many guests in the winter.) Before – 24″ apartment-size fridge, tile countertops & teeny, tiny corner cabinet doors. Guest kitchen before and why I wanted…
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Guest Suite #2 Makeover Part Two – Bedroom Refresh
My guest suite #2 also had a little update in the bedroom this year. It’s amazing what a little paint and a few “new” accessories can do. Some “Before” bedroom makeover pictures… Before makeover Before with antique dresser Corner bedroom – before I had originally painted the pale lilac colour for my mother, but didn’t have time to repaint when…
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Guest Suite #2 Makeover – Part One Bathroom Refresh
This year I began to get my guest suite #2 bathroom refreshed, starting with some subtle repairs and maintenance. Bathroom Refresh Part One… You can’t see it, but the original fan was so noisy it sounded like an airplane upstairs when it was on. I looked into getting a new one but all the new ones required different venting. The…
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Organizing An Airbnb Housekeeping Station
My back hall finally got a mini-makeover and my Airbnb housekeeping station was re-organized. The goal was to make the process easier and more efficient to save time. This area frequently became a dumping ground for items that didn’t have a home or I hadn’t gotten around to putting away. Back Hall Before Back Hall Pass-through The pass-through hole to…
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How To Be A Great Airbnb Guest – Top Ten Tips
Whether you have to travel for work or education, or if you are lucky enough to live in an area where leisure travel is allowed again, you might want to stay at a short-term rental such as an Airbnb. Unlike most hotels and motels, these are usually in someone’s home, or cottage and can be like a home away from…
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Start Your Own Airbnb Guest Suite -Top Ten Tips
Are you looking for tips to start your own Airbnb guest suite? Read on for my top ten tips. Last year when my long-time tenants moved out of my apartments in my home I turned them into guest suites and listed them on the Airbnb site. It continues to be a learning experience for me but I thought I would…
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Welcome to Church Hill Haven Guest Suite #2
I finally got Church Hill Haven Guest Suite #2 ready in August. I had already painted the main areas last year in neutral greys. The main kitchen, living, and dining room had red and green accent colours. Guest Suite #2 Entrance and Mudroom… Guest Suite #2 Furniture Transformation… I commandeered a couple of pieces I had in my shed, left…
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Church Hill Haven Guest Suite #1 (Before and After)
Recently, I decided to turn my basement apartments into guest suites. (I’ve always loved an excuse to decorate.) During my travels I stayed at some accommodations on Airbnb and I was impressed at how easy it was to use the site. They handle all the payments in a safe, secure manner, submit the taxes where applicable, and then pay the…
