Real estate listing mapper

For people who want to peek into what's on the market - or love to know what homes in their neighbourhood are selling for -  Zoocasa, a new Canadian real estate mapping site, offers hours of amusement.

The site plots out data - gleaned from listings and agent and broker feeds, so it's not a totally comprehensive list - on an interactive Google map, from where you can click, zoom and snoop to your heart's content.

You can search by clicking (which could take a very long time), address, neighbourhood or city, and get the lowdown on schools, shops and hospitals in the area. One click on a property tab will call up all the property details from the original listing.

I spent more than a few hours browsing this site this week, first hunting for my dream home, then for something I could afford, then for the most expensive homes ... and so on. If you can dream up a criteria, you can probably filter the search.

The site's not a broker, so it won't help you actually make a purchase,  but it's a good place to get a sample of what's on the market, the average prices and what's going on in the neighbourhood.

A fridge for sharing

Finally, a fridge that prevents you from accidentally drinking your roommates' - potentially expired - milk!

The Flatshare, a fridge with individual compartments made especially for sharing valuable space with roommates, is the winner of Electrolux's 2008 Design Lab competition.

It's a base station with up to four stackable modules, each which can be customized with colours and add-ons. It even has side handles for packing up and moving!

The inventor, an Austrian student named Stefan Buchberger, says in a release that he got the idea for the fridge "because in many shared flats there is a problem with the refrigerator ... it gets filthy because no one person feels responsible for cleaning it."

He wins roughly $8,000 CDN and a six-month internship with the company's designers.

Other cool designs from the competition include the iBasket - a wi-fi connected clothes hamper and washing machine, Sook, a social networking recipe generator and the Scan Toaster, a USB toaster that prints news and pics on toast. Not sure about the practical applications of that last one, but I guess there are perks to eating your morning paper?

A cleaner, greener home

Last week, I confessed that my husband and I have done a poor job of making our new apartment a home.

While admitting that our disorganized quarters - complete with box room - is a problem was an excellent first step in making a change, I admit there's still much to be done. In fact, everything else.

But, I decided the first step was to look at the way I clean. While keeping organized certainly helps with cleaning, the products I use play a big role in our lives.

My husband hates when I use commercial cleaners - both due to the stinky fumes as well as a firm belief that every time I scrub, spray and shine our home I'm killing brain cells that I will likely need for our future happiness and prosperity. (In my defence, I do make a point of always opening a window.) But the smells bother me too - aggravating migraines, drying out my skin and contacts and just generally making the room unpleasant.

So, inspired by this regular squabble, I went to a DIY green cleaning course last month (read about it here) and learned how to mix up my own cleaners. I felt empowered as I mixed up the lemon essential oil, the washing powder and the vinegar, thinking about how I was doing my part for the environment, being resourceful and healthy and saving money to boot.

But, alas, as a busy, young woman, mixing up cleaners like Grandma used to wasn't the perfect solution. Yes, they worked great - barring the laundry soap, which I thought was too messy because it's powder, not my preference of liquid (which was prompted by the great laundry soap spill of '03 in residence) - and are supposed to be just as effective as cleaning with all those harsh chemicals, just better in every other way.

But, the smell of vinegar, while a vast improvement, did not trigger the joy I hoped for from a gleaming home, and, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom, I feared lingering little germies (I'm a bit of a germophobe. Growing up, I didn't like calling home on pay phones because other people had used them). And lugging buckets of washing soda, vast quantities of vinegar and other necessities from the store to measure and mix before cleaning just lengthened an already long and boring process.

So I sought out an in-between solution - off-the shelf natural brands. Now, companies in Canada are not yet required to label their products and there's no stringent testing to certify things as organic or all natural, so you've got to take manufacturer's claims with a grain of salt. I try to look for the Eco-Logo to reassure me that these products are indeed making an effort and haven't just been made over to capitalize on the green trend.

These products, of which I've now tried several brands, satisfy the eco-conscious, healthier side of my cleaning needs. They don't stink - a particular favourite is a cucumber scented all purpose cleaner - or burn my eyes. I don't need to open all the windows and turn on the fans when I'm using them. Gloves are often not required.

And, those precious brain cells that my husband is so worried about seem to be thriving.

Pumpkin's big day

Halloween is the time of year when the pumpkin really gets its chance to shine. Sure, pumpkin pie is a traditional part of Thanksgiving dinner, but it's always going to play second fiddle to the turkey. All that changes on All Hallow's Eve, when the pumpkin is thrust into the spotlight - in fact, sometimes it is the spotlight.

This week's poll asked readers if they would be carving a pumpkin this Halloween. Forty-four per cent are sharpening their knives, while five per cent don't know and more than half - 51 per cent - were either skipping the practice or opting to keep their gourds au natural.

Yourhome and Parentcentral are both serving up a bunch of great options for your Halloween pumpkins, including stencils, a how-to video and some tricks for decorating your pumpkin without dealing with all that mush.

And, be sure to vote in this week's poll, which asks if you would purchase stigmatized real estate - that is, a home with a history of murder, suicide, hauntings or inexplicable activities.

Check out the story of one woman whose dream home had a haunted history - which eventually caused her to put it up for sale - and read columnist Bob Aaron's 'buyer beware' warning about stygmatized homes.

Buy a skillet, plant a tree

OK, so maybe it's not as catchy as "Save the cheerleader, save the world" but I think Earthchef has got something going for it!

The Canadian line of earth-friendly pots, pans, utensils, induction cooktops and cutlery, manufactured by Berghoff and sold at the Bay, Zellers and Home Outfitters (check them out online here) also happens to be pretty and both user- and wallet-friendly.

The company has also partnered with Tree Canada to reduce its carbon footprint, and for every 11-inch skillet sold, the company will sponsor the planting of one tree and its maintenance for five years.

They sent me their 11-inch skillet to try, and I must say that I was very impressed. The non-stick ceramic coating (touted as being six times stronger than traditional non-stick coatings) lived up to its name, surviving both my metal spatula and my cooking without incident.   

That performance, when paired with the skillet's $30 price and recycled packaging, was enough to convince me to check out the rest of their line on my own dime - I've already got my eye on their bamboo cutting boards.

New renovation feature!

Today Yourhome.ca launched its newest column, Room for Improvement, which follows the renovation efforts of do-it-yourselfers Denise Holtby and her husband Dean.

The pair start this week with their 80s style bathroom, which they plan to give a facelift over the next two months on a $1,000 budget.

So check in on their plans, share your thoughts, and stay tuned for their progress!

Winning the battle, but losing the war

My husband and I moved into our current two bed, two bath, two level apartment during the whirlwind that we call the Summer of 2008. In the span of four months, I changed workplaces once, jobs twice, moved and got married.

Moving day was roughly three weeks before our wedding day. Surrounded by little bottles of bubbles with perfect purple bows, a handful of blank RSVP cards without return addresses and a to-do list longer than my arm, unpacking was not a priority.

Plus, we'd spent the last two years largely living out of boxes - first in a Halifax sublet, then a Halifax apartment, then out of my rural Nova Scotia office (that didn't last long), then on to Toronto where we stayed with friends, got a summer sublet, then a basement one bedroom apartment - so what was a few more weeks? But sadly, it's now been three months.

Post-wedding, totally exhausted, all we wanted to do was sleep. And things continued to get worse. Our spare bedroom - or box room, as it had become - was further swelled by an influx of lovely wedding presents, which also needed unpacking (and thank you notes).

Two months later and we still have a box room. Things aren't getting any worse, but they're not getting any better either. The logical part of my brain says that if I haven't needed the things in those unpacked boxes yet, then I probably don't need them at all, but I would still need to go through them even if I was going to pare down.

The holidays are quickly approaching, and I want to start the New Year off on the right note. We'll likely be away for much of the actual holidays, but there still will be some entertaining and I can't keep shamefully shutting the spare bedroom door - which is also intended to be an office space - to hide the clutter.

And decorating? I don't even know which box contains my Christmas goodies - and it seems both silly and wasteful to start over from scratch just to avoid hunting through the remaining boxes.

It's really time to get organized. I know that once I tackle the room, it will be easier to keep everything else neat too. The problem is just finding the time and the motivation! So, I'm going to start with baby steps on my way to turning my new home from a place to chuck my stuff into a beautiful and efficient space - starting with shopping for a sofa and poking around those boxes.

I'll keep you posted. Wish me luck!

Halloween decorating poll

Christmas decorations may have already hit the shelves of your local stores (I've already purchased - and drank - the first eggnog of the season!) but all the little ghouls and ghosts are still rushing to get ready for Halloween.

However, stocking up on candy and coating the corridors in cobwebs isn't on the agenda for many Yourhome readers according to last week's poll.

More than 40 per cent of those who voted said they don't decorate for All Hallow's Eve, while just one per cent are early birds who start pulling out the black and orange in September or earlier.

Thirteen per cent start creating their haunted houses in early October, while 16 per cent start decorating right after Thanksgiving. Another 16 per cent get spooky a week or two before the holiday, while 13 per cent opt for last minute tricks and treats.

If you've got the perfect haunted house or witches den, send us your photos for a chance to win a camera. More Halloween inspiration can be found in our ever-growing Halloween Guide.

And be sure to weigh in on the new poll question (this week is an easy one!): are you planning on carving a pumpkin for the holiday? Check back to Yourhome and Parentcentral next week for downloadable pumpkin stencils to help ensure your Jack-O'-Lanterns are the prettiest on the block.

Spooky times

It's time to break out the cobwebs, carve the pumpkins and hang bats and spiders from every nook and cranny - yes, Halloween is coming fast!

Personally, I love pulling out black and orange accents for the holiday and have been eying some of the great skull accessories from Pottery Barn, including candles, candle holders, runners, pillows and this rather unexpected set of appetizer picks and holder.

Crate and Barrel also has some cute plates and cupcake stencils, along with the traditional offerings of candy bowls and candles. They also have adorable candy corn mugs, the perfect complement to their Halloween hot cocoa - which is a perfectly festive shade of orange!

Check out our Halloween Guide for spooky-yet-stylish decor tips, inspiration for the perfect theme party as well as pointers for keeping your haunted house safe on All Hallow's Eve.

And you can share a photo of your own Halloween decorations for a chance to win a Nikon D40 camera!

Proud parents can learn about the latest trends in Halloween costumes at Parentcentral.ca's Halloween Guide (and see a picture of yours truly in costume!) and share a photo of their trick-or-treaters, also for a chance to win a Nikon D40 camera.

West Elm opens!

West Elm, the home furnishings arm of cookware store Williams Sonoma, has opened its doors in Canada; in Toronto's Liberty Village.

The store is cash and carry, meaning you get instant gratification when you finally settle on that great headboard.

Sadly, your intrepid editor yet to make it into the shop, but their website provides a lot of great nature-inspired eye-candy.

The manzanita candle holder (shown), for $99, would be the perfect centrepiece for a winter wonderland-inspired table (yes, I'm already thinking about the holidays!) and the sliding-top coffee table would be a good solution to my remote control and video game accessory storage problems.

And, no home would be complete without the organic snow leopard bath mat, for $29, which may be landing in my bathroom shortly (with matching towels)! If snow leopards aren't your thing, it also comes in giraffe.

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to grab a few hours to head in and scope it out in person!