4 DIY Solutions for Your Bathroom Space

Matt Chan • January 23, 2017

All of us are looking for ways to make our living spaces more efficient whilst keeping the style intact; and certainly the bathroom space is no exception. The question becomes, “How do I do this without spending a small fortune on renovations and upgrades?” The answer is simple…You get creative!

The following are four stylish bathroom hacks that will help you declutter and organize, all for the cost of a few cups of coffee (or tea, if that’s your thing!)

Creative Shelving Units

The first (and most obvious) solution for getting your bathroom clutter organized is by way of conveniently placed, ideally designed, and most definitely inexpensive shelving units. This may sound daunting, especially if you, like me, lack meaningful shelves in any and all of your bathroom spaces. But never fear! There are easy and effective ways to make this happen!

Wicker baskets (and the like)

This image is from diyready.com and can be found here

Baskets (of various sizes) can be hung from any wall in your bathroom via a drywall anchor (or two) and a simple screw (or two). This technique will not only showcases a classic, rustic homestead piece (the basket); it will also give you ample room to store whatever it is that you need to store.

Obviously, if you don’t have baskets, other items can be utilized here. The key is the shape. If it’s deep enough to hold that which you need it to hold, and “the look” is there, than go for it!

The Hanging Shelf

Nothing beats the satisfaction of framing your own shelf. Now, before you get scared and run…relax. This job includes only a few tiny pieces of lumber, a small length of rope, a small can of wood stain, and a hanger (with another drywall anchor/screw combo). This piece can be easily hung over a toilet or on an empty wall. Plus, not only does it provide shelf options, you can beam with pride when you tell your guests that you fashioned it yourself, out of a tree that you found in the forest, and cut down, yourself…right? Too far?

Custom Towel Rack Solutions

Related to the shelving units, we find ideas related to hanging towels. Simply, you’d be mistaken if you stopped at the classic rack; because there’s a world of options out there for you to try out.

The Ladder Rack

An old wooden ladder, properly restored, can act as a great hanging rack for towels, face cloths and clothing items fresh out of the washer.

This image is from charmbraceletdiva.blogspot.ca  and can be found here

“His” and “Hers”

His and her towel racks are not only interesting design wise; they’re functional. No longer will your spouse have rights to your towel because he or she didn’t know that it was yours. Those days are over.

Wine Rack/Towel Rack

This image is from hubpages.com  and can be found here

Yes! The wine rack has uses for things other than wine. namely…towels! In all seriousness though, these racks can be very inexpensive and can hold several towels at a time; all the while looking classy, interesting and unique to boot! What’s not to like?

Vanity Organization

Most bathrooms that I’ve seen (and experienced) contain drawers that are simply overflowing with stuff. Avoid this travesty at all costs by dividing (and therefore conquering) the drawer’s contents. Kitchen utensil holders work fabulously here. These pieces are simple, functional, and nobody has to see them but you, so the questions surrounding kitchen organizational tools in your bathroom will be minimal.

Continue with your vanity realignment by adding some simple hanging shelves into the inside the cabinet door. A simple magazine rack can work well here, and can be attached via a couple small screws (just make sure you don’t go so far as to pierce the outer side of the door).

The Mason Jar (For all your hipster storage needs)

This image is from thediyplaybook.com  and can be found here

Mason jars are useful for lots of things: storing jams, holding pickled items and also dispensing soap…That’s right! Also (and perhaps a little more seriously), these jars can be formed into wonderful mini storage units. They look great, too!

There are obviously lots more ideas out there, but hopefully these few have gotten your creative juices flowing, and have ignited your imagination. There’s lots you can do; so what are you waiting for?

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How Employment Status Impacts Your Mortgage Application

By Matthew Chan • May 7, 2025
Chances are if you’re applying for a mortgage, you feel confident about the state of your current employment or your ability to find a similar position if you need to. However, your actual employment status probably means more to the lender than you might think. You see, to a lender, your employment status is a strong indicator of your employer’s commitment to your continued employment. So, regardless of how you feel about your position, it’s what can be proven on paper that matters most. Let’s walk through some of the common ways lenders can look at employment status. Permanent Employment The gold star of employment. If your employer has made you a permanent employee, it means that your position is as secure as any position can be. When a lender sees permanent status (passed probation), it gives them the confidence that you’re valuable to the company and that they can rely on your income. Probationary Period Despite the quality of your job, if you’ve only been with the company for a short while, you’ll be required to prove that you’ve passed any probationary period. Although most probationary periods are typically 3-6 months, they can be longer. You might now even be aware that you’re under probation. The lender will want to make sure that you’re not under a probationary period because your employment can be terminated without any cause while under probation. Once you’ve made it through your initial evaluation, the lender will be more confident in your employment status. Now, it’s not the length of time with the employer that the lender is scrutinizing; instead, it’s the status of your probation. So if you’ve only been with a company for one month, but you’ve been working with them as a contractor for a few years, and they’re willing to waive the probationary period based on a previous relationship, that should give the lender all the confidence they need. We’ll have to get that documented. Parental Leave Suppose you’re currently on, planning to be on, or just about to be done a parental leave, regardless of the income you’re now collecting, as long as you have an employment letter that outlines your guaranteed return to work position (and date). In that case, you can use your return to work income to qualify on your mortgage application. It’s not the parental leave that the lender has issues with; it’s the ability you have to return to the position you left. Term Contracts Term contracts are hands down the most ambiguous and misunderstood employment status as it’s usually well-qualified and educated individuals who are working excellent jobs with no documented proof of future employment. A term contract indicates that you have a start date and an end date, and you are paid a specific amount for that specified amount of time. Unfortunately, the lack of stability here is not a lot for a lender to go on when evaluating your long-term ability to repay your mortgage. So to qualify income on a term contract, you want to establish the income you’ve received for at least two years. However, sometimes lenders like to see that your contract has been renewed at least once before considering it as income towards your mortgage application. In summary If you’ve recently changed jobs or are thinking about making a career change, and qualifying for a mortgage is on the horizon, or if you have any questions at all, please connect anytime. We can work through the details together and make sure you have a plan in place. It would be a pleasure to work with you!

Is There A Difference Between A Deposit And Downpayment

By Matthew Chan • April 30, 2025
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RRSP As A Downpayment

By Matthew Chan • April 23, 2025
Did you know there’s a program that allows you to use your RRSP to help come up with your downpayment to buy a home? It’s called the Home Buyer’s Plan (or HBP for short), and it’s made possible by the government of Canada. While the program is pretty straightforward, there are a few things you need to know. Your first home (with some exceptions) To qualify, you need to be buying your first home. However, when you look into the fine print, you find that technically, you must not have owned a home in the last four years or have lived in a house that your spouse owned in the previous four years. Another exception is for those with a disability or those helping someone with a disability. In this case, you can withdraw from an RRSP for a home purchase at any time. You have to pay back the RRSP You have 15 years to pay back the RRSP, and you start the second year after the withdrawal. While you won’t pay any tax on this particular withdrawal, it does come with some conditions. You’ll have to pay back the total amount you withdrew over 15 years. The CRA will send you an HBP Statement of Account every year to advise how much you owe the RRSP that year. Your repayments will not count as contributions as you’ve already received the tax break from those funds. Access to funds The funds you withdraw from the RRSP must have been there for at least 90 days. You can still technically withdraw the money from your RRSP and use it for your down-payment, but it won’t be tax-deductible and won’t be part of the HBP. You can access up to $35,000 individually or $70,00 per couple through the HBP. Please connect anytime if you’d like to know more about the HBP and how it could work for you as you plan your downpayment. It would be a pleasure to work with you.