4Rent – Calgary – January 6, 2023

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Fireside Property Group

If you are looking for an experienced property management company that exceeds your expectations in Calgary, Alberta –look no further than Fireside Property Group. With a focus on providing superior, client-focused management services and a commitment to foster win/ win relationships between property owners and their residents, Fireside Property Group embraces and deploys the best practices and highest business standards in the property management industry.

Fireside Property Group has rentals available that offer the perfect combination of accessibility and convenience, in conjunction with local amenities and services that you depend on. As a leader in the property management industry in Calgary, they create an unparalleled renting experience that places a focus on the needs of their tenants and creates a community that provides an excellent experience. Although headquartered in Calgary, Alberta – Fireside Property Group also has available rentals in Edmonton and Sudbury, Ontario.

The properties available to rent under their management team offer nothing but quality residential accommodations and a rental price point you will love. Well maintained and regularly updated, residents can be confident that will they will be renting with a company that knows and understands what they want and need most out of a rental property.

As a licensed Real Estate Broker, a former president of the Calgary Residential Rental Association, and with over 20 years of experience, Fireside Property Group is lead by the president, Keith McMullen, BA. President McMullen has created a company that identifies the needs of renters

and provides an exception high-quality rental experience.

President McMullen was formerly responsible for managing Prestigious Properties growing portfolio of multifamily assets in Western Canada. Before working at Prestigious Properties, Mr McMullen worked and managed for Gateway Property Management, Canada’s largest property management firm. As well as TransGlobe, Canada’s 3rd largest apartment building owner, and Realstar Management Limited, President McMullen carries an impressive level of understanding and knowledge surrounding the property management industry.

Renting an apartment is not just about a place to live – it is about your lifestyle. When you rent from Fireside Property Group in Calgary, you can feel confident that you have picked a company that keeps your needs in mind. With a focus on responsibility and reliability, their business is not just about providing apartments for rent – it is about the people who live in them and providing them with a premium rental experience unlike any other.

Are you on the hunt for your next perfect rental apartment? Choose a property management company that has built their business with you in mind – pick Fireside Property Group. ■

Keith McMullen, BA, President

3 smart back-to-school wellness tips

It can be hard for kids and parents to get used to a new sleep schedule and daily routine this time of year. Check out these tips to keep your body healthy and your energy levels at their peak.

eat your breakfast

It’s always a good idea to start your day off right with a healthy, nutritious meal. When you skip breakfast, you’re missing out on a lot of great benefits, including maintaining a healthy weight, better appetite control, increased energy and greater concentration. Breakfast also gives you a chance to get in important vitamins and nutrients – such as calcium, vitamin D and fibre – from healthy foods like grains and fruits.

So, how to make a quick and healthy breakfast when you’re on the go? Try these quick and easy ideas:

• Make oatmeal with milk or a dairy alternative. Top with fresh fruit, nuts and seeds.

• Layer plain dairy or plant-based yogurt with your favourite lowsugar cereal and blueberries. Add lean ham and low-fat cheese to a toasted whole grain English muffin.

• Top a slice of toast with avocado, nut butter and banana or yogurt and peach slices.

• Blend a breakfast smoothie with dairy or plant-based milk and frozen fruit. Try adding greens, nuts, seeds and protein powder for a balance of carbohydrates, healthy fats, protein and fibre.

• Make your breakfast the night before. Try overnight oats and chiaseed pudding.

• Keep hard-boiled eggs, whole fruit and trail mix on hand to grab and go.

try a probiotic

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that are good for your overall health, especially your digestive

system. While we usually think of bacteria as being bad for you, the human body is full of them – both good and bad.

Probiotics are known as good bacteria because they help keep your gut flora healthy.

Regular consumption of probiotics has been shown to help treat and prevent gastrointestinal issues, including acute or antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

think zinc

Zinc supplements – especially the type called “zinc picolinate” – can help maintain your immunity during cold and flu season, especially if you take it as soon as you first start showing any symptoms.

Head to your local Canadian Health Food Association member health food store to stock up on back-to-school wellness items. Find your nearest location at chfa.ca. ■

— News Canada

to worry about the flu this year?

With a deadly global pandemic at the top of everyone’s mind over the last two years, catching the flu has probably been further down your list of concerns. But this coming flu season could be a major one, according to experts.

One factor that suggests a potentially active year is the Southern Hemisphere’s recent flu season. Because they experience winter before countries north of the equator, the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season is a strong predictor for how ours will turn out. And this year, countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina

experienced a significant flu season, according to the World Health Organization.

It’s more important than ever to get your flu shot this year. After all, the flu is a serious illness. On average, more than 12,000 Canadians are hospitalized and about 3,500 die each year. Those who are older, very young children and people who are immunocompromised are at even greater risk.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are different kinds of flu shots to choose from. In Canada, there are recommended vaccines based on individual factors, such as if you’re over 65 years old, pregnant, or if you have a chronic health condition.

Your doctor or pharmacist can help you decide which vaccine is right for you.

So, if you’re back in the office, the kids are going to school, you have travel plans coming up or are generally feeling like things are getting back to normal, it’s a sound idea to get your flu shot early.

To learn more and book your shot, talk to your doctor or local pharmacist. ■

do we need

The Southern Hemisphere’s flu season is a strong predictor for how ours will turn out.

easy ways to cut food waste at home

With rising food prices, we’re all feeling the pinch. Here are four ways you can cut food waste at home so your grocery dollars can go further.

stock up on stock

Making your own stock is a great way to use up scraps, save money and take control over what’s in your family’s meals. Whenever you’re trimming vegetables, from carrot tops to the green part of leeks, toss the scraps into a freezer bag along with any produce that’s too wilted to consume fresh. Once you have a full bag, simmer up a pot of stock. For heartier, more flavourful stocks, freeze your roast chicken or turkey carcasses,

save beef bones from steaks and ribs and add these to the mix.

make a plan

To avoid buying excess perishables, you should always take stock of what you already have at home before you go grocery shopping. In fact, what you already have in your fridge and freezer should be your starting point for menu planning. There are numerous online tools that can suggest recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand.

refresh and repurpose

Rather than tossing out bread that’s gone stale, you can chop it into bitesized pieces, toss with some oil and herbs, and then lightly toast in the

oven for homemade croutons. Another option is to make your own breadcrumbs. First, grind the bread in a blender and then toast the fine pieces in the oven to remove any moisture. Store in an air-tight container.

freeze extras

If you won’t be able to finish off all your leftovers within a couple of days of cooking, you should freeze the extras. You can also prevent certain items – such as pizza or pasta sauce –from spoiling after you open a jar by freezing the leftovers once you first use them. Ice cube trays help you create the perfect portions to dole out when needed.

Find more meal prep ideas at bimbocanada.com.■

moving bulky items

BY CHUCK RESNICK

Whether it is a pool table or piano, consider hiring a professional moving company to transport your large, bulky items. Ideally, neither you nor an inexperienced mover should be learning the process while handling your large, bulky possessions. This process is not without its risks, and here is how you can prepare:

pool table

A pool table must be disassembled before moving it. Depending on the age of the table, you may or may not have the original documentation on how it was put together and how to take it apart. Usually, the side rails and pockets come off, and the felt must be carefully removed.

Depending on the size of the table, it will be composed of up to three large, heavy pieces of slate that comprise the playing surface. These slate surface pieces are often held into place on the frame with screws covered with bees wax. You have to know to look for these; otherwise you can do damage. Each section of slate has to be wrapped in moving blankets. At Two Men and A Truck® – Canada, we also stretch wrap them so we can get a better grip. The slate pieces should not be laid flat in the truck, as being jostled during the trip will create stress points that could cause cracks. The slate pieces should be secured vertically at the sides of the trick and should not come into contact with anything else

during transport.

When it’s time to reassemble the table at the other end, it’s important to realize just how heavy it is and place the sections of it carefully, realizing that its weight can have an effect on floor-bearing capacity. Ideally, pool tables should go into a basement on a concrete floor.

pianos

It takes a minimum of three people to move a piano. The process begins with removing the pedal system, which must happen in a systematic way for the number of bolts that hold it onto the instrument. Pad wrap everything with moving blankets and stretch wrap each piece for added protection.

The process for dismantling the rest of the piano depends on the type. Usually, one leg has to be lifted and unbolted to come off. We leave the bolting system attached and pad wrap & stretch wrap each leg so nothing is lost. At this point, we lower the piano gently on its side onto a special piano sled.

Then, we remove the second leg while at least two people are supporting the piano. At this point, we shift the piano to the upright position at the edge of the sled, which has an indentation to accommodate the lid overlap so the piano does not touch the floor. It sits on a cushioned blanket and secured to the sled to prevent pressure points while being moved. Then it becomes easy to remove the final leg.

We pad wrap and stretch the piano body, then ease it onto a special dolly and wheel it out the door. The piano should remain on the dolly, which becomes part of it during transport. We strap it to the side wall of the truck, halfway between the two wheel bases, for the least amount of jostling. Once it is reassembled in the new home, it is critical that the owners have the instrument retuned, as there will be some unavoidable changes from the move.

Visit twomen.ca for a location near your rental home. ■

Chuck Resnick is vice-president, marketing and operations at Two Men and A Truck – Canada®

When it comes to moving households, handling large, bulky items is a challenge, especially if you decide to do the moving yourself. Here are a few tips that can help.

simple tips for successful

Slow cookers can be found in many homes. Slow cookers are great for busy individuals who prefer to prepare meals in advance and then arrive home in the evening to a hot, homecooked meal.

People new to slow cookers may want to gain some knowledge before diving in to improve their chances of preparing tasty meals. The following are some slow cooker tips that can benefit home chefs.

• Treat the slow cooker like an oven and preheat it. Putting food into an already warmed crock can make the difference in cooking time and taste.

• Choose the right cuts of meat to use in the slow cooker. Lean toward chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders, and lamb shanks. Fatty and tougher meats will tenderize nicely with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. When slow cooking poultry,

choose dark meats, which tend to respond better to slow cooking.

• Take the time to brown meat for a couple of minutes and sauté vegetables before adding them to the crock. This will provide a deeper layer of flavour.

• Many manufacturers recommend filling the crocks inside a slow cooker no more than two-thirds full. This helps ensure food is cooked all the way through and prevents potential food-safety hazards.

slow cooking

• Begin with room-temperature meat. As with other cooking methods, let meat come to room temperature rather than using it straight from the refrigerator to ensure juicy, flavorful meals.

• The Food Network suggests layering carefully and first cutting food into uniform-size pieces. Then place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top.

• Adjust seasoning as the meal nears completion. Some seasonings may lose their punch during the slow cooking process. At just the end of simmering, add fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Similarly, dairy can break down in the slow cooker, so stir it in during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

• Do not add frozen ingredients to the slow cooker, as it can keep food in the danger zone where bacteria can

flourish (40 to 140 F). Therefore, make sure meat and vegetables are fully thawed before turning the cooker on.

• Use wine judiciously because the alcohol will not evaporate as readily in a sealed slow cooker.

• Resist the urge to take off the lid and peek. This can increase the amount of time the meal will need to finish cooking. With some handy tips, anyone can become a slow cooking expert. ■

— Metro Creative January 6–20, 2023 4Rent.ca

12 ways to maximize vertical

Who hasn’t, at one point in their lives, lamented a lack of space and organization at home? A lifetime’s worth of items have to be kept somewhere, and without the right organizational strategy, clutter can quickly take over.

The home improvement site Home Therapy says that, when square footage is limited, tapping vertical walls is the fastest way to maximize and multiply the space available. Hooks, rods, shelving, built-ins; the sky is the limit when it comes to finding ad-

ditional storage and adding a bit of personality to tight quarters. Even homes that may have adequate space can benefit from vertical solutions.

Here are some ideas to put vertical and other less-utilized areas to work for you.

1. Hang wire or plastic file organizers on the inside of kitchen cabinets to easily store cookie sheets, trays and cutting boards.

2. Save on counter or cabinet space with hanging spice racks. These can be hung directly on walls or on the inside of cabinet doors.

3. Stack all the stuff you can, including washers and dryers, beds (with storage drawers underneath) and even stacking nesting tables.

4. Choose furniture that is tall rather than wide. This can mean swapping out a dresser in a bedroom for an armoire or vertical chest of drawers.

5. Canvas bags hung on a towel bar on a wall can keep dirty clothes wrangled until it’s time to wash them. This also eliminates clothes hampers on the floor.

6. Add a second rod or shelving to the inside of closets to create more space for clothing and other items.

7. Take kitchen cabinets all the way to the ceiling. Store lesser used items on the uppermost shelves and the items you use each on the most accessible shelves.

8. Install a shelf over the entryway to a room to utilize this seldom-used space. Shelves also can be custom cut and placed in oddly shaped areas, such as in attic rooms under the eaves or on slanted walls.

9. Dowels or curtain rods and some fabric can be used to fabricate slings to hold books or magazines.

10. Invest in some magnetic boards that can hold keys or notes by the front door or store knives on a kitchen wall.

11. Install two towel bars parallel to one another on the wall of a bathroom. These can hold extra toilet tissue or rolled hand towels.

12. Use rope plant hangers to store potatoes or onions near prep areas. The same plant hangers can

wrangle stuffed animals and small toys in kids’ rooms.

Utilizing vertical areas in a home is a great way to increase storage capacity and keep rooms more organized. ■