House Hacks: How to Make Small Spaces, Big

Katherine Martin • June 14, 2016

In 2016, the tiny house/small living space movement is in full swing. Individuals are choosing to live with less: less stuff, less square footage, less of a footprint. However, as these small living spaces become more of the “norm”, the people who inhabit them are asking, “How do I maximize the space that I do have?” Not because they want more, but rather, because they understand that it’s about using every square foot to it’s fullest. Waste not, want not. This is life from a different angle.

The following are five ways to make a small living space seem more spacious:

Organize Separate Spaces with Different Functions

Organize your living space into different “sections”. You may not have the amount of actual “walled off” rooms that a larger living space would boast, but designating different tasks and unique functions for these areas will give your home an air of spaciousness. Create a study space, a book nook, a living area, and a formal dining area. Design each of these areas to look unique, and stick to the plan!

Multi-Purpose Pieces

A bed which doubles as a couch is the classic example of a piece of furniture that can (and does) fulfill various functions, but there are many more than this. Get creative with how you use your space and how it can be used differently during the day, and then at night (ex: a living room that doubles as a guest sleeping space).

Ditch the Clutter

If you don’t need it, or worded differently, if it doesn’t perform a useful function, it probably doesn’t need to be there.

Now, if you’re reading this, there’s a chance that you’ve already embraced this way of living. However, it could be that you’ve been pushed into a smaller living space and you’re still figuring out how to make it work. Either way, learn to live with less.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get rid of everything right away (storage units are great for this stuff, until you have the proper amount of time to sift through, and purge); but it does mean that you need to be more intentional about how your living space is utilized. Look at it from every angle. What will work, and what won’t work?

This applies to furniture choices as well. The good people at Housebeautiful.com   suggest that you choose bigger pieces, but fewer of them; again, with the idea that clutter is the real space killer.

Know Your Space & Plan Appropriately

You know your layout better than anyone, so when it comes to filling it with furniture and various other things, do so wisely. Don’t’ buy a couch that’s twice as large as the wall for which it’s meant. This may seem obvious, but when we’re shopping, we can be overtaken, visually, by a piece, not realizing that it just won’t work, size wise.

Customization is key here, also. Now, obviously if you rent, this won’t be so much of an option for you, but if you own your own space, you have the opportunity to build to your specific needs. If you’re thinking more along these lines, Hongkiat has some wonderful design ideas that will serve to get you totally inspired. I’d mention them all here if we had room, but we don’t, so here is the link ( did anyone say living cube or suspended bedroom? ):

Open Space

As much as possible, keep your space open and “airy”. Nothing makes a house or an apartment seem cramped and small like a build-up of walls and closed off areas. Side note: paint colours matter; dark colours create a cave-like atmosphere. Avoid this pitfall by choosing bright, light, neutral colours. Lighter is brighter is better.

Small spaces don’t need to be unappealing! Consider the previous suggestions and get creative!

Katherine Martin


Origin Mortgages

Phone: 1-604-454-0843
Email: kmartin@planmymortgage.ca
Fax: 1-604-454-0842


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Everything You Should Know Before Buying a Home

By Katherine Martin • November 5, 2025
Thinking About Buying a Home? Here’s What to Know Before You Start Whether you're buying your very first home or preparing for your next move, the process can feel overwhelming—especially with so many unknowns. But it doesn’t have to be. With the right guidance and preparation, you can approach your home purchase with clarity and confidence. This article will walk you through a high-level overview of what lenders look for and what you’ll need to consider in the early stages of buying a home. Once you’re ready to move forward with a pre-approval, we’ll dive into the details together. 1. Are You Credit-Ready? One of the first things a lender will evaluate is your credit history. Your credit profile helps determine your risk level—and whether you're likely to repay your mortgage as agreed. To be considered “established,” you’ll need: At least two active credit accounts (like credit cards, loans, or lines of credit) Each with a minimum limit of $2,500 Reporting for at least two years Just as important: your repayment history. Make all your payments on time, every time. A missed payment won’t usually impact your credit unless you’re 30 days or more past due—but even one slip can lower your score. 2. Is Your Income Reliable? Lenders are trusting you with hundreds of thousands of dollars, so they want to be confident that your income is stable enough to support regular mortgage payments. Salaried employees in permanent positions generally have the easiest time qualifying. If you’re self-employed, or your income includes commission, overtime, or bonuses, expect to provide at least two years’ worth of income documentation. The more predictable your income, the easier it is to qualify. 3. What’s Your Down Payment Plan? Every mortgage requires some amount of money upfront. In Canada, the minimum down payment is: 5% on the first $500,000 of the purchase price 10% on the portion above $500,000 20% for homes over $1 million You’ll also need to show proof of at least 1.5% of the purchase price for closing costs (think legal fees, appraisals, and taxes). The best source of a down payment is your own savings, supported by a 90-day history in your bank account. But gifted funds from immediate family and proceeds from a property sale are also acceptable. 4. How Much Can You Actually Afford? There’s a big difference between what you feel you can afford and what you can prove you can afford. Lenders base your approval on verifiable documentation—not assumptions. Your approval amount depends on a variety of factors, including: Income and employment history Existing debts Credit score Down payment amount Property taxes and heating costs for the home All of these factors are used to calculate your debt service ratios—a key indicator of whether your mortgage is affordable. Start Early, Plan Smart Even if you’re months (or more) away from buying, the best time to start planning is now. When you work with an independent mortgage professional, you get access to expert advice at no cost to you. We can: Review your credit profile Help you understand how lenders view your income Guide your down payment planning Determine how much you can qualify to borrow Build a roadmap if your finances need some fine-tuning If you're ready to start mapping out your home buying plan or want to know where you stand today, let’s talk. It would be a pleasure to help you get mortgage-ready.

Bank of Canada Rate Announcement Oct 29th, 2025

By Katherine Martin • October 29, 2025
Bank of Canada lowers policy rate to 2¼%. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario October 29, 2025 The Bank of Canada today reduced its target for the overnight rate by 25 basis points to 2.25%, with the Bank Rate at 2.5% and the deposit rate at 2.20%. With the effects of US trade actions on economic growth and inflation somewhat clearer, the Bank has returned to its usual practice of providing a projection for the global and Canadian economies in this Monetary Policy Report (MPR). Because US trade policy remains unpredictable and uncertainty is still higher than normal, this projection is subject to a wider-than-usual range of risks. While the global economy has been resilient to the historic rise in US tariffs, the impact is becoming more evident. Trade relationships are being reconfigured and ongoing trade tensions are dampening investment in many countries. In the MPR projection, the global economy slows from about 3¼% in 2025 to about 3% in 2026 and 2027. In the United States, economic activity has been strong, supported by the boom in AI investment. At the same time, employment growth has slowed and tariffs have started to push up consumer prices. Growth in the euro area is decelerating due to weaker exports and slowing domestic demand. In China, lower exports to the United States have been offset by higher exports to other countries, but business investment has weakened. Global financial conditions have eased further since July and oil prices have been fairly stable. The Canadian dollar has depreciated slightly against the US dollar. Canada’s economy contracted by 1.6% in the second quarter, reflecting a drop in exports and weak business investment amid heightened uncertainty. Meanwhile, household spending grew at a healthy pace. US trade actions and related uncertainty are having severe effects on targeted sectors including autos, steel, aluminum, and lumber. As a result, GDP growth is expected to be weak in the second half of the year. Growth will get some support from rising consumer and government spending and residential investment, and then pick up gradually as exports and business investment begin to recover. Canada’s labour market remains soft. Employment gains in September followed two months of sizeable losses. Job losses continue to build in trade-sensitive sectors and hiring has been weak across the economy. The unemployment rate remained at 7.1% in September and wage growth has slowed. Slower population growth means fewer new jobs are needed to keep the employment rate steady. The Bank projects GDP will grow by 1.2% in 2025, 1.1% in 2026 and 1.6% in 2027. On a quarterly basis, growth strengthens in 2026 after a weak second half of this year. Excess capacity in the economy is expected to persist and be taken up gradually. CPI inflation was 2.4% in September, slightly higher than the Bank had anticipated. Inflation excluding taxes was 2.9%. The Bank’s preferred measures of core inflation have been sticky around 3%. Expanding the range of indicators to include alternative measures of core inflation and the distribution of price changes among CPI components suggests underlying inflation remains around 2½%. The Bank expects inflationary pressures to ease in the months ahead and CPI inflation to remain near 2% over the projection horizon. With ongoing weakness in the economy and inflation expected to remain close to the 2% target, Governing Council decided to cut the policy rate by 25 basis points. If inflation and economic activity evolve broadly in line with the October projection, Governing Council sees the current policy rate at about the right level to keep inflation close to 2% while helping the economy through this period of structural adjustment. If the outlook changes, we are prepared to respond. Governing Council will be assessing incoming data carefully relative to the Bank’s forecast. The Canadian economy faces a difficult transition. The structural damage caused by the trade conflict reduces the capacity of the economy and adds costs. This limits the role that monetary policy can play to boost demand while maintaining low inflation. The Bank is focused on ensuring that Canadians continue to have confidence in price stability through this period of global upheaval. Information note The next scheduled date for announcing the overnight rate target is December 10, 2025. The Bank’s next MPR will be released on January 28, 2026. Read the October 29th, 2025 Monetary Report
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