Community News

After a tumultuous 2020 we are all looking for a way to brighten up our outlook and keep a positive eye toward the future. Pantone’s annual color of the year helps us to define the next year with a timely hue or shade and do a refresh or reset on our home décor.

Pantone announced in late December the colors for 2021 are Ultimate Gray and vibrant, yellow aka Illuminating. Pantone Color Institute said Ultimate Gray and Illuminating “expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude.” This is definitely something we can all use a little more of this year. How can you incorporate these colors into your décor?

Here in the Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla and the Mat-Su Valley we are no stranger to snow, and sometimes that can make us lose sight of the simple pleasure of a snow day. Winters in Alaska can often feel long and depressing, so we need to find joy by changing our focus. What if instead of seeing it snowing outside and thinking “not again,” we instead adopted the gleeful attitude of a child on a snow day? This can not only improve our mood, but also our health. It turns out that snow is actually doing our mind and body a favor. How? Here are 4 ways Snow days are a blessing for our bodies.

Even though Spring may still feel far away in Alaska, we can still enjoy flowers by growing some at home, buying them at a local grocery or stopping by your local nursery. Flowers have a way of brightening our moods and they have other health benefits as well. Our Alaskan winters can sometimes feel long, so how about bringing a little bit of spring into our lives? You might find that flowers have some hidden powers along the way.

“Flower Power” isn’t just a meaningless slogan we started hearing in the 60’s, it’s actually backed by science and truth. Flowers DO have power. We often just think of flowers as something we add to our gardens to bring in color and beauty, bring into our homes to add charm, or carefully select for loved ones for special occasions. Flowers have many superpowers, but we’ve just gathered 5 of them to share with you today.

Winter can be challenging when trying to find fun ways to entertain the family, especially with our “new normal” brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we are settling in for a different winter than we’ve ever experienced, how can we keep the mental health of our children (and us) in the positive zone? Creative activities can help calm hyperactivity in children while keeping their hands and brains busy. The anxiety and stress monsters can be chased away with these 2 fun activities.

1. Create an indoor obstacle course!

If you have passed the time watching some of the fun new challenge shows your kids may wish they were the next American Ninja. You can create simple, safer versions of these courses using everyday household objects. Using your creativity and including the kids you can create a fun, competitive course.

We love our beautiful Anchorage, Eagle River and Mat-Su areas. Alaska is our home, and we are no stranger to our Alaskan winters and the affect that they can have on us. After experiencing a bit of a roller-coaster year, thanks 2020, how can we start off this year with hope, good health and positivity? How can we be resolved to always find our smile?

Our Alaskan community fully understands the affect that SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder can have on us. What are some ways that we can combat this and keep ourselves pushing forward with positivity?

During winter the winter blues, AKA Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD is well-founded medical condition that affects many people, especially in Alaska with our dark winters. This year this can be amplified with the pandemic already making many feel anxious, stressed and depressed. We have had to make a lot of adjustments and changes this year to protect the safety and health of ourselves, our families and our neighbors. These changes have caused disturbance to our regularly enjoyed traditions and events each year. The combination of COVID and SAD can leave us feeling anxious and hopeless. What can we do to protect ourselves and find joy this holiday season?

Light therapy –

One of the main contributors to SAD is increased darkness and decreased daylight hours. Darkness severely impacts mood and mental health, especially if your work hours are the same as the daylight hours and you find yourself without access to sunlight.  Sitting next to a bright light that mimics the sun can help to alleviate seasonal depression. Exposure to bright light can be almost as effective as antidepressant therapy.

The changes that 2020 has brought to our holiday season might cause some of us to worry that the COVID-19 Grinch is trying to steal Christmas. While we can’t change the current events around us or personally slay the pandemic, we can do our part to bring joy into our spaces this holiday season.

Here are some popular decorating trends to keep the Grinch away:

1. Deck the doors!

Sometimes as of late our doors may feel more like prison doors or gates than the happy entrance to our homes. With many of us spending less time traveling and more time at home our doors are seen and used more than ever and can be a great way to express holiday cheer. You will not only cheer up yourself, but also your neighborhood. Use Pinterest to find inspiration to deck out your doors this holiday season.

The lighting in your home can make or break the feel of your house. It is one of the biggest opportunities you have as a homeowner to influence the ambiance of your home. Studies have shown that light improves energy levels and mood. If you have the wrong lighting it can also affect concentration, appetite, and other aspects of daily life! Here are some tips to make your home lighter and brighter:

Property managers are some of the hardest working people in our industry. While there are a lot of great managers out there, sometimes it might seem difficult hiring a property manager up to the standard that you desire. It’s important that you find the right one. How do you know what to look for?

Why hire a property manager?

As a property owner you probably feel that no one knows how to handle, or values your property, as much as you do. Entrusting your property to someone else takes a lot of faith and trust in their abilities. Hiring a manager will help you have more time to devote to things that add the most value to your life, such as finding and acquiring new properties, or devoting your energy toward career goals. The property manager will take over the stress of dealing with the tenants as well as any issues that arise.

If you’ve ever thought about a project to upgrade your kitchen, now is the perfect time. Winter in Alaska gives you all the time you need to plan and put into action the following ideas for creating a more fun, functional and beautiful space everyone in your family will love.

As experienced real estate professionals in Alaska, we’ve been helping homeowners for the last 30 years with ideas for inexpensive and efficient kitchen upgrades that elevate their enjoyment of the space and also increase the value of their home. Whether you’re thinking of selling, or just want a few simple ideas to freshen up your kitchen, we’ve got your covered.

#1 Under cabinet lighting

If you don’t have lighting under your cabinets, now is the time to add it. Modern lighting solutions mean you don’t have to call a handyman to install complicated systems. Head to your nearest home improvement center and you’ll see everything from simple adhesive designs to ones with remotes and dimmable settings to flexible light bars and strips that fit any angle and area.

Bored kids, even bored adults, can create a lot of chaos and stress in the home, especially during the long winter months here in Alaska. If you need a little calm in your life, or maybe you’re fighting seasonal affective disorder and need to clear your head, we’ve rounded up the following ways to create some space that’s soothing all year round.

Hide the electronics: Nobody wants to stare a tangle of charging cords and devices. Create a charging station in an out-of-the-way space and invest in a few inexpensive cord organizing solutions to keep the area neat and tidy. Some people also say that there’s benefit to distancing yourself from all the beeps, chimes and rings that have become a constant in our society today and enjoying a bit of blessed quiet.