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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.