December Newsletter 2020
Here’s to a Better Year in ’21
Hopefully having a better year next year will be easy.
We want to wrap up the year on a positive note and hopefully springboard into a more normal 2021.
First of all, our holiday schedule. We will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year, which is Thursday and Friday of this week. We will, however, be open on New Year’s Eve but will be closed on Friday the 1st to celebrate the new year.
In this month’s newsletter, we give you some ideas on ways to enjoy the holiday season and plan for some fun and exciting things in ’21. Of course, this starts with the hope of vaccination for each of us, and we think you will find the tool further down highly informative.
We also have a guest writer this month, who provides some good ideas on making your home healthy and safe.
Beyond that, we hope you have a calm and relaxing holiday season this year. As Charles Swindoll famously said, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
Finally, we say thank you again to our wonderful clients. Your patience, resolve, and kindness have known no bounds this year.
We wish you peace, prosperity, and above all, good health as we move into 2021.
Thanks for including us in your lives.
The Best of the West
In the spirit of a better 2021, we are starting to think about all the fun things we can do!
5280 Magazine published their “Best of the Mountain West” piece this month and we found it very interesting.
They celebrate 26 captivating people, beautiful places, and irresistible things from the West.
It made us feel good about where we live, and the culture that surrounds us.
Beyond the places to visit, which are cool, like Polebridge Mercantile (see below photo) in Montana, the article is a celebration of style, culture, and the people of the West.
We found it uplifting and makes us happy to be part of it.
Vaccination Schedule
Thankfully, vaccines are arriving in cities everywhere, including Denver.
So just how long will we have to wait to get ours?
Well, that depends.
Healthcare workers will be first. Folks in nursing homes, first responders, and those with health risks will go next.
Other essential workers, teachers, and even some prisoners (yes, you read that right) will go before healthy folks do.
The New York Times came up with a calculator that will show you roughly how long it will take before you are vaccinated depending on the category you fall into.
It even depicts where you would be in a virtual line, which is sort of cool as well.
The full calculator can be found here. You should be able to view and operate the calculator without signing up for the Times, which is a relief.
If you don’t have the patience to look at the calculator, the rough numbers put a healthy person living in Denver County behind about 500,000 people.
The bottom line? Be patient for sure. The WHO published a full list of Q&A about the vaccine, timing etc. and that can be found here.
Stay safe Denver, we will see most of you in line in early to mid-2021!
Best Home Light Shows
One of our favorite things to do during the holidays is to load up everyone in the car, get some hot cocoa, and drive around looking at the light displays.
This year it’s also one of the few things we can do that is socially distanced and somewhat normal.
So many neighborhoods have beautiful holiday light displays in and around Denver, we have many options to explore.
From downtown Denver to Cheesman Park, Arvada, and many of the suburbs, there are some very creative and special people that take the time to make their homes special.
So you don’t’ wander around aimlessly, we have provided the best info we can find on where to go to see these wonderful displays.
Of course, our friends at 5280 Magazine also published their list as well, with specific homes and addresses listed.
The list includes the Gingerbread House, “which features 10,000-plus lights meticulously outlining nearly every edge of Walter Hazard’s home, and is beloved by those near (neighborhood kids were the ones who named it “The Gingerbread House”) and far (German magazine Der Spiegel featured it in a roundup of the best holiday displays in America). ”
The complete article from 5280 can be found here.
See below for a preview of some of our favorites.
Here’s to making the best of this most different holiday season!!!
A Healthier Home
By Guest Writer Curtis Fisher
We naturally think of our homes as being a place of comfort, but have you given thought as to how much your home promotes your well-being? Your house doesn’t need to be a passive player in your health regimen! Here are some ideas for ensuring your home plays an active role in your personal wellness program.
Is Your Home ‘Breathtaking’?
The air in your home plays a vital role in your general wellness, but most of the time, we don’t give it much consideration. Yet the American Lung Association says our homes can harbor indoor pollutants like lead, allergens, and asbestos. Those pollutants can cause a variety of health problems, such as asthma and respiratory illnesses.
If you have symptoms like headaches, sneezing, coughing, or memory issues, it’s wise to get a feel for your home’s air quality to find out if it’s a contributing factor. There are kits you can use to test the air in your home that measure mold, radon, and so forth. It’s a step toward wellness that you can easily DIY!
Better Breathability
One of the easiest ways to tackle air quality is to regularly replace your HVAC filters. The type of filter will determine how often it needs to be replaced. By updating your filters when it’s time, you can ensure healthier air and a healthier HVAC system.
Looking for an air-refreshing DIY? Add some houseplants to your household! It’s a simple way to help eliminate toxins from your air, and if you opt for an herb or two, you can even add them to meals. Your Indoor Herbs notes lavender (Lavendula), mint (Mentha), and rosemary (Rosmarinus) are a few selections you can grow to help reduce your home’s indoor pollution, and they offer the bonus benefit of being useful in culinary pursuits.
Lighten Up — Naturally
Allowing more natural light into your home is a simple and effective way to enhance your health. It’s a great way to boost your mood and productivity and can even help you sleep better at night. If your home has small windows that don’t allow in much light, you could have them enlarged for around $2,000.
A window can be enlarged by most handymen. Just like with your HVAC system, whenever you’re hiring someone to work on this type of home upgrade, check their credentials and get some references. Be alert to red flags like requests for advance payment or vague proposals. And once the work is complete, just make sure you open your window coverings throughout the day to make the most of those sunbeams!
Looking for a light-oriented project you can do yourself? Consider changing up your light bulbs. As Alpha Emerged explains, the artificial lighting in your home can play a significant role in how you feel. Red spectrum bulbs promote slumber, while daylight-simulating halogen bulbs help you feel more awake. Choose the former for bedrooms and the latter for places you intend to be productive, like the kitchen and your home office.
Cut Your Clutter
One last home upgrade that can really pack a wallop on your well-being: decluttering. As Prevagen explains, being surrounded by too much “stuff” can take a toll on your health. It can make you less productive and more anxious, and even appears to encourage overeating. Decluttering is an undertaking you can DIY, and once you’ve pared down and are organized, you’ll be feeling great!
Plan Ahead
In addition to all of this, it helps to plan for inclement weather. For example, if you live in an area that’s prone to heavy snow and ice storms, it might be a good idea to purchase and install a generator. That way, if anything happens to your electricity, you’ll have a way to stay warm until power gets restored. However, keep in mind that it could cost upwards of $30 a day to keep the generator fueled.
Is your home playing an active, positive role in your health regimen? Make sure your air is fresh, let the sunshine in, choose healthy artificial lighting, and cut down on clutter. Your house will have your back with these simple, health-enhancing steps!
Monthly Award Winners
Our monthly award winners for November were Josefina Quinonez, Aurora Dominguez, Guadalupe Caloca, Maria Zapata, and Rosario De La Rosa.
In the Team Leader ranks, it was Socorro Ibarra and Natalia Olivas.
We are very proud of our winners, and of all the folks that are in and out of your homes each week.
We continue to be grateful to you for allowing us into your lives during these challenging times.
Please join me in congratulating our best performers for the month of November.
Our annual award winners will be announced in January 2021.
Queen Bee Corner
by Angela
2020. What’s to say that hasn’t been said?
Still, soldiering on, I would like to offer my deepest thanks to our clients, this year especially. You stood by us when the pandemic forced us to close for weeks, when it necessitated last-minute schedule and team changes, cancellations, and even shortened cleans. You all made it work.
I spoke to each of you many times over the past months. Your kindness and easy acceptance were universal and overwhelming despite the hardships you all undoubtedly had in your own lives due to this beastly pandemic.
We end the year grateful to have such amazing clients. May 2021 usher in a healthy and happy time for all.
Bee