Happy New Year to all my Friends, Family, and Clients! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe holiday season. We had a fantastic Christmas with friends and family, and hosted dinner for 25 people in our new house! Yup- you heard that right- 25 people for a sit down dinner in the house we just moved into this September. It was a bit crazy, but truthfully it was super fun and wouldn’t have it any other way.  (See a few photos below from our Christmas day FULL House) 

The calm before the groups arrived....

We had lots of helpers and Wine- thank goodness for both!! 

WE DID IT!!! First Christmas in the new house- SUCCESS!!

OK so now that the holidays are over, the decorations are down, kids are back to school today…can I get a WOOOHOO from all the fellow parents out there?! Back to routines for everyone!

I don’t know about you- but I always feel the need at this time of year to do something monumental… to make big changes and start the year off right. And lately, I feel that’s the consensus when I speak to other people is the same. So I wanted to come here today to ask you- are you a New Year’s resolution type of person? Do you make goals and resolutions every year, and do you stick with them? 

To be completely honest- I have always been one to fall on and off the resolutions and goals. However this year, instead of making myself a bunch of goals that I probably won’t stick to, I wanted to do it a bit differently. And since I’m doing things a bit different this year- why not share it with all of you in a blog post. :) Scary right? Nah- you guys are awesome! This is the year of making goals and sticking with them because I’m looking at them a completely different way.  When I sat down to really think about how to stay on track I came up with these things:

• Reflect on the year you’ve had and the changes you’d like to see in your coming year. Be proud of the things that you’ve done well last year, and be honest with yourself on the things you didn’t like. Start your list of actions from there on things you want to continue and things you’d like to change. 

• Make SMART Goals- (Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic and Timely) So for example- if you are trying to get an extra workout into your week- try online grocery shopping to free up some of your time (it is my favourite thing to do now instead of going to the stores all the time) and take the extra hour that you would be shopping and go for a nice walk instead. It doesn’t have to be crazy- small changes can lead to some of the best results.

• Change your Mindset- it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach to your goals. Even the smallest changes can lead to great positive results- Waking up 10 mins earlier, Adding an extra glass of water to your day, Walking to get your mail instead of driving by the mailbox,  putting your phone down 15 mins earlier every night are all great things heading in the right direction.

• Be proud of your accomplishments- whether they are big or small. Be proud of each and every one of them, and go easy on yourself if you have a hard day. Pick yourself back up again- and keep going for those goals the next day.

Here are a few of my personal goals heading into the New Year:

• Focus on taking care of myself at least once a day- moving my body not because I want to change how I look but because I don’t want to take for granted that I can and it makes me feel really good when I do. It helps set up my days for success when I can practice self care. I have also come to learn that I LOVE spin classes… It feels so amazing to find a program that just fits! I encourage you all to explore maybe something out of the “normal” that you find really fits your life- maybe its swimming, or dancing, etc. Make it fun!

• Put the phone down- I really want to focus this year on allowing myself more time not in front of an electronic. My goal is to put my phone down more and be more present. There is a cool feature that allows you to set a timer and once you’ve reached your time for the day the apps don’t work anymore. I think I might need to try that!

• Not to take for granted the fact that we don’t need to have everything- but to be thankful for the things that we do have. We are so very fortunate for our family and our health. I find myself and so many others I’ve spoken to comparing to one another- the pressure to have it all together is real! Am I a good enough mom/wife… Am I working hard enough (real estate can be a competitive game :) … did I work out enough…. etc. and by doing that and comparing yourself to others can be a real joy thief for the things that are going really great in your day that you can totally miss out on. This year I’m going to really work hard on not comparing myself to others, and to be really thankful for everything we do have and support other peoples great accomplishments too!

• Be more organized and live with less- Last year was a bit crazy! We sold our home, put everything into storage, lived in a furnished rental for a month, bought our new house, renovated our basement suite and main floor- and then went to Disneyland! I like things to be clean and organized. But what I realized when we went into the furnished rental and brought almost none of our crap with us- is that we didn’t really miss any of it. I like to have schedules and systems to keep myself organized and on track, and I function WAY better when my house is clean. We purged a lot with our move- but Living with less and simplifying everything its seems like such a wonderful thing and I really want to put that into practice this year!

I would LOVE to hear some of your goals this year- comment below or send me a message! I truly believe when you have a group of people that stands behind each others accomplishments, goals, and successes it can make the world of difference!

Here's to a Healthy, Happy and Successful 2020!

“You must choose to be happy, grateful and fulfilled. If you make that choice every single day, regardless of where you are at or what’s happening, you will be happy.” - Rachel Hollis

Universal design, barrier free design, and accessible design, are all strategic ways to make an area safe and accessible for everyone regardless of age or ability.

Universal Design can create a stylish and practical a living space that can work for everyone. It also allows people to stay in their homes if, or when, their circumstances change, without the need for expensive renovations. A well-designed accessible unit doesn’t have to look different from a standard unit. Universal home design can be appealing to both those who need special features and those who don’t; therefore, maintaining marketability to a larger group.

More than 3.8 million Canadians have some form of a disability. Mobility, vision, and hearing issues can challenge many of us, and as we age, universally designed spaces can allow us to continue being part of our community and live our lives independently.

We can all benefit from accessibility when our family, friends and neighbours are able to fully participate in our lives by enjoying barrier free homes, workplaces, and communities, Great communities become even greater when everyone has equal access.

Creating a Universal home can happen at construction or during a renovation. Here are some examples of Universal design features that could be incorporated within your existing or new home:

• Widen doorways to accommodate mobility devices

• Lower light switches

• Add chairlifts to stairs

• Add Smart Home Devices that control doors, locks, lights, doorbell, blinds, etc.

• Install a curb-less walk-in shower with a bench.

Making modifications in your current home or deciding to make a move can feel like an overwhelming task- but it doesn’t have to be. Your local real estate expert can help you throughout this process to make it a smooth and easy transition. You may also be able to qualify for grants and / or tax credits to make your home more accessible. If you no longer need your accessible home let’s get it into the hands of someone who can use it to its full potential.

Check out my ad and all of the great resources in the new 2020 Edition of

Experience 50+ living 

If you’re looking to find a home with universal design, barrier free, or accessible living, or if you have any questions about modifying your current home, please contact:

Amy Essington, Realtor ®

Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty

14-1470 Harvey Avenue

Kelowna BC, V1Y 9K8

250.317.0078

amy@kelownarealestate.com