If you have kids, you know how easy it is for their toys to take over. The toys seem to find their way in every room and make space look so messed up. Being a mother of three, I had literally given up on having an organized home. Clean, yes, but organized? I was afraid I no longer had the privilege to decide that on my own, apparently, my kids had a lot to say about it. It seemed to be such a thankless thing to do because every time I cleaned and organized my kid’s stuff, they ‘miraculously’ got back to how they were. And no, it didn’t take twenty-four hours. I didn’t think I had the energy to wake up another morning just to clean and organize those toys again.
Every morning I kept thinking, ‘what a waste of my time. This was totally not part of the bargain. No more toys for them’. But you, of course, know how the story ends. I knew to keep their toys, from the word go, wasn’t going to work. As a matter of fact, toys are very helpful for your kid’s growth. Plus they are the reason you can finish up on that movie, therefore, totally eliminating them is not even an option. I had to look for ways to get them organized and still maintain my sanity. If you are trying to handle your kids’ toys, then you have found the right place. Here are ways you can cleverly manage and organize your children’s toys.
Communicate With Your Kids
Kids are smarter than what most of us credit them for. Communicating your values to your kids is essential. Start as early as when they can get the sense of what you are saying. Teaching them discipline is too important to leave to chance. Yet it is surprising how many parents fail to accept this responsibility (no judgment intended). You can start by letting them know where they should keep their toys after playing or the places around the house where toys are banned. You can also tell them how much stuff they need, to prevent buying too much. Don’t forget to communicate the rationale behind your decision so that your kids may not just see it as a limitation on their freedom. Plus taking some soft measures if they disobey. You might seem too strict to your kids but instilling certain values in them goes a long way in their future life. Anyway, you must be the adult because after all is said and done, who will do the cleaning? Yeah, not them. So you might as well be a little selfish and love yourself.
Create a Storage Space
A good storage system is key in maintaining order for your kids’ toys. You will need to first come up with a storage system and this can be a large storage shelf that is simple and quite inexpensive to build. Then collect all the toys and categorize them to know what goes where. Decorative baskets and bins have always done the trick, remember to label them. For instance, you can designate a space for puzzle and board games on top of the shelf to prevent them from getting lost. Books are good for the kids but can also very easily get out of control, therefore, they also have a small bookshelf where they can retrieve a book one at a time. After you have stored them in a smart and organized fashion, you can rotate them to keep them fresh.
Have a Place For Everything
This is the best way of taking care of clutter. When every toy has its place, it is much easier for kids to tidy up when they are finished playing. With this, they won’t have any excuse if a toy is found misplaced. If some of the toys are habitually never in their place, it means it needs to move on because they don’t care enough for it to take a few seconds and place it back. It might be hard to cultivate this habit, but gradually they will get the hang of it. Cleaning the space will be so much easier and you might even find yourself doing it more frequently.
Assess and Donate
Toys, just like clothes, are age-specific and kids will grow out of some when the time comes. That is why it is important to assess your kids’ toys. Look out for the ones that they have outgrown and those which they simply don’t play with frequently. You can then donate them or sell them at a children’s consignment store as long as they are in good condition. If your kids are old enough, they can help you pick on the ones they no longer need.
Regulate How You Buy
Most kids have many toys, mine included (which I have no idea how they accumulated in the first place). And if you are reading this, chances are you are a victim too. To prevent turning your house into a toy shop, regulate what you buy. This will be made easier by having an idea of what you want for your kids and what they enjoy doing. You’d rather spend money on a few but quality toys than many simple toys that they are likely not to play with at all.
Involve The Kids In Cleaning
I know we’d rather do the cleaning ourselves but by now you know when it comes to their toys, they must get involved. It’s their possession and needs to be responsible for them. Involve them in the process of organizing their toys. Let them have a say as to what goes where. Help the kids be aware of what they possess.
The Bottom Line
As parents, due to the love and the need we feel to satisfy our kids, we might be tempted to overwhelm them with toys. If you have the storage space and makes you feel good, buy as many toys as you want for your kid. But at least don’t give it all to them at the same time. No kid has ever played with so much at the same time.
The things we consider the hardest are most likely to be done in a simpler way and actually work. Some of us view the kitchen as a room for the experts only and shy away. The very complex things you see being done in the cooking channels are as easy as a walk in the park if you try some of these simple kitchen hacks. They are suitable for saving time and money. You can call them shortcuts that really go a long way.
1. Keep Your Tomatoes Fresh
The most nagging problem in the kitchen is finding your tomatoes rotten after some time. We buy enough tomatoes to last us through the week but before it ends, you start seeing rotten sports on them. Keeping them in the fridge is not the solution because eventually, they will still go bad after some days. What you should do is, when buying tomatoes, be sure to mix both raw and ripe tomatoes. Buy some lemons as well and put them together in one basket. Be sure to place a lemon in the middle of four tomatoes. The lemon slows down the ripening process making the tomatoes stay fresh for longer.
2. How to Store Your Coriander
Putting coriander stem in water won’t keep them fresh. They wither after some time and turn yellow. The best way to ensure that they stay fresh for up to 10 days is very simple. Buy your coriander and cut off the roots. Do not cut up to the stem. Wash them thoroughly and put them in a container. Seal the container tightly to make sure no air goes inside. Store them in the fridge and only open it when you need to take some out and use it. Close the container and return to the fridge for use on another day. Your coriander will stay fresh up to two weeks or more. Remember, store in the fridge and not the freezer.
3. Slice Your Onions Without Tearing Up
Every time you slice an onion, you always find yourself ‘crying’. The smell of the onions irritates our eyes which causes us to tear up. A helmet could work yes, but having to go to the store and buy a helmet yet you don’t own a bike could seem awkward to yourself. It is also expensive to incur unnecessary costs. To avoid all this, peel your onions and soak them in salty water twenty minutes before you cook and that will do the trick.
4. Need to Store Peeled Potatoes?
For instance, you go to prepare dinner, you have already peeled your potatoes ready to be cooked then, a friend pops in with the takeaway food. That situation is tempting and you suddenly feel like you don’t want to cook anymore. What will happen to your potatoes? If you leave them like that, they will turn black by morning and you don’t want to boil them. Just wash them well and put in a bowl with water then place small slices of bread on the water. Bread floats on water while the potatoes are underneath the water. By the next day morning, the potatoes will still be very fresh, as the bread will have sacked up the gas that causes them to darken.
5. Do Not Throw Out Your Jars
Most if not all stores, sell empty jars for us to buy and store spices, sugar, salt and other things in them. To avoid these costs, just improvise on what you already have. The empty Nutella and honey jars can come in handy. Simply remove their labels and put nametags of what you want to keep in them. This is a good form of cost-saving.
6. Peel Tomatoes With Less Hustle
Sorting tomatoes peels on the side of your plate as you are having dinner is a lot of work. You could even lose appetite while at it. You don’t have to keep doing that. If you don’t prefer blending your tomatoes, you could opt for this very simple hack. Soak your tomatoes in hot water for thirty minutes. This will soften their skin making it easy to peel with your hands. Peeling with a knife is not a good idea as you might deeply cut out some part of the tomato, leaving you with a very small tomato.
7. Replace Plastic Bags With Containers
Storing food leftovers in plastic bags and placing them on the shelves look a bit messy. The entire kitchen tends to look clustered just because of that shelve. The best way to avoid this is to get rid of plastic bags and opt for containers. Foodstuff like beans and peas can be put in cereal containers instead. If you need to have plastic bags around, get a drawer for them.
8. Do Not Throw Out Leftover Bread
For the lovers of bread, you do not have to throw the one remaining piece every day. Dry the bread and put it in a jar in form of crumbs. After a few times of drying your leftover bread, your jar will be full and you can use the crumbs to fry chicken or make meatballs. You will have saved the cash that you could have used to buy breadcrumbs from the store.
9. Preserving Your Tomato Paste
Whether in the fridge or not, tomato paste seems to go bad soon as you have unsealed the can. You end up throwing away a merely used can of paste. To prevent this, simply pour some little olive oil on the paste. The oil prevents bacteria from forming on the paste keeping it fresh for longer. You could use cooking oil too in case you are out of olive oil.
The Bottom Line
These simple hacks are a lifesaver for almost every situation. Some of the hacks are basic science that we learned in our early school days. Do not attempt any hack that you are not sure of to prevent loss or damage to your stuff.
Most people don’t mind living in their own mess for some time, and weirdly, it gives you a sense of freedom. Well, until it graduates to frustration and we all get it! The struggle is real. It is funny that no one will turn up when the house is all cleaned up and everything in its place, rather, when it has reached a chaos crisis level. Maintaining an organized clean home may not come naturally to everyone, especially with so many other critical responsibilities lying around. You don’t have to stress anymore, there are several ways you can use to at least pretend that yours is a life of perfection to anyone walking into your home. Here is how:
The Entryway
This is the first place your guests see and you would want to start off on the right foot. Be sure to clear any clutter. Quickly organize the place by placing items in their respective positions. Then swiftly sweep through the hallway. A tip to remember: when you open the door for your guests, don’t apologize for how your house looks; it will only make them more conscious of their surroundings.
Get Rid of Clutter
Clutter instantly makes your home look so messy and uncared for. Pick a bag or baskets then place every clutter from all your rooms. Since you don’t have the time to place the items at their respective places, just bung them in and keep the boxes out of sight (maybe in the garage). As you are at it, consider placing paperwork in the drawers instead of boxes, for an easier time when they need to be retrieved.
The Living Room
This is the place that your guests will sit almost throughout their time at your home. Therefore, you need to spend more time here, since your guest’s eyes will tend to look around as they pass time. Since the clutter is taken care of, now ensure your floor is clean. This can be done by simply swiping through the room, but if you don’t have the time, you can just pick up the visible dirt. Then clean up the surfaces like the coffee table and screens with a cotton cloth. And don’t forget to align, straighten and fluff up your throw pillows. Additionally, flip over the cushions to reveal the as-good-as-new fabric that will instantly make your sofas look desirable.
Fix The Kitchen
The kitchen is a social place and chances are, your guest may offer to help you carry the dishes back to the kitchen. You don’t want it to get awkward, trying to give them reasons why not. You don’t need that kind of pressure. Therefore, if your sink is piled up with dirty dishes, load them up in the dishwasher. Or in one of the cabinets and lock it up, hoping you have visitors’ dishes put aside. Then you’d want to clear anything on top of the counter because they give you a worse look than a few crumbs. Swiftly wipe all visible surface with a clean damp cloth.
Fragrance Control
Hardly, can your house smell of lavender if you have dirty socks, jeans, and dishes lying around. You can easily solve that in various ways. If you want the classic homey scent, you can throw in the frozen cookie dough in the oven. But if air freshener and scented candles are the reality for you, they also work perfectly. Well, if you have neither for whichever reason, you can do it the natural way. Push back the curtains and drapes, then open the windows to get the stale air moving. You can as well turn up the fan. Lovely fragrance is the best tool for fooling anyone that you have a clean house.
The Bathroom
Like some unwritten rule, it’s guaranteed that your guest is going to request to use your bathroom. And there’s nothing that gets you cringing harder than a dirty bathroom. So cut your guests some drama by cleaning the place up. The best way of cleaning your toilet is by giving it a good squirt of the bleach of your choice then let it soak. As you wait, wipe the surfaces and most especially the mirror. Your guest will definitely use it. Change the hand towel and ensure there are toilet paper and hand soap in place. Finally, give your toilet a prompt brush then flush.
Fix Your Home Office
There might be a possibility of using your office depending on who the visitor is. As you swiftly clean this room, you may consider being keen on where you stash your stuff. Clear out the desk of clutter then using a damn clean rug, wipe the surface. Rearrange crooked books so that they are aligned in a pleasant manner.
Hide The Stains
Somehow stains find a way to be very stubborn when emergency guests are about to come, that it’s not funny. Yet, you can out-smart the stains by simply concealing them. If it’s on your sofa, you can use a throw pillow or blanket to cover it up. If it’s your wall, you can have emergency wall curtains. Whatever you come up with, ensure you don’t make it stand out too much or look out of place.
Your Kid’s Room
Your guests may have kids who will want to play around with your kid’s toys as you talk. And since clutter and kids go hand in hand, clear the floor and bed. Place the toys in a common place where they can be accessed easily. Finally, spray the room in case of odor, kids are full of surprises.
Add a Personal Touch
Personalizing your home is mostly done to give character to your home plus authenticity. But at this point, the personalized décor will act as a distraction by attracting your visitor’s attention. It can be done by simply taking your masterpiece vase and placing in fresh flowers. You can also take your kid’s drawings and hang them along the entryway wall. Consider investing in a centerpiece for your living room, because they come in handy at these times.
When you are done doing the above and your guests haven’t arrived yet, be sure to take some time and relax. You can also use the time to freshen up.
Decorating a house is never an easy task but the end result is something to be proud of when you have done everything right. People end up making several mistakes that ruin the whole concept of the interior design they want to project. Adding elegance to your house entails various aspects such as furniture, wall paint color, art, lighting and everything else striking a balance. Harmonizing various decorating aspects and creating a lovely interior design is a challenge for most homeowners. As a homeowner, you are probably making some home decorating mistakes too. Here are some of the most common mistakes made during decoration and how to avoid them.
1. Color Matching Galore
Most homeowners have this tendency of believing that when everything matches then it is all attractive. People match their sofas with the wall paints, the carpet or and their ceiling color which is wrong. A single color running through everything creates monotony. Such looks become boring instantly. Be bold and add an aspect of uniqueness in your home, this will surely intrigue anyone who steps into your anything but boring home. Furniture color or wall paint color should be unique but at the same time bring this perfect blend of beauty and harmony into your home interior.
2. Choosing Paint First
This is such a common mistake which homeowners end up paying for dearly. Most of them end up painting their house as the first step in decorating the home interiors. Indeed, painting is such an essential part but what happens is that it limits you to the kind of furniture you should buy. You should first settle on the kind of furniture you want to bring into your home and the other decorating pieces before you decide on the wall paint color. That way, you will not be limited when it comes to choosing the paint color you want on your walls.
3. Wrong Furniture Size
Being deceived by your eyes when you go furniture shopping for your home can happen sometimes. While at the furniture store, that dinner table may look sizeable until you get home and discover it’s too big or too small. Eyes will just give you an estimated measurement which may end up being wrong. Before going shopping it’s advisable to have accurate measurements of the furniture that you require. Use a tape measure to take precise measurements to ensure that you get something that will perfectly fit in your home and not bulky furniture that will take up a lot of space.
4. Hoarding Old Items
Sometimes to really project that new and unique look for your home, you may need to get rid of some items. For example, there’s that couch in your living room that you have dearly fallen in love with over the years and it has been part of you. Letting go of such an item is never an easy thing, especially if so many great memories center on it. However, that old item and the others that you refuse to let go of could be the bane of your interior design. Technology has greatly evolved and it has brought a wide range of new designs and modern decorative items to choose from. You should embrace new ideas and make your home beautiful. Begin this by getting rid of all that outdated stuff in your home. Put it in the garage, out of sight until you bring yourself to getting rid of it completely.
5. Making Everything The Centre of Attraction
This is by far is the most common mistake made by most homeowners when they start decorating their homes. Bringing some sort of competition amongst the items in your home is not advisable. Everything has to ultimately integrate to bring this breath-taking look to your home. The paint on the walls doesn’t have to outdo the design of the set of sofas or the flooring type. Ideally, everything has to blend in and complement each other, not steal the thunder from each other.
6. Copying Someone’s Interior Design
A lot of people visit a certain home and they love the interior decorations. They will then want to copy and paste the same design into their homes. First of all, everyone has a different taste and what works for a certain home might not be ideal for yours. Create your own design and know what will perfectly work for your home while considering all the relevant factors.
7. The Wrong Colors
Colors add a lot of beauty in any place but they can easily ruin your home if you are not careful about the choice of color you settle for. You may be tempted to color your living room or bedroom with your favorite color. Your favorite color doesn’t have to be your main color, but you can use it in smaller bits. Remember that the wall paint has to complement other interior basics like furniture and flooring. Make sure you are choosing a color not only because it is your favorite color but because it also complements the rest of your interior decor.
8. Floating Carpets / Rugs
A carpet shouldn’t leave such a huge space uncovered because that doesn’t bring about an aspect of proportionality. A carpet should actually touch the legs of your couch or bed. When you go shopping for a carpet, remember to have the accurate measurements. Guessing the size of carpet to buy will only leave you with some space left uncovered. A perfectly fitting carpet will make your floor space look attractive and complete.
You will feel absolutely proud when anyone who visits your home gazes in admiration at your home interior. However, the above mistakes will deny you a chance to create an attractive design for your home. Learn how to integrate various items to bring out an elegant and inviting look for your interior. If you have no idea about how to achieve this, you can always consult a professional interior designer and get a better insight into the kind of home decor you should embrace.
Decorating with mirrors is one of the best ways of maximizing your home’s style. Mirrors top the list of being the best home accessories one can use. This is because they are not only functional, stylish and appealing but also brighten your home, which in turn makes it look bigger. They also have the power to create an optical illusion showing your room with more depth. Mirrors will miraculously make your room look twice the size itinis. Additionally, they can reflect images from the opposite wall creating a striking effect.
Decorating with mirrors is easy and irrespective of where you place it, it will always open up your room and work miracles. In spite of mirrors being very fashionable, frankly, most people use them for functional purposes like checking their image. Therefore, they miss out on a great opportunity to create a jaw-dropping centerpiece. The following are ways you can use mirrors to create a show-stopping look of your home:-
Mirrors As The Centerpiece
Mirrors can be a great statement piece for your favorite room. This doesn’t essentially refer to the size of the mirror, but the frame. When you are shopping for mirrors don’t feel confined in your frame choice, the bolder a the better. The frame gives identity to your mirror style whether traditional or modern. For better effect, ensure your choice of mirror style coincides with your home décor theme. If alluring your guest’s attention and having them thinking they should get that for their house is the effect you want, then mirrors will sort you out just fine.
Use Mirrors As Art
Mirrors can have the same effect as an exquisite piece of art will. Many have grossly underrated this functionality of the mirror yet it can be a powerful tool. Just like art, one major piece can pull it off but the more the merrier. On that account, you can create an eye-catching piece by grouping the mirrors together in an appealing pattern. While you are at it, ensure that your mirrors are in proportion to each other and the wall. In creating a cohesive grouping, you may consider using mirrors of a similar colored frame though in different sizes and shapes. If well done, grouped mirrors can create a gorgeous visual appeal. A bonus: you can try out the salon-style across the hallway.
Mirrors As Decorative Accessories
Most people use mirrors to check their images but few exploit them as accessories. They give you a good opportunity to lighten up and express your home décor. You are not confined under any rules as to how or where to place them. This is because they majorly just open up your space and make it look bigger. Therefore, you are free to let your creativity take charge. The use of mirrors also gives your room an authentic look. Floor mirrors, probably at the end of a hallway opposite a flower or plant can be a great way to change your space from flat to elaborate. It also gives you a good dramatic effect
Mirrors As a Slide Door
A sliding door is a hallway gift, especially in tiny homes. Instilling a mirror on your slide wall as finishing not only gives character to your décor but also makes it look much more bigger and better. Decorating with mirrors will also assist you in hiding places you don’t want other people to see because it’s creatively concealing. At the same time, you will be able to look at your image effortlessly plus enlarging the size and depth of your room. And, of course, your home will look very trendy and stylish.
Using Mirrors In Entryways
Do you want to make an impressive first impression of your home? If yes, then consider using a mirror(s) in your entryway. One of the reasons why this will immensely work, is because most hallways are deprived of natural light. Since mirrors are popularly known for their ability to open up space by reflecting light, it will open up your hallway. Therefore, bringing warmth to the little space. It’s such a subtle action to take yet it gives back a homey and cozy vibe that anyone would die to achieve.
Mirrors In Your Kitchen
Unlike what most people think, mirrors would look great in the kitchen and might be the exact change you need. Most kitchens are tiny compared to the kind of activities that occurs there. On that account, your kitchen might easily look depressing and that is where mirrors have your back. They will reflect the light around, instantly making your space look bigger and better. The most effective way of using mirrors in your kitchen is by having them fixed. You can have them as walls or on kitchen cabinets. And by mirrors, it doesn’t necessarily mean you use the normal ones, you can have yours back splashed. Not mentioning the bling it gives your kitchen!
Mirrors in Your Bathroom
Frankly speaking, most bathrooms have mirrors but just over the sink. Which is definitely okay, but that’s just it, your bathroom will just be okay. But if you want more color to it, instill a full wall mirror. This could be anywhere around the bathroom, it might be behind the tab, on the slid door or even on the ceiling. Not only does it give character to your bathroom but it also makes it look bigger. Which is superb.
Mirrors in Your Bedroom
When it comes to the bedroom, habitually, people will use mirrors for analyzing their look and physique. But who says that is its only function in the bedroom? The good news is, mirrors can be used to create a romantic atmosphere. This is after choosing the right mirror that coincides with your bedroom décor. Then complement it by lighting candles which will be reflected, creating an immense romantic ambiance.
Mirrors are great when used correctly. They basically don’t have strict rules to follow therefore anyone can pull off a great look. As you incorporate some of these ways, be assured of a one of a kind look.
Of all the rooms that you will always want to avoid in your house is the garage because often most times than not it is always a pile of junk with clutter everywhere, such an eyesore to even your neighbors and friends. If you don’t take care of this sooner than later you will have to deal with more problems as soon you will have to call in the pest control unit to come take a look at your garage due to the prevalent noises you get in the night and the feeling of someone else in the house is inevitable. So here are a few tips on how to spruce up your garage and keep it spick and span.
First Things First
Well in any garage, the whole pile of junk is always an eyesore, so before doing anything that, first clear the garage of everything and take it outside. This is important as it will give you a better working space and you will be able to clean the walls, floor, and ceiling thoroughly.
Sort Out The Pile
Well now that you have taken the whole pile of junk outside, you can then decide to sort out the “haves and the have-nots.” The junk you have not used for at least a year qualifies to be worthless, and the best way of getting rid of this is by selling. If they are of no use then you can do away with them, thus dump them. To sort out this pile in an orderly manner, place them into three categories; the throwaways, the ones to sell and the ones to keep. Firstly get rid of the throw away pile and make sure you dump it appropriately. The remaining two piles you can push them aside and sort them after the cleaning up is done.
The Spruce-Up
Water is essential here, and the whole process could be a neck breaker but if you are up to it, it will be close to a walk in the park and even to some point enjoyable. You could get a helping hand, could be your son or wife so that you don’t get bored doing it. The things required in this are; the broom, brushes, a bucket, sponges (car sponge), and also wire brushes, floor paint, and some oil stain remover just in case.
Clean-Up Process
The garage at this point is a mess and disorderly therefore as a way of obeying the law of gravity, work your way from the top going downwards. This is important to avoid redoing the same job twice. The ceiling will come first; you can start by removing all the cobwebs using a broom or a cobweb brush which does the magic well. In case of any bugs or spiders be ready with a bug spray too.
Next, you check for any defects on the light fixtures, window, and the door hardware and if none give them a good wipe with a wet piece of cloth. With the floor still unattended, use a wet car garage sponge to thoroughly wipe the walls and windows then finish up with an old towel to dry them up. You will be amazed at the transformation that is taking shape, this should be a motivation to go on. After you are done with the up, come to the floor.
Sweep all the debris and the clutter that had accumulated from the back of the garage to the front and out through the door. In case of any allergy be ready with a nose cover to avoid the sneezing. After sweeping, get a bucket with water and do a thorough mopping of the floor. Scrubbing is also needed at some point to remove the gunk that has accumulated for years; use a wire brush to do this. In case of any oil spills that will always be stubborn to remove, a natural oil stain remover does the magic. It will pull out the stain and make it easy for you to scrub it off.
Painting The Floor
After the clean-up, you can always take this opportunity to paint the garage floor if it does not have one or simply paint it afresh. This is essential as it will be able to seal the cracks on the floor and also prevent moisture from reaching the concrete. If you want to make life hard for any future bugs and pests then this is it. This process is not that demanding and may require 2 to 4 cans of paint only. The look after this will be so sparkling and will make the garage feel like another normal room in your home, and may give you second thoughts on crushing there during the hot summer months.
Put Things in Order
Here you can always try and be innovative or creative in the way you place your things keeping in mind that the main idea is to save up as much space as possible. So how do you save up space? First, install shelves all over in the room. This will help save a lot of space and make the room look more organized and easy to arrange.
Another is to mount hooks on the ceiling to hang on sports gear, bicycles, and even your camping gear. Lastly is to work on your vertical space thus from ceiling to floor, here use stacking up containers to store your oldies. The order of the store is as follows: The long-term storage items go first to the back of the room, this could range from your old documents to even the keepsakes.
Next are the seasonal items that are usually used occasionally in different seasons. This could be your skiing boots, or holiday decorations or even Halloween costumes. Lastly, organize the things you use more frequently and keep them within reach, this could be the washing machine, the lawnmower or the gym gear. The idea is to keep things you don’t use often at the back and the ones you use at the front, this will help maintain order.
The Bottom Line
By the time you are done, you will be amazed by how much space you have saved up and you could even convert the space to be a gym work out area. Conclusively. Sprucing up your garage can be a daunting task but the results will always pay off as it will help you reach those places you find hard to reach and will free up space in your home.
Companion Maids will be participating in a silent auction for an upcoming charity event benefiting research for bone marrow transplant. Dr John Galvin, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Researcher at the Feinberg School of Medicine is leading a study on bone marrow transplant. The charity event, called Summer Lovin’ is hosted by the Auxiliary Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The Auxiliary Board consists of young professionals with a focus on connecting professionally and benefiting others by continuing to support doctors and patients of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Since first becoming affiliated with Northwestern in 1987, the Auxiliary Board has contributed more than 1 million dollars to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Companion Maids is proud to be a Chicago cleaning service that can give back. As a small, growing company, we are just starting to explore ways to benefit the great Chicago community that has entrusted us with her business. To that end, we have donated over $450 worth of services to be auctioned off at the upcoming Summer Lovin event, with the winning wager going directly to Dr Galvin’s research.
Read more about the work of Dr Galvin and to make a donation to help support bone marrow transplant research, click here.
“I am still learning about my home. If you can’t do it yourself, find good service people and treat them well.” — Terry (mom to our Human Resources Coordinator, Louisa)
Raise your hand if you grew up with a mom (or another parental figure) constantly reminding you to clean your room. Often, our earliest memories of figuring out how to tidy up and take care of our homes are with our moms—they taught us how to do laundry, how to do the dishes, and how to make our beds. So it should come as no surprise that when we asked our moms for their best home keeping advice, they came back with some great tips.
Most agreed on a few major themes: it’s important to make sure everything has a home, that you put things back when you take them out, and that your home is inviting, relaxing place to come home to—and invite others to.
Busy lifestyles, stressful schedules and the lack of leisure time can steer a person to consider hiring a maid service to manage essential house housecleaning tasks. But prior to booking a consultation, it is crucial to know who you are allowing into your house. Here are some things to consider before hiring your first maid service.
Bonding
Ensure that the housemaid servicing is bonded for its house cleaning customers. You should be safeguarded in case a theft happens. Very few organizations, if they are bonded at all, defend themselves as well as you.
Policy
Ensure that the house cleaning company is 100% insured. If a maiden slips and falls while cleaning the bathroom, your homeowner’s insurance policy may not include the event. The maid service should come with liability and employee accident coverage that should include your house, the cleaner, and the cleaning company.
Referrals
Ensure that the service providing the maid is trustworthy. Inquire about the number of years they have been in business. If necessary, ask for work history and references. Gather the information related to the service. Inquire how long references have been using the service. Try to know if they had to face any issues with the service and how it was handled and whether they would recommend the service provider.
Cleaning Products
Certain private housekeepers, as well as a few of the services, require you to provide all cleaning products. If products are supplied by the house cleaning firm, ascertain what type of products will be utilized and if they contain harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia. Ensure the products are safe for pets and kids. Thankfully, Companion Maids provides all cleaning products and equipment needed for the job.
If the maid service boasts utilizing “green” products or eco-friendly products for house cleaning, comprehend what they are using. Several products, although certified “green” actually include traditional chemicals at a lower proportion, literally diluting a chemical until it passes the criteria. This may be at the cost of the efficiency of the product. Various other ecologically safe products consist of bio-based components that incorporate natural bacteria and enzymes. They replicate the way nature naturally cleanses itself.
Hardware or Equipment
Examine what is provided for your house cleaning. Several independent housekeepers, as well as few services, require you to issue all cleaning equipment. If the housemaid service is providing the equipment, verify the effectiveness of the vacuum and the filtering system.
Quality Assurance
Figure out the service’s quality assurance procedures. How is the grade of service assessed and validated to assure the quality of service is properly maintained? A maid service should have quality assertion techniques in place to ensure their house cleaning matches quality standards. Inquire if the maid service has supervisors who examine each time to ensure the quality of service.
