Category Archives: Organization

Home and Office Cleaning

Prepare for a Happy Homecoming After Vacation

It’s finally happened! The world is opening back up, and Americans are on the move again, especially now that school’s out for summer. Families all over the country have their bags packed, their cars loaded, and the GPS set to destinations near and far. But the last thing you want is to come home from such a long-awaited and well-deserved vacation to the same messy house you left—made even messier by all those months and months of lockdown at home, when, like, no one could go, like, anywhere.

What’s the number one thing you can do to ensure a happy homecoming? Plan ahead to have a neat and orderly house to welcome you home just like you’ve planned your upcoming vacation.

Here are some options so that the relaxation on your couch can continue even after relaxing on the beach is over:

  • Leave the house tidy on your way out. Instead of rushing around the morning before your flight throwing clothes into tote bags, leaving dirty cereal bowls in the sink, and letting the garbage pile up, finish packing the day before, bathe the kids the night before, and while you send them off to make their beds, put the cap back on the toothpaste, tidy up the bathrooms, and bring the trash out. (Don’t forget to throw out anything in the fridge that’ll go bad while you’re away.)
  • Go next level by emptying the dishwasher and folding the clothes that have been sitting in the dryer since Tuesday so the appliances will be open and ready for more upon your return.
  • A few days before departure, put a stop on your mail and/or any home deliveries, water the plants so they don’t dry out while you’re away, and go through the mail to make sure you pay your bills on time.
  • On the way out the door, don’t forget to turn down the thermostat to save some money (even better if you can program it to start back up a few hours before you’re due back home). And if you can set some lights on a timer to go on in the evening, you’ll gain even more peace of mind.
  • Make preparations for your pet(s) well ahead of time, whether that means asking a neighbor, making a boarding reservation, or hiring a pet-sitter. Have Fluffy’s food supply and toys ready to go, and make sure you also hand off your vet’s contact information in case of emergency.
  • Consider a house-sitter. Not only can this trusted individual take care of some (or all!) of the above to make your trip completely stress-free as they do the laundry and the dishes and the garbage-dumping and the dog-walking, but best of all: they can let in the housekeepers you book to clean your home top to bottom while you’re away. There’s no better time to get your home spic-and-span than when no one’s in it and the cleaners can freely access all areas and take all the time they need.

Home Service Enterprises is happy to come in and spiffy up any home or building in the Rockville, MD, area while residents are away so that everything will be fresh and clean when you return. All you have to do is kick back, smile, and have a great time!

Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

Organizing and DeCluttering

Creating a Clean and Organized Home Office

Creating a Clean and Organized Home Office

Optimizing your home workspace has always been important—your mind is free to concentrate on the task at hand when your vision is free of distractions and your desk is free of clutter. But it’s never been as crucial as it is now, with so many people working remotely from home … possibly never to return to the office again.

Given how essential home-based offices have become, now’s the time to prioritize this space in your dwelling so you can maximize your efficiency. Where to start? Well, as any employee, entrepreneur, or student knows, a clean desk is the first step to successful outcomes—so begin there:

  • First, clear off your work surface. Spray down the top, sides, and all the nooks and crannies of your work desk so that it’s dust-free and ready for reloading.
  • Empty any drawers and cabinets as well, thoroughly dusting them and airing them out.
  • Safely wipe down all your electronics with appropriate cleaning tools—it’s amazing how dusty our towers and backup drives and speakers get sitting out all day, every day!
  • Now that everything is off and out of your workstation, sort through all the loose papers that have piled up and spread out and file them appropriately, in labeled folders in either your physical filing cabinet or your digital filing system. Scan documents you want computerized, create a pile of correspondence/paperwork that needs attending to and stack them in your in-tray, and discard trash and outdated notices.
  • Decide what should be on your desk, instead of in or next to your desk. Tape dispensers, Rolodexes, and pencil sharpeners are often things of the past, so store them away in your supply cabinet if you don’t use them every day. Keep out only what you need within reach on a daily basis, like paper clips, stapler, and pen holder.
  • Speaking of your supply area, goodness knows what’s accumulated in there over the years! Take the time to go through all your office supplies, donating or discarding what you no longer need and neatly and logically restocking what you do.
  • Add new items to your immediate workspace that will increase your productivity, like a Post-it holder, phone/tablet charger, cushioned mouse pad, and ergonomic keyboard.
  • As you refill your drawers, shelves, and cubbies, again keep nearby only what you need nearby, like rechargeable batteries, reading glasses, your headset, printer paper and cartridges. Everything else can find a new home in your supply area so that your desk space is optimally streamlined.

Once your desk has been outfitted to ideally suit your needs, it’s time for some good old-fashioned cleaning to refresh your office space. Vacuum the floor, dust the ceiling fan, clean the windows to let in the light, shake out the blinds or curtains, wipe down the baseboards and closet doors. It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel when you start with a clean slate, including replacing burnt-out lightbulbs, air dusting your keyboard, and finally washing that coffee mug that you’ve been using for weeks on end.

Some home offices are bigger than others; some will need more work than others. The trick is to not bite off more than you can chew by tackling small areas in chunks—like one filing drawer or desk drawer at a time. The end goal is to declutter and reorganize in ways that will increase your professional output. And when you’re done, reward yourself with an “office treat,” like a new desk chair on rollers so you can slide right over to your printer or noise-canceling headphones so you can work in peace while your kids blast video games in the next room.

Remember, you don’t have to do it all in one day, and you don’t have to do it alone. Want some help? That’s what professional all-service cleaning companies are for! We don’t just clean, we organize—and you can hire us to do the whole job for you or to partner with you to create your ideal workspace!

Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

House cleaning

Cleaning Tips for the Working Professional

If you’re one of the many professionals juggling a demanding career while still trying to maintain all the demands of home and family, you know how tight time can get and how exhausting an endless list of chores can be. Weekends and after-hours are often filled to the brim as well, and sometimes something’s just got to give, right?

All the more reason to streamline and prioritize wherever you can. You can’t always have dust-free shelves or sparkling appliances or pristine lines on newly vacuumed carpets … but you can concentrate on a few areas and a few tasks that will make the most impact in your house and go the longest way toward longer-term peace of mind and fulfillment.

Here are some ideas of “big ticket” items that will give you a large sense of accomplishment and noticeable, measurable results:

Area of Focus #1: Organize Your Closets. Don’t underestimate just how much lighter and brighter you’ll feel if you finally get those closets in order, particularly your own. Your mornings will go smoother, dressing will be less stressful, and clear open space will replace cluttered and crammed rods and shelves if you devote one solid chunk of time to organizing your bedroom closet. You know those beautiful shoes you’re never going to wear again because they kill your toes? That suit that’s never coming back in style, that dress you haven’t worn in 10 years, those pants you’re never going to fit into again? Time to chuck it all! Sell items of value online, bag up wearable items that can be donated to shelters, charities, or even your friends, and just toss what needs tossing. Clear your closet of anything and everything you don’t actually wear and enjoy—old ratty pajamas, faded tights, pilly sweaters, sneakers with cracked soles, shirts with stains or missing buttons. Out of your closet means out of your way and off of your mind! Forever.

Area of Focus #2: Give Bathrooms a Deep Clean. The least-liked cleaning chore of them all is actually the single-most powerful step you can take to get your house spick-and-span on the foundational level. It’s no surprise that the bathroom holds the most germs, bacteria, mildew, and soap scum in your home. So attending to just this room alone goes a long way and makes a huge difference in all the others. When you scour fixtures and scrub tiles once in a while, you can do touch-ups with cleaning cloths in between, so it’s worth taking a deep dive now so you can just maintain later. The good news? At least the bathroom is the smallest room in the house—make a concentrated effort on Saturday morning and then take the whole rest of the weekend off!

 Area of Focus #3: Move the Furniture. Even when you mop, even when you vacuum, you’re not really getting your floors clean until or unless you move the furniture and big items out of the way to get underneath. Take this extra step to banish the dirt and the dust bunnies from flying around so that what you see and what you don’t see is all fresh and clean. These hidden areas are usually overlooked during routine cleaning, but making this extra effort once a season should be all that’s needed.

Area of Focus #4: Have Your Carpets Professionally Cleaned. And speaking of hidden bothers … Lurking dust mites and a wide array of irritants and allergens take hold in your carpets, draperies, and upholstery and stay there until you forcibly remove them. Investing in a professional steam cleaning (particularly after the winter season) won’t just freshen your whole home, it will literally clear the air, keeping your pets and family members breathing much easier and more healthfully. Again, you don’t have to do this often to get a big bang for your buck!

If you start with just these essentials, the smaller daily stuff won’t seem as overwhelming and you can tackle them in smaller steps, in smaller bursts of time. Want some help? Give us a call today to find out what we can do assist all your cleaning and organizing needs:
Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

House cleaning

Winter To-Do List to Optimize Your Home

A few months ago, our blog was devoted to making your home as snug and hygienic as it can be during the months in which most of the country is hibernating inside due to the cold weather … and now that most of us are still hunkering down inside due to health reasons, we thought we’d expand our list of recommendations and suggestions for cold-weather to-do items to not only keep you busy, but to greatly benefit your house.

Now’s the time to:

  • Inspect All Openings – For the typical homeowner, addressing the drafts coming in through doors and windows will make a major dent in your energy costs. Weather-strip and caulk all openings to prevent drafts, and watch your utility bill dip lower even as the temperatures do.
  • Maintain Your Heating System – It’s very important to change your air filters at least once a year. You should also check the ductwork in your basement or attic for any gaps. You can use metal-foil tape to seal any gaps you find so that heat doesn’t escape.
  • Caulk Trim & Baseboards – Inspect the caulking on your trim and your baseboards to see if any areas are old or worn away. Just like windows and doors, drafts can enter your home through cracks in the walls and floors, so you’ll want to fill and fortify these openings for wellness and warmth.
  • Attend to the Roof Over Your Head – Preventing ice damming should be a top priority for any homeowner who lives in a region that gets snow and ice. Caulking the roof—either by doing it yourself or by hiring a roofer—is an investment you won’t regret. As snow melts, insufficient drainage can cause serious damage to your roof and possibly leaks inside your home, so do what you can to eliminate ice dams by ensuring proper drainage.
  • Check the Fireplace – Do you know how many people forget to close their fireplace flue after use? A LOT! If you’re feeling coldness in the house and aren’t sure where it’s coming from, check if your flue was inadvertently left open and then make sure it’s only reopened when you build a fire. It’s also a good idea to have energy-efficient fireplace doors to help optimize the heating in your home and decrease energy costs.

These few steps will keep your house in tip-top shape all winter and prevent costly repairs later on down the road. For more winterizing tips or to schedule a cleaning, get in touch with us today! Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

A Cozy Nest for Winter

Can you believe winter is almost upon us again? How does the time fly so fast? And more to the point, how is it already time again to prep our homes for the cold season, making a nice little nest we can hibernate in until spring?

There’s really not all that much to do, actually, to “winterize” our interiors for optimal health and hygiene—in fact, you don’t even have to leave the house to take any of these recommended steps (and you might not even have to open your wallet at all if you have some backup supplies on hand). So bring it on, Snow Miser! We’ll be safe and snug inside our homes whatever the season has in store.

  • Turn Down Your Bed: Sheets get washed regularly, but when was the last time you laundered your comforter, quilt, or duvet cover? Nothing is more comforting than snuggling up in a clean bed on a cool night, so wash all of your linens, including your mattress cover and bed skirt. While the washer and dryer are spinning, give your mattress a flip.
  • Filters, Filters, Filters: Since you’ll be locking all your windows and doors for the season, it’s a good time to replace all the filters in your home to better purify the air: the furnace filter, the filter in your kitchen range hood, even any water filters you have in the refrigerator, basement, or under your kitchen sink.
  • Clouds of Dust: Dust collects everywhere, especially high up and in out-of-sight spots that we don’t look at every day. Before cloistering indoors with all that buildup, grab your step ladder and wipe down ceiling fan blades, light fixtures, and door and window frames. While you’re at it, your baseboards can no doubt use a dusting too.
  • It’s Pillow Time: Breathe easier at night by breathing new life into your pillows. To aerate and freshen them, simply put them through a cycle in your dryer. But be sure to have the dryer heat turned off when you do this—you just want to fluff them, not scorch them.
  • Fridge Cleanup: Make a clean start (and make room for all that holiday food!) by cleaning and cleaning out your fridge. As you wipe away sticky summer lemonade spills and school-day PB&J smudges, toss any expired items, get rid of those month-old leftovers, and replace your box of baking soda.
  • Attend to Your Disposal: Without any fresh air circulating, you just might find that your disposal could use some TLC. Cut up a fresh lemon into ice-cube-sized pieces, then freeze them. Once frozen, put them down your garbage disposal and run it with no water until the frozen lemon chunks are gone. Turn the water on to rinse. The lemon chunks not only grind food residue off of the disposal blades, they also leave your sink smelling great.

Need some help getting your home or office space shiny and spotless this season? Call us today for a free consult and estimate:

Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

Six Tips for Fall Cleaning & Maintenance

With another fall upon us—its beautifully falling leaves and its welcome cooler weather—it’s the opportune time to get your home ready for winter. Just like we do regular maintenance on our cars to keep them running safely and efficiently with routine oil changes and tune-ups, a few quick preventative measures in your home can go a long way toward avoiding costly and time-consuming repairs once winter hits.

Follow these easy tips to put your mind at ease this autumn:

  1. Inspect your doors and windows. Check for any weather stripping or caulking that may be worn and need replacing. Making sure that all windows and doors have a good, tight seal will not only keep your home comfortable and warm, but also save you money on your monthly heating bills.
  2. Give your carpets and floors a good cleaning. A thorough spring cleaning gets rid of all the accumulated dust and debris of winter. Likewise, starting the colder seasons off with mopped tiles, polished floorboards, and well-vacuumed carpets removes all the dirt, sand, and bare footprints of summer. A professional carpet cleaning provides the added advantage of eliminating any allergens that may have collected in your carpeting and rugs during the warmer seasons.
  3. Clean your upholstery and drapes. Your furniture and curtains, too, harbor all sorts of summer dust and allergens, including last spring’s pollen. Different types of materials and fabric will need different care, so it’s a good idea to call in a professional for cleaning these absorbent items in your home.
  4. Have your fireplace and chimney cleaned. This step has a dual purpose: You want to be sure that your flue is functioning properly for when your fireplace is in use and keeping cold air out for when it isn’t in use, but you also want to ensure that your chimney is in good shape and free of creosote to provide a safe environment for cozy fires all winter long.
  5. Check your heating system. To say it’s no fun when your furnace shuts down on a Friday night during a snowstorm is an understatement. Avoid this crisis situation by getting your heating system serviced and changing your filters regularly. Check for any gaps or leaks in your ductwork to help save on heating costs.
  6. Assess your roof. Just as you did for your doors and windows, inspect what shape your roof is in—assuring good sealing, replacing any eroded caulking, and making any necessary repairs before the vagaries of winter can cause an emergency call to a very in-demand and expensive repair service. The last thing you want to deal with this winter are leaks (or even worse) from accumulated snow on your roof.

There’s wisdom in old adages: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Take the precautions now that will pave the way for a safe and snug winter at home.

We can help! Call us today for a free consult and estimate:

Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

Reboot Your Environment for Greater Productivity

Goodness knows we all have enough to do every day. So if you had at your disposal a tool or technique to get it all done more efficiently and effectively, wouldn’t you use it? Think of your life like your computer, running multiple programs at a time, doing more than one task at time, responsible for navigating, storing, dating, organizing, saving, automating—and everything in between. But leave it running for too long or overload it with too much all at once, and eventually it’s gonna crash. As you will if you’re running on too many cylinders at the same time, without adequate maintenance and reassessment breaks.

How to avoid this inevitability? It’s time for a reboot!

Just like your computer will run faster and better once you shut it down once in a while and let it start from scratch, so too will your life run more smoothly and productively once you hit the reset button to “declutter your headspace” and clean up your personal space.

Tips for Your Home & Life to Function at Maximum Capacity

Tip #1: Attend to unfinished projects. You know what they are and you know where they are: the bunches of yarn stashed in a corner for that sweater you’re not going to knit; the scattered wood and tools and hardware in the garage for that bookshelf you started four months ago; the piled boxes of old clothes and shoes in the guest room that you’ve been meaning to try on one more time before making a donation run; the craft supplies spread out all over the dining room table for that scrapbook you’re gonna start any day now. You’ve got three options when it comes to goals like these: (1) scrap ’em entirely, (2) get ’em done already, or (3) put all the materials back where they belong until you’re ready to actually tackle the project in a scheduled span of time.

Whether your pending projects are relatively small (going through your medicine cabinet or polishing tarnished silver) or relatively large (building a treehouse or creating a custom slideshow of all your travels), it’s time to just dive in and get it done or admit defeat and give in. Either way, you’ll feel infinitely better when unfinished business isn’t hanging over your head every day, weighing you down. Tie up the loose ends or just cut them loose. On the other side of either of those options lies freedom.

Tip #2: Clean up rooms to make room for order. Not just anecdotal experience but also research studies have proven that messy and disorganized living and working spaces hamper productivity, not to mention plain ole happiness. It’s worth the time it’ll take you to finally dust your office top to bottom, clean all the ceiling fan blades, reorganize the kitchen cupboards, empty the fridge and pantry of expired foods and items you’re never going to use, finally clear out the attic or storage shed. Again, some organizing tasks are more tedious than others—rehanging all the coats in the coat closet nicely is going to be far simpler than finally going through your own clothes closet item by item—but mix up the quick tasks with the not-so-quick ones to get as much done as you can in the shortest amount of time.

Here are some tasks you can knock out one-two-three to leave you with more free time before you know it:

  • Fold up and put away all loose blankets, throws, rugs, and pillows you’re not using now or at least not using this season.
  • Run the dishwasher and put all dishes away.
  • Do every load of laundry that’s been patiently waiting for you.
  • Go through the whole pile of waiting mail and sort through it as needed.
  • Dust, clean, and polish all those surfaces caked with spills and smudged with fingerprints.
  • Get small little thank-you cards so you can write the notes you’ve been meaning to send—just a few lines, just a few a day.
  • Toss out or donate anything and everything in your home that you don’t use.
  • Take out the trash and recycling.
  • Dust the blinds and clean the windows.

As an added bonus, you’ll be sanitizing breeding grounds for bacteria and virus. Disorganized to organized and dirty to clean? What’s not to love about that?

Tip #3: Turn to your technology next. It’s not just tangible and touchable items that can benefit from some TLC. When was the last time you cleared out your DVR, emptied your voice mails, updated your contacts list, and—here come the biggies—sifted through your email folders and tidied up all your computer files? Give yourself the immeasurable peace of mind that comes from knowing your pipelines are cleared and that you can access what you need right when you need it without all kinds of obsolete and unnecessary data and information blocking your way.

Don’t have the time or inclination to do all this yourself? Home Services Enterprise can do it for you, whether it’s folding all your drawers or folding up your map collection and properly archiving it. Contact us today to meet any or all of your cleaning needs in the Metropolitan area, including DC, Rockville, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, and surrounding regions.

Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

Choosing the Right Storage Containers for Your Stuff & Your Space

It’ll come as no surprise to anyone that a decluttered space creates a decluttered mind. When your living and working places are neat and organized, when your belongings are logically ordered and easily accessible, and when everything fits in the most economical, efficient way possible, it brings a peace of mind that’s hard to quantify … because it’s a “quality of life” thing.

Improve your quality of life by streamlining your space with storage options that suit the contents on hand, align with your lifestyle, and make the most of the space you have available.

To start, it’s necessary to determine what you want to organize, because only once you’ve grouped items for storage can you identify the appropriate receptacles for them. Why use a crate-sized container for what one kitchen drawer can handle? Why use six small boxes to store all your winter sweaters when one snazzy trunk could hold them all? In other words, don’t run out and buy a bunch of organizers and storage containers and then try to fit your belongings into them; instead, do it the other way around to save yourself a lot of time, energy, effort, and money.

Pick just one room to start with—the area most in need of putting things away instead of leaving them spread all about—and see how things work out, learning as you go, before tackling the rest of your house. Say you pick your master bedroom and en suite bath. Where do you go from there?

Steps to Efficient Storage

  1. Sort. Go through the whole room distinguishing between what you need “out” every day (leave it where it is, like your undies and socks in your dresser drawer), what you don’t need at all anymore (get rid of it), and what you want handy but not on display—what can be tucked away somewhere neater and more organized than it currently is. Gather this last category of belongings in the middle of your bedroom and sort them by type: all your scarves here, all your swimwear there, your supply of scented candles over there. Same goes for your bathroom, grouping all the cosmetics, shaving supplies, medicines, and toiletries in distinct areas, leaving everyday items where they are (like your toothbrush and toothpaste) but deciding which backup items and infrequently used supplies can be put somewhere under, over, or else.
  2. Size. Start a list how many containers you need for each grouping of like items. Not only how many, but how large? Write them out one by one—the size and shape you need to accommodate the grouping. The first-aid items probably only need a shoebox-sized container; your quilts and throw blankets will work well in a sealable plastic tub.
  3. Measure. Okay, you’d like an under-the-bed sliding bin for ties and belts, but now you have to measure the space from the floor to make sure you buy one that will clear the bedframe. You’ve got 12 pairs of slippers, flip-flops, and slide-ons you’d like to store together in a shoe cubby in your closet, so go measure the width and height you have available there. Preparation is going to work in your favor big-time when you’re standing in a store aisle overwhelmed by all the choices.
  4. Fine-Tune. Organizing isn’t just about boxes and bins stored in cabinets and cupboards. It also entails making commonly used, messy areas tidier and more useful with things like drawer dividers, utensil holders, spice racks, and jewelry pouches. So now it’s time to dive into that makeup drawer and plan what type of drawer organizer will work in there, to figure out how many shelf spacers you can use at the top of your closet to separate stacks of sweatpants, pajamas, and clutches. Write it all down on your inventory list—better yet, take pictures of what you plan to store and where to use as visual aids when you’re ready for the final phase.
  5. Shop or Switch. This last step is the most fun! If you want to buy new, head to the store armed with your shopping list and your excitement to procure your perfect solutions. Don’t have the budget for that? Then go hunting in garages, attics, sheds, and flea markets for available containers that are either empty already or can easily be swapped out with something else. Recycling and repurposing will do the trick just as well as retail!

NOTE: Keep in mind that this whole process is very subjective—you’re free to organize and group things according to your own preferences, not any hard-and-fast rules. For example, you might use your office supplies more in your kitchen than the den, so feel free to store them in your pantry. Your stuffed animal collection might not be a big part of your everyday life, but you’ll be darned if you just pack it away in a zippered bag! Some people might prefer stacked squares and some might prefer over-the-door hangers. Do what works for you, in a way that works best for you.

But whatever you do, just take your time and proceed practically and productively, whether you’re now filing all your paperwork in an accordion folder or finally transferring all those disks onto flash drives. Setting realistic expectations and a manageable schedule will keep this process fulfilling and free of stress.

Need a helping hand with this or any other organizing, straightening, or cleaning task? We’re at your service!

Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

Organizing 101

These are unprecedented times we’re living in—confined to our residences, working less if at all, replacing in-person interactions with online meets, and going on perpetual hunts for TP and Clorox wipes. But perhaps the biggest change amid the coronavirus culture is the allotment of more time—more time with family, more time working on house and garden improvements, more time at home. And time has always been the rarest of commodities in the average American household.

So how can we best utilize this unexpected boon of extra time? You know all that stuff you’re always buying to make life easier? The clothes piled in the closet awaiting sorting and hanging? That garage full of boxes and loose belongings you’ve been meaning to go through for eons? Well, now’s your chance to finally get to what you’ve been meaning to get to for so long—to organize your possessions, your interiors, and your exteriors so that when “life-as usual” resumes, you’ll be ready, refreshed, and recharged for it, with your house and your life in shipshape order.

Start with the Basics

Here’s how to approach an organizing effort from the ground level up:

  • First off, enlist the help of all occupants. Whether you live or work with a group of 3 or 13, the more hands on deck, the quicker, more productive, and more collaborative the tasks will be. It’s no use finally arranging the bookshelves if your teenager is just going to put something back out of order, so get everyone on your team on the same page.
  • Next, draft up a plan. Make a list of all the tasks and chores you want to tackle, all the areas in need of attention, and rank them in order of importance. Display the plan where everyone can see it and refer to it … then follow it closely. Don’t proceed to untangling the Christmas lights, for example, until the item above that—reorganizing the kitchen pantry—is complete.
  • Tackle the big stuff first. Energy and enthusiasm are not infinite. So it’s a good idea to take on the larger projects first, when you’re still gung-ho to do them. The upside here is the larger amount of fulfillment you’ll experience when you’re done. If you clean up the biggest messes first and then lose steam before getting to the smaller ones, it’s no big deal: The bathroom cabinet can be tackled in half an hour, at some other time, on some other day; but washing all the windows inside and out can take a whole day, if not a whole weekend. Keep morale high to keep the team’s productivity chugging along!

Maximize Space and Time Savings

Making an organization plan is one thing, actually implementing it is another. So now it’s time to put your plan into action, clearing the way for improved efficiency:

  • Did you know that more than 50 percent of modern homes today hold on to tools, appliances, clothing, and housewares that haven’t been used in years, maybe in decades? Clear it all out now! Toss, donate, gift to someone who can recycle or repurpose … just get rid of whatever you’re not using to make your living space so much more useful. A good rule of thumb: If you haven’t used it in two years, you probably don’t need it. Goodbye and good riddance.
  • Items that are rarely used or hold purely sentimental value do not need to be on display, out in the open, cluttering up your home. Yes, you love your doll collection … but on the floor of your bedroom, it’s just collecting dust. And if you only haul out your professional mixer for the annual bake sale at school, does it really need to be on the kitchen counter all year long? Pack little-used items away for easier access to things you use daily. The guiding philosophy here is: Out of sight, out of mind—but still available. And if you have a considerable amount of things you want to hold on to but don’t need regularly, it may be time to consider a storage unit.
  • Important documents should be readily available, organized in a logical and systematic way that anyone can follow. It’s worth taking the time now to label and sort an accordion file or to alphabetize named folders in a desk drawer if paperwork is ever needed in a pinch later. There’s no limit to the types of portable filing systems available out there now.
  • Capitalize on dual-use items. This may be the best space-saving tip of all. Look for ways to make your furniture do double duty, like using that side table above the outlets as a permanent charging station for the family, buying an ottoman that offers hideaway space for throws or magazines or all those remote controls, using wicker baskets to collect and hold loose items around the house instead of just as home décor, installing a fold-down shelf in place of that clunky old desk you only use once a month to pay the bills.

These are just some ideas to get your started on improved organization in your home to bring you more peace of mind when you’re there. Prefer to bring a professional touch to your organizing projects? We’d love to hear from you!

Home Services Enterprise  |  301-674-9564  |  www.homeservicesenterprise.com

 

The Importance of Cleaning Your Oven, Refrigerator, and Microwave

Oven Cleaning

The kitchen is the heart of most homes—it’s not just where the nourishment is prepared and served, it’s where the family is nurtured, where they come together to share their days and break their daily bread.

But it’s also a room that sees a lot of action, and that means it requires extra care and extra effort to attend to all the traffic, all the mess, all the spills and all the drips. It’s common sense that the appliances in which we store, cook, and heat our meals should be regularly and properly cleaned and maintained for safe consumption. A hygienic home makes for a healthier family. But in today’s busy world of very limited time and never-ending to-do lists, you’ll want to clean your kitchen most efficiently and expediently.

Self-Clean Your Oven, Then Spot-Clean as Needed

Let’s start with the oven, because a well-maintained oven will be more energy efficient when the heat distributes evenly. And what stands in the way of allowing your oven to use less energy? You guessed it: a build-up of fat and grease, which not only interferes with burners and heating mechanisms, but also poses fire and flame risks. Luckily, modern-day ovens come equipped with self-cleaning capabilities that’ll do the lion’s share of the work for you, just be sure to completely empty the stove before starting and follow the directions to the letter.

But even smart appliances aren’t smart enough to reach every crevice, wipe away every spot, or sweep up every crumb. For those places that automation can’t reach—like the crud around hinges and outer frames—you’ll have to reach yourself. But there’s no need to buy expensive products or expose yourself to unnecessary chemicals: Wipe down surfaces with a “green” mixture of vinegar and water, and use a little baking soda on a sponge to dislodge cooked-on foodstuffs. It’s recommended to clean your oven every three to six months.

As for your stove, “deconstruction” is the easiest way to go. Instead of trying to clean your burners in place, remove them (the burner grates for gas stoves and the drip bowls for electric), along with any other removable parts, like the knobs, and soak them in hot soapy water for several hours; then scrub them down right in your sink, where the residue can easily be washed away. Skip the spray-and-wipe route to eliminate all the loose debris on the stovetop—instead, use your vacuum attachments to suck it all up in no time. Another time-saving tip: Once your burners are clean, insert disposable liners under grates or wrap drip bowls in foil to avoid future scouring.

Microwaves Get Messy!

Your microwave probably doesn’t go one day without use—between reheating your coffee, the kids making after-school snacks, and melting butter for your grandma’s cookie recipe, this appliance is arguably the most often used today in American homes. That’s why it needs to be cleaned more often too. Every day, preferably after every use, wipe down the inner walls, top, and bottom while whatever popped, spurted, or overflowed is still warm and loose. Then, once a week, give it a more thorough cleaning. Again, avoid the potentially harmful chemicals that don’t need to come into any kind of contact with your edibles: Just heat up a bowl of water with either vinegar or lemon right in the microwave itself to clean, sanitize, and deodorize all in one step. (Search online for more specific directions on this simple hack.) Swipe all surfaces with a clean cloth and you’re done!

Refrigerator Rehab

Keeping your fridge in optimal condition doesn’t have to be a chore if you stick to some basic guidelines. When it’s time to clean, remove all contents first so you have clear access to all internal parts of the fridge. Depending on how messy it is in there, you can either leave components in place or take them out and wash them down in the sink. To keep chemicals away from anything you’d consume, once again all you really need is a solution of vinegar and water to clean the interior and all shelves and drawers. Use some baking soda on an old toothbrush for any stubborn areas of build-up. Then make sure everything’s dry before loading your food back in.

Thereafter, keep your fridge tidy and family-friendly by:

  • Not overcrowding it
  • Organizing by food type (for example, keep all your condiments together, all your beverages grouped together)
  • Disposing of spoiled food, rotting fruit, and moldy sauces promptly to avoid potential cross-contamination
  • Keeping an open box of baking soda at the back of a shelf to neutralize odors
  • Cleaning up all leaks and spills right when they happen to avoid more and harder labor later

If even these summary steps sound like too much for you to fit into your busy schedule, call in a professional to get your kitchen sparkling for you! Home Services Enterprise would be delighted to be your kitchen cleaner, on either a one-time or ongoing basis. Contact us today to talk about all your cleaning and organizing needs.

Home Services Enterprise  | 301-674-9564  | www.homeservicesenterprise.com