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

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

The moment the Thanksgiving dishes are done, the season of gift-giving takes off at a mad dash—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa … the holy trinity of December holidays—and for those of us doing the holiday hosting, it can be anything but a time of joyous celebration.

Why not return some of the fun and festivity to the month with this five-step plan that will ease your load and alleviate your stress? By the time everyone convenes around your holiday table, you’ll be sitting pretty in a home that’s been prepped to perfection!

1. ORGANIZE: Before you do anything to commence December’s frenzy, lay the foundation now with some basic organizational tasks to pave the way for a smoother ride later. Empty the pantry, fridge, and freezer of expired, unused, and unneeded items to make room for what’s to come. Get the boxes down from the attic and sort through what you’ll be using this year and what you won’t so everything will be at hand when you’re ready for it. Go through each and every room of your home where company will be visiting or staying and declutter what’s cluttered, stash those seasonal items that are just taking up room for the winter, note what’s needed there to accommodate your guests. Now’s a great time to donate whatever you don’t need anymore to those who are less fortunate.
2. PLAN: Now it’s time to make lists. Pick recipes now and list out all the ingredients you’ll need to make them. Gather gift lists now, and next to each chosen present, jot down the store you’ll need to visit to procure it. Mark on the calendar what days are set aside for what tasks so you can realistically and comfortably manage them all, like laundering the holiday linens, stocking the bathrooms with guest soaps and holiday towels, mailing the holiday cards. Create a timeline for your baking and cooking days so you’ll allow yourself adequate time in the kitchen. Check your stock of wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows now and designate a gift-wrapping station somewhere convenient in your home.
3. CLEAN: Once you know what needs doing, making, and buying, create a clean slate to work from. Polish the furniture and the silver. Scour the bathrooms. Make sure all the pots and pans and serving dishes you’ll be using are in good shape for the big day. Dust and vacuum the guest rooms and make up the beds. Rake the yard, wipe the windows, mop the floors.
4. SHOP: Gather all those lists from step 2 and order them efficiently and effectively. Instead of going uptown one day for Johnny’s hockey stick and the next day for the butcher shop, combine that into one trip. Make two runs to the mall rather than ten by grouping all the stores you can hit in one fell swoop, preferably during off-hours to avoid long lines and wait times. Map out the quickest and most streamlined route for all your stops so you don’t have to circle back in the afternoon to where you just were in the morning.
5. DECORATE: Finally, the fun part! Although you likely took care of the outdoor decorations on Black Friday, it’s time now to set the mood and bask in the beauty of the season indoors. Create an inviting entryway with wreaths, boughs of holly, and twinkle lights. Warm up your living room with stacked wood at the ready by the fireplace. Roll out colorful runners, placemats, and tablecloths. Hang stockings and trim the tree. Simmer cider on the stove. Load a basket with spiced pinecones, set evergreen-scented candles on counters, and plug in aromatic air fresheners. And don’t forget to fill the candy dishes on side tables for that extra touch of sweetness!

Want to make the season of giving even more special? Gift yourself by calling on Home Services Enterprise to take care of the organizing and cleaning for you. Make the season merrier by booking an appointment today: 301-674-9564 or www.homeservicesenterprise.com

A house that is well organized and less cluttered feels calmer, looks better, and operates more efficiently than a home that goes neglected and disorganized, with clutter strewn about. Easier said than done, however, since the pace of life these days often keeps people too busy to attend to wish-list tasks and too exhausted to undertake them even when they have the time. Not only that, but it’s hard to know where to even start a significant cleanup project, so sometimes people just don’t begin at all.

But organizing a home doesn’t have to be so overwhelming and taxing. The trick is to start small and not try to tackle the whole thing in one fell swoop. Use this monthly checklist to break down large chores into smaller, more manageable increments completed throughout the year, and your house will be running like a fine-tuned machine in no time!

Monthly Checklist:

• January: Pack up all your holiday decorations and return them to clearly marked boxes and bins as you clean and straighten common areas of your home as you go. Didn’t use that tree stand, tablecloth, or wreath the past few years? Make a donation pile of no-longer-used holiday items and drop them off at your nearest Goodwill the next time you’re running errands.
• February: Now that all your holiday cooking and hosting is over, it’s a good time to clean out the pantry, dispose of expired and unused foodstuffs, and reorganize your kitchen shelves.
• March: It’s almost tax time, making it the perfect opportunity to go through all your files and drawers of paperwork and bills, throwing out anything you no longer need.
• April: This is the month of spring cleaning—a reenergizing and rejuvenating time of year to get home surfaces sparkling and home textiles aired out. But first, you have to restock all your cleaning supplies: make one trip to the store for kitchen, bathroom, dusting, vacuuming, and sanitizing supplies.
• May: Now that the warmer weather is here, sort through your family’s winter clothes—in dressers, drawers, and closets—laundering what needs to be cleaned, storing what won’t be needed until winter, and donating items no longer worn.
• June: It’s a great month to attend to the kitchen, so open the windows and turn on some tunes as you clean and organize kitchen cabinets and drawers and weed out any pans and cooking utensils you no longer use. You can even add a backsplash or paint an accent wall a new color to freshen things up!
• July: The long days of summer offer the chance to take on the bathrooms while there’s daylight to spare. Go through cabinets and medicine closets, eliminating whatever’s not needed to make more space and then straightening up everything that’s staying. Set up accessories—like electric toothbrushes, hair styling tools, and cups and soap dispensers—in such a way to eliminate morning chaos as everyone gets ready for the day.
• August: Before a new school year starts is a prime time to get the kids’ rooms in order: fold clothes, clean out closets, go through the toy chest and donate unused items, get the bookshelves back in order.
• September: It’s time to put the summer things away and get the winter apparel back out again. Shop for school supplies, organize and label your kids’ school supplies and lunch boxes, maybe even map out a weekly meal calendar so you know what groceries to buy and prep for quick breakfasts, wholesome lunches, and ready-to-go snacks.
• October: As fall sets in, get your family room ready for quality family time by organizing your movie and video game collection, tidying up the software and technology in the entertainment center, and dusting off the books and photos in the room.
• November: In preparation for the holiday season, clean windows, draperies, and carpets so your house looks its best and is ready for company. Stock the guest bathroom if you’re expecting visitors.
• December: With all your closets and cabinets in order, you’ll be ready to wrap all those holiday gifts you now have time to shop for, decorate your home, and get to all that cooking and baking!

Feel free to reorganize this checklist any way that works best for you—like starting in rooms that you use the most or with the chores you enjoy the most—and know that you can begin at any time. It’s never too late or the wrong time of the year to launch a home improvement initiative that will improve your quality of life!

Home Services Enterprise is happy to help with cleaning and organizing your home. Call 301-674-9564 or visit www.homeservicesenterprise.com.

Everyone’s life is so busy these days, making finding the time to get to household chores more difficult and stressful than ever. How long is your to-do list every day? How are you supposed to regularly attend to cleaning and household tasks amid all your other obligations, like your work schedule, family responsibilities, school activities, and more?

Well, with Home Services Enterprise, you can pick and choose the services you need on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. We offer a menu of special services that allows you to customize your own cleaning list and concentrate on the areas of your home or office that require the most attention. This frees up your own time so you can relax and enjoy life more!

HSE’s special cleaning services include:

1. Windows: cleaning interior and exterior windows
2. Walls: washing and cleaning
3. De-cluttering: closets, kitchens, garages, children’s rooms, storage areas, offices, and supply areas
4. Organizing: home or office, kitchen cabinets, bathroom shelves and cabinets, mail, bill paying, and plant watering
5. Laundry: washing, folding, and ironing
6. Polishing: silver flatware, serving and decorative pieces
7. Exterior Cleaning: garage, decks and patios, outdoor furniture, and outdoor fixtures
8. Outside Work: gutters, cement, asphalt, brick, stone, landscaping, retaining walls, and walkways

With the convenience of a fully customized cleaning service tailored to your needs and your schedule, you can book appointments for your home or office starting in increments as little as one hour. What better way to quickly and affordably reduce your stress and make your life a little easier?

Call today to schedule an appointment: 301-674-9564.