Why Hire Professional Cleaners When You Move?

Moving can be a difficult and very stressful time. You need to pack everything up, hire a moving company, update your address, along with many other arrangements and coordination. You’ll also need to clean everything up, but this is one thing that you can take off your plate by contacting a professional cleaning company in Eldersburg. There are many reasons why you should have your home professionally cleaned, we wanted to discuss several today.

Take Away the Stress

Moving should be an exciting new change but the overall process can be overwhelming. Cleaning your previous home before the new buyers take ownership will be the one thing you think you’ll have time to accomplish. Unfortunately, cleaning usually ends up being the only thing you won’t have time or energy for. Cleaning an empty home can be more time consuming than cleaning a fully furnished home. Plan ahead to eliminate unnecessary stress by working with a professional Eldersburg, MD cleaning company. Do yourself a favor and eliminate as much stress as you can during the moving process.

Make Your Fresh Start a Clean One

You’ve finally moved everything and want nothing more than to just unpack and relax. You walk in to your new home only to discover that the previous homeowner did not have their home serviced by a professional cleaning company. Make sure to contact your local Eldersburg cleaning company.

When you hire a professional Eldersburg cleaning company you’re truly getting a fresh start, and without the hassle. Sure you could probably clean the house yourself, but you’re probably already tired, stressed and with very limited time or no time at all. You will be so glad you arranged for a professional move in/move out clean, you may even consider a recurring maintenance plan.

Work With an Experienced Eldersburg Cleaner

When you hire any service into your home, be sure to check references and reviews. Ask the home service company if they are insured and how long they have been in business. Hire integrity! Immaculate Clean prides themselves with the highest standards for integrity and for service excellence. You’ll be able to rest easy in your new home knowing it’s been serviced by professionals. If you’re in need of cleaning services in the Eldersburg, MD area, don’t delay, call us today. Our Team of cleaning professionals are standing by and are ready to help make your busy life easier!

June’s Transitions Bring Celebrations and Challenges

I once heard the month of June described as the “gateway to summer.” I can appreciate that sentiment, for sure. But, as the parent of a graduating high school senior, I find myself thinking about how June is the gateway to so much more.

To me, June is truly a season of beginnings and endings. It’s a time to celebrate so many things, like weddings, graduations, and even just the arrival of summer! But each of these wonderful occasions represent a time of transition, and all transition brings some challenge and stress.

Now that I have a kid on the brink of leaving the nest, I look back and remember, somewhat remorsefully, how I often let the arrival of summer cause our family stress. After the busyness of a long school year, the transition into a less-structured summer routine brings sometimes unexpected challenges. Finding a good balance between wanting to create fun summer memories, yet maintaining some semblance of order and productivity for our kids, all while maintaining our own professional lives—it’s hard. Add to that the fact that no matter how old your kids are, having more people in the house for more hours a day obviously will translate to more messes and more things to clean.

Now that my youngest son is about to graduate and move on to college, I long for those simpler kinds of challenges. This transition is much more monumental. On the one hand, it’s a sentimental, nostalgic time for a parent; if you’ve ever made a graduation party slideshow, you know the strange combination of tears and joy and pride that come with looking back at how your child has changed over the years in this way; it’s hard to let go of the past.

On the other hand, I also have to admit to having developed a serious case of “senioritis” right along with my son. The last half of senior year in particular is so crazy, so hectic, so up and down, between college acceptances, AP tests, senior nights, banquets, ceremonies, Prom, finals, graduation parties, dorm essentials shopping— it’s a lot of big stuff packed into a relatively short amount of time. I will be ready to celebrate the end of that madness for sure.

This intersection of sentimentality about the passing of time and the relief of putting some things behind us, mixed with the excitement of watching the future unfold— that’s what we will be celebrating this month. And you know, I think that’s true for almost everyone, whether you have a child graduating from preschool, a son or daughter getting ready to walk down the aisle, or a loved one with a big upcoming birthday or anniversary. Although this can seem like a chaotic time, it’s important to take time to reflect and celebrate together; it really does make those transitions easier.

Of course, there are stresses that come with the prospect of throwing a party. Don’t let worrying about cleaning your house be one of those stresses. Immaculate Clean can help you with their “Summer Stress Relief” offer! During month of June and July, book a One Time Pre and/or Post Party Clean and receive $40 off! (Some restrictions apply.)

Lose the Guilt: We ALL Deserve a Professional Cleaning Service

For many of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s—I think they call us Generation X—the idea of paying someone to clean our house is something that takes some getting used to. Many of us saw our parents and grandparents fulfill traditional roles, with the dads working full-time outside of the home, while the moms stayed home and kept house. Hired help of any kind was usually seen as a luxury reserved for the wealthy, or for large, blended TV families like the Bradys who required a full-time Alice.

Well, times have changed. The way families spend their spare time has changed. Our focus and priorities have changed. If your perception is still that you can’t afford or don’t deserve to hire a cleaning service, it’s time for that mindset to change as well!

 

Full Time Workers Deserve a Cleaning Service

If you work full time outside of the home, especially if you’re a parent, you already know how limited your spare time is. Evenings and weekends are filled with kids’ activities, and you barely have time for your own personal life. The last thing you need to worry about is fitting in time to scrub the floors and dust the light fixtures. If you can outsource the cleaning to someone else on a regular basis, you’ll get more sleep and you’ll have more time to spend on your family and on yourself. Please don’t fear that you are setting a bad example for your kids, either. There will always remain plenty of household chores that you can enlist their help with.

Full Time Parents Deserve a Cleaning Service

If you are a stay-at-home parent or work-at-home parent, you might be especially hesitant about whether you should outsource your housecleaning. Please: don’t feel guilty. Unless you are one of those rare people who loves to clean and who is extremely organized, sometimes living in the midst of the messes all day long makes it even more difficult to stay on top of them. It’s overwhelming enough to try to keep up with today’s parenting duties.

Think about it: June Cleaver did not have to run the Beaver to play dates, soccer practice, Cub Scouts, piano lessons, and karate, and she wasn’t trying to run a business out of her home or be the PTO volunteer of the year. She had plenty of spare time to set her hair, scrub toilets in her apron and kitten heels, and shake up a martini to hand to her husband at the end of his long, hard day at the office, all while Wally and the Beav were outside messing around with that rascally Eddie Haskell. Now, I don’t know that the world of the Cleaver family was really an accurate depiction of life in the 1950s, but for many people and for many years, it represented an ideal for housewives to aspire to. It’s long past time to let that ideal go.

Elderly People Deserve a Cleaning Service

If you have elderly parents, they may be of the generation that has an even harder time accepting paid help to clean their home. But they are the ones who may need it the most. I have a 93-year-old mother-in-law who is still living independently. She is in amazingly good health for her age, but pushing a vacuum cleaner or scrubbing a bathtub could be dangerous for her. A regular cleaning service keeps her place sanitary and germ-free and helps to keep her floor space cleared of objects she could trip over. It’s not a luxury; it’s truly an important safety consideration.

Who Can Afford a Cleaning Service?

Most of us can’t afford to hire an Alice to live with us and cook and clean for our family each day. But fortunately, there are options that can make housecleaning fit into even the tightest budget. Immaculate Clean offers many different levels of service, and are flexible enough to consider your budget and your individual cleaning needs. They offer one-time cleanings and recurring service options ranging from weekly, biweekly, or monthly.

So, what are you waiting for? Lose the guilt and call Immaculate Clean today: 410-549-0727. To paraphrase Oprah, “YOU deserve a professional cleaner! And YOU deserve a professional cleaner! You ALL deserve a professional cleaner!”

Wash, Dry, Fold and Repeat (and Repeat, and Repeat…)

The never ending cycle of household chores. You put the clothes in the wash, then the dryer. You fold the clothes, and put them away. Next, you turn around, and the laundry basket is full and ready to be washed again.

 

Same goes for the dishes, and the groceries. You make your bed just so you can sleep in it. You sweep and the kids track dirt in as your putting the broom away. The counters need to be wiped down every time the sun shines in, and the shower door has a never-ending film of soap scum.

Let’s not even talk about closets. Or, junk drawers. You take everything out, buy the necessary organizational tools, put everything neatly away, and it all looks great. Fast forward a few months…or weeks…or days, and it looks the same as it did before you spent all of the time organizing.

 

There are those few, rare individuals who never seem to have anything out of place. They’re the really smart ones who put something away as soon as they’re done with it. And, even better, they put it back in the same place they found it. I may have used the word ‘anal’ to describe someone like this at one time or another. Truth be told, I’m just jealous. I wish I had that trait.

Instead, I inherited the “Oh good God, do I really have to clean again?” gene. Not sure from where I got it. Certainly, not my mother. She’s one of those enviable, everything-is-always-clean types. I’m not like her. In fact, the only time my house looks even close to how hers always does is when my mother is coming to visit. It also looks good when she leaves, but that’s only because she keeps it that way.

Truly, I’m not sure how people do it. Then again, I can’t stand the opposite either. It drives me nuts when my house is a mess. I see every crumb on the floor, every hair on the bathroom sink. I hate dirty dishes in the sink and the clothes all over the floor in my daughter’s room. And, the non-dated leftovers in the refrigerator drive me batty. I just wish I wasn’t the one who had to do something about it all.

I always loved the book, The Cat in the Hat. You know, the part where the cleaning thingamajig comes in and cleans up the house. It’s like a dream come true. If only someone could create such a thing.

In the meantime, I’ll have to stick to doing things the old-fashioned way. I’ve got to get off my butt and do what needs to be done. Of course, having a cleaning service can make things a lot easier. Even if you can’t have service on a regular basis, a one-time cleaning will certainly help. Call Immaculate Clean for more information, (410) 549-0727.

How Can I Clean When I Can’t Remember Where I Put the Broom?

I have to admit, I never realized there was such a thing as perimenopause until I started going through it. Menopause is bad enough, but we all know that it’s coming…eventually. We’re prepared for the night sweats and mood swings. We’ve been forewarned. But, there’s a benefit, too. We finally get to bid farewell to our monthly visitor who has been visiting far too long at this point. The purpose of his visit (And yes, it has to be a male. No female would do this to another female.) has long past.

But, perimenopause? What the heck? When did this become a thing? The word doesn’t even pass the spell check test. I don’t remember learning about it in my fifth grade sex-ed class. And guess what? It lasts a long time. Like years. Multiple years. According to WebMD, “The average length of perimenopause is 4 years, but for some women this stage may last only a few months or continue for 10 years.” Stop right there. 10 years? Are you kidding me?

 

Most of us have no idea when it actually starts. One day you’re blaming everything on PMS, and the next, your gynecologist is telling you that it must be perimenopause. You’re experiencing all kinds of crazy things. Mood swings? Check. Night sweats? Check. Weight gain? CHECK! Chin hairs, hot flashes, urinary leakage when coughing or sneezing (or laughing, I might add). Check, check, and check. And, let’s not forget forgetfulness! Oh Lord, the forgetfulness.

We’ve all had those moments when we’ve lost it with our kids over something stupid like a dirty glass left in the sink. Or, we start sobbing for no apparent reason. I actually went out of control once because I couldn’t find my tweezers. No, not any pair of tweezers would do. Only MY tweezers actually worked to pull out all of those chin hairs. And, don’t get me started on all I’ve forgotten to do. My poor youngest child. Thank God I have divorce as an excuse for some of the items we have not been able to locate. “It must be at your dad’s house,” has become my standard response for anything that’s missing. Yeah, sure. I just have no idea what I did with it.

Okay. Seriously now. This is a lot to deal with. When you look at the big picture it’s a bit overwhelming. Perimenopause doesn’t just hit us like a brick wall. No, it sneaks up one chin hair at a time. And the worst part, it’s often hitting women right during our kids’ teen years like some cruel joke. The kids are at their worst, and so are we. Sometimes I wish I could see a visual of all of the hormones flying through the room when a 48ish-year-old woman is arguing with her twin teenagers. I picture thousands of evil, germ-like characters crashing into each other and breaking into barroom brawls. At least that’s what it feels like.

Yet, with all of this stuff going on in our bodies, and heads, we’re supposed to just get on with life. Take care of the kids. Do our jobs. Maintain the household. Of course, I realize there are worse things in life. I get that. It’s just the absurdity of it all that’s so intriguing.

Fortunately, most other women our age are going through the same thing. It’s really our only saving grace. The kids certainly don’t get it. Nor do any husbands or male significant others. They just think we’re crazy. And, somedays, that’s absolutely how we feel.

So, if you can’t find the broom, give yourself a break. You’re dealing with a lot. Rather than getting worked up over the missing broom, skip cleaning that day. Or, better yet, call a cleaning service. And, yes, I recommend Immaculate Clean.

Remembering the Crazy Days of Motherhood

 

The amazing, Dawn Fiscella, Owner of Immaculate Clean, recently suggested I write about how crazy life can be for us moms. She’s right. I know that. I remember it well. The thing is, it’s not my life anymore so I was struggling with how to write about it. Then it occurred to me, that’s the point. My life is different now. But, how, and why, did it change?

The answer is rather simple. I stopped. I stopped running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I stopped saying yes to everything that was asked of me. I stopped feeling guilty about saying no. I stopped caring if I was everyone’s image of the perfect mother. And, I stopped beating myself up for my failures.

 

Yes, the answer is simple. But, how I got to it was a lot more complicated.

It’s not like I set out to change the craziness of life. I wasn’t searching for the answer to slow it all down. And, in all honesty, I’m not sure I’d want to go through it all again. Yet, I am absolutely thrilled to be where I am today.

There was a time when I was a married, business-owner, mother of three who got the kids off to school in the morning, went to the gym, and spent the next five hours in her store. The second half of my day started when the kids got home from school. I somehow fed them and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening running them around town. Bedtime came after they were all asleep and the house was at least livable. Of course, there were also the dogs to take care of, and so on, and so on.

I’m sure this describes most of you. Especially those of you with younger children, and the energy to keep it all going. It’s definitely become the norm of parenting. Of course, it doesn’t really get any easier when the kids get older. Their activities get more intense, issues more significant and your worry level skyrockets. The overall craziness seems to intensify.

That was my life until other things started to get in the way. First of all, I got divorced. Divorce changes things. As a parent, it changes how much time you have with your kids and who is responsible for what. It forces you to let go of some things. You’re pushed to allow your ex to handle things that you would have otherwise.

When you’re going through divorce, you’re also an emotional mess. It gets easy to say no to things because you know you’d be worthless at getting it done anyway. Besides, you really don’t want to have to force your miserable self on anyone so it’s easier to just stay away.

And, since your kids are now the product of a broken family, how bad is it if you forget to send their lunch to school? Seriously, most people expect it. “You’ll have to excuse them…Their parents are going through a divorce.” The comments seem harsh at first, but after a while you learn to just go with it. It makes things easier.

Of course, shortly after getting divorced, I developed a major hip problem. When you can’t walk very well, it’s difficult to do much. Again, it makes it very easy to say no. And, when you have a full brace and crutches after surgery, people don’t even bother to ask. The pressure to work out every day also diminishes when walking is a challenge. That gave me at least an extra hour or so each day to do whatever else I needed to do.

Over the next few months, I moved, stopped working, and two of my kids went off to college. All of these things brought more challenges and stress, but they also put things in perspective.

Life is complicated. There is no doubt about it. And, it is oftentimes overwhelming and seemingly out-of-control. But, if we stop, if we take a deep breath and figure out what’s really important, life can be even better.

Yesterday, I took my daughter to soccer practice, in her cleats. Of course, it was an indoor practice on a gym floor where cleats are not allowed. A few years ago this would have totally stressed me out. I would have been yelling at my daughter, flying down the highway to pick up her sneakers and rushing back just so she could join the group for the last twenty minutes of practice. This time, I looked at her, said, “oops,” and asked her if she was staying or coming home with me.

I have learned that the kids will survive despite my failures. In fact, they might learn from my mistakes. And, I’ve realized that whatever activity they are involved in now, may not be their passion in a few more years. To get all upset over a missed practice, is really pointless. I understand now that if I say no to something, someone else will say yes, and it will get done. And, I’ve learned that I may not be a perfect mother, but I love my children with all of my heart and I’m doing my best.

So, yes, parenting can be crazy. And, there are probably a million ways to slow it down. (Hiring a cleaning service is certainly one way!!) Hopefully, all of you can find easier ways to do so then I did. But, whatever it takes, try. It’s far more enjoyable.

Why You Shouldn’t Hire a House Cleaner on Craigslist

 

Home cleaning is one of those jobs almost anyone can do – or at least so they claim. If you go on Craigslist and search under household services, you’ll find that everyone and their brother is in the house cleaning business from entrepreneurial teenagers to your friend’s mom. As a homeowner, you have many choices when it comes to selecting the right Sykesville cleaning company. And we’d like to offer you a few tips and recommendations when it comes to hiring an independent cleaner from Craigslist.

Not Everyone on Craigslist is a Scammer

First of all, let’s start by saying that not everyone on Craigslist is a scammer. There are indeed some legitimate companies and individuals advertising there. However, scam artists do love Craigslist for its anonymity and abundance of gullible homeowners. If you do find someone you like on Craigslist, try to find whether you can contact them somewhere else. For example, if it’s a company, they may list their website, and if it’s an individual, you may find their Facebook business or personal page. Do your due diligence and research your potential house cleaner before setting up an appointment. Do you trust this person to be inside your home with minimal or no supervision?

Downsides of Hiring from Craigslist

When we talk about hiring a home cleaning service on Craigslist, we mostly refer to the independent cleaners who may be doing cleaning in their spare time or earning a living. You will see plenty of ads from them, offering to lend you a hand with chores or do last-minute move-out cleanup. Here is why it may be a bad idea to hire someone who doesn’t work for a cleaning company.

Difficult to Get in Touch

When you hire someone who doesn’t have an office or a customer service team, you may not be able to get in touch with them later. Whether you have concerns about the quality of their work of want to call them in again, they may get a new phone or not reply to your emails. You don’t know where they live, and they may even be using a fake name, so if something was stolen from you, it may be very difficult to retrieve.

No Supervision and Accountability

A home cleaning freelancer is someone who works for their own benefit and doesn’t answer to anyone else. This means that the quality of work you get is only as good as the cleaner’s personal standards. They are not worried about getting in trouble if they damage your items or if the home is not cleaned to your satisfaction. They don’t run an official business, so it will be hard for you to write a negative review or otherwise damage their reputation. At Immaculate Clean, our cleaning teams follow strict guidelines and know that their actions speak for the entire company.

Slower Pace

How long does it take for one person to clean a two-story home? It can take an entire day! As a Maryland cleaning company, we are able to evaluate the project and send a large enough team to get it finished quickly. A one-man-band type of house cleaner may have to outsource parts of the job if they don’t have enough staff. This means they may involve other people who may not be as careful or as experienced. As a result, you hire one person and get someone else. With Immaculate Clean, you always get Immaculate Clean!

Lack of Insurance

Insurance is purchased by the service providers, but it actually protects you as a homeowner as much as it protects the cleaning company. Most independent cleaners don’t carry basic types of insurance, such as general liability or workers’ compensation. This means if they slip and fall on wet tile, you may be stuck paying the medical bill for the broken ankle. And if they break your Ming dynasty vase, you may have little means to obtain the compensation.

As you can see, although independent cleaners may charge less, they typically can’t offer the customer service and the quality of work that a professional Maryland cleaning company can provide.

Contact Immaculate Clean today if you want to learn more about how we can help you save time on cleaning chores!