The new year is always an excellent opportunity to throw away everything cluttering your home and deep clean those dusty corners and appliances. Check our latest infographic!
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You’re the family’s go-to for holiday gatherings, yet Christmas clean up makes you regret it every year.
See, all year long, you have a place for certain things and things for specific locations. But during the Christmas season, you have to patch, update, wash, and replace stuff to create room for decorations and a Christmas tree.
It doesn’t help that time spent cleaning is time missed out on family and friends or enjoying the holiday season.
But guess what, keeping your home tidy and clean even with decorations can be a cinch with these easy home cleaning tips this Christmas.
You just need a little change and planning, as described below.
Have you seen all that Christmas craziness?
You don’t want to run out of your cleaning supplies right before the holiday as it worsens.
To avoid that, stock up enough cleaning supplies to last through January.
First, do an audit of the existing cleaning supplies in your home. To ease the auditing process, curate a list of all your favorite cleaning essentials and mark off the products you already have. Then bring the list with you to your local supplier and gather the rest of the cleaning essentials.
While at it, buy bulk-sized items to save on money (and plastics).
Christmas is the time for family bonding, so why not connect over cleaning?
To do so, designate time each day when members of your family contribute to cleaning and tidying your home.
Assign specific tasks to each person based on their strength or capacity to do the job.
Turn the process into a routine by sticking to the same cleaning time each day – and you’ll be amazed by how much cleaning gets done in, say, 30 minutes.
To motivate your family, remind them that the faster you finish up the chores, the more time you’ll have to engage in fun activities.
Deep clean and disinfect as you put up those Christmas decorations.
That means cleaning the oven, washing the windows, dusting light fixtures, deep cleaning the carpet, cleaning the baseboards, and washing down markings on the wall.
Here, do every non-recurrent thorough-cleaning activity you can think of, including the Christmas decorations.
While at it, clear out stuff you haven’t used in six months or so to create room for decorations and a Christmas tree.
Logically, cleaning highly-used areas can curb the spread of dust and dirt to the rest of the house.
While at it, dedicate a spot at the entrance where people can take off and leave their shoes – which will help contain dirt and dust in shoes in one place.
Also, place doormats or small-area rugs to help trap incoming dirt and dust.
And for the pets, place old towels or its equivalent and a shallow container containing room temperature water at the entrance to wipe down dust, dirt, or mud before coming into the house.
Side note, you should groom the pet regularly to minimize shedding – which adds more dirt.
Cleaning as you go is more comfortable, faster, and less consuming – especially when dealing with a massive mess later.
And for when you’re short on time and the items have accumulated, stash them away into a large “put away” basket. It could also be a large laundry or bin basket.
Just go around the house and gather anything on the floor or that needs to be “put away” someplace else. The goal here is to contain the mess.
In the end, don’t lose sight of what Christmas is about -bonding with loved ones. As you gather with loved ones either safely in person or remotely this year, appreciate that no one is there to see you clean; instead, they’re there to see and bond with you. To have ample family time, let Maids in a Minute do your thorough cleaning for you. We leverage our expertise and skilled team of cleaners while remaining flexible to accommodate any client’s special instructions.
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Open your windows and let the air flow. Discover here some useful cleaning tips to protect your health during winter. Read our latest infographic.
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The air in Michigan is full of the Thanksgiving mood. This much-awaited day this year is posing a challenge to many residents of this great state.
With the COVID pandemic dictating new ways of doing things, it’s not a wonder that you, like many other residents here, are at a loss when celebrating Thanksgiving during the pandemic and cleaning your place after the celebration are over. But all is not lost. The epidemic doesn’t have to stop you from having a fantastic Thanksgiving Day in Michigan.
You only have to follow some essential but vital tips on how to celebrate Thanksgiving during the pandemic and clean your home after the party is over.
The State’s Department of Health Services and Human Services recommends that families should celebrate this day at home. This containment measure is supposed to help your family to minimize the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus in large public gatherings that most Americans cherish so much.
Instead of those outdoor public events, you can find other ways of spending quality time with your family and a few friends safe during this season.
In case you decide to gather, health officials have offered the following safety measures to prevent the spread of this dreaded virus during this year’s celebrations:
These are some of the vital tips given by the Michigan Health Department to help you keep your family safe during these festivities.
Some creativity and imagination will help you and your family shun high-risk traditions associated with this and other celebrations. For instance, instead of the traditional in-person gatherings, you can opt to attend virtual gatherings. These kinds of meetings will not expose your family to the threat of COVID-19 viruses.
Similarly, rather than shopping in crowded stores, this time around, you can do all your shopping online.
Of course, post-Thanksgiving cleanup can be a challenge if you don’t have the right tips. For easy and convenient cleaning after Thanksgiving dinner, follow this advice:
Don’t wait until the end of the dinner to scratch your head as you figure out where to start your cleaning. Prepare a list of all the post-celebration cleaning requirements, including the cleaning equipment, detergents/soap, wipes, etc. Ensure they are all available and ready for use when the time comes.
Cleaning as you prepare your meals saves you the agony of accumulating tons of utensils and surfaces to clean after the party.
Once the celebration is over, you’ll find yourself with lesser items and cleaning chores to deal with as you tidy your space. Use these tips as a guideline for easier and faster cleaning:
Cleaning your home after a hectic Thanksgiving Day can put an extra strain on your already tired body. Instead of struggling to do all the cleaning by yourself, you can hire the services of a professional home cleaning service provider like Maids In A Minute.
Maids In A Minute is a highly competent and experienced residential and commercial cleaning company with many years of top-notch home cleaning experience. The team is fast, effective, and thorough.
All these are 6 Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving During COVID-19 safely and clean your home with utmost ease and convenience.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving Day 2020 in Michigan during COVID.
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Want to celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas the safest way possible? Check these essential best practices to avoid COVID-19.
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Choosing wild costumes, getting treats, and decorating pumpkins are what most kids look forward to each Halloween. And while the pandemic has been threatening to overshadow these activities, there are still many ways families can enjoy the holiday and stay safe.
First, keep maintaining the basic Covid-19 safety guidelines. That is, wash hands often, avoid large gatherings, wear face masks, and keep a social distance.
Next, understand the prevailing state of the pandemic in your country and community. Michelle Barron, MD, medical director for infection prevention and control at UCHealth in Aurora, says, “Just like we check the weather on Halloween to see what precautions and extra gear might be needed, knowing the current state of COVID-19 in your community will be important in determining if it is safe or not.”
For instance, in Michigan, there are over 134 000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 7,044 deaths. A reason why the Hallowe’en in Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village is doing it differently this year. It will only offer strolls and train rides but will skip family-friendly events such as is annual dining.
Plan in advance to lower the risks associated with most Halloween activities. If you want to go trick-or-treating outdoors, limit your invitations and explain to your kids the reason for a small group.
Prepare to go through lots of sanitizers, practice to keep your hands off your face, and strive to curate your face masks into your kids’ Halloween costumes – as that will have them wear their masks for longer.
Follow the guidelines provided on how to celebrate Halloween this year.
Dr. Michelle insists, “Follow the current rules and guidance being given at the state and local level, and do a risk/benefit analysis based on the health of the individuals engaging in Halloween activities and those who live in the household and decide if the risk of getting potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19 is worth the bag of treats.”
Get creative. Video chats with family and friends for a virtual costume party and play games. Hold virtual costume parades. While at it, do not substitute a face mask for a costume mask, unless the latter covers the nose and mouth snugly and has multiple layers of breathable material.
Be mindful of the paint used on your family and kids’ costume – as some paints contain toxins that could be harmful, if not fatal.
Celebrate by watching a kid-friendly movie where each member of your household will then wear costumes inspired by their favorite character from the film.
Instead of buying treats, make fun Halloween goodies at home. For instance, you can decorate pizza with toppings in your desired wild shapes. Ensure that the homemade treats are not choking hazards, especially with kids under age 3.
Join community activities focused on safe ways to celebrate the holiday. Attend programs offered by a zoo, arboretum, park district, or other outdoor venues in your community. Be sure to steer clear of crowds while maintaining a safe social distance.
When going outdoors, mark your kids’ costumes with reflective gear to increase their visibility to motorists during the fall weather. And while at it, caution them to be careful around vehicles. Ensure their shoes and costumes fit well to avoid tripping. It would be best if you settled for an inflammable outfit too.
When allowing your kids to join Halloween competitions, follow Dr. Kesh’s ( an expert in infectious diseases) guideline. She says, “I wouldn’t have a big pack of 10 kids from school going out together; I would limit it to 3 or 4 kids at most and choose those who you know have also been practicing social distancing.”
Avoid crowded indoor events like, well, the plague. Always keep your door and window open while hosting an indoor charter to ensure continuous air circulation.
Better yet, swap that visit to a haunted house for a visit to a local haunted corn maze or forest. And as the CDC advises, “Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe.”
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Include in your Halloween costume a breathable face mask with two or more layers of fabric. Check these cool ideas.
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Fall is here, and that means you can start to crank up your oven and bake. Seasonal produce is in plenty and the cooler temps make it worthwhile to preheat the oven. Suppose you’re like most bakers, then you’re probably searching for some fall dessert recipes. Luckily, we’ve compiled the best fall baking recipes that you can follow even if you’re a beginner.
But first, here are a few tips that can improve your baking:
Measure out ingredients accurately
Measurements, whether precise or inaccurate, determine the quality of your baking. On top of valuable recipes and well-tested techniques, top-tier baking requires accurate measurements. Just throwing ingredients together and mixing them up is a recipe for bland baked pieces, even though it might work on some occasions.
Clean before and after baking.
Make sure your oven and baking utensils are clean, both before and after baking. Not only is it a good habit, but you also avoid traces of old mixing ingredients from contaminating your latest baking project. You also don’t want burnt food in the oven to make your new cake, pie, cookies, or whatever else smell and taste like smoke. After you are done with any recipe, clean your kitchen thoroughly, plus your oven. Don’t want to or have time? No problem; hire Maids in a Minute, and we’ll leave everything ready for your next baking adventure.
Use easy-to-follow recipes.
Whether you’re a novice or experienced baker, you should only follow recipes that make work easier for you, ones that don’t require multiple bowls and numerous ingredients. Luckily, the recipes we provide below are straightforward, helping you finish your baking within no time.
Avoid the pie crust.
Making pie crusts intimidates most bakers, regardless of experience. You can skip this process and substitute the crust with a crumble instead. It provides similar juicy goodness, saving you the hassle of preparing a pie crust.
Follow all the recipe’s steps.
Cutting corners can be tempting, especially if you don’t have much experience in baking. This process can be costly, though. You may end up with a mild, unappetizing product. Ensure you go step by step, follow these recipes as they are.
With that being said here are some fall baking recipes you can follow today:
Chocolate Chip Cranberry Bread
Tender and moist, the cranberry bread is ideal for the winter and autumn seasons. Its chocolate and cranberries complement each other well. Once you get your hands on this cranberry bread, you’ll be desperate for more.
Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey Butter
Sweet potatoes, often sidelined as side dishes, normally play a supporting role in almost all meals. This recipe brings sweet potatoes to the limelight, giving them the starring part. Perfect for breakfast, sweet potato biscuits go well with honey butter.
The topping on the Pecan Pumpkin Dessert makes it stand out from dessert variations (you and your family will love it)
One of the easiest desserts to bake, the Pear Custard Pie, only requires less than ten staple ingredients and can be made using a single pan.
Similarly to traditional cinnamon rolls, they’re made with diced apples. You can add crunchy crumbs as toppings to make the dessert meal even better.
One of the easiest recipes on this list. Perfectly render, the pumpkin roll is suitable for fall parties and Thanksgiving feasts. It’s rolled up with some cream cheese and dusted with sugar powder.
Pumpkin spice bars promise to make your dinner party. They’re topped with cheese frosting and are perfectly moist.
Just as the cake’s name suggests, all you have to do is dump its elements into a 9×13. The cake is delicious, topped with some sweet whipped cream.
This recipe allows you to bake some buttery pecans that you can use in various recipes.
This age-old pecan pie completes most dessert tables, being a perfect fit for most occasions.
We’ve linked you with some of the best fall baking recipes. Next time you’re hosting a fall dinner party, you’ll showcase your new-found baking prowess and surprise everyone with perfectly baked cakes, biscuits, and pieces of bread.
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Your child might be fearful or anxious about returning to school, if they even go back. Check these parenting tips to help your kids cope with their emotions.
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Millions of parents all over the country are homeschooling their kids, or remote-learning to be more specific. You’re not alone. Keeping your home 100% tidy and clean while your kids are home, is not realistic. But, there are a few hacks and tips you can implement to maintain your home enjoyable and pleasant, with the majority of things clean and in their place. Keep reading and discover five essential tips. For a great homeschool setup at home.
One of the first things you must do is designate a place for studying and taking their classes online. The goal is to keep the other areas of the house clean and tidy, while in the class-space, your kids are free to do their activities and maybe be a little messy. Also, having a particular area for homeschooling will establish a set of rules to control the clutter and the mess. The following points here will help you with everything else.
This is crucial if you have a big family. People are staying home more often, which increases the clutter, the number of dirty dishes, and many other cleaning chores. You can’t leave your family out of this! Think of easy ways they can help you with the cleaning. Small kids can help you wipe the tables, put everything in the right place, and other easy tasks. Most importantly, you all must agree on a schedule for cleaning and who is going to do which chores. Which brings us to the third point.
Nobody likes to clean, but with a good system, the chores will become more bearable, even relaxing. The trick is not letting the work accumulate—clean two or three times a day, in 15 or 20 minutes sessions. Teach your kids to tidy up after they finish their class. Wash the dishes after lunch. Plan your routine with time, and don’t set too many rules in one day. Leave one or two days to test them. And last but not least: show your kids that cleaning can be a time to relax and stretch the body after one or two hours of studying.
Most of the time, the house seems untidy only because there are open books on the table, chairs out of place, or a desk filled with school tools. Sometimes the mess can extend to the kitchen or the living room because of lunchtime or a quick reading session on the couch. Teach your family to put everything in the right place right after they finished using it. That easy task can be forgettable, but vital. You can make it a game or a contest and reward the neatest person in the house.
Suddenly the world changed, and your kids can go out and play. It’s a difficult situation for all, but if you want to maintain order, cleanliness, and peace in your home, consider adding more outdoor activities and exercise to your routine. Even better, combine classes with little excursions to the park or museums. Don’t be afraid to learn and have fun. Let your kids express themselves. A good piece of advice is to ask your children what activity they want to learn and choose one that can be performed indoors or in little excursions.
Much of these tips are not easy to implement at full potential. Knowing how to homeschool is a tricky art, especially for the millions of parents that are now having to do this unexpectedly because of the coronavirus. You’ll have to sit down a few days and think about it. Don’t expect results in one day. Keep trying, and you’ll find a system that works for you. Remember that if you need a professional cleaning service for your home, Maids In A Minute can help you. Book your service online.
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Although we are still dealing with a global pandemic, we slowly are returning to normality. If you’re planning a small gathering with friends or family, your yard is one of the best places to do it. Fresh air and enough space to move without bumping into each other, yards have huge benefits to avoid spreading the virus. But, yards have a dark side: they tend to get cluttered, rusty, and overgrown. So, if you want to know how to clean up a yard, keep reading.
Nobody wants a squeezed gathering, even if it’s in the yard. Remove those fallen branches, old furniture. And other stores things that perhaps belong to a garage sale. Remember that everyone must have at least 6 feet of distance between each other, regardless of the real risk. If you can give your guest that peace of mind, your small event will be more uplifting.
Once you remove the clutter, take a look at your lawn. Footsteps and pet waste tend to maul the grass, so be sure to pluck the dead grass and re-soil the area with grass seed and fertilizer. Also, pick up pet messes and rake fallen leaves.
First of all, make sure you have enough seats for everyone. If your yard already has furniture, perhaps it is time to give them a good cleaning and disinfecting. Metal and plastic furnishings need a proper cleaning with liquid dish soap and the power of a good hose. Use a nylon scrub brush for stains and rusty parts. To remove mildew stains use a mix of bleach, laundry detergent, and warm water.
Sometimes the best way to reinvigorate trees and shrubs is just to trim the branches. Also, remember to make space for your guests to walk around freely. Make your yard a safe place for all the family and a beautiful one too. After a long spring lockdown, surely this trimming session is going to give new life to your plants.
Keep the mold away by eliminating any moisture stagnation. Put your recently washed furniture to dry under the sun and install gutters in strategic corners if you have to. Also, drain your pools or small ponds to avoid attracting mosquitoes.
Check your lighting before the reunion. Nothing puts guests to sleep as a poorly lit yard and the cool evening breeze. Consider using or buying extension cords to put some extra light bulbs near the seats or put your creativity to work and use hurricane lanterns, tealights, or strings lights.
Because we still in the middle of a pandemic, we must not stop following the preventive measures to avoid COVID-19. Buy disposable or edible dishes to avoid sharing these items with your guests. Although small, these kinds of actions make a good impression on anyone, because you care.
Last but not least, music or any kind of background entertainment is key to have a successful gathering. Choose a playlist with upbeat music that sets the mood or put the style of music that your family member enjoys.
We hope this blog helps you with your summer or fall yard clean up. Have a safe and fun gathering and enjoy the weather! Remember that Maids In A Minute can help you with this and other cleaning chores in your home. Book your service online.
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This Father’s Day will be a locked one. Some families, especially those with high-risk-population relatives, are staying at home and avoiding any social contact for a while. If this is your case, you probably are looking for some Father’s Day gifts. There are many options available, like gifts that can be sent right to the safety of your front door. So, please don’t waste this opportunity and check out our list of gift ideas.
Everyone who (during normal times) drives for long carpool lifts, or travels through the long highways of Michigan, needs a good travel mug to keep the morning beverage hot. Search for one that has a cover, anti-scratching, and no-sweat. Your dad is going to love his morning coffee, hot until the last sip.
An electric shaver isn’t a luxury for the bearded man. With the right tool, your dad can shave himself the best way and stay handsome for longer. Buy him an electric shaver that is comfortable, and can be customized to dry or wet shave, always maintaining a smooth cut.
Have you ever seen your mom fight your dad because all the shaven hair scattered all over the bathrooms floor? Nobody likes that, and even less because it’s such a day-to-day mistake that many dads commit. But not anymore! Give your dad a beard hair catcher and sop the fights immediately. This excellent gift is used as an apron and ensures a no-mess shave.
Your handwriting engraved in one neat vintage compass for your dad. Wouldn’t it be great? If your old-man loves going into the woods, then a compass might be of good use. Put a thoughtful message in it, and your dad is going to remember you when he’s finding his way home.
For those dads who work in an office, give them some inspiration with a handmade candle. Bacon and bourbon are scents that many men would want, but you can make them with any other scent. Buy one if you don’t trust your crafty expertise.
Some men take their pride by fixing things and enjoy serving their family. Thank your dad for all his hard work with a customizable leather tool belt, ready to fasten to his waist.
Not everything is beards and garage work. A fashion-forward dad deserves a jewelry collection. Make your father proud of his accessories giving him the perfect blend of contemporary and classic. Check out this collection.
For the fitness dad, an electric juicer is a necessity. Search for one with a powerful motor, a pulp bin, and compatible with a variety of fruit and vegetable. Also, easy to clean and removable parts are a plus. Your dad will be motivated to stay healthy.
The gym-goers know the importance of having a good quality pair of wireless headphones. Your dad won’t have to deal with cluttered cables during his workout, even if it’s at home, and the lasting battery is also a convenient feature.
If your dad got the green thumb, give him a comfortable seat to rest after a long day in the garden, plus many storing pockets to pot all the tools. Those days of prune the vines will be more joyful with this lightweight seat.
This was our best Father’s Day gift ideas. Do you like it? We hope so! Remember to stay safe during the pandemic, and if you ever need a professional cleaning and disinfecting service, call Maids In a Minute.
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Wearing a face mask has become as important as the other preventive measures for COVID-19 (although it does not substitute more effective actions like social distancing). Either way, many people are buying face coverings or making them themselves following several online tutorials. As a result, there’s a vast diversity of face masks—made of different fabrics, elastics, and filters, and sewed by hand or by machine—and washing them becomes tricky.
In the following paragraphs, we will tell you the best way to clean face coverings and other frequent questions about cleaning face masks.
According to the CDC general guidelines, “fabric face masks should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use.” Also, it says that a washing machine is a good-enough method to wash a face mask properly; however, this official information doesn’t take into account the different types of fabrics and filters. If you’re using a homemade face covering, don’t use the washing machine and clean your mask by hand instead. This way is better because some handsewn coverings can be delicate.
Regarding the washing process, soap and hot water is always the best option. Scrub your face covering for at least 20 seconds with soapy water before tossing in the dryer. Plus, you can iron it to kill any remaining germs or just for peace of mind. And don’t clean your mask by microwave or dishwasher because it’s not very effective.
If you’re using a medium weight nonwoven interface, this fabric is generally washable, so use the washing machine or by hand method with soap and hot water. But, for most homemade face coverings, the filter is disposable, and you have to replace it with every use. In fact, many of the face mask tutorials you’ll find on the internet recommend using a coffee filter, and nobody uses a coffee filter more than once, right? Also, HVAC filters are washable but consider that it might lose some effectiveness with every wash.
The CDC doesn’t mention any specific washing frequency, just that you should clean your face covering depending regularly. So, there are no rules about this topic, but you can apply your criteria. For instance, when you are living with a symptomatic person, or are back from a long and crowded journey to the grocery store, you should be extra careful and wash your face covering right away. If you just walk a block to the nearby local store and all was calm, you could leave the cleaning for another occasion. Just remember to take off your mask properly (without touching the fabric and washing your hands immediately).
Reusable face masks are not meant to last forever, especially when you use them frequently. Intense washing can shorten the useful life of your face covering, but that’s something you can’t avoid (you better not risk it and leave germs and viruses after a less effective wash). So, replace your mask when you start to see small holes in the fabric or your it doesn’t cover your face correctly anymore.
Remember that wearing a face mask protects others from you and not so much the other way around, so keep practicing social distancing and wash your hands, please. Also, if you want to disinfect your home to prevent COVID-19, book our professional cleaning service online.
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There’s too much COVID-19 misinformation out there. Read these 100% confirmed facts about the virus and how to protect your family better.
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The Coronavirus lockdown has emptied the streets, parks, and other gathering sites. Staying home as much as we can is our duty now, but after a few weeks, the body and mind start to miss the open fields. If you live in the Detroit area, you must be familiar with our beautiful parks and reserves. In this blog, we list the best Oakland county parks and other open areas to visit after the lockdown is over. Wide spaces when you can maintain your distance from other people and take a pleasant walk.
Located in a Birmingham neighborhood, Quarton Lake Park is a lovely small lake surrounded by tall trees and beautiful houses. Although it might be a short trail walk to keep your distance from other people, Quarton Lake offers charming views of the neighborhood and the wildlife in the water, like ducks. If you find not too many people, this is the perfect spot to take a deep breath and stretch your legs after an extended lockdown.
Take shelter from the sun walking through the trails of Carpenter Lake Nature. This fantastic hidden gem has about 75% of the trails covered by tree shade, and during summer, you can appreciate the full green bloom of the trees. Also, later in autumn, it hosts warm tones of the leaves, a beautiful spectacle only the knowing locals witness. Of course, in this vast park, you can maintain your distance from other people.
The enormous Cass Lake serves as the scenographic of Dodge #4 State Park. What better way to forget lockdown than a long walk through this shore? And, if the odds are in your favor, you can try one of the three launch areas and float a little in a boat, among the glistening blue waters. Fishing is also an option. Just remember to maintain the preventive measures to avoid a new COVID-19 spreading.
Surely this time, some deers may be spotted under the Heritage Park trees, attracted by the suddenly absent of humans. Visiting Heritage Park is a privilege of every local, and after the Coronavirus lockdown, better do it with respect and calmness to not scare away the fauna. Take your precautions if you’re visiting the small museum because it might be too soon to get closer to strangers.
For those who lock themselves with their pets, a pleasant walk in a dog-friendly park must be the best way to celebrate. Your dog needs to stretch its paws, and your eyes will thank you for the beautiful view of an open field. Orion Oaks Dog Par has broad grass areas, fenced trails, and even safe swimming spots for your dog.
This is our list of the best Oakland County parks and rec. We hope you pass a safe and calm lockdown during this COVID-19 crisis. Remember that if you want your home well-cleaned and disinfected to avoid getting infected, you can hire our cleaning services here.
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Keep calm, read this guide, gather your family, and put into practice these preventive measures. Coronavirus won’t enter your home!
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At Maids In A Minute, we strive to make your life easier and your home healthier and want to continue to do that during this Covid-19 crisis. More than ever, keeping your home clean and disinfecting surfaces is of utmost importance.
We will continue to provide cleaning services, but have implemented precautions to ensure the safety of our clients and team members.
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Policies
Wearing gloves. All cleaners will wear gloves when cleaning your home.
Changing linen. We will continue to make beds, but ask that you strip the bed and remove the linen if you want us to put on fresh linen.
Surface disinfecting. We will use a CDC approved disinfectant on all surfaces we typically clean throughout your home. (Countertops, bathroom surfaces, doorknobs, light switches, refrigerator handle, etc.) Be aware that when disinfecting surfaces the disinfectant needs to sit wet on the surface to work properly. You may notice us using more cleaner than normal and not drying surfaces.
Floors. We will use a CDC approved disinfectant to clean your floors unless you request we use the standard cleaner. Our disinfectant is a neutral pH and safe for all floor surfaces.
Vacuums. We would prefer to use yours.
Social Distancing. We ask that our cleaners be given 6 feet of social space while cleaning.
If a cleaner is sick or around anyone that is sick they have been instructed to stay home.
What We Ask of You
Let us know what you need. Let your technician know if you would like her to wear gloves or masks while in your home. Call or text us with any other requests.
Cancel if sick. Please cancel your cleaning appointment if you or a family member is experiencing flu-like symptoms or has tested positive for Covid-19. We will waive all cancellation fees.
Pause service if necessary. We will gladly save your spot and freeze your price for up to 60 days.
We want to assure you all that we are taking this seriously. It is our intent to be proactive and to limit risk to everyone’s wellness by being prepared.
We will keep you updated as the situation evolves.
Please feel free to reach out to our support team at 248-924-9667 if you have any questions or concerns.
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Getting home and looking at all those disorganized stuff is a bit discouraging. Living a simpler life is the key to eliminating clutter and having a neat and tidy home, but how to achieve it? There are certain rules or principles you can follow in your daily routine. Keep reading and learn how to purge your house.
To have a less cluttered home means that, primarily, you have to follow a basic but essential principle: live simpler. This doesn’t imply that you stop buying material things. Living simpler has to do with acknowledging your environment and letting enough space for your home to breathe. Let the size of your home dictate the amount of stuff you can have and store. Instead of desiring a bigger closet, make peace with the one you already have.
Another basic rule for decluttering: have a place for everything. A cluttered home doesn’t mean that you own too many things; it also can be that you have lots of stuff in limbo, like on tables, countertops, or the floor. How to reduce clutter? Organize your home by giving these misplaced objects a proper place. As a suggestion: use your old shoe boxes, buy clear plastic containers, or look for a big console table with lots of drawers.
Aiming for a tidier home requires more than just willpower. Be smart about your storing places and wisely decide the easiest system for you to follow. A good piece of advice is to store things where you use them. This will spare you the effort of walking across the hallway to store the item you were using in another room. Or just as simple as keeping your storing spot nearby.
Even if you follow these principles, chances are that you still will have clutter to clear. We can’t help it, storing things are also part of our survivalism (you may one day need that wooden wardrobe you found almost for free on a garage sale or those suitcases that you don’t use because you don’t travel often). Because of that, it’s better to define a time for a proper purging and get rid of cluttered stuff.
Making donations is an excellent way to do a purge. Some of that stuff you keep in your home can go to better hands. Schedule a donation day, perhaps once or twice a year, for you to get rid of those extra blankets, pottery, or clothes that are accumulating dust in your home. If you’re indecisive about whether or not to throw that stuff away, put it in a bag near your closet and wait one or two months to see if you really need it.
To finish with this list here’s a simple but effective strategy. Every time you buy something new you have to donate, sell or throw away another item in your house. This will help you put limits on your space and also cherish more your possessions. Just remember, this doesn’t mean that you have to own a certain number of things, you can always add a new item if you truly need it.
There you go! Found this helpful? Keep reading our blogs to find out more useful tips for your home maintenance. If you need help with your daily cleaning chores, schedule a cleaning service with Maids in a Minute.
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Motivate your family to have exercise afternoons together with these fun and easy games. You’ll be improving your health in no time.
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It was just months ago when you brought your bundle of joy home from the hospital and now, they’re crawling all over the place. You couldn’t be prouder! However, now you need to baby proof your home before Junior gets too curious. Fear not. Maids in a Minute are here to provide you a baby proofing checklist for your home to set you on the right path to protecting your baby.
When protecting your child from dangers in the living quarters, be thorough. Babies are terribly curious and like to pull, push, and put items into other objects. Things to look out for are entertainment centers, bookshelves, televisions, the fireplace, loose cords, curtains/blinds, outlets, sharp edges, and vents. The following list contains ways to baby proof your home the DIY way.
It’s terrifying to watch your child fall down the stairs, stand up, then laugh, but it’s preventable. The best protection is to place a baby gate at the base of your staircase and at the top. Also, make sure to protect the space between the railings. Carpets and throw rugs are also a potential tripping hazard you should be aware of when baby proofing your home.
Regardless of age, the kitchen is a dangerous place if safety is not taken into consideration. To baby proof a room, consider all locations your child will find curious, such as drawers, doors, knobs, shiny items, etc.
The best way to prevent your baby from messing with stuff in the bathroom is to keep the door shut. If your child is older and capable of opening doors, then follow these simple DIY baby proofing ideas:
Taking the time to examine your home makes a huge difference when your goal is to protect your family. Not only does it keep Junior from harm, but it gives you peace of mind when your back is turned—even for a split second. Though children think we have eyes in the back of our heads we don’t. Don’t let the baby blues get you down. With this in-depth list, you have a head start and know what you need to look for and how to proceed. Enjoy every moment—they grow up fast.
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Avoid the messy living room after the Super Bowl. Throw the best Super Bowl party with these essential cleaning tips.
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It’s frightful outside. The snow is piled high against the car. The wind is howling. However, none of it matters. You’re nestled in for the winter. You have your electric blankets, fuzzy slippers, hot cocoa, and a pile of books by your bed. You couldn’t be more ready…but are you really? Little do you know that a mixture of warm and cold air is creating excess moisture in your home making a breeding ground for mold! Have no fear, Maids in a Minute is here to show you how to avoid these problems during the winter.
Perhaps the #1 way to prevent the creation and spread of mold in your home is with a dehumidifier. It’s common to find one of these devices in the basement where moisture is most likely to wreak havoc, but it can also be useful throughout the rest of your home. You may wonder at what relative humidity does mold grow? According to Moldpedia.com, mold begins growing at 55% relative humidity. And at what humidity does mold die? It is recommended to keep your home between 30% and 50%.
The use of exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom is your next step in defense against mold. It’s easy to create trapped moisture in the bathroom during the winter. Without running the fan, you build up a large volume of steam with nowhere to go. Exhaust fans eliminate this problem. It’s recommended to let the fan run an extra 15 minutes to clear the room for complete ventilation. This same principle applies to the kitchen.
Areas you might not think of looking into are places in need of minor repairs, such as cracks, unsealed outlets, windows, gaps around doors, skylights, areas around plumbing, the dryer vent, etc. It’s important to include these areas in your routine in the fall when you’re preparing your home for the winter.
Whether you have carpet flooring or hardwood, area and throw rugs will help to absorb extra moisture during the winter. These rugs prevent moisture from seeping into the carpet base and padding where mold can easily grow. Area and throw rugs are also easy to clean and keep dry. With hardwood floors, rugs help prevent tracking moisture to other rooms that may have carpet and thus preventing the potential growth of mold throughout the house.
There’s no more important time to keep your home clean than during the winter season. With winter’s harsh conditions and changing climates the breeding ground for mold is greatly increased. Establishing a routine will help to maintain the cleanliness of your home and minimize the production of mold. Likewise, a clean home is a happy home and will simply appease the moodiness of the winter blues.
Finally, your home is truly secure. You’ve patched here and there, stopped the draft coming in from the front and back doors, added window coverings, and of course use your vents always. You are indeed mold-free. You let out a sigh of relaxation and snuggle deep into your oversized pillows and pull the blankets up around you. You rest the plate of cookies on your knees and open your book and nestle in for a long cold winter.
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