Review Killers – Vacation Rental Home Cleaning “Misses”
When guests book your vacation rental home, they’ve seen photos of it online looking it’s very best, so you’ve already given them a great (virtual) first impression. And now that their expectations have been set, it’s up to you to make sure your guests aren’t disappointed during their stay! As fantastic and fresh as it may look at first glance, a guest discovering a cleaning “miss” – or worse, multiple “misses” – during their visit can really diminish their overall perception of your vacation rental home.
We all hope that a great experience will translate to a great guest review, but we know a negative experience, even if it’s due to one or more seemingly minor issues such as cleaning “misses” will nearly ALWAYS translate to a less than positive guest review. Moxie Girl, your vacation rental specialist, is here to alert you to some common cleaning misses to avoid – all of which can be huge turn-offs to guests.
It’s Okay to be “Hairanoid” – Especially in the Bathroom
You know, like paranoid…about HAIR. Nothing will ruin the appearance of an otherwise spotless bathroom than a hair – even one – missed during cleaning. If Moxie Girl happens upon an extra-hairy bathroom, we often use our vacuum attachment tool to get the bulk of it out of the way before we even start cleaning! Vacuuming any DRY sink, tub or shower, in addition to the floors, will make quick work of hair disposal and keep it out of your cleaning cloths, so you won’t be spreading it around. (Caution – Never vacuum a wet surface!)
Check those bathroom drains! Hairy drains are completely unappealing and if left unchecked, will leave you with slow-running or completely clogged drains.
Fabric surfaces throughout your vacation rental home – seat cushions, throw pillows, duvet covers – can all collect hair, dust and other debris. Moxie Girl recommends rolling all these surfaces with an adhesive lint roller, which can be purchased at your nearest dollar store.
And finally, double check bathrooms after you complete the rest of the home. Hair can float around for a while, landing in the most inconvenient spots. Double check that no “strays” made it back on to your clean surfaces.
The Kitchen – So Many Places to Hide!
The kitchen, with all its appliances, drawers and cupboards is a potential landmine of cleaning misses! For example, if you’ve followed the guidelines in Moxie Girl’s How to Set Up a Vacation Rental Home Kitchen, you furnished your kitchen with some type of coffee maker and a toaster or toaster oven. Guests will definitely expect those things to be clean and ready-to-use. This means clean, inside AND out! No soggy, spent coffee filter and grounds or used K-cups left in the Keurig, and certainly no toast crumbs littering the counter the second the toaster is touched.
Bigger appliances should be thoroughly checked out during the cleaning process, too. The majority of your vacation rental home guests may never use the oven or even the microwave, but still, take a peek! Moxie Girl has found food left in ovens (and microwaves) – even gooey evidence of an indoor marshmallow roast – more than once after guests have departed. And if we hadn’t checked, it could have been the next guest finding that mess – yikes!
Dishwashers and refrigerators should be empty, clean and fresh-smelling. Double check that all dishes, utensils and cookware are sparkling clean and dry – and neatly put away in clean drawers and cupboards! Don’t forget to check the inside of the trash bin to make sure there aren’t any messes lurking in there, either.
Handle(s) with Care!
Ensure your guests’ hands will come in contact with “nothing but clean” by thoroughly wiping down any and all handles in your vacation rental home – door knobs, drawer pulls, appliance handles and faucets. Sticky and/or greasy messes find it easy to hide here – especially on the back sides – only to be discovered the next time the knob is turned or the handle is pulled.
Moxie Girl recommends using your own clean, bare hands after cleaning your vacation rental home, to make sure all of these items throughout the home are clean and smooth. Don’t forget door knobs and handles on exterior doors – that front door handle is likely the very first thing your guests will touch upon their arrival!
Behind the Curtains – Insect Graveyards and Cobweb Farms
Pull open the curtains, blinds and shutters on all windows within reach. Not only will this give you some natural additional light while cleaning the room, but you’ll also be aware of anything hiding on window sills. This area seems to attract dead bugs and cobwebs more than most places in the home! Your vacuum attachment tool is useful for hands-free pick-up of any unpleasantness you may find here.
Shut the Front Door!
Actually, open and shut ALL the doors of your vacation rental home during cleaning. Dust and debris tend to gather in the corners behind the doors, so you’ll want to get in there with your vacuum attachment tool as well. Ignore it, and chances are the dust bunnies will scamper out of hiding the minute your guests get comfortable.
Monsters Under the Bed
With so much to do in preparation of your next vacation rental home guests, it’s all too easy to forget to check for “monsters” – trash, forgotten socks, dust bunnies and, well…just trust us when we tell you that you MUST check -under the beds! And in the drawers and closets – after every guest departure. Whatever you may find, you don’t want your next guests making that discovery!
Guests in a hurry to check out on time will often overlook personal items when they are packing, and sometimes jewelry and clothing items can get lost in bedding, or dropped on the floor and go unnoticed until cleaning. Your guests will appreciate being contacted immediately if you find something they mistakenly left behind!
Yes, we know that’s a lot to remember – but we also know that exceptional maintenance and cleaning of your vacation rental home is essential for success! If you’d rather not DIY, Moxie Girl can handle all those details for you. Visit www.moxie-girl.com and click on the big pink “FREE CONSULTATION” button. You are 2 minutes away from a stress-free vacation rental home!
You’ve probably heard – and may even believe – many myths about summer vacation rentals in Arizona. With our extensive vacation rental home experience, Moxie Girl has seen first-hand that vacation rentals in the Phoenix area are more popular than ever! Read on as we debunk a few of these myths and find out how to maximize your vacation rental home this summer.
Myth #1 – No One Comes to Arizona in the Summer
Wrong! While it’s true that the volume of summer visitors is less than the rest of the year, there are still plenty of people coming to Arizona in the summer – consider these three examples…
California IS a popular summer destination and many travelers use the I-10, through Arizona, to get there and many will need to places to stay on the way.
Business travel happens year-round. Vacation rental homes can be a superior choice for employee lodging, especially for businesses sending teams of employees.
The Phoenix Metro area is one of the fastest growing in the U.S. This means people are relocating to Arizona at a rapid rate. With the kids out of school, summer is often the preferred time to move. Whether seeking a short-term “check-out-the-area” stay, or a longer-term “waiting for escrow to close” stay, a vacation rental home can be the perfect solution for new arrivals.
Myth #2 – Summer Renters are “Lower Quality” Renters
As hotels and resorts slash their rates for summer, vacation rental owners must follow suit. The reality is that guests who paid $500/night in our cooler months are the SAME people paying $125-$175/night during the summer.
At Moxie Girl, we actually see the most damage done to vacation rental properties outside the summer months. Golf tournament weekend is always at the top of the list. March seems to be full of “boy’s weekends.” And May is very popular for bachelor party weekends before June weddings. End-of-semester parties with groups of students celebrating their freedom…things like that. Also, guests enjoying longer stays during any time of the year seem to get really comfortable around the 3rd week of their stay, becoming a little less careful and a little more messy.
Myth #3 – Keeping My Vacation Rental Home Available in Summer is Too Expensive
Really? Even if you ‘close’ your vacation rental for the summer, your mortgage, HOA dues, and utility fees don’t go on vacation. You’ll also have at least a minimum electric bill, even if the home is empty!
So, let’s do the math…using a “baseline” electric bill of $100, here’s what your fixed monthly expenses look like:
$1,500 Mortgage Payment
$75 HOA Dues
$100 Utility Fee
$100 Electric Bill
$1,775 TOTAL
$1,775 out of pocket, every month…on a property sitting empty? But what if you booked 20 nights in a month? Even at a summer rate of $89/night, you’d have $1,780 cash incoming. Granted, your electric bill is going to increase, because people LOVE air-conditioning! But even if your electric cost increases from $100 to $350, bringing your monthly expense to $2,202, your net cash outlay goes from a whopping $1,775 to just $245 a month – and you’re showing activity and collecting reviews on your property!
Well, those myths certainly appear to be debunked, don’t they? That math should be plenty of incentive for you to keep your Arizona vacation rental home up and running, year-round. Understanding your potential summer guests and keeping your price-point in line with summer hotel rates will definitely work to your advantage! Discover more ways to make your life as a vacation rental homeowner easier, safer and more profitable by checking out our other Moxie Girl blogs.
For more great info on this subject, please visit the STRM website and check out these helpful blogs!
Moxie Girl is always looking for ways to make your life as a Phoenix vacation rental home owner easier, more efficient and cost-effective! The kitchen is one area that can be rampant with inefficiencies, if you’re not experienced. Read on as Moxie Girl guides you through setting up your vacation rental home kitchen in a way that gives your guests all the comforts they’ll need during their stay – and keeps it simple for YOU!
1.First Impressions
Your guests will expect to walk into a sparkling clean, fresh-smelling kitchen, with appliances in good working order, so don’t disappoint! Moxie Girl recommends an empty fridge, with the exception of bottled water and perhaps a few squeezable condiments. We also recommend a lined trash can with a lid for the kitchen, to keep any odors on lockdown during your guests’ stay.
Opened cabinets and drawers should reveal clean surfaces and neatly organized gear. Check the corners – especially in drawers – dust and debris like to gravitate there.
Keep any decorative items limited to things that can be easily cleaned and dusted. Decorations that are porous or include fibrous materials will only collect grease and dust, and who needs that?
2. Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (and the Toast)!
Even if they don’t plan to prepare any meals during their stay, a cup of coffee and/or a slice of toast are often how your guests get started in the morning. If you choose a traditional coffee maker, a reusable filter is a great idea. Although a bit pricier, Keurig coffee makers are very popular choice too. Whichever you choose, regular and decaf coffee, sugar and powdered creamer are welcome amenities your guests will appreciate!
When choosing a toaster for your vacation rental home kitchen, be sure to find a model that’s easy to clean and de-crumb! If you’ve got a lot of counter space, a toaster oven may be an even better choice since they are more versatile and may deter the heat and mess of using the big oven for a small dish.
3. Honey, Where’s the…?
For most vacation rental home needs, the “basics” are enough. Don’t clutter your kitchen cabinets, drawers and countertops with single-purpose gadgets. One or two items, especially if related to other features of the home are okay– maybe a fancy hydraulic wine opener if your vacation rental boasts a wine fridge – but it’s always best to concentrate on the essentials.
Guests will tend to use whatever is made available to them. So, while it’s important to cover the basics, you will only complicate your life (and your guest’s) by providing too many things. Here’s a list of what your vacation rental home needs as far as general kitchen equipment:
Corkscrew/Bottle Opener
Can Opener
Spatula and Large Spoons for Cooking (2 of each is plenty – and make sure they are compatible with your pots and pans!)
Set of Measuring Spoons and a 1C Measuring Cup
A Pitcher with a Lid
A Set of Mixing/Serving Bowls
Set of Serving Utensils
Baking Sheet and Cake Pan
Set of Kitchen Knives
Cutting Board
Hot Pads
Salt and Pepper
Set of Pots and Pans with Lids (this should include a decent-sized skillet!
4. Let’s Eat (and Drink)!
When stocking your vacation rental home kitchen with dishes and silverware, consider how many guests the home accommodates. For most, a complete service for eight is sufficient. So that’s eight each of drinking glasses, coffee mugs, bowls, salad plates, dinner plates and silverware settings. (Fun fact: a service of eight = approximately one full load in the dishwasher, and will encourage guests to wash the dishes!) If your vacation rental home accommodates 12 people, of course you’ll want 2 complete sets of eight.
Don’t forget to stock wine glasses and beer mugs or pint glasses, too – enough to cover the number of potential guests, plus a few extras. Wine glasses tend to get broken more than anything else in the kitchen, so it never hurts to have an extra set of eight stored away for quick replacement between guests.
5. Clean-up and Supplies
Again, we’re covering the essentials here. By stocking these simple supplies, you cover their needs while encouraging guests to clean-up after themselves, keeping your vacation rental home tidy during their stay! Your guests should be able to easily locate these items, so choose logical placement, even if items are stored in a cabinet or drawer.
Small rolls of tin foil and plastic wrap
Trash liners to fit your lidded kitchen trash bin
Dishwashing liquid-this should be placed by the sink
Liquid handsoap-also placed by the sink
Dishwasher detergent or pods-this can be stored in a lower cabinet, near the dishwasher. If you use detergent pods, those may be attractively placed with other “countertop” items like dishwashing liquid and handsoap. Also, think about posting some easy operating instructions for your dishwasher. This will make your guests feel more comfortable in actually using it!
Small kitchen sponge-We like a non-scratch scrubby side on our sponge, too, just in case. Replace after each guest!
Paper towels -Moxie Girl recommends a mounted hanging paper towel roll or a countertop stand to keep towels clean and dry. An extra roll under the sink is also a good idea!
Paper Napkins- Your guests could use paper towels, but actual paper napkins can be more cost-effective, so it’s something to consider.
Clean, empty plastic grocery bags-A grocery bag is always handy to contain wet or messy kitchen trash, wet clothing or “just some things” your guests may need to carry or wrap. And they’re FREE, so let’s make them available. You could even purchase a “bag-bag” – a neat way to store and dispense them!
Moxie Girl is chock full of excellent advice when it comes to stocking, cleaning and operating your vacation rental home! Check our blog frequently for more tips – we know you’ll find them helpful. And of course, Moxie Girl would be happy to take full charge of these tasks for you.
If you have a vacation rental that you’d like some help with, we need just a few details about your vacation rental to get you a quote for our vacation rental cleaning services.
If you own a vacation rental home in the Phoenix area, you may be thinking “the season” is over…but summer vacation rentals are actually a lot more popular than most people know. While summer bookings are undoubtedly fewer than the rest of the year, you can still make this season a success! Here are a few tips that will help you have a “no sweat” summer vacation rental season.
Know Your Summer Bookings!
Summer guests fall largely into three categories:
Last-Minute Bookings – Often work-related or emergency travel, but summer is also the time for spontaneous road trips!
Stay-cations – These will usually be weekend visits. A requirement for many stay-cationers is a swimming pool, so ALWAYS make your sparkling pool a highlight in your summer listings!
Longer-term Renters – With the kids out of school, summer is a popular time to move and some find it necessary to secure a temporary home while their new one is being made ready, or while waiting for escrow to close. Especially if your rental doesn’t have a pool, consider monthly pricing to attract the longer-term bookings.
The Price is Right! Or is it?
If your vacation rental is empty in the summer, you’re doing it wrong! Check out hotel pricing in the area. What was a $300/night room in March is easily $99/night during the summer months. Even local resorts offer $99 rooms in the summer.
We often see vacation rental homeowners catch on to “summer pricing” in their second year. So if this is your first year, don’t waste these months! Remember, the more activity on your listing, the more attractive your vacation rental home becomes – both to prospective guests and site algorithms.
Protect Your Vacation Rental Home!
No one wants a sky-high electric bill, or worse, to have to replace a $10k A/C system prematurely. A lockable thermostat is a worthwhile investment. Just lock it at 72 degrees and you can relax knowing your system is safely operating at maximum efficiency.
If you have long breaks between guests, consider having Moxie Girl check on your vacation rental home just to make sure everything is safe and in order. That’s considerable peace of mind for only $35!
Communication is Key!
Summer is notorious for last-minute bookings and changes. You may notice more guests extending their
stays because summer in Phoenix is actually pretty nice when you have time to relax by a pool! Always communicate with Moxie Girl regarding any scheduling changes within 24 hours.
No one likes unpleasant surprises – especially guests. Be sure your guests are aware of any fees for extending their stay, late check-outs, damages, etc. Also, it never hurts to prepare guests – especially those not familiar with the desert – for things such the occasional scorpion and our crazy monsoon storms.
Don’t ignore it for the summer when you can keep your vacation rental home working for you, year-round! Moxie Girl is always here to help – from setting up your vacation rental home to ensuring on-time, quality cleaning between guests! Check our other Moxie blogs for more information to make the most of your summer vacation rental bookings.
As a vacation rental home owner in the Phoenix area, Moxie Girl knows you face a lot of competition for bookings. With hundreds of choices, potential guests are not only looking at pricing and availability – they are also looking for a great experience. We’ve all heard the saying “Little things mean a lot,” and it’s true – those “little things” can really enhance a vacation stay. With minor effort and little to no extra expense, here are some things you can do to let your guests know you have them in mind!
1. Welcome!
A nice and concise printed welcome letter with vital information is always useful. The property WI-FI password should always be prominent. Other points to include: Property address (in case of emergency), door/lockbox codes and instructions, any info needed to operate cable or satellite television/entertainment systems and check- in/check-out times. Consider laminating your letter or placing it in a tabletop display stand to protect it for re-use, and don’t forget to update information as necessary!
Especially if they are new to the area, your vacation rental home guests may also appreciate a small, orderly display of promo material from nearby restaurants or attractions. Moxie Girl has clients who also place bottled water and/or a bottle of wine, and packaged snacks to welcome guests.
2.Pillows, Bedding and Towels…Oh, My!
Attractive placement of decorative pillows and throws in your vacation rental home help to make a great first impression, but be sure to check ALL fabric surfaces for lint, hair and other debris! A lint roller from the dollar store will make quick work of this task.
Bedding and decorative pillow arrangement options are nearly endless! Here are pics of a few looks we love here at Moxie Girl:
There are also a variety of ways to fold (and hang) your bathroom linens – different folds may just “fit better” on the towel rack or in the cabinet. It’s important that you pick a fold that looks nice and works with your space, and it’s even more important to BE CONSISTENT to maintain an orderly and attractive appearance.
3.Tissue Flowers and Paper Points
To give your bathrooms a crisp and professional finish, fold the end square of your spindled toilet tissue into a point. Also, a full (or at least almost full) roll of toilet tissue on the spindle makes a considerably nicer presentation than a half-empty (or less) roll. You can always take partial rolls home for your personal use. Take this idea into the kitchen and use a nice, clean fold-over on your paper towel roll, too!
If you provide tissues for your guests – which is already a nice touch – add an even nicer touch by using 3-5 tissues layered together to make a flower to tuck into the top each box. Fancy!
4.Houston, We Have a Problem!
Your guest’s “emergency” may be your opportunity to shine. Think how thankful you’d be as a guest, if you needed any of the following items and actually found it, easily, in the vacation home you’ve rented!
A basic first-aid kit is ALWAYS a good idea – store it where it will be easily found if needed. A bathroom cabinet that holds extra rolls of toilet paper may be a good choice.
On one trip or another, we’ve all experienced the realization that we forgot to pack a true necessity. Often it’s a toothbrush, toothpaste or tampons – so why not have a (very) small supply tucked away to tide your guests over until they can get to the store? A mini sewing kit could save the day for the guest who just lost a button while getting ready to go out on the town.
Always check these items between guests to ensure they are clean and complete for your next arrival.
5.Extra, Extra!
Implementing any or all of the ideas we’ve suggested so far will help impress your guests and let them know you care. If you’re willing to go a little bit further, you might consider placing mints on bed pillows for your guests’ first night. How about providing hotel-style bath amenities to make your guests feel special? Shampoo, conditioner and body wash may be purchased by the case, and sets of product can be attractively arranged between guest stays to provide a more hotel-like experience. Individually packaged make-up remover wipes are popular with the ladies and can certainly help you avoid laundry problems!
If you haven’t already, get busy adding the little things that will let your guests know you care! At Moxie Girl, we are experts in the vacation rental home field. We want your guests not only to return, but also recommend your vacation rental home to others.
Keep an eye on our Moxie blog for more helpful tips about setting up, cleaning and operating your vacation rental home and give us a call if you’d rather let Moxie handle the job for you! If you have a vacation rental that you’d like some help with, contact us today to get a quote for vacation rental cleaning services in Phoenix and the surrounding areas.
Whether you are already operating a vacation rental home or just in the “thinking about it” stage, laundry is likely on your mind! Moxie Girl has experienced a wide range of vacation rental homes here in the Phoenix area – we’ve seen what “works” and what doesn’t.
Today let’s delve into what is usually considered the biggest chore in getting your vacation rental home guest-ready…LAUNDRY! Here are five helpful hints to make this task easier!
1. Don’t Over-Supply Your Guests!
Be aware that guests tend to use whatever is made available to them, so don’t open yourself up to excessive and unnecessary loads of laundry. One full set of bath linens (bath towel, hand towel and 2 washcloths) per potential guest should be plenty for short stays. One or two extra sets, stored in an accessible bathroom cabinet, should accommodate any “emergencies” that may arise.
We highly advise locking away an extra set (or two!) of all linens for your cleaning crew. If you have a same day turn, it will be a huge help for them to be able to make beds and reset the bathrooms, without having to wait on the washer and dryer.
2. Got Pool?
Who doesn’t love a pool in the Phoenix summer? You can protect your bath linens by providing beach towels (one per potential guest, plus a few extras.) Place your rolled and attractively arranged beach towels in a basket or bin near the main door to the pool to be sure they are seen and used!
3. Be Proactive in Avoiding Stains
At first glance, it may seem like “another @#$% expense,” but Moxie Girl has noticed that vacation rental home owners who provide disposable make-up wipes to their guests tend to keep their linens looking fresh and new much longer than those who don’t. Individually packaged, hypo-allergenic make-up wipes can be purchased by the case and are much less expensive in the long run than replacing stained linens! (Bonus – Your guests will see this as a thoughtful amenity, and as we mentioned in item #1, they DO tend to use what is made available!)
4. No-Hassle Bedding
For the sake of simplicity and ease of care, Moxie Girl always recommends white cotton linens in vacation rental homes. If your home has beds of different sizes, find the label on each sheet, both flat and fitted, and mark the size with a Sharpie. No more guessing which sheet is a queen (Q) and which is a full (F)!
Also keep in mind that comforters are too large to wash in most residential washers and dryers. If you are using comforters on your beds, Moxie Girl recommends duvet covers, which are easily removed and laundered between guests.
5. Supplies
Be sure to keep necessary laundry supplies stocked at all times. If guests have access to a washer and dryer in your vacation rental home, it’s nice to leave enough detergent out for a load or two but keep the bulk of your supplies in a locked cabinet or area that is not guest-accessible.
Laundry Soap – Always have enough detergent stocked to handle the ‘between-guest” laundering to be done. Laundry pods are convenient and pre-measured, making it easy to keep an eye on the supply. You may also want to consider dye and fragrance-free detergent, just to be on the safe side of any potential guest allergies.
Bleach – Just a small amount of this very inexpensive product added to the wash cycle helps remove stains and keeps your linens looking fresh and crisp!
Spot Treatment – Especially if you are not stocking make-up wipes for your guests, a spot treatment product is a must for removing tough stains. Always be sure to follow the directions found on your product of choice!
Dryer Sheets – Actually, we don’t find them necessary, but Moxie Girl recommends that if you DO use dryer sheets, to use them only when drying bed linens, as they can negatively affect the absorbency of bath linens and pool towels!
If your vacation rental home is already up-and-running, do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to make sure you are following these time and money-saving tips. If you are in the set-up phase, following these guidelines when purchasing and stocking your vacation rental home will ensure you are “doing it right” from the get-go!
Moxie Girl will be sharing more ways to make your life as a vacation rental home owner easier than ever, so be sure to check our blogs frequently for updates! And, of course, if you’d rather just “put the pros in charge” of setting up your property, just give us a call. Moxie Girl is always here to help you make the most of your vacation rental home with our vacation rental cleaning services too!
There’s something about summer. The temperature rises, and when it’s in the triple digits for weeks—and months—at a time, tempers can rise as well. As a Phoenix vacation rental owner, you need to know what’s different about summertime. Sometimes, summer vacation rental guests get frustrated about things winter guests don’t even notice. Thankfully, there are things you can do to help your guests have an amazing experience, no matter what time of the year they visit.
Prepare Your Summer Vacation Rental Guests
Many summer visitors are not prepared for what to expect in Arizona. After all, it’s hot here and they may not be ready for that. Summer vacation rental guests can be uncomfortable and cranky, but you can offset that with some simple preparations.
Ensure guests know how to get into the house. Start with a keypad on the door, and back that up with a code at the garage and a lockbox with a key. Always have alternative ways to enter the home
If you are out of town, give your guests access to your local support team, perhaps your vacation rental cleaning service
Keep your housecleaning fee the same year round and let guests know to plan for it. They may balk at the fee when they know the house isn’t booked as often, but when you keep it the same, it’s easier to explain
Increase amenities and nice touches, which will go a long way to make guests feel more welcome and comfortable
Plan for Guests Who Stay Longer than Expected
When vacation rental homes don’t turn over as quickly, guests may assume they have carte blanche to stay as long as they’d like. And while you may welcome the extra income when guests stay and cover times that would otherwise be empty, changes can disrupt schedules.
Have a clear policy about extended stays, including clear communication on check-ins, checkouts, and fees associated with staying past checkout
Include a deadline for notifying you or your housecleaning team about extending their scheduled checkout time
Create a method for letting your housecleaning team know about changes in scheduling. If they are unaware, they may not have enough lead-time to notify employees—leaving you to absorb extra fees
Follow Up with Guests During and After Their Stay
Knowing that summer vacation rental guests tend to be higher maintenance, it’s smart to follow up with them.
Reach out following check-in to make sure guest made it in the home. Do they need anything? Is everything available for them?
Touch base after visitors have left the rental. Did they enjoy their stay? Definitely let them know you look forward to welcoming them back
Moxie Girl Household Assistants specializes in cleaning vacation rentals in Phoenix and surrounding areas. We understand the higher expectations that your summer vacation rental guests have, and we work hard to give them a great experience. Contact us to learn more about how we can become part of your team.
Summer is prime vacation time. In the Phoenix area, while we still see our fair share of visitors, they’re not the same visitors that arrive in the Valley of the Sun during cooler months. Summer guests are often hot and crabby from driving across the desert, and they are less experienced with using vacation rentals. That’s why it’s important to prepare your home for summer guests and be ready for the quirks they may present.
Use the inevitable breaks in your home’s bookings to do some preventative maintenance and routine improvements.
1 – Do a Thorough Walk Through of Your Vacation Rental:
Look for chips, dents, scuffs, and scrapes that need attention
Conduct an inventory of all essentials, especially in the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms
Use some of the profits from spring guests to restock and upgrade where needed. New towels and bed sheets, for instance, can be a very welcome sight to the out-of-towner
Ensure guests have adequate necessities, including towels, sheets, paper products, dishes, and utensils
Check and replace air filters, batteries in remotes and smoke detectors, and propane in outdoor grills (or ask Moxie Girl or your cleaning team to address these areas)
Store away patio umbrellas. They’ll can blow away and cause major damage during monsoon season
2 – Schedule Professional Maintenance
The hot Phoenix sun can wreak havoc on a home, and proper upkeep is imperative. However,
there are plenty of areas where you’ll need to seek professional help to ensure your summer
vacation rental is in tip-top shape.
Schedule regular pest control to reduce the number of desert critters trying to enter the home
Communicate with your cleaning team about what you would like completed and how
often guests are turning
Ask your A/C company to conduct an inspection of the HVAC system; you don’t want your guests to have any issues with cooling when it’s 110 outside!
Have your landscape/maintenance professionals adjust the irrigation system and plant summer grass, if necessary
If you have a pool or spa, ensure that chemicals are correct and debris is minimized, especially as we enter monsoon season
3 – Keep Information Handy for Your Guests
While you likely have a book of dos and don’ts for your guests, make sure it’s updated for the
summer. Some things you may want to add to your information include:
Let them know what service providers will be visiting the home and when they’ll arrive
Educate visitors on pests in the desert and to let you or your team know immediately if any critters are on premises
Warn guests about what to expect during monsoons, such as power outages, high winds, and the danger of driving through flooded streets
With proper preparation, your summer vacation rental home will be ready to welcome guests during the next few months. And be sure to contact Moxie Girl with any questions or concerns as we help make your visitors feel comfortable now and all year round.
Have you ever had someone on a team that people rave about? Now, all our Moxie are pretty dang spectacular at what they do, but Megan is wanted at a handful of our clients houses. Her eye for detail and the amount of care that goes into a home she is working at is amazing and people really do notice a difference. Her clients love her and so do we!
Megan is a detail oriented and caring moxie with an eye for design. She treats every client with respect and makes sure they get the service they deserve. She is very organized and likes to be on time and precise. She is quite, but I can see the energy she has. This positive woman has brought a different perspective of clean to our moxie team!
Megan and Destiny work together to make this kitchen sparkle!
Designer Eyes
There is a reason one designer is different than the other, they see things differently. Megan H. is no different when it comes down to the details and studying interior design for a future career probably helps see things differently in a home that someone else might not. The little things are what matter the most to Megan from built up soap gunk on the bathroom or
kitchen soap to the way the pillows are fluffed and set on a couch. Those details are important to Megan and she believes that some things really pull a room together and make it complete, like a made bed, fluffed pillows on a couch, and even cracked curtains to let some sunshine in.
Thinking about those things don’t always matter to some clients but to others its the difference from a clean house and a dirty house. We make sure that Megan is paired up with clients that would make sense to the way she works. We wouldn’t want to send Megan to a house where she leaves feeling unfinished because she doesn’t get to add her touch of details. We make sure the clients she is set up with are detail oriented like her because she gets to do what she does best.
Understanding the Client
Sometimes we have to send Megan to a home that may not be the best fit for her but we know she is still going to blow them out of the water with her work. She understands people and is able to “read” them in a sense in order to match the house to the person. I’m sure as an interior designer that is an outstanding skill to have because people may say they want one thing when in reality they want something completely different. She can’t actually read minds but she may know what you want better than you do.
Megan is making the floors shine and lookin good while doing it.
Megan has brought a lot of skill and knowledge to the table and we have also helped her hone in on her skills and put them to practice for her future career as an interior designer. She has learned a lot about people, organizing, staging and much more with Moxie. We hope when she does become the best interior designer in the state she will recommend moxie to her clients.
Let Moxie Girl take care of the details in your home by visiting us here
A cleaning business, like i’m sure many business are, is like a big puzzle with a lot of different pieces that need to fit together. Someday’s the pieces fit together perfectly and other days they fit, but start to fall apart as the days go on.
Keeping The Pieces Together
Putting this puzzle together and keeping it together would send me to a madhouse if I didn’t have the glue I call Brea. This woman brings support, energy, candidness and piece of mind to our Moxie team. She has an operations/systems mindset that I do not have, which balances out my thinking. We both think big, but the difference between brea and I is while I am ready to start something new, she puts me in my place in order to make it happen in an orderly manner.
Being goofy at #AdultingDay. Brea grew a nice full mustache for this pic!
When we hired Brea about 3 years ago she read our training manual front to back, determined to do this job, and do it precisely. She gets tasks done and done right, which is what she wants for all the moxies on our team. Now, brea isn’t just concerned about how well the moxies do in their job, but she cares on a personal level for everyone on our team and wants to make sure they are growing in all aspects of their lives. The heart and positivity in Brea amazes me everyday, always giving even if she has nothing to give. One of our moxies said she remembers working with Brea and she forgot her lunch. There Brea was offering anything and everything she had in her lunch box so this moxie would have the energy to push through her next house cleaning. She supports our team and always gets things done. Brea has the ability to move mountains if she wants to.
We had a tremendous scare at the end of the year. Brea was going through some stuff in her life that made a shift in her. It wasn’t a bad shift, it was just a shift. She was unsure how much longer she was planning on being with us. I met with the team to let them know about Brea and her situation, telling them she might not be apart of the team by the end of January. The girls were extremely saddened by the news. They didn’t see moxie the same without Brea being apart of it. She has become the face of Moxie and that extra support our team needs. The Moxies told me we have to do what we can to keep her and it wasn’t because they needed Brea, but the girls told me that I needed Brea. They told me how our two personalities balance each other out and I started to see what my team was seeing. She tells me things bluntly, which is what I need and helps me get my thoughts out of my head. Luckily Brea stayed on with Moxie Girl and is now taking on more of the operational side of things, relieving me of things that are more her strong suite and not so much mine.
Owning a business can be a struggle from time to time, but team work really does make the dream work. Become apart of the moxie team Here.
The other day we had each of our Moxies write a few things about the homes they work in. We asked questions like what’s your favorite room to clean, what clients are your favorite to work with and why, etc. The answers we got were great, but this one sentence from our Moxie just took my breath away:
“The owners make me feel like family, therefore I treat their house as if it were my own.” -Wendy
THE GIRL WITH THE POWER
Wendy is our Vacation Rental Team Leader, and a powerhouse vacation rental cleaner. The care and detail she puts into a home are stunning. Her work in homes shows just how much she cares. There are often days where Wendy’s car is full of linens and supplies to be delivered to vacation rentals, and regularly messages our vacation rental owners and managers to make sure they know how their property looks.
Wendy making this vacation rental sparkle!
When Wendy is working on turning over a vacation rental, she does it all. She makes sure it looks like nobody had been there in the first place, cleaning out cabinets, restocking toiletries, changing filters, washing sheets/towels and making sure there aren’t damages in the home. Wendy brings peace of mind to vacation rental owners, communicating with them about important things that need to be taken care of to ensure the next guest has a magnificent and luxurious stay. She goes out of her way to get those little details that make a huge difference in a house. “I just know I am making an impact.” says Wendy.
Team work makes the dream work! Wendy and Celia riding around in the Moxie Mobile!
Our Moxie girl team didn’t have this amazing asset until Wendy packed up her things in sunny California and moved out to Arizona to start a new life with her son in 2016. She had cleaned houses before so she began searching for a cleaning company to work for. Eventually, she stumbled upon Moxie, and we couldn’t have been more delighted that she did. She is a resilient woman with so much strength and courage, and we gladly brought her on to our team.
Wendy had the experience and the passion for vacation rental cleaning and it truly shows. She has a teacher’s heart, and we put it to good use by having Wendy work with all our new Moxies. Wendy is the type of person who doesn’t just want to teach people, she wants everyone to succeed and will invest her whole heart into the people she comes in contact with. We are so happy and proud to have Wendy leading our vacation rental team!
Check out Moxie Girl for your vacation rental cleaning needs here!
There are many people who’ve just started to live on their own who don’t know how to do laundry. When they lived at home, they would throw their dirty clothes in the hamper and later that day, all these clean clothes would appear in their closet courtesy of the parental units.
The good news is that doing a basic load of laundry isn’t that complicated. Here are some laundry tips:
• Check the Labels
Tons upon tons of clothes have been ruined because the owner didn’t read the labels. “Dry clean only,” means that the item needs to be taken to the dry cleaners. “Hand wash” means the item really does need to be washed by hand or the hand wash cycle if the machine has one. Other labels tell the owner whether the clothes need to be washed in cold water or whether they can be tumbled dry or dried flat. Pay attention to these labels.
• Separate the Clothes
Separate out dark or brightly colored clothing from whites. The dye may stain or dull the white clothing. If the clothing is red, it will definitely stain. To be on the safe side, items of red clothing should only be washed together.
• Remove Stains Before Putting Clothes the Wash
Remove stains before putting clothes in the wash. If a stain is still noticeable after washing, it should be removed before the item is dried. Drying sets stains, and ironing makes stains pretty permanent. Look online to find out how to get rid of certain types of stains from certain types of fabric.
• Take Clothes Out of the Dryer Right Away
Do not leave clothes in the dryer for a long period of time because they will wrinkle or suffer other types of damage. Take them out, fold them, and put them away.
Other laundry tips are to add a cup of vinegar to an empty washing machine, and let it run for a cycle, and remove mildew with a solution of one part bleach and two parts warm water. Vinegar reduces hard water that can leave clothes dingy or even yellow and diluted bleach kills mildew. Mildew is a problem in a laundry area that’s poorly ventilated or for a machine that uses cold water all of the time. Hot water kills mildew as well as dust mites, so bedclothes should ideally be washed in hot water.
These tips on how to do laundry should keep a person’s clothing sound and good-looking for years and avoid those avoidable catastrophes.
Definitely the most traveled time of year, summer freedom brings vacation thoughts!! Among those thoughts are, “Where should we go? How should we get there? and last but not least – What should I pack?”. Miss MOXIE to the rescue! Here are 15 Smart Packing Tips you can bank on to get everything you need to your summer vacation destination!
Packing Prep
1 – Make a Packing list thinking: HEAD TO TOE. Once for clothing – once for toiletries/sundries. This is how I taught my kids to pack efficiently. Start with your head; floppy sun hat. Trunk; swim-suits, lingerie, tanks, light sweater…etc. For the toiletries/sundries; Head: shampoo, conditioner, curling iron, brush, earrings, facewash, makeup, sunglasses etc. Either write EVERYTHING down, or take everything out and lay it on the bed. (And ALWAYS pack extra underwear! ) Easy and thorough!
2 – Wash, Dryclean, and Prepare. Do the laundry, and set your favorite vacation clothes aside. Dryclean that rain jacket you want to take, and buy Billy those new shoelaces and baseball hat you’ve been meaning to get. If you spend a day preparing your belongings, you’re vacation shopping time will be for souvenirs instead of extra socks!
3 – Consider Monochromatic Color Choices! A color scheme like black/white/khaki allows for mixing and matching everything – clothes, shoes, jewelry and outerwear, therefore you can pack less of everything!
Carry your EMPTY water bottle through security, and fill at a fountain on the other side!
4 – Check your Luggage for Damage! Whether you will be backpacking across Europe, or lying on a Southern California beach, you will have to lug your stuff there! A broken suitcase wheel or a torn backpack zipper will make you crazy!
5 – Savvy Carry-On Prep: BRING: Water bottle – (empty before security, you can fill it afterwards), a light snack, a book or magazine, your phone charger, any prescription meds, any expensive (or sentimental) jewelry, minimal make-up, a toothbrush, and a change of underwear (in case they lose your suitcase – because, sorry, it happens!), and mini-tissue packs for an un-stocked restroom. I always pack my handbag in my suitcase and take my wallet in my carry-on. Your documents: Insurance card, passport, driver’s license.
The Nuts and Bolts
6 – TRY to go Easy on the Shoes! (I’m talking to myself here!) One pair for walking, one for the beach, one dressy.
7 – ZIPLOCS save the day! You can scrunch all your underwear into a ZIPLOC bag and squish-flat the air out! Use it later for dirties or wet swimsuits. Use them for all your toiletries, or anything that can leak.
8 – ROLL as much as you can. Roll your pants and shorts, shirts and socks. stuff socks into your shoes. Rolling takes up much less space.
RESIST THE URGE to pack too many shoes!
9 – DON’T take Brand New Shoes! Can you say BLISTERS?
10 – Condense Toiletries or Buy Travel Sizes! While you may be tempted to take the full sized shampoo, conditioner or hairspray, unless you have six kids and are traveling the whole USA, you won’t need them! Buy travel containers in the $1 section at TARGET, along with travel-sized body wash, deoderant, contact lense solution, toothpaste, etc. If you travel often, grab a toiletry bag too and keep it fully loaded in your closet for next time. Remember: The TSA liquids carry-on rule is still in effect! Here are the TSA Guidelines. If you don’t want your expensive bottle of perfume tossed in the trash, think SMALL!
Stuff you don’t want to forget…
11 – Pack the chargers! What electronics are you taking? Pack all your chargers: phone, laptop, tablet, iPod, KINDLE device, and camera. Use a 1 qt. Freezer ZIPLOC bag – they are sturdy. OR – LIVE DANGEROUSLY and leave the electronics at home and focus on each other!
12 – Don’t forget your important documents: Passport, Driver’s license, Insurance Card, etc. Here is a super helpful checklist for you to use before you go.
13 – Avoid junk-food en route. Yes, it’s your summer vacation. Yes, chips and candy can be fun, nevertheless, these treats might also cause energy spikes and stomach trouble. Stick with grain or protein snacks like cheese sticks or nuts, granola bars and dried fruit or apples.
Fodor’s Travel books available on Amazon.com
14 – Pack info. about your destination. Yes, an iPhone can do all things, but I’m a book girl! I love my “walking tour of Manhattan” book! I found the best out-of-the-way restaurant once from a picture in a travel book. Just a thought…
15 – Pack extra plastic grocery bags. You know, the cheap kind? They are great for packing dirty clothes, sandy shoes, collecting trash, wet swim suits, and take up almost no room in your suitcase.
Remember: DON’T take what you won’t need! I know- sounds like a no-brainer, but go through everything one more time and take out the extra stuff..you won’t need that blow-dryer, or 3 extra pairs of shoes, ‘just in case’. Take it from Miss MOXIE – these tried and true tips will turn ANYONE into a worldclass smart summer vacation packer!
The real estate market is HOT right now! Low inventory, plus an increase in buyers has allowed home owners to increase their asking prices. We were recently contacted by a couple who has a condo they wanted to get on the market FAST. The condo had been a vacation rental, but the couple wanted to take advantage of the higher selling prices. They knew the condo needed to be cleaned out, but since they both work during the week and they have a new baby, their time is limited and they decided to ask for help getting their home ready to sell.
The couple called us asking if we had availability the next day to help them clean out and stage the condo. Luckily, we had two people available first thing the next morning (it must’ve been fate!).
When our team arrived, we found the condo looked pretty good, but definitely needed a good cleaning out. We focused on keeping only what was necessary to stage the condo to sell. We kept the cute dishes in the kitchen cabinets, but removed all the left behind canned food, spices, and coffees. We boxed up all the bottles of soap, shampoo, and cleaning supplies from the storage closet, and replaced them with stacks of extra towels and sheets to make it function as a linen closet. Before we left, we gave the condo a thorough cleaning (including inside cabinets and drawers), made the bed, and fluffed every pillow in the place.
Our team was there for about a total of 6 man-hours,and the client’s investment to get the condo ready was under $200. We learned a couple days later that they received a FULL PRICE offer the day it was listed.
We’d say that choosing to have Moxie Girl help get the condo ready provided an excellent return on their investment!
It’s Patio Time! The love of a balmy, breezy spring day is universal. A fabulous, welcoming patio can be created with a little thought, a little elbow grease and any budget! You don’t have to be a millionaire to have a beautiful outdoor space. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
Planning
What are your go-to activities? Are you the Martha Stewart of entertaining? Are you a homebody who would rather read alone on a windowseat? Are you the Monopoly Queen, always challenging your kids to a game? Maybe you are the barbecue guru and adore eating outdoors. Whatever your daily adventures entail, this is what you want to translate to your patio space. If you’re all about friends, you’ll need to consider seating for many, yet open space for guests to mix and mingle. If you are a ‘foodie’, then the Bar-B-Que area might be THEE most important part of the patio to you. I love to make a simple “project folder” to hold ideas for my projects. I tear pictures from magazines, note stores I want to shop at, add fabric samples and paint samples….(I also love Pinterest, where you can make a file for your project digitally and peruse a ZILLION amazing ideas to set your head spinning!.) A folder keeps me organized, discourages those littly sticky notes everywhere, and is a great place for receipts so I keep track of expenditures.
First, determine the area available. Measure it in square feet. Unless you are planning a costly, landscaping remodel, you’ll be making do with your current space. Next, are you just looking for an amazing outdoor rug and begonias in Italian flower pots? Or maybe that Pottery Barn to-die-for patio set? Are you thinking, “Honey! Let’s BULLDOZE the grass and put in paving stones!”? Write down what needs to happen to make the area usable, and determine the funds available. Can you purchase pavers, a barbeque, all new patio furniture, etc? If so, great! List your dream patio items, the price range or exact dollar amount next to them, and crunch some numbers. That rattan chaise with the 5 inch thick duck cloth cushions might have to wait til the fall when it goes on clearance, so that you can have the flagstone pavers you adore right now. Hot Tip: Don’t break the budget or your patio will be a constant negative reminder of overspending, rather than the relaxing oasis you intend it to be!
Prep Work
Plan the actual project by mapping out every step in order.
Are you just throwing out old furniture, painting a wall, or replacing a few cracked paving stones? Will you remove some bushes? Will you be digging up grass, moving gravel or leveling ground? Make a numerical list of the things that need to be done in the proper order. It may look like this:
Price Bobcat rental, Paving stones, Barbeque island, Patio Furniture, Pots for flowers, accessories
Rent Bobcat from Joe’s Equipment Rental
Dig up bushes next to patio door
Level side yard dirt
Stake patio area
Dig up gravel from patio area and move to leveled side yard
Purchase sand, pavers and border pieces
Put in border pieces, sand and water sand
Place pavers….and so forth
Get It Done
Your list will keep you focused and having you do the main, expensive and time-consuming portions of the project before you buy the flowers and the new rug! If your patio requires only to hang a wicker sun blind and purchase side tables and lanterns, it requires much less planning than ripping out part of your yard! Schedule in the days you’ll be working, when your hired help will arrive, when you’ll shop for your supplies, and when you’ll throw a party to celebrate your new space!
Whatever patio you choose to create, by planning, counting the cost, and taking a systematic approach to getting the work done, you will have great success! Time to plan the party! Margaritas anyone?
Lots of people have one of those spaces. You know what we’re talking about; a space that’s just not working like it’s supposed to. It might be that spare room you throw everything into…. A dining room that you can’t dine in because the table is piled to the ceiling with junk…. Or maybe, if you’re like one of our clients this past week, it’s a garage that’s gathered enough stuff that the cars won’t fit.
MOXIE GIRL loves to help our clients clean and organize spaces, making them beautiful and functional again!
In this case, it took one of our teams less than a half-day to get this garage organized and ready for the cars to move back in.
What is YOUR organizing challenge? From a bookshelf to a back room, MOXIE GIRL is here for you! Click here for more information on our garage organizing services.
I will never forget when my friend Denise and her sparkly little 18 month old, Tiffany, came over one morning to visit. When coffee and conversation were over, Denise started to sing, “Now it’s time to clean up toys, clean up toys , clean up toys…” and little Tiffany, as if turned on by a switch, stood up and began to clean up the toys! One after the other she picked them up and dropped them in the basket. I was shocked. It had never occurred to me that a toddler would help with chores. That day this mom learned a lesson: kids will do what is expected if you follow through and make them do it!
There are 3 keys to getting your kids to do chores in your home:
Setting Expectations, Training, and Follow Through!
Setting Expectations
Maybe you’ve never made your kids do chores. Perhaps they do chores but it’s hit or miss. Start by telling the kids that you are going to implement a new chore system and everyone is going to participate, because this is how a family functions best.
Start with a family meeting. Determine daily personal tasks, which everyone will do for himself, and household chores, which will be done weekly and split up according to age appropriateness. Determine penalties for missed or improperly completed items. Every person in the home who can walk and talk participates.
Yes, really.
Every child will have his personal chart. For little ones, paste pictures on a sheet of paper with a blank box beside each one for a sticker when the job is completed. For the older kids, use a simple spreadsheet. Personal chores should be completed by a certain time daily—say, before school, with only praise for a job well-done. Every child needs to be expected to learn self-care as it’s own reward.
Setting a weekly time for household chores, where everyone works together—say, for 1-2 hours on Saturday morning—is a great idea. Household chores should be part of “family life”, but may include an occasional movie night, or ice cream to celebrate a job well done.
If you choose to give an allowance, make sure it is tied into proper and timely completion of tasks.
Training
If required tasks are done haphazardly, or if Mom needs to follow with a “re-do” they are not really ‘done’, are they?
Proper training looks like: “I do, We do, You do”. First I rinse the dishes and load the dishwasher in the proper way while Suzy watches. Then we do the chore together; I rinse and she loads–so we can talk, correct anything done improperly, and make sure the desired result is achieved. Lastly, Suzy rinses and loads by herself with Mom watching to insure the child has understood and is doing the chore correctly.
Proper training now is essential to sanity and proper completion later!
Follow Through
Once chores are assigned, and the children have been trained, it is time to implement the program by putting charts on the refrigerator and expecting follow through at the proper time. The first week is when a few reminders may be necessary and a few penalties incurred. Be an absolute stickler this first week, and after that, you’ll be amazed at how smoothly things begin to run!
Congratulations! Your chore plan is now underway! Here’s to a smoothly running household!
Do you clean your house every day? I’m guessing most of us don’t.
The many things on our list vying for attention: work, school, activities, personal time- to name a few- usually trump housework.
Even if Hazel the housekeeper doesn’t knock at the door at 9AM daily, your house doesn’t have to be a nasty mess. You can FAKE your way to a clean house, and no one will ever know that you didn’t have time to clean this week!
Here are 4 things, which, if done on a regular basis, will give your house a clean appearance. Added perk? These things will also make the real cleaning day a breeze!
Tip # 1 – Everyone Makes Their Bed!
Whether you are thorough and careful, or just pull up the covers and toss and place the pillows, the bedrooms will feel tidy. Tidy beds give incentive to put away shoes, toss stray dirties in the hamper and will likely help push you toward tidying the rest of the house.
Tip # 2 – The 5-Minute Pick-Up!
Do things seem to grow legs and wander around your home?
You know; shoes under the breakfast bar, purses on the coffee table, and random dishes at your desk? The busier the day, the more stuff wanders, creating clutter everywhere.
Create the illusion of clean in 5 minutes a day. Immediately after dinner each night, set a 5 minute timer, give every member of the house a basket and have them circle the entire house picking up their belongings.
When time is up, give a hearty congratulations to everyone and maybe even a treat! Even if you live alone, establish this habit over 30 days, and your evening clean-up time will become routine.
Tip # 3 – Do the Dishes & Clean Kitchen Counters!
A commitment to keep kitchen counters and sinks free of dirty dishes is huge in the appearance of a clean home! Load and run your dishwasher nightly to get dishes out of sight. Wash pots and pans and air-dry them on a counter mat. In the morning, spend 5 minutes to put everything away.
Keep papers from accumulating by having a designated basket, and have a supply drawer with containers for pens, paper clips, rubber bands, etc., to keep minutia at bay.
Tip # 4 – Clean the Bathroom Counter!
Knowing you plan to “use all this stuff daily” can tempt you to leave a mess on bathroom counters. Taking 90 seconds each morning to throw combs and brushes in the drawer, put toothpaste and brushes in a designated cup, and stash all your makeup, hairspray, and styling tools in baskets under the sink, will go miles on the trek to a tidy-looking bathroom! Quickly wipe the counter and mirror before throwing your towel in the hamper, and voila’! Clean!
Sure it would be nice to have a spotlessly clean house 24/7, but The Illusion of Clean is the next best thing to a live-In maid! Don’t you agree?!
If you do need some extra help, give us a call! 602-633-4475 or contact us online – www.moxie-girl.com
market FAST. The condo had been a vacation rental, but the couple wanted to take advantage of the higher selling prices. They knew the condo needed to be cleaned out, but since they both work during the week and they have a new baby, their time is limited and they decided to ask for help getting their home ready to sell.
ng out. We focused on keeping only what was necessary to stage the condo to sell. We kept the cute dishes in the kitchen cabinets, but removed all the left behind canned food, spices, and coffees. We boxed up all the bottles of soap, shampoo, and cleaning supplies from the storage closet, and replaced them with stacks of extra towels and sheets to make it function as a linen closet. Before we left, we gave the condo a thorough cleaning (including inside cabinets and drawers), made the bed, and fluffed every pillow in the place.
for about a total of 6 man-hours,and the client’s investment to get the condo ready was under $200. We learned a couple days later that they received a FULL PRICE offer the day it was listed.
eryone will do for himself, and household chores, which will be done weekly and split up according to age appropriateness. Determine penalties for missed or improperly completed items. Every person in the home who can walk and talk participates.
Suzy rinses and loads by herself with Mom watching to insure the child has understood and is doing the chore correctly.
give incentive to put away shoes, toss stray dirties in the hamper and will likely help push you toward tidying the rest of the house.
