Posts Tagged ‘Outdoor home care’

Getting your Vacation Rental Home Ready For Summer

May 21st, 2020 | By Claudia Moreno

Is your vacation rental ready for summer?

Summer months are the most stressful time for vacation rental owners. Not only is it the busiest time for owners, having to make sure that homes are restocked, pools are maintained, and rentals are kept up on, cleaning is a very important aspect during this time. This is the time of year where everyone wants to travel with their family and just have a nice gateway.  Since we live in Arizona, we have nice weather year-round so vacationing here is a must. The summer months include May through September. The weather during these months can get up to 120 degrees but hey, it is a dry heat so no worries about all the humidity. This is the time of year where people use their pools the most. Pool maintenance should always be up to date during these months, so it is easy for your guest to use it with no hassle. During summer months we also have a monsoon season (June- September). The temperatures usually start dropping during the monsoon season, but not much. Temperatures usually range from 80 to 105 degrees. This is the season where our rain comes from the most. Rainfall usually averages from 0.66 inches to 2 inches of rain for the whole year. So vacationing during this, it might rain one day which doesn’t ruin your whole vacation. 

Getting your pool ready for guests.

Having a private pool for your vacation rental home is a huge benefit while living in Arizona. When guests rent your property out, they want to have their vacation hassle-free, so be sure to get your pool ready for them so they can enjoy their vacation. The first step into making sure your pools are ready, is to get rid of any debris. Even if you use a pool cover, although being located in Arizona, pool covers aren’t really necessary, you will want to make sure you have all the twigs, leaves, and bugs cleared out. Next to making sure that all your pool equipment is working properly is also part of getting your pool ready. Pool equipment includes pool pumps, hoses, filters, diving boards, steps, and ladders making sure that there aren’t any damage or safety hazards. Third, you are going to want to check the water for these three things, total alkalinity, PH levels, and Chlorine levels. If any of these are too high, it will cause your pool to be uncomfortable to swim in. Finally vacuuming the pool is the last and final step to getting your pool ready. Vacuuming will remove any debris that is left at the bottom of your pool. Once you have done all four things, your pool is ready for guests to swim safely. If you arent interested in doing these things yourself we recommend reaching out to a pool company for your pool service needs, one of the companies we know and trust is Aquaman pools!

Restocking your home 

Restocking your home for the summer months will help you deal with certain unexpected elements that could keep you indoors including monsoon season in Arizona. Having your home restocked will ensure that your guest won’t suffer from any inconveniences. We all know that when we go on vacation, we don’t want to go to the store right away. You will also have to consider that most guests are coming from different states, so flying makes it hard to bring certain things, so it is thoughtful to have basic amenities on hand when they check-in. Basic amenities include things such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion to get started in each bathroom. 

Being a vacation rental owner most definitely has its challenges, but the more you are prepared, the more smoothly your renting season will go. As vacation rental cleaners, we are always up for new ideas to improve and make the next renter’s stay go even more smoothly. You can contact Moxie Girl or STRM to get into contact with Amanda to take about any cleaning improvements that are needed.  

Fun and Functional Outdoor Summer Party Tips

April 11th, 2019 | By Claudia Moreno

Moxie Girl loves a summertime pool party and we have some inexpensive and creative ways to make yours a hit! Many of the items needed to implement these fun and functional tips may even be purchased at your nearest dollar store.

No Pests Allowed!

A week or so before your party is to take place, make time to do a thorough walk of your grounds and nip any pest problems in the bud. Your local hardware store can recommend products to take care of any issues you may discover and keep your party bug free!

Your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness in having mosquito repellent available during your outdoor party – mosquitoes can be relentless during monsoon season. Moxie Girl recommends a chemical-free repellent such as Z-Shield which contains natural citronella, clove, peppermint and cedar oils.

Photo by Norwood Themes on Unsplash

Discourage flies, in particular around food service areas by cutting lemons in half and placing cloves in the flesh of each lemon half. Set the lemon halves in small dishes or candle cups, attractively placed between dishes on serving and dining tables.

BYOT*

*Towel…Bring your own towel! Unless you have a resort level stock of beach towels and would like a laundry duty for days after your party. It’s best to ask your guests to BYOT to your pool party. You may spark your guests and get them excited about bringing their own towels by making a game out of it. Consider providing a small prize for the guest who brings the funniest, cutest, or most colorful beach towel!

Speaking of towels, make sure there are plenty of places for your guests to hang their towels to dry. Retractable clotheslines are a great idea and can be useful on a regular basis for air drying your hand washables.

Photo by Lauren Fleischmann on Unsplash

Let’s Drink to That!

Liquid refreshments are a must at any party. Moxie Girl knows how to make cleanup easier, as well as reducing waste in the drink department.

Use drink dispensers with spigots for water. Guests will be able to easily serve themselves and you will not be creating a mountain of plastic bottles to be recycled – or worse, abandoned half empty around your yard. Since it is so important to stay hydrated, attract your guests to the water dispensers by offering an infused selection (or two!) as well as plain. Try these great combinations for infusions: cucumber and green grape, strawberry and fresh mint, and lemon and raspberry. Simply wash, cut and freeze the ingredients in advance and add to the fresh filtered water when filling your drink dispensers.

Moxie Girl thinks it’s a great idea to set up a “drink area” and keep dispensers, cups, ice, and napkins conveniently within reach. Consider placing a colorful plastic table cover from the dollar store underneath your drink dispensers to catch any drips or spills. Keep a sanitized cooler filled with ice for drinks and provide an ice scoop or tongs for your guests to use when making a drink.

Photo by Shubhesh Aggarwal on Unsplash

If using disposable party cups, have several Sharpie markers for party-goers to write their names on their cups, making it much easier for guests to keep track of their drinks and save on cups.

Small inflatable or durable plastic kiddie pools filled with ice make fantastic and festive open-air coolers for canned or bottled beverages. A shady spot is best for anything you are trying to keep cool, of course!

Go play!

Inflatable rafts and beach balls are pool play favorites. Quality, long-lasting inflatable pool toys can be pricey – you may want to consider some inexpensive selections just for your party. You may also invite your guests to bring their favorite pool toys to the party. Having a manual pump on hand will allow inflatable items to be quickly applied for play!

Pool “noodles” also make for a great floating fun, they don’t require air and can be found at the dollar store. Remember, none of these toys are safety devices, children should be supervised AT ALL TIMES!

Which Way to the Bathroom?

If you have a choice, select a bathroom with the shortest path through the house for your guests to use during your pool party. As always, make sure this bathroom is sparkling clean and stocked with plenty of toilet paper, hand soap, and hand towels!

Now, examine the path from the pool to the bathroom and decide if water could damage the flooring or create a slippery and unsafe situation for your guests. A protective runner or high absorbency mats are solid pre-emptive measures against mishaps!

If your backyard gala is particularly large, investigate renting a Port-a-Potty for the day. There are many reputable companies that will deliver these units clean, fresh and ready to use. Moxie girl has seen hosts decorate their rented portables with all the comforts of an indoor restroom – lighting, mirrors, fresh flowers, fancy soaps, and lotions. And once the party is over, the disposal company will haul them away for you!

Speaking of Hauling Away…

Discourage guests from abandoning their dirty dishes and other refuse around your yard and pool by making sure to have adequate, lined trash bins and clearly marked recycle bins that are easy to spot. Keep pests and odors to a minimum by using bins with lids and placing all bins away from serving and eating areas. Full liners should be replaced before they begin to overflow and hauled to an area away from the party, for permanent disposal later.

Party Patrol, Reporting for Duty!

Even hosting a party as a couple, it is easy to overlook things like the timely refilling of drink dispensers, replenishing food, emptying trash bins and freshening the restrooms. If you’ve got a few friends willing to help, put together your own “party patrol” with each member committing to periodic checks of items and areas needing attention during the event!

Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

We hope you found these tips useful and fun – maybe they even inspired you to begin planning your own outdoor summer party!

Moxie Girl is a local, female-owned cleaning company specializing in the care of vacation rental homes. Our team currently services nearly 120 vacation rentals in the Phoenix metro area, providing full between-guest turns, including SAME DAY cleanings for our valued clients! Vacation rental home owners, please click for a FREE CONSULTATION to find out how much easier your life can be!

Moxie Girl is always open to expanding our very supportive team, too! The nature of our business lets our Moxie Girls (and Moxie Boys!) enjoy flexible schedules that fit with their college schedules, parenting duties and other obligations, while getting and keeping fit as a Vacation Rental Assistant. There’s plenty of room for growth here, and Moxie Girl prefers to promote from within our excellent team. Interested in joining us? Click to APPLY!

 

 

How to Create a Fantastic Patio

February 26th, 2016 | By Claudia Moreno

How to Create a Fantastic Patio

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 Done13168_Blog2_012316

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?