This lovely home is located in Chevy Chase. Picture credit HERE

I love stepping into a freshly cleaned home.  When cleaned well, it smells great, looks great and is a pleasure to reside in or visit. Every spring I go on house tours. Every home, of course is perfectly clean with fresh flowers. And it’s often interesting to hear comments from people who say that they doubt the home owner keeps the home so tidy during the regular year.

As the owner of a house cleaning company, I beg to differ.  I ask, why?  Why is it difficult to believe that a family can and does live in an organized, clean home all year round? There is something about a crisp, hygienic home. The home is our sanctuary. It’s not some dorm room or frat house. Home is truly castle and it’s where the heart is.

The condition of a home truly does affect one’s mood and state of mind.  A chaotic home, a musty home, a messy home is not—and should not be, the goal of the average person.  The goal should be a home that looks appealing and smells terrific.

It’s a new world. We are living in an age where people—men and women, have to work and most do not have the energy or desire to spend their spare time cleaning toilets and scrubbing floors. On top of that, who wants to come home from a hard day at work only to end up walking into an unpleasant abode with dust bunnies all over the place?

Some luxuries are worth the investment. House cleaning is one such luxury. It’s worth the investment to the mood, the mind, the energy.

Give UpperCrust Maids a call and allow our cleaning techs to transform your home and free up your time! PRESS HERE to get started

It happens to most of us. Sales magazines and offers and postcards arrive and we think, “Hmmmm…..looks interesting. I’ll hold on to this and check it out later”. Problem is, life gets in the way and “later” takes a week, then a month, then a year and before we know it, there is an accumulation of piles and piles of ads, magazines and offers that we planned to go through but never quite was able to find the time.

At UpperCrust Maids, we are all about simplifying and beautifying life. And while those luxury magazines certainly do have some interesting and unique items in there, truth of the matter is, if you are not planning to buy within the next 24 hours, chances are, you also won’t buy from that magazine within the next 24 months. So why allow papers and magazines to overtake your home?

It’s not only junk mail and enticing ads that get us. All types of things have a way of creeping up into our homes and finding a place there. Below are 10 tips to help you get rid of the “stuff” that is taking over your home and chipping away at its beauty.

1. Subject every piece of mail that comes into your home to a “tough love” test. Ask yourself, “Am I going to order from this magazine within the next 24 hours?” If not, toss it. Postcards, toss immediately unless you are planning ot use the services offered within the next 24 hours. Junk envelopes, tear up and toss immediately. Credit card offers, tear up and throw out immediately. Remember that paper is inanimate. It has no feelings, no thoughts. It could not care less that you are tearing it up and throwing it out. Get rid of it.

2. Next, toss out old subscription magazines. Once you have read them, why hold on to them? They will simply add clutter to your life. Put them in the recycle bin.

3. You also need to tackle your closet. If you have not worn it in the past 2 years, chances are, you will never wear it. Pull out every outfit that you sincerely know in your heart you will not ever wear and either take them to a consignment shop or to the Goodwill or to the Salvation army. There is someone out there who could really use those items and if they are just sitting in your closet, they are going to waste.

4. Battered and worn out shoes need to go to the nearest garbage can. Why allow old shoes that you will never wear again to sit in your closet taking up space? Just toss it.

5. Sentimental items such as old holiday and birthday cards. I won’t ask you to throw those away. I will, however, ask you to invest in a file cabinet and some manilla folders. File away the cards or put them in a box and store them in the attic.

6. Spare boxes – Yes, I know that you believe that someday you’ll need those boxes for something. Problem is, they are taking away from the beauty of your lovely home and they are taking up space. Boxes are easy to come by. Take those boxes out to the recycle and when you actually do need boxes, just stop by your local UPS store and purchase some. They are inexpensive!

7. Books – This is a tough one. I love to read also. Keep the classics. Keep the ones that really touched your heart (who could ever get rid of “To Kill a Mockingbird” for example?) But those fluff books and the books you know you will never read need to be either given away or put in recycle.

8. Old electronic equipment and wires – Let’s face it. You will never need that worn out, expired equipment and you will never find use for those cords and wires. It is just in your home adding to the clutter. Toss it!

9. Pictures and other wall hangings – Do you have old pictures and wall hangings that don’t go with your present design scheme for your home? Take that stuff to the Salvation Army. Someone can use it!

10. Furniture – Do you have old tables and chairs out in your garage or in your basement or attic? Take it to the Salvation army or throw it out. Chances are, you will never have it repaired and it will continue to act as clutter around your home.

For a list of places to take your excess “stuff”, GO HERE

I love gift certificates. I often receive gift certificates to Starbucks, which I love.  When I got married a few years ago, I received several gift certificates to various department stores which was great because I was able to choose what I really needed.

Recently a new client of UpperCrust Maids purchased a gift certificate that I offer right here on this website. She bought a year’s worth of cleaning for her husband-to-be.  Can you imagine your loved one buying you a year’s worth of house cleaning?

Not only do we offer the spouse package, but we have gift certificates for bridal and baby showers, for sweethearts, for parents.  I just cannot imagine a more useful gift than the gift of a clean home.

When I think about home, it’s a place of comfort and rest and beauty. It’s where we spend most of our time (usually).  Home to me is solace and peace.  And the condition of the home affects the mind.  It really does.  It also reflects the mindset of the person in the home.

Some people desire a clean home, but they simply cannot find the time or energy to clean.  So the next time you are thinking of that perfect gift to give a friend or loved one, stop by our Boutique and purchase a gift certificate. Trust me, your loved one will be soooooo appreciative!

By the way, you may purchase any of the gift certificates for yourself too!

Photo credit HERE

I do acknowledge Valentines Day (I have no choice since my husband does). But beyond Valentines, I believe that people should show that they care for one another regularly, not specifically on a certain day. That’s one of the reasons that I have a “Forever Valentine” gift certificate  available in the boutique. It’s nice to sometimes be shown appreciation “just because” and not because of a specific day.

If you live here in the Maryland/DC area and are interested in going to a classy restaurant with your special one, one of my favorites is B-Smiths, located in Union Station. They will treat you and your loved one like royalty—regardless of  the day of the year!

Today is Saturday, February 13th. Tomorrow is Valentines Day. The staff at UpperCrust Maids, LLC would like to wish you and yours much love and happiness every day of the year!

Photo Credit: Glorioustreats