home cleaning Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Illinois Valley House Cleaning Services

Organizing Your Spare Bedroom

November 16, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

decorating spare bedroom You never know when Uncle Hank and Aunt Eileen might be driving through on their way to Florida…gotta love snow birds…so you better get that spare bedroom in shape just in case. Whether they’re expected or unexpected guests, your spare room is the go to place. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or gaudy, but it does need to be functional and organized.

Bare necessities

Baloo said it best and all you really need are the bare necessities of life when it comes to the spare room. While there can be other embellishments, these are the items that must be available in order to create a comfortable atmosphere. The last thing you want is for Uncle Hank to give you a one star review on Yelp. (He’ll do it too.)

The most obvious is the bed. It should be of a sufficient size to comfortably fit your guests. In our opinion, it should be a minimum of a full size, but preferably a queen. Even if you expect only to have a friend of your child or the occasional party guest who drank a little too much to drive home, you never know when you’ll need a bed big enough for two. There should be a complete bedding set as well as a spare in case Uncle Hank spills on the bed. There also needs to be a closet or dresser, night stand and lamp. If you want to make sure they get up in time for breakfast, then give them an alarm clock too.

Spare bedroom décor

The décor of the spare bedroom should mesh with the rest of the house. The bedroom is your sanctum and if you want to have a different décor for it then no problem, but the spare room is close to being a public area. It should match the rest of the house as much as possible. There are many people who turn the spare room into their fun room for décor. Maybe hubby has a huge Battlestar Galactica toy…excuse me…memorabilia collection and decked out the room as his version of a man cave. That’s great until the in-laws sleep over and they live in constant fear of a Cylon attack.

If you need to get your spare room ready for the holidays, then contact IV Clean Team and schedule an appointment.

Easy Ways to Declutter a Home Office

September 23, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

home office cleaning The home office is your space. It’s not family space, significant other space, “our” space, etc. It’s one place that is completely yours…and it’s usually a mess. Home offices are supposed to be a place of creativity and management, but instead they become magnets for trash, papers and everything else.

It doesn’t matter if your home office is its own room or a desk cordoned off to the corner of the bedroom. You can take care of your space.

File Away School Papers

I’m pretty sure schools could end deforestation by going paperless. Children bring home tons of papers each and every day that parents have to go through and where do they usually end up? They’re stacked up on top of your home office like kindling until the mound gets so high it falls. Instead of just putting them on your desk, file them into a filing cabinet or even throw some away. We all love that little Jimmy got a B+ on his math homework, but they’ll be plenty more assignments in 12 years of schooling.

Keep Up With The Trash

When you sit down to pay the bills or write the next great American story, you might take a drink with you. You know, the 64-ounce Big Gulp and maybe some chips too…you have to eat. A week goes by and there are three Big Gulp glasses and a Power Ranger’s Morpher, darn kids, on top of a pile of potato chip crumbs. Try to make it a point to clean your office at least once a week if not every day or two. This is especially true for offices that are an entire room.

Shelves Are Your Friends

Home offices have a lot of stuff. You have books, office supplies and everything else from porcelain unicorns to aromatherapy oils. You can’t keep everything on your desk. Actually, your desk should be mostly clear, so you can use the computer, write down ideas, etc. It’s not very productive if you’re constantly rearranging your Funko Pop collection so you have room for your laptop. Shelves are the perfect way to display your collections. You can look around admiring them and gaining inspiration. Cubbies are also a perfect way to keep office supplies out of eyeshot.

If you’re looking to declutter you home, then start with a home cleaning. Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. can make your house sparkle. Visit here for a free quote.

Don’t Want To Get Overwhelmed Then Create A Cleaning Schedule

July 11, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

How many times have you wanted to get that garage cleaned out or dust your overhead fan, but never got around to it. You know there are things you need to do throughout the year, but it’s hard to fine time. What you need to do is create a cleaning schedule that last the entire year or at least month to month.

Why do I need a cleaning schedule?

You probably have no problem doing the day-to-day or weekly cleaning that has become routine. You vacuum, sweep, etc., but when it comes to the things that don’t happen regularly, they often fall to the wayside. Cobwebs may start to gather in corners and the carpet hasn’t been cleaned in two years. You don’t need a schedule for everyday cleaning, but for the cleaning you tend to put off.

Sit down and make a plan

The first step is to sit down with a planner and make a plan for the year. Write down what you do on the weekends and choose dates to take are of those pesky tasks that are so easily forgettable. Make sure to include all the tasks for the year no matter how big or how small. Give yourself multiple days if the task is large and needs extra time.

Use it as a guideline

The plan for the year should be adhered to as best as possible, but don’t get discouraged if life gets in the way. If you’re scheduled to clean the bathroom on Saturday, then grandma calls and says she’s got tickets to Disney on Ice, don’t blow off grandma. Instead, enjoy the activity, but make sure to reschedule the cleaning.

Call in the professionals if needed

When the going gets tough, the tough call a professional. If nothing is getting done or you’re feeling overwhelmed, then feel free to contact us. We’ll swoop in and take care of the cleaning, so you can focus on some of those other projects.

Choosing the Right Cleaning Company

May 23, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

You look around your house and it’s just not as clean as you want it. You’re overworked, stressed out and there isn’t enough time to do everything you need. It’s time to get a little help by using a cleaning company, but you don’t know how to go about choosing one. It’s important to not choose a house cleaning company willy nilly. You’re letting them into your home, so make sure the one you choose is reputable.

Shop around

Open up the Yellow Pages…ok, we’re joking who actually has the Yellow Pages anymore. Do a Google search and see what cleaning agencies are in your area. Pick several and start looking at their websites. Find out what they do, how long they’ve been around, any certifications and licensing that they have, etc. You should be able to whittle down your list to a few prospects after this.

Give them a call

Many services allow you to set up appointments or get quotes online, but if this is your first time, it’s a good idea to contact them directly and talk to a real person. You can find out exactly what they do in a cleaning, what they don’t and if what you need requires an extra added service. While general cleaning is understood, cleaning services often differ on what exactly does into a home cleaning. The last thing you want is to have a cleaning that doesn’t accomplish what you want.

Ask for references

By now you probably have it narrowed down to very few companies and are ready to make your decision. The best gauge of the quality of a company comes from previous customers. If the company has a testimonial section, then take a look. You can also check out online reviews and ask for references. The reputation of the company is very important and should not be overlooked.

Book the cleaning

Once you have made the choice, book the cleaning and ask if there is anything else the company needs from you or if anything should be done prior to the cleaner’s arrival. Once the job is completed, fill out any customer review sheets and give your honest opinion of them. A good company is constantly improving and your analysis helps them make important changes.

Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. is positive that following these steps will lead to an excellent experience. We are happy to provide you with any information you need, so feel free to contact us.

Getting Children Involved With Home Cleaning

April 29, 2016 by Illinois Valley Clean Team

It’s hard to get children to lift their head up from tablets, smartphones and videogames, but if you want them to become more responsible adults, then it’s a necessity. We love coming to clean your homes, but one of the biggest questions we get is how can I get my children to help out.

Giving kids responsibilities and making them help out around the home not only helps reinforce the bond between parent and child, but also prepares them for adult life. It’s up to you when you believe a child is ready for this and what they will do.

The Right Time

The right time for a child to begin doing chores and cleaning depends on their maturity level. One person’s 3-year-old can be more mature than another’s 6-year-old. When you believe your child is ready, start small. Have them clean up their room. You can be with there with them at first, but after a few times let them do it on their own. Don’t be afraid to get them involved in other chores in the house such as vacuuming and doing dishes. Don’t get frustrated if the children have a hard time concentrating or doing the job properly and steer them in the right direction.

Make it Fun

The key to keeping children involved with cleaning is to make it as fun as possible. You might ask yourself, “How do I make cleaning fun?” First of all, don’t call it a chore. A chore makes it sound like something difficult and burdensome. Instead, tell them they are getting more responsibility. Children want to impress they’re parents and adding responsibility is one way to do that. You can make it into a game by seeing how fast they can get it done. If they’re cleaning their room, then time them on how fast they can put away toys, put clothes in the hamper, etc. If you find way to make the cleaning fun, then they’ll be less likely to rebel against it or complain.

What it does

Sometimes it can seem so much easier to just do it yourself. You have a certain way of doing things and a level of expectation. Kids take forever. Kids mess up. Kids fight and complain. As much as you want to take over, let them do it themselves. They will get better and learn so much from the experience. You’re preparing them for adulthood when mom and dad won’t be around to help. Skills such as washing dishes, cleaning the house and doing laundry are important. You’re also teaching them independence and self-reliance.

If you need some help with cleaning, visit our quote page and let us take care of your home cleaning needs.

Organizing Your Spare Bedroom

Bare necessities

Spare bedroom décor

Easy Ways to Declutter a Home Office

Don’t Want To Get Overwhelmed Then Create A Cleaning Schedule

Choosing the Right Cleaning Company

Getting Children Involved With Home Cleaning

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