Hello 2019!
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just a few days away? We begin to reflect over that past years and make plans for the upcoming holiday season. One thing that we can not change is the past; we can only learn from it. We have the same number of hours in the day and must regularly make decisions how we spend it. There is a great reason to believe that people who cultivate thankfulness tend to be happier and healthier than those who don’t.
Here are a few tips for practicing thankfulness:
1. Take a moment to be thankful for your life. The perfect way to get back on track is to take a break. You’ll need to think about things to be grateful for, and sometimes the break itself is a good reason to be thankful.
2. Talk about gratitude with family on a regular basis. Life gets busy and you fail to tell people how much they mean to you, or that you’ve realized what they do and it means a lot to you.
3. Send thank you notes. It is amazing what sending a small thank you note can do. Thank you texts, voicemails, emails etc. are great to send, however, there still seems to be something really special about a thank you note written in ink. It doesn’t have to be fancy – your notes can be as simple as a post-it with a couple of heartfelt words, or it can be a written on a notepad with a heart doodle.
4. Being thankful is about giving back to your community, family, and friends. If you know someone that needs help, help them directly. You could take your younger sister to an appointment or help your best friend move across town. If you don’t know the person, continue their good work. For example, you could repay your high school teacher by volunteering to tutor others.
5. Take notice of the of the kindness shown to you. When you say thank you to people, look them in the eyes and smile so they can feel the sincerity.
6 Say “thank you” regularly. Say thank you to the gentlemen who held the door for you at the grocery store. Thank the person at the bank who helped you find the missing payment on your car loan.
7. Even when it’s difficult – find reasons to be thankful. Sometimes it can be tough to be grateful in your life.
We are so thankful for our clients that have put their faith and trust in Lilly’s Cleaning Service for over 26 years in Montgomery County.
The best way to get into the fall spirit and to prepare for colder weather and the holiday season is to do a bit of fall maintenance. We often think of this in the spring, however, it is just as important in the fall when the temperatures drop and you begin to spend more time inside. Here follow some ways you can organize and prepare your home.
OUTSIDE:
Clean the Rain Gutters
This might not be your favorite activity but it’s a crucial step in winterizing your home. If you don’t properly clean your gutters, water and snow won’t be able to flow freely from your rooftop. Don’t hesitate to hire someone if you don’t feel confident on a ladder.
Store the Patio Furniture
Put your outdoor furniture in your garage, basement or well-insulated shed to make sure it doesn’t get damaged from unruly weather conditions.
Sweep the Chimney
As the temperature drops, you’ll want to make use of your fireplace. Hire a professional chimney sweep to inspect and clean your chimney of any built-up chemicals or nests that animals may have built inside your chimney. Neglecting these can result in a dangerous house fire.
INSIDE:
Declutter Your Pantry
Organize your spices and dry ingredients like brown sugar and flour, and dispose of any that are out of date. Dry ingredients may show you that they are past their prime through changes in their textures.
Organize Your Closet
Get your fall and winter clothing out of storage and move them to the front of your closet. You can put your summer clothes in storage or simply move them to the back of your closet. If you want to go even further, you might decide to purge some items that don’t fit anymore or that you haven’t worn in a long time.
Wash and Replace Bedding
If you have warmer comforters or throw blankets that you like to take out for the colder months, switch out your summer bedding and put it in storage. Even if you use the same comforters all year round, throw your bedding in the wash. With the rest of your home clean, it will feel great to get into a clean bed at night.
LET LILLY’S HELP:
Clean Out Your Fridge *
Perform a clean sweep of your refrigerator, disposing of foods that are past their prime. Clear out the foods you plan on keeping, then clean your fridge drawers and shelves of any spills.
Clean Your Oven *
Fall is the perfect time for baking pies or scones, or for cooking a roast dinner. You might make regular use of your oven once the temperature drops. First, remove oven racks, hand-washing and hand-drying them before placing them back inside. As for the top, sides, and bottom of your oven, you will need to use an oven-cleaning solution to clean any hardened or burnt food.
Dust Shelves, Surfaces, and Wainscoting *
As you spend more time inside, you risk exposing yourself to more dust particles in an unclean home. Especially if you or the other members of your household have dust allergies, you’ll want to stay vigilant in preventing the accumulation of dust along the surfaces in your home.
* Lilly’s Cleaning Service offers refrigerator and oven cleaning. Also, with Lilly’s ‘detailed cleaning‘ your home will always maintain a superior level of cleanliness.
We at Lilly’s Cleaning Service are here to help busy and overwhelmed families prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Let Lilly’s clean so you can enjoy it!
Fall is just around the corner and Montgomery County is chock-full of activities and events. The people at Visit Montgomery do an amazing job of keeping everyone abreast of them. Have you visited their website?
Honey Harvest Festival: Join Brookside Nature Center and the Maryland State Beekeepers Association to celebrate honeybees and other pollinators. Talk to beekeepers, watch honey being harvested, buy local honey and bee products, and enjoy family-friendly activities and crafts. We’ll be buzzing about pollinators all day long! Sunday, September 23, 2018, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. See more information here: http://bit.ly/2MGHbhv
On the Waterfront Film With Live Orchestra: Led by dynamic Music Director and Conductor Piotr Gajewski, the National Philharmonic is known for performances that are “powerful,” impeccable” and “thrilling” ( The Washington Post). Created in 2003, the National Philharmonic took up residence at the state-of-the-art Music Center at Strathmore upon its opening in February 2005. More than 250 performances later, combined with far-reaching educational programming, the National Philharmonic is the largest and most active locally based professional orchestra based in Montgomery County.
As the Music Center at Strathmore’s orchestra-in-residence, the National Philharmonic showcases world-renowned guest artists in time-honored symphonic masterpieces conducted by Maestro Gajewski and Associate Conductor Victoria Gau and monumental choral masterworks under National Philharmonic Chorale Artistic Director Stan Engebretson. Saturday, September 29, 2018, at 8:00 pm. For more information click here: http://bit.ly/2MEJnX7
Taste in Potomac: Toast in Potomac welcomes the next generations of community partners to enjoy an evening of dancing, mingling and treats from Potomac area restaurants. Top-shelf bourbon tastings, the AList beauty bar, and much more. After party proceeds benefit Adoptions Together & FamilyWorks Together. Limited tickets available. Saturday, October 6, 2018, 10:00 pm to 12:30 am. See all the details here: http://bit.ly/2MGgda6
The Great Pumpkin Race and Fall Festival: October 13th for the Great Pumpkin Race and Fall Festival! Start planning your strategy now to build a race-worthy pumpkin racer and come in costume for bonus points! Its a great day out with the family for music, food, games, and fun! See more: http://bit.ly/2MFfUw1
What are your favorite fall activities in Montgomery County? Lilly’s Cleaning Service would like to help you participate by cleaning for you, so you can spend your time having fun and not stressing over cleaning. To learn more and request a quote, visit our website: lillyscleaningservice.com.
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog.