Give the Gift of Time this Valentine’s Day!

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We all know that time is precious, and perhaps even more importantly, that time is available in very limited quantities.  Today, busy families have countless things competing for our valuable time every week.  Jobs, grocery shopping, homework, kids’ activities, family events, lawn work, meals, and laundry—these are a few major tasks that come to mind.  Every one of them fills our time, for better or worse.   But thankfully, house cleaning doesn’t have to be one of those time-filling tasks—because you have Lilly’s Cleaning Service, and you have the ability to give the gift of time.

Lilly’s Cleaning Service brings professional cleaning expertise right to your home or office, delivering quality results from top to bottom.   With a 100% satisfaction guarantee and consistent, thorough cleans, you can count on Lilly’s. Working around your schedule, Lilly’s team takes house cleaning off your to-do list, freeing up time that can be better spent doing what YOU want!  Even if that’s just sitting in a cozy chair with a cup of tea and that book you’ve been meaning to read!    

This year, as Valentine’s Day rolls around, think out of the box for your sweetheart.  Lilly’s gift cards make a perfect and practical Valentine’s Day gift, and you can even give an entire year of cleaning!  A clean home is something she’ll remember (and thank you for) at every cleaning.  In contrast, you know that cliché grocery store box of candy or tired bouquet of flowers will be forgotten before February 15.

Lilly’s Cleaning Service gift certificate comes in a golden square box that has a red rose on the top.

Hello 2019!

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The house has been cleaned and smiling parents with two kids are still in bed using their free time to read a book.

 

If you’re like most, you welcome each brand New Year with at least a few resolutions: This is the year you’re going to be more organized, have better work/life balance, eat better, save money, or quit your favorite vice.
 
While New Year’s resolutions are always well-intended, they can often be overly ambitious — which is why the studies have shown that more than half of them are doomed to fail from the beginning.
 
Instead of offering ideas for life-altering resolutions that have a better chance of overwhelming you than improving you, here are ten smaller and more simple things that you can do in the first month of 2018 to start the year off right!
 
1. Read a book – 
 
Any book. Choose something that you’ll enjoy — whether it’s a romance novel or your favorite textbook, take some time to snuggle up and give your imagination some nourishment.
 
2. Reconnect – 
 
Call one person you’d like to catch up with to let them know you’re thinking of them. Don’t think that seeing them on social media is enough. Get caught up in their day-to-day happenings. You’ll be surprised at how positive it makes you feel to call someone to say “hello.”
 
3. Plan your life, don’t let it plan you – 
 
Invest in a physical planner for 2018 or utilize a new electronic one if that suits your lifestyle better. Don’t let your schedule run your life, let your life run your schedule.
 
4. Clean out your vehicle – 
 
You might be surprised how much more enjoyable your daily errands can be when you clear out the food wrappers, old coffee cups and all the post in notes.
 
5. Go somewhere with your favorite person – YOURSELF!
 
seeing a movie, having a meal at a restaurant, visiting a museum are all great ways to relax and refuel. Plan them regularly so you stay recharged and stay focused.
 
6. Free up your digital world – 
 
This is a great time to go through your computer, email, and phone. You can delete everything that no longer serves a purpose and is taking up valuable space! It will make you feel free and more organized. Bonus – your devices will like it and probably work better. 
 
7. Check in on your budgets –
 
Take the stress out of the new year by knowing where you stand going into 2018. Could you save a little more money monthly? Could you put more into your retirement plan? Is there a big trip or a family purchase you are thinking about in 2018? What is the plan to pay for it?
 
8. Get moving – walk!
 
Load up your favorite playlist, podcast or audiobook, lace up those shoes, and enjoy the beautiful wintery weather that most people try to avoid.
 
9. Focus and reflect – 
 
Take a little time to look through some of the work you’ve done in the previous 12 months, and focus on how you might do things differently moving forward. Chances are, you’ve learned a lot on this recent trip around the sun.
 
10. Set 6 mains goals (3 personal and 3 professional)
 
Your business life and personal life are more intertwined than you think. Think about what you want your personal and professional life to look like 12 months from now. These aren’t resolutions – they are lifestyle goals. They’re things to strive for! Break down bigger goals into smaller ones. Lilly’s Cleaning Service would be a great addition to your life in 2019. We can clean and that would give you less cleaning and more time to do the things you want to do! Call Lilly’s Cleaning Service today at 301.990.4179! 

Happy New Year 2019!

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As we begin 2019, some of us will make resolutions, goals, and plans for the year ahead. As we reflect over the last 365 days, we think about goals that we met, the goals we missed, and the habits that we’ve adopted.

There are ways that you can make your new year better. Say yes more. You don’t need to say yes to everything—just say it more. We often have opportunities given to us that we say no to because we are hesitant about the unknown.
We often take too much time to make decisions. Again, we are not saying that you should make all your decisions in a split second. Sometimes we wait so long to decide, the decision is made for us. Even if you make the “wrong” decision often, it can be reversed, and if not, it has taught you a lesson.
Being more focused is at the top of many lists for 2019. The world is filled with “noise,” and we need to start focusing on what is most important to us and the people we love.
Take your 2019 list of goals (resolutions) and circle one. Now, do it! Don’t hesitate, make excuses, or think about it too much. Just do it and then move on to the next one. Don’t take 365 days to complete your list.
Don’t add to your list until you’ve finished everything on it.
This isn’t rocket science. Changing your life isn’t complicated, but it’s not easy, either. If you are going to make this 2019 count, you’re going to need to focus, but you won’t have to drive yourself crazy.
A great place to start is to make more room in your life for new things to happen, become more decisive, and drill down on your to-do list, doing one thing at a time. Looking for more free time in your life? Let Lilly’s clean! Click here to get a quote today!
It’s not a complicated process, but few will have the discipline to do this. People spread themselves too thin, walk away from opportunities due to fear, and suffer from indecision.
And in another 365 days, you’ll be writing down your goals again. Think of all you will have accomplished by then… Happy New Year!

Being Thankful Is Good For You…

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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.

Let’s Get Ready for Fall in Montgomery County!

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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!