Jen's Housekeeping Service

thoughts on nature and global warming and keeping the "space you live in" . . .

2010-07-12T09:56:00.001-07:00

I (Jen) just came home from a camping trip and so my thoughts are still on the things of nature . . . I love the things of nature . . .

Our camping trip was sort of a fail though, being that the beauty of nature was infringed upon by the degradation of construction and a highway that somebody built too close to the camp ground! Who would do that? I don't understand . . .

I don't understand why we build stuff without considering the ecological effects it will have on our planet, or how it will ruin our recreational activities! Ha Ha . . .

At the same time . . .

I came home to find that the weeds and grass were overwhelming my gardens more than ever, and I couldn't be too sad about it, because I think it's beautiful that no matter what man does to try and control nature - it often finds a way to fight back! Most people have contemplated this upon encountering a blade of grass or a wild flower growing in the crack of a cemented area. While some may consider such a sight a failure of human technology - I see it as a triumphant sign that nature is resilient no matter how much damage is inflicted on it!

Soooooo - global warming? Fact or Fiction? Could mere humans really alter the course of nature? The world heats up and cools down - that's just what it does, , , and right now, it's heating up - no big deal.

Well - if you want to know how the gals over at Jen's Housekeeping feel about Global Warming - I will tell you! We think there is a whole lot of truth to the scientific claim that humans are causing the earth to heat up far more than is natural according to the warming and cooling cycles recorded in the history of our existence.

At the same time . . . when it comes to how we treat our earth - does it really matter if global warming is fact or fiction? I am thinking of the many tips that come from environmentalist on how to reverse the warming trend and they all make sense regardless of whether or not our planet is suffocating in greenhouse gasses! Every tip I have heard and can think of at the moment (using less non-renewable energy, buying local, disposing of paint and batteries appropriately, and so on) have benefits that can and will improve our lives in so many more ways than one! These actions will improve our economic situation, our physical health as individuals and communities, and will simply make for a more pleasant environment to live, regardless of whether or not you believe they are helping to reverse global warming!

In my opinion - debating the issue is ridiculous, because these actions to change our habits as a people, a community, a nation, are all things we should do anyway! Imagine that you buy a house, and then decide that you don't want to put your trash in a specific receptacle, or wash your dishes, or vacuum, , , you got the picture, right? Those things may not destroy the house, but you will end up living in filth and squalor and ultimately your health and your environment will be compromised of vitality and beauty and and and . . . .

Of course - one could argue that over time - failing to accomplish such menial chores could eventually and inadvertently? lead to the degradation of the structure of the house . . . but would it take proving that to make you want to wash your dishes? Do you see where I am going with this? ? ?

From the stand point of simple and good stewardship - we should all be making decisions that improve our over all standard of living - but at the same time, I imagine that more would be inspired to change their every day habits if they felt that it was matter of life or death. So while I don't think it should take proving whether or not Global Warming is real to convince one to make changes in how they live their lives, maybe on some level it is still necessary? Sad, so sad, but probably true? What are your thoughts?

Jen's Housekeeping Service believes that Global Warming is a reality - and so strives to make choices that will contribute to the reversal of such possible negative impacts. BUT - if we are wrong, and Global Warming is not fact - then at least we are washing our dirty dishes and sweeping the floor so that filth and squalor do not take over! We want to help you "love the space you live in" . . . . not just by sweeping your floors and dusting your mantles, but by encouraging you to consider your daily habits and whether or not they contribute to the beauty of our world, or the degrading of it . . . the choice is all of ours for the taking!

A whole other kind of tie dye...

2010-03-31T21:28:00.000-07:00

One of the favorite Easter traditions in my house is dying eggs. Some of my earliest memories are sitting with my mom at the snazzy yellow kitchen table (weren't the 70s great?) with the "stinky water" dying eggs just before Easter. Evidence on my favorite color choices would be carried with me for days as the dyes wore off my skin.

Skip forward a few decades, I carried forth this tradition of putting dyes in little cups of vinegar water with my nieces, nephews, and my eldest daughter. It wasn't until I was faced with the potential mess that placing open cups filled with liquid designed to stain in front of my three 18-month-olds that I decided that *maybe* there was a method that would not give me anxiety just thinking about the potential damage. Let's just say the first year, we only had about 8 eggs that were completed with the traditional method before calling it quits.

Last year, I finally decided to give silk dying a try. Winner! The kids had fun, nothing was destroyed, AND I got to re-purpose some old silk ties and an old sheet! (If you don't have any old silk, you can find ties at goodwill for under $2 or so)

First, find some old 100% silk fabric.

Cut the silk into squares large enough to cover your egg -- 6" x 6" - 8" x 8" or so depending on the size of your egg. Tightly wrap the fabric around an uncooked egg or blown-out eggshell (printed side touching the shell) Secure it using a yarn, string, wire, twist ties -- whatever you have on hand (kick up a Green notch by using ones you've saved from your loaves of bread).

After your eggs are wrapped, you will need to wrap a second layer of white or light-colored fabric around the tie-wrapped egg and secure closed. An old sheet or pillow case works great.

(This is before they were wrapped in the white fabric)

Once covered, place them in a nonreactive pot, cover with cold water and 1/4 C of white vinegar*, and bring to a boil. After boiling for 20 minutes, place in a colander to cool. Once cooled, remove the fabric and see the magic inside!

*If you are using blown eggs, put a steamer basket or metal colander on top of the eggs so that they stay submersed without floating to the top.

If you want them to have a hint of shine, you can rub them lightly with vegetable oil. The above shot is fresh out of the wrapping without oil, but they still look cool. Click the photo to view larger, however, remember they were wrapped by three 3-year-olds and a 7-year-old. Tighter wrapping would have made for better coverage on a couple.

You can reuse the silk and white squares to dye your next batch, 3 or 4 times over!

The girls loved this so much -- and I did too when there wasn't a stain in the place!

I'm thinking of adding Fresh Cut Flower eggs or Earthy Marble Onion Peel Eggs (http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/03/31/green-egg-dying-eco-friendly-ways-to-dye-your-eggs/) to this year's adventure on Saturday. I just need to raid Jen's flower garden!

NOTE: Fabric dyes are not food-safe, eat the silk-dyed eggs at your own risk (Some of ours were eaten, and I know others have eaten them as well, but we do not advise this.)

Kitchen Energy Savers

2009-11-24T21:08:00.000-08:00

The holidays are upon us! Since many of us will be spending extra time in the kitchen, we thought we'd share a few energy saving tips that are just as good for your pocket as the planet.

1) Put a lid on it! Covering pots when warming food or boiling water speeds up the heating process, saves energy and keeps your kitchen cooler. Use properly fitting lids--not only will it heat your food faster, but we have a funny family story about a large skillet, a small lid and chicken pockets that ended up being veggie pockets after the lid sealed to the pan and the chicken couldn't be removed!
2) Use your oven light. Opening the oven to peek in on your goods reduces the oven temperature by 25% and increases your cooking time.
3) To preheat or not to preheat . Contrary to most cooking instructions, preheating isn't usually necessary. For foods that require immediate heat (some cakes, pies and soufflés), preheat for 10 minutes or less.
4) Toaster ovens do more than make toast! If you have one, consider using it for small jobs. It requires less time to heat up and less energy to stay hot.
5) Glass is the way to go! Glass and ceramic cookware conducts and retains heat better than metal. Using oven-safe glass or ceramic pans allows you to reduce the cooking temperature by 25 degrees.

6) Turn the oven off several minutes before the recipes recommends (some sources say even up to 20 minutes). The residual heat from the oven will finish up the job, assuming you aren't opening it to peek.
7) If you have and use the self-cleaning feature on your oven, begin it while your oven is still hot from cooking.

Fright On Franklin Drawing Winner

2009-11-01T21:02:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to

Judi Thompson

Winner of our drawing for a
$100 Jen's Housekeeping Gift Certificate
from Fright on Franklin 2009

Thanks to all those that participated. It was a great event!

Hip, Happenin' Housekeeping...

2009-09-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

That's right! Jen's Housekeeping Service has now jumped on the social networking bandwagon. See our "Fan Page" link on the left to check out new things we find of interest. Bear in mind it is a fairly new fan page so there isn't much to it yet.

We will still keep the blog alive, and hopefully will be posting some of our many thoughts soon (I suppose being too busy to turn our ideas into blog entries is a good thing though, right??)

There may be articles that we find of interest, helpful hints we have come across, local events/information we'd like to share, maybe even some discussions or reviews ... who knows what could pop up on our fan page. Feel free to head over and check it out!

Mark your Calendars for Green Day!

2009-02-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

Together Everyone Can Make a Difference!

GREEN DAY!

SATURDAY APRIL 18th
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location:
C&L Recycling
1515 C Vista Lane (click for map)
931-542-6168

Free Paper Shredding
Meet Local Green Businesses
Free Recyclables Collection
Recycling Information/Questions Answered
Refreshments

Visit http://greendayclarksville.com/ for more information!

Housecleaning tips to make your life easier! (and mine!)

2009-02-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

There was a time when I used to clean the shower curtain with a bottle of bleach and a sponge while it was hanging on the shower rod! Blasted be those days!!! Some blessed soul, I don't remember who, mentioned one day that they just throw theirs in the washing machine with some towels and it comes out like new again! Brilliant be that day! The towels do the scrubbing for you, and if you must throw some bleach in the water, then so be it. If you wash your shower curtain this way often enough you should not ever need bleach!!!

I am surprised at how many people are still cleaning their shower curtains the same way I did years ago, and I am surprised at the many simple ideas I am still learning everyday, that are so simple I can't believe I did not think of them on my own! Hence, the reason and inspiration for this post, to share random housecleaning ideas that will hopefully lighten your load, and if you have any ideas to share, please post them as a comment!

The very first and foremost rule of housecleaning, or for that matter, of cleaning anything, is to clean top to bottom! Have you ever spent ample time cleaning your bathroom only to look up at your light fixture to realize that dust and cob webs have settled there? Unless you are very careful at removing them, you will have to clean your sink and vanity, and maybe the floor, all over again! Ahhhhhhhhhh! Don't let this happen to you! Always look up first, and work your way down. If you forget, I recommend skipping the light fixture, and dealing with the dust and cob webs later!

When cleaning top to bottom, the nifty hand sweeper is your friend! Use it to sweep the tops of window casings, and then the blinds, and then the top of the bottom window, and then the window seal! If you have panes on the outsides of your windows then the hand sweeper works great to loosen the dust in those tiny little corners! If you need to follow up with a towel and some cleaner, then at least the job will have been simplified for you. The hand sweeper is also handy when cleaning out kitchen cabinets. If you do a spring cleaning, or if you are moving out/into a house, use the hand sweeper first to get rid of the loose stuff, then go back with a towel and some cleaner.

For dirty baseboards, the same method makes for a more efficient clean, but you may want to use a full size broom, so you don't have to get down on all fours, I mean threes, since one hand would be holding the sweeper! Sweep away the loose stuff, (or use the bristle attachment of your vacuum) and you may be surprised that you suddenly have white baseboards again! Or, you may discover the few areas that need a damp cleaning towel, but at least you won't have spent hours on the floor hand scrubbing what was only some loose dust! If your baseboards are bad, and do require ample time on the floor, your job will still be easier if you remove the loose stuff first with a broom.

Vacuum those air vents with the bristle attachment! Don't spend hours scrubbing them! You probably don't need to! Again, if you do, get the loose stuff first with the vacuum, or a broom, but a vacuum is preferred. If some scrubbing is required, take the whole vent off and place it in your bath tub or shower, or outside on the drive way if it's a nice day, and douse it with vinegar or any all purpose cleaner, or both! Let it sit for a few minutes, and then rinse. Only spend time scrubbing what may still be left!

I learned this one just a couple of weeks ago: Microfiber is the key to a streak free wood floor! I didn't want to use microfiber; it's a synthetic material and it feels yucky on my dry hands! But it is great for wood or laminate flooring. I learned this from one of my wonderful clients, thank you:)

About once a week, fill up the kitchen sink with soapy water and throw your stove and oven knobs in to soak. While they soak, you can clean the panel really well and easily without them in the way. Dry the knobs with a towel and pop them back on. This will keep your neato stove looking new!

For those of you who have yet to obtain a self cleaning oven - vinegar, baking soda, a scrubby, and a plastic spatula will do the job! Douse the oven with vinegar, turn it on to 350 for ten minutes, then douse with vinegar and baking soda while it is still warm and scrape the gunk away! You may need to apply some elbow grease with your scrubby, but with this method, hopefully not much! I recently learned from another great client, that the microwave oven can be cleaned in the same way. If you forget to clean it right after the spillage of chili beans, and the glop of mess has a chance to harden, then cover it with a wet towel, and turn the microwave on for a few minutes. Hopefully you will then be able to wipe away the mess with relative ease!

If you are so lucky to own a jacuzzi tub, and if you are luckier yet to ever use it, here is how to clean out the jets: fill up the tub with water and add a couple cups of vinegar while the jets are running. If they have become moldy at all, you may have to get a toothbrush out to clean around the outsides of them, but the vinegar will keep them clear and functioning well. Some of my clients use dish washing machine soap or tablets. This method will also help clean the whole tub at the same time!

Gosh, I know there are many more! I will leave room for some of you to add to my list, I'm excited to possibly come across some new ones! But before I go, just a few more tips to maintain cleanliness in the first place!

- Spend some money on the paint you use on the inside of your house if you at all can! the nice the paint, the easier to wipe off dirt and smudges! The finish also has something to do with it. I know matte is prettier, but glossy is easier! Decide which of the two you can live with - dirt or gloss?

- If you have a tiled shower, you will either have to use a lot of bleach (gaspppp!!!!) or you will have to dry it completely after almost every shower! I do not prefer either of these ideas, so I will never have a tile shower, but if you do, you must come to terms with one of these two choices! Unfortunately, if you resolve to using bleach on a regular basis, you may still end up with mold. My beloved vinegar is a mold deterrent, but I am not sure how good it is at preventing it. Maybe one of you could experiment for me by spraying your shower down ever couple days? Hmmmmmm. I'm afraid that drying the shower every time you use it is the only guaranteed way to keep mold at bay. If you buy a squeegee the job won't be quite so difficult. There is a third aspect to this issue that I must mention. Re-sealing your grout every six months or so would do a lot to keep the mold and dirt from settling into the porous crevices of grout. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzz! I'll never have a tile shower!

- Speaking of squeegees . . . if your shower has a door, then you need one! I used to be so annoyed when I visited my mum's house, because she was always on every ones case about drying the shower door with the squeegee she had hanging inside of it to keep it nice, but she was right to do so! Keeping the water off it keeps it from getting hard water spots, which are not easy to remove. It also removes soapy substances which would later turn to soap scum, aaannnnnddd - DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN - it keeps mold away! Leaving your shower door open for a while after you shower will help the track and the hinges dry out without molding as well.

A special, oh so special note from me as a housekeeper, and on behalf of all housekeepers everywhere!

Tile showers and shower doors are my own personal cryptonite! The shower squeegee is the only real anecdote! When you utilize the potential of the shower squeegee, you make the world of the housekeeper that much brighter and bearable!!!

- Have your air ducts cleaned regularly to keep the dust at a minimum. (and don't forget to replace your air filters every few months!)

- Remember to check the filters on your vacuum cleaner to maintain it's efficiency.

Thanks for reading - now it's your turn to add some ideas!

Vinegar Does the Job!

2009-01-28T07:31:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who told me that she would love to have me clean her house, but that she wants the "toxic" stuff, to make sure the germs are kept to a minimum. I understand. Bleach kills germs. It also kills color, if you accidentally get it somewhere it's not supposed to be, and it will burn your skin if you get it on you without washing it off immediately. If you have a big job to conquer, the fumes from breathing it are quite irritating. The worst thing about bleach is that it's not so good as a cleaner! Basically, all it does is kill germs.

On the other hand - Vinegar kills germs and cleans wonderfully! I came across a nifty science project that set out to prove the germ killing power of vinegar. In other research, I discovered that if you use hydrogen peroxide hand in hand with vinegar, that the results are almost as good as using bleach, and some claim, maybe better! Apparently, it is not a good idea to mix and store the two elements together. If you want to clean green, but are really concerned with germs, use two spray bottles, one for each ingredient. Spray one right after the other to get optimal germ killing results! This method is a little more work, but really - there are only a few instances most would want to use this kind of disinfectant anyway: toilets, cutting boards, and maybe on door knobs and telephones when someone in the house is sick.

I must share some personal opinion on this matter, after all, I successfully completed a very difficult college microbiology class a few years ago . . . consequently, I have pondered the effects of germs on our lives a little more than I would have liked to! I spent months surrounded by very dangerous bacteria and viruses, even spilling a vile on my desk and lab coat at one time, (what was it, uhh, e. coli, maybe staph ~ hee hee). I have learned first hand that human beings are very resistant to "germs"! Unless one's immune system is compromised by a disease or some sort of very extreme stress, toilet goobers and eggs over-easy (yum!) aren't going to hurt anybody! Before I became a *professional* housekeeper, I rarely even used cleaners to clean my house! I used water and sometimes plain ole' soap. About once ever four to six months or so, I would buy some comet to clean the toilet really good, and maybe the shower, but I have since seen the light!

Vinegar, by itself, is plenty efficient at zapping germs and cleaning your house. It can be used for almost everything too! Here's a list:

GLASS!!! It is the best to clean glass and get a streak free shine!

Chrome and brass fixtures - gets 'em shiny!

Hard water build up - if your faucets are yuck and/or the water tray in your fridge has become grimy, soak in vinegar for a few minutes to an hour, depending on how bad the case is! For faucets, soak a towel in straight or diluted vinegar and wrap them for a few minutes to an hour.

Floors - any floors. Vinyl, Tile, Wood, spot cleaning for carpets

Showers and shower doors - gets the water spots off, use a straight solution for tough jobs! Use baking soda with it for a mild abrasive and boosting power!

Toilets

Greasy stoves!!! - and stinky microwaves become SHINY again!

Grimy Ovens!!! - use with baking soda. Turn the oven on for a few minutes at 350 or so after you have doused it with vinegar, then wipe, scour, plastic spatula it clean!!! (commercial oven cleaners are horrible!!!)

Dusting - I even use vinegar to dust by spraying just a small bit on my towel, it doesn't have the junk in it that makes a foggy build up on your furniture, and I don't have to switch cleaners when I get to the glass furniture, or the combination glass/wood furniture.

When diluting vinegar with water, I say, use what works! For the toughest jobs you may want to use it straight, but be warned, it is strong and will burn your eyes if you get too close to the mist. It won't damage your eyes, again, I figured this out for myself. (someday I will tell you the story of when I thought I grabbed my water bottle but actually grabbed the vinegar!) A quarter of vinegar to water is a pretty good solution.

I just realized that earlier in this blog I used the words: - toilet goobers & yum - in the same sentence! I can't help but wonder what that says about me . . .

Ditch The Guilt and Hire A Housekeeper Already!

2009-01-10T14:42:00.001-08:00

Ahhhhh - The Holidays are finally behind us and we can all go on with our regular lives again! If you're like me, then you love the merriment and celebration of the season, but also appreciate the end of it! I can get back into some sort of a routine again - Get the kids off to school -- Do some work around the house -- Go to work -- Come home and make dinner and get the kids ready for bed -- And what? More work around the house? Nooooooooooooooo!!! I had a long day already! I am tired! I've put in enough time today! The kids are in bed and I want to relax!!!

This is my story, but I know that it is shared by many in our world, especially parents. (Not just parents of humans, but parents of "creatures" as well!) Honestly - what most of us need in this day and age is a little extra help with the drudgery of those most undesirable tasks that must be tended to in order to maintain peace and harmony within the home! Yes! What most of us need is the help of a housekeeper!

I cannot tell you how many times I have been reluctantly called to possibly clean a house by someone who cannot believe they have resorted to calling me in the first place! The guilt of not being able to keep up is unbearable, and worsened by the fact that they are going to spend money to hire me to help them! What kind of people are they to take money from the monthly budget to hire me to help with chores that they should be able to do on their own! And then the *time management* guilt sets in. If only they could manage their time better they wouldn't have to hire me, thereby admitting failure as a decent steward of the home in which they live. And if you are really bad the list could go on: If only you ate healthier food, then you would have the energy to carry on with your life, household chores and all! Golly! The list could go on and on depending on your own state of mental health and your inclination for psychological sadomasochism. (Read that sentence again five times really fast! Hee hee)

OK. Let's try and see through the fog of guilt and talk reality here. In reality, most of us have far more important and interesting things to do rather than housework. I really believe this, I am not just trying to get another job out of you! We are now in the depths of the 21st Century and the fact that TIME is ever increasing in value becomes more of a reality every day. If you at all have the means to hire me or someone else to do those most undesirable chores, then that is money well spent because it frees you up to spend more time on those things that are important to you. Or maybe it will just clear your mind enough so that you can actually unwind when you endeavor to relax! No more dark cloud hanging over your head that you should be cleaning the top of the refrigerator instead of watching a movie on a Sunday afternoon! (I know, I know, most of you hadn't thought of that until I brought it up! I guess I am trying to get another job out of you!)

One of the things I love about my job is that I get to meet all sorts of wonderful and interesting people. I meet people on a regular basis who are talented, creative, innovative, and just plain important because of what they do and contribute to society. I am happy to serve people that fit this description; and I hope that what I do allows them to be even better at what they do!

Let's talk about value, you know, the price tag of hiring a housekeeper. Even if I can get you to agree that you have better things to do other than clean, you may still feel guilty about spending the money. When you pay someone to clean - you don't just get a clean house! You get a stronger immune system because your stress level is down a couple notches. A stronger immune system can save you money because you will not have to spend as much on cold medication or doctor visits! Do you see where I'm going with this? Yes, it's just my own theory, but I think it is a valid thought to consider! You may even save money on food. You know how it is. If you have to spend the day cleaning, the last thing you want to do is make dinner! So you go out to eat, or you order pizza, which is OK if that's the plan, but in many cases, more money is spent on convenience food than is preferred. When you come home to a nicely cleaned kitchen, it is more likely that you will feel energized to go ahead and cook a meal at home! Speaking of energy - I have read about this time and time again. A clutter free, organized atmosphere is energizing! What price tag would you put on energy? OR - you may have the unexpected realization that you enjoy having me come to your house because you are home all day every day with the kids and I am another adult to talk to for a while! Let me say that in this instance, your company makes my job more enjoyable as well! How about this one, it's a stretch, I know, but again, a valid thought: my services might even save you money in the arena of mental health! I think . . . I can't be positive - but I am pretty sure I have saved a couple marriages (and maybe even taken some work away from a few psychological therapists in town!) just by handling the dreaded chores of life so that they could spend time doing the things they love. I know I am really tooting my own horn now, and it might be a little overboard on my part, but I have seen the resulting happiness time and time again, after all, I am so privileged to be welcomed into these homes on a regular basis.

I hope I have covered the main reasons why a lot of you hesitate to hire help around the house! Yes, I would love to garner more jobs out of this blog, but even more than that, I would be so happy to help you change your mind set when it comes to freeing you to be yourself. If household chores are not the scorn of your life, if it's something else that keeps you from being you, then hire that person or buy that thing that will give you some freedom! Maybe you don't need my services, but maybe you need a gardener or lawn service, or maybe you need a regular babysitter or day care provider, or a financial planner. The possibility exists that you don't hate housework you just need to invest in a nice vacuum cleaner or upgrade your washer and dryer. Or, maybe you just need to "gather your home", make it cozy, decorate! (I know my friend Paige would be happy to help!) We don't always realize the full value that may come from investing in these areas of our lives, but we need to! (just a quick side note: if you hire that financial planner you might also eventually be able to hire me too! *wink wink*)

This is true: Jen's Housekeeping Service cares. We want to pay our bills and have money left over for fun stuff, but we truly care about the people we serve and look forward to the opportunity to prove it by providing personable and thoughtful service, and just by being nice human beings to be around! Hopefully I have made you laugh and think and smile, and hopefully you will be you and our community will be better for it!

From my home to yours . . .

Jen

Cleaning for a Reason

2008-11-26T22:48:00.000-08:00

You do not need to be a researcher, doctor or nurse to have a positive and dramatic impact on the life of a cancer patient. Partner companies of Cleaning For A Reason are proving this every time they clean a home for a woman receiving treatment for cancer.

Cleaning For A Reason is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free cleaning for cancer patients. This nonprofit was formed in 2006 and is the only foundation in America doing this type of philanthropic work. We at Jen's Housekeeping Service are proud to say that we are a partner of this organization.

As a local business we are grateful for the success that we have attained through our many loyal customers. We are proud of the services we provide and proud to be able to help those in need. It is another way that we can reach out to our community. Being a part of the Cleaning For A Reason Foundation is a natural fit for our company.

We are committed to providing the gift of a clean home to women undergoing treatment for cancer through this foundation. When someone knows a woman who is in need of help during this difficult season of her life, please send her to the foundation's website at www.cleaningforareason.org/ or contact us for more information regarding this amazing opportunity for help.

You can help, too. As is true with most nonprofit organizations, we need your support to help as many women in need as time will allow. Whether it be a financial contribution to the foundation, sharing the information with other cleaning services to meet the growing demand, or sharing the information with a woman currently going through treatment for cancer, we truly appreciate your support in what we feel is a very worthy cause.

The contribution is easy and painless. You can get direct donation information from the foundation's website at www.cleaningforareason.org/ or you can include the donation on your check along with the payment of your cleaning. To refer either a business or a cancer patient to the organization, you may give them the foundation information or feel free to just give them our information and we will do our best to answer any questions we can.

The national Cleaning For A Reason Foundation makes it possible for us to do our part in the way we know best--cleaning homes every day, and making a difference. We hope that you will join us in making a difference in the lives of women receiving cancer treatment.

Thank you for your time and support!

"Housekeeping" versus "Housecleaning"

2008-10-28T19:18:00.000-07:00

I learned a lot about keeping a house from my Mema (aka: Grandma). I say "keeping" a house, instead of "cleaning" a house, because she made it a point to differentiate the two. My Mema used to lecture me often that if I would learn to "keep" a house, then I wouldn't have to clean very often. Brilliant she was! I wonder if she could sense that I was becoming a true messy, because I think she targeted me above the other grand kids! Ahhhhhhhh, I can hear the gasps already as I admit such a horrible sin: I - Jen, THE housekeeper of Jen's Housekeeping, am a messy. But don't worry! I am also a mean - green - cleaning - machine! Let me explain:

Even though I may let stacks of papers pile up in various places of my house - I can't stand to let my shower get moldy! Even though I may leave my "stuff" all over the house because I am going to do something with it soon - the kitchen floor must be clean. I think you probably understand. There are a lot of us out there. The problem with messy is that often times it becomes hard to clean unless a ridiculous amount of time is spent putting "stuff" away! Luckily, I can always get to the toilet and the shower - no paper stacks there - without dealing with the stuff, but dusting, vacuuming, and other things become impossible. Also, when there is stuff everywhere, it just gives the impression of "dirty"! Unfortunately, the two go hand in hand, no matter how you look at it!

My Mema must have realized that I was pretty good at cleaning, but that I was in trouble when it came to maintaining order, so she tried to explain to me the concept of keeping a house, versus cleaning a house. I suppose she got through to me - because over the years I have fought my tendency to make a mess, losing the battle most of the time, but winning just enough to know that because of her, I just may have it in me! The really weird thing is - or maybe I should say - the providential thing is - when I started this business I actually called it: Jen's Housecleaning, but I couldn't get an email with the same name, so I was forced, FORCED, to change my name to: Jen's Housekeeping! I thought of her the very instant that I was able to open an email with the word - keeping - rather than - cleaning! Of course! It was meant to be me and my house and my business, and it was meant for me to carry on to others what I learned from her.

I am so glad to have my web site up and running, and I am so glad to have this opportunity to blog my thoughts and ideas for you. When I am at your house, technically I am cleaning, and only a bit of what I do helps to keep the order. But I hope that my cleaning will make it easier for you - oh keeper of the house - to do your job after I leave. Through my web site and this blog, hopefully you will glean the encouragement and knowledge necessary to help you become the keeper that my Mema knows you can be! If you already are a skilled keeper of your home - I would love to hear about your strategy so that I can share all the handy tips possible with my readers.

Before I wrap this one up, I just want to assure you all that I am right there with you on this one. I long to keep not only my house, but my sanity, my peace of mind, and my dignity! In a few months, we won't care who knocks on our doors unexpectedly . . . no way! Door wide open and nothing to hide!

Come back soon - we here at Jen's Housekeeping have just begun!