Basic House Cleaning 101

Spring is here, that means it's time for cleaning! What modern working woman has enough time in the day to squeeze in spring cleaning when she has enough to do as it is? Well, never fear, Attache Services is here!

Quick & Easy Spring Cleaning Tips:
1. Closets - Grab a trash bag. Quickly scan through your hanging garments and pull out those outfits you haven't worn in over a year or so. Don't spend too much time thinking on it because you'll feel guilt and decide to keep everything! Throw the unused garments into the trash bag. Drop it off at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. You're helping the poor and clearing away clutter in your closets.

2. Bathroom Cabinets - Sort through your medicine cabinet. Toss out any makeup that is over a year old. Flush any medication that has expired. (Flushing protects little kids from getting their hands on it.)Any lotions or bath salts that are older than a year should also be tossed. This will clear away much of your bathroom clutter.

3. Pantry - Every time you go to the grocery store, you probably put the food away in front of the food that's already in the cabinet. Pull out a brown paper bag and toss into it all of the old cans of food that you bought to try and never did. My pantry has 2 cans of spinach from when I was trying to convince myself to eat it. Then, drop off those uneaten non-perishable food items at your local Church or School. They are always collecting items.

4. Refrigerator - Keeping those left overs? Toss them! Any left-overs and old condiments should be thrown out. Check the drawers for fruits and veggies that rotted before you had the chance to eat them. Clear the way for fresh foods.

5. Laundry - This one may take a bit longer, but gather up all of your sheets, pillow cases, blankets, and curtain drapes. Wash them all, and be sure to add your favorite scented dryer sheets. Hang the curtains back up and make the beds. This will leave your area feeling freshly cleaned and scented.

As always, if you just don't have enough hours in the day, you can call on Attache Services to lend a hand. We specialize in re-organizing your living areas to maximize usable space and clear out unwanted or unused items. We'll take care of it so you don't have to!

For more quick and easy house cleaning tips, check out Real Simple Magazine. Happy Cleaning!

Simple Design Made Simply Divine!

Every once in a while, I get an itch. An itch to create, change, re-do, re-paint, switch around, something...anything really. But, how often does a woman have all the money in the world sitting in her bank account to redecorate her bedroom? I'll tell you first hand...not often. So, I have a few tips for redecorating on a dime.

Where To Go

Consignment Shops, Goodwill, and Flea Markets! I have picked up many great figurines, lamp shades, and artwork from all of these places. Most of which, I paid less than five dollars for. Another good idea is Treasuring Hunting. My girlfriends and I will get together early on Saturday mornings and drive around different neighbors having big yard sales. We find all sorts of great treasures!

Calendars

Okay, this sounds a bit strange, but do you have a great calendar that is three years old, that you just can't throw away because the pictures on it are just "to cute?" Well, hang those pictures up! Carefully rip off the pictures you like, throwing away the actual "calendar" part. Then, go to your favorite discount shop and pick up 12 matching simple frames (black or white). Frame each picture and hang them galley-style on your bedroom wall over the bed. It will appear as a great collection of matching artwork, all for the price of a single calendar. I've done this with a smaller calendar as well, to hang 12 small pictures of beautiful flowers in my bathroom.

Lamp Shades

Silk Scarves that are no longer in season make great versatile lamp shades. Simply drape them over the current shade and voila! Mood lighting. Or, another great simple technique I've discovered is beaded ribbon. In the craft section of any department store, or better yet JOanne's Fabric Store, is different beaded ribbons. Pick your favorite, then superglue it around the bottom of the lamp shade. This drastically changes your existing shades without a lot of money disappearing from your pocket.

Rearrange the Furniture

Sometimes, something as simple as putting your desk on another wall or under a window will brighten up a room. It will give you a sense of "change" without "spending". I love doing this every season or so, just flip that bed to another wall and it gives the room an entirely different look. A colored fabric couch cover is inexpensive and gives a living room an entirely different look as well.

So, the next time you walk in your bedroom and "just HAVE to change it" think of these simple and inexpensive options. Check out Real Simple Magazine for other great decorating ideas on a dime!

Brandi Lee
Redecorating Guru
Attache Services

HotMommas: A Gift to Society

She's a gift to her husband - enriches his life on a daily basis

She's a gift to her children - they lack nothing

She's a gift to her community - she has compassion for others

She's a gift to the business world - she is a successful professional

She sees herself as a gift - she is healthy, energetic, and well-dressed

Who is this woman, you ask? She's the ultimate HotMomma! Some call her the Virtuous Woman. Read about her story in the Bible - Proverbs 31:10-31.

Or, if you want to read about some local HotMommas, check out http://www.hotmommasproject.org.

Established in 2002, the goal of the Hot Mommas® Project is to produce the world’s case study library. These award-winning case studies serve as role models for women and girls around the globe by showcasing not only successful business practices, but also successful personal practices including the identification of leadership abilities and work-life balance strategies.

BTW, I am an aspiring ultimate HotMomma. I wrote this while flipping turkey bacon with one hand and cradling a laptop with the other.

Alicia Anderson
Founder and CEO, Attache Services
www.attacheservices.com