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Hello March!

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Spring is almost here! Time to start getting out and prepping for the nice weather. Here are some things to declutter your home, fun activities outside the home and some stay home activities. 

 

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6 Tips for Successful Spring Cleaning

  • Clean Room by Room. Approaching your house room by room is the most effective way to deep clean it. …
  • Organize and Clear the Clutter. One of the biggest parts of spring cleaning is often getting rid of clutter. A systematic four-step approach can be helpful for this.
  • Get the Household Involved. Make spring cleaning a household endeavor. Even young children can be excellent helpers. Assign age-appropriate chores, so everyone feels included.
  • Tackle the Seasonal Chores. Many chores need to be done seasonally, especially in preparation for warmer weather. …
  • Keep Cleaning Products to a Minimum. If you need to shop for new cleaning products for spring cleaning, keep your items to a minimum

 

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The Leprechaun crawl on March 12th is taking place between 8pm-2am. The festivities start at Siri’s Casino or at Hookava in downtown Reno. This is a great time to hang out with friends and mingle! There will be 19 different bars and casinos participating in this event. Hope to see you there!

 

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Staying indoors isn’t always a bad thing! Try some of these ideas to keep the family entertained. 

  • Indoor/Outdoor scavenger hunt
  • Costume party 
  • Film a “newscast” or cooking show
  • Plant seedlings 
  • Have a karaoke night
  • Make some jewelry
  • Laser maze throughout the house 

Good Bye January. Hello February!

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Reno always has some exciting things going on. Check out these activities going on around town this month. The Reno Wine Walk will be taking place February 19th. This is a good way to meet new people and of course get a good buzz going while doing so. 

 

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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup strawberry preserves

Directions 

  1. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Divide dough into four portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 2 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°. On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. round cookie cutter. Place half of the circles onto ungreased baking sheets. Place 1/2 teaspoon preserves in the center of each circle; top with remaining circles and press edges lightly with a fork to seal. Cut slits in the top of each cookie. Bake until edges are light brown, 7-9 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

 

 

 

Hello October!

Fall already?!? Are you ready for the cold weather and the spooky season among us?

 

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Don’t miss out on the Harvest Festival!

Happening at Animal Ark. 1265 Deerlodge Rd in Reno, NV.

 

Fall is the perfect time to get out and spend time with family but also a good time for family gatherings in the home.

Here you will find some awesome activities for the kids and some cool treats to make along the way. 

 

The Bulb Festival is a good start to find those beautiful flowers and plants for the garden. You’ll find Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Onions and planty more. 

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Do you like to paint? Rail City Gardens Center will be  hosting a pumpkin painting competition on

October 9th and  the 17th from 8am- 11am. Bring the kiddos and have some fun!

 

 

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Let’s make some pumpkin rolls?!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup 100% pure pumpkin 
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with 1/4 cup powdered sugar.

Step 2

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Step 3

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

Step 4

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Step 5

Cooking Tip: Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

 

Hello June!

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HORRAY!! WE MADE IT TO JUNE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN HALF A YEAR LEFT TIME IS GOING BY FAST… JUNE IS THE MONTH FILLED WITH GRADUATION, SUMMER VACATIONS,  AND KIDS OUTTA SCHOOL. HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU SURVIVE. FATHERS DAY IS COMING HOW ABOUT SOME DIY TIPS OF A SPECIAL GIFT. SOME BBQ IDEAS VACATION SPOTS 

 

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  • Dip-Dyed Bags. Whether it’s to help Dad organize his workshop or store his headphones, these DIY drawstring bags are as handy as they are stylish. …
  • Customized Playing Cards. …
  • Watercolor Art. …
  • Homemade Beef Jerky. …
  • Custom Photo Card. …
  • Manly Bar of Soap. …
  • Pops for Dad. …
  • Personalized Photo Book.

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HERE ARE SOME GOOD GRILLING IDEAS FOR SOME FAMILY FUN TIME. TO ENJOY WITH FAMILY FRIENDS AND EVEN NEIGHBORS. WEATHER IS PLAING WITH THE BEAN BAGS OR VOLLEYBALL. HERE IS A GOOD COLD SALAD RECIPE YOU SURE WILL ENJOY.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 tsp. cumin

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 avocados, cubed

1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small cucumber, sliced into half moons

1/3 c. corn

1 jalepeño, minced (optional)

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

 

Spring is just around the corner!

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March 20, 2021 is the first day of Spring, having that said, Spring cleaning is in order!  Clutter at home is an inevitable side effect of a life well lived — but decluttering can be a breath of fresh air for your home and family.  With the COVID-19 virus still amongst us people may be staying at home to try and social distance themselves.  While spending large amounts of time in our homes they can become CLUTTERED!  Here are some helpful tips to help us declutter our homes quickly and efficiently as possible: How to Declutter Your Home Without the Hassle!

Decluttering your home can feel like a huge step in and of itself but getting started is a much larger obstacle.  Particularly if you have a big decluttering job ahead of you, knowing where to begin the process can be overwhelming — which is why coming up with a decluttering game plan is so essential.

 

  • Before you dive in, figure out what your decluttering goal is. Do you merely want to get rid of visible mess, or do you want to create entirely new household organizational systems to use going forward? Knowing what your end goal is can help you prioritize tasks and figure out your next steps.

 

Start with what you feel is the easiest room first.  If you begin with a simpler decluttering job — say, cleaning out and reorganizing your spice rack — it can empower and motivate you to tackle bigger decluttering projects.

 

  •  One super simple, straightforward option to decluttering a room is the “Four-Box Method” — using four boxes or storage bins.

 

Box 1: Trash

The first box will be your designated trash dump. Any items you want to get rid of that aren’t worth donating or selling go here.  (Don’t forget to recycle items whenever possible!)

Box 2: Give Away/Sell

Next, designate a box for items that are still in OK condition, but that your household could do without — like old books or toys, for example. Whether you want to give these things away to family/friends, donate them to charity, or sell them in a yard sale to make a little extra money is totally up to you.

Box 3: Storage

This box is for things that you can’t or don’t want to get rid of, but that you aren’t in need of on a day-to-day basis (think things like seasonal decorations).  Make an inventory of items that you’re putting in storage as you go — that way, you won’t be left wondering what exactly is taking up space in your garage or attic down the line.

Box 4: Put Away

Lastly, have a box ready to place any items that need to be kept in your house, but relocated to their proper place. If you want to get really organized, you can have a few smaller boxes — one each for places like your bathroom, kitchen, or bedrooms — and sort misplaced items into their “homes” to save yourself the hassle later.

Want one last decluttering pro tip? If you have the need for it, you can add a fifth box to this method: Repaired/replaced

One for items that can be repaired/replaced rather than tossed out or donated, like a watch that needs a new battery.

 

Living Room Declutter Checklist:

Your living room is where a lot of household action takes place — meaning it can be a magnet for clutter from everyone in your family. If you want to make your living room a clutter-free zone, follow this simple, three-step declutter checklist.

Step 1: Sort Through Toys, Books and Magazines

If your living room is a storage for books, magazines, and children’s toys, it’s a good idea to do a sweep of these items and sort them using the Four-Box Method. Donate old books to a local library or school, recycle old magazines, and toss any toys with too much wear and tear to donate or sell.

Step 2: Reduce the Amount of Knickknacks

There is nothing wrong with enjoying décor in your home, but too many knickknacks in your living room can make it harder to make use of the space — and harder to clean around, too. Take stock of things you have sitting out on tables and shelves, and decide what you might be willing to part with: are there old picture frames, throw blankets, or potted plants you no longer care for?

Step 3: Create a Permanent Storage Spot for Everyday Items

Instead of just leaving things lying on your coffee table, designate a basket for everyday items — like remotes, chargers, and video game controllers — and then stow the basket under an end table or in a drawer for easy access.

Halloween Construction!

Halloween is around the corner! While staying safe and enjoying the holiday, we’ve got some examples of Heroes at home who have drummed up a Safe way to Social Distance while inviting little witches and ghosts for candy. 

A decorated Chute and bags of candy will be our go-to this Halloween. Wicked Makers created a DIY Candy Slide video 6 feet where at the top of the chute candy can slide down and at the bottom, our scary Trick-or-Treaters will catch their goodies at the end. 

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A PVC pipe from Home Depot cost about $8, and can be quickly wrapped in orange and black streamers or even cheese cloth. Adding some lights for Trick-or-Treating in the Dark is a nice touch to let all the kids know where to stand and where they can be safe. 

Below is the bright example, Andrew Beattie, of Cincinnati created so his daughter could have a safe Halloween and he plans on wearing a glove when sliding the candy down the chute. 

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Labor Day Weekend

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Labor Day weekend is like summer’s last hurrah, so make it count!

With all the sanitary precautions get your relatives and friends for a potluck barbecue, have a Burger Cook-Off, a picnic in the park, play disc golf, take a road trip to the mountains, or any activity that make the most of your three-day weekend this Labor Day. But first give us a call to schedule your home cleaning, who has time for that when you plan such a fun weekend. We have custom cleanings available and if you are thinking on getting on a regular schedule, we have special promotion just for you. Give us a call to book a custom clean or to get you on an on ongoing schedule.

First things first – Do a “visitor” walk thru and just take notes of everything that you see that are out of place. This is a great time to give out these little tasks to any other people in the house if possible, to get a little bit of help with this hectic time. 

Depending on your time limit that you have, I recommend these are the things that you take care of 2-3 days beforehand. 

–Clean windows and vacuum window tracks. Mop baseboards. 

–Deep clean bathrooms and straighten bedrooms. 

–Clean all top kitchen surfaces. Wipe fridge and make room for extra food in there. 

–Dust all surfaces and sweep entryway.

–Disinfect all metal handles.

 DAY BEFORE OR DAY OF VISITING (IF POSSIBLE)

–Place sanitizer in strategic areas for all visitors to use. 

–Hang fresh hand towels, and check hand soap

–Wipe any dirty areas in the bathrooms using a wet rag.

–Put toilet bowl cleaner in the toilets and give them a quick brushing.

–Wipe mirrors, countertops, and bathroom floors with a damp towel.

–Take out the garbage, and line trash receptacles with clean liners.

–Straighten stacks of magazines and books.

–Straighten and fluff sofa pillows and cushions.

–Carry a laundry basket throughout the house, picking up clutter as you go. Once filled, put everything in its place or you can just hide the basket. 

–Vacuum high-traffic areas.

–Place fresh flowers and light scented candles.

Now your home should look and smell great. This will take off the extra stress that can be associated with having visitors and/or family over to your home.

 CLEANING TIP:

Homemade odor eliminator ingredients

You are only going to need three ingredients:

  • 2 cups Hydrogen peroxide
  • 2 teaspoons of baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap 

Fill you bottle with hydrogen peroxide. Add the baking soda and the dish soap just swish the bottle around, don’t shake it.

This solution can be used on leather and fabric as well as carpets. It’s always a good idea to test a small area before doing in the entire area.

Say Safe

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Staying safe

“In May, the CDC updated their page on how coronavirus spreads, placing “from touching surfaces or objects” under the heading “The virus does not spread easily in other ways.” Still, the CDC continues to encourage routine cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces.

And luckily, according to the CDC coronavirus contaminated surfaces can easily be disinfected with normal everyday cleaning supplies.

Keep in mind the incubation period for COVID-19 can be up to two weeks, and that there’s a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning will not kill germs, but will reduce the risk of infection. Disinfecting refers to using specific chemicals to kill pathogens on the surface, and reduces the risk of spreading the virus. Here are a few things you can start incorporating everyday.”

Proper hand washing

Hand sanitizer

Phone cleaning

Wearing a mask

https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/at-home/coronavirus-cleaning-tips?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social

Happy 4th of July

July 4th celebration with fireworks and flags

 

How to Disinfect the Dirtiest Items in Your Kitchen

The kitchen items that often become contaminated with bacteria and fungi include dish sponges, cutting boards, coffee makers, kitchen sinks and countertops, and refrigerators. In this blog we will show you how to disinfect these items.

Dish Sponges

To disinfect your kitchen sponges you can use your microwave oven. First, damp your sponges. Then, heat your dish sponges in the microwave oven for 1 minute.

Refrigerator

The surfaces of your refrigerator that often become contaminated are those that are in contact with uncooked food. To disinfect these surfaces, you can use disinfectant wipes.

Countertops

To disinfect your countertops, start by washing them with soap and water. Next, wipe your countertops with disinfectant wipes. Certain countertop materials should be cleaned with specific chemicals. Therefore, consult the manufacturer first.

Coffee Makers

Fill the coffee maker’s water reservoir with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. Allow to brew until half the reservoir is empty. Next, turn the coffee maker off and then let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse the coffee maker by brewing a pot of clean water.

Cutting Boards

It is important to rinse your cutting boards immediately after use. To disinfect wood cutting boards, start by washing them with soap and water. Then, apply 3% hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide will kill bacteria, fungi, and spores. To disinfect plastic cutting boards, you can wash them in your dishwasher.

Summer Cleaning Tips

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With the fun of summer comes the “fun” of summer cleaning. I’m talking outdoor tidying up for guests, scrubbing the mud off the kiddos’ clothes and all the mess that comes with being outside. The start of summer brings with it so many wonderful outdoor activities. You get to dust off all that patio furniture and shake out those umbrellas. You get to pull out the old grill. You get to break out the bikes and give them a wipe down. You get to unpack all the summer clothes. Set a summer cleaning goal of having a clutter-free home. Having lots of stuff around leaves plenty of places for dust and allergens to collect.

Here are 5 Tips & Tricks for Cleaning Your Home This Summer Season

  1. Clean out the gutters – Get ready for any summer storms by cleaning out your gutters and making sure all drainage spouts are pointing away from the foundation of the house. If your area is prone to severe storms or flooding, this is also a great time to check and restock your emergency kit.
  2. Clean off the driveway and patio – Winter and spring often leave driveways, sidewalks, and other outdoor surfaces covered in dirt and debris. Depending on the material the surface in question is made of, a pressure washer could be your best bet, or soapy water and a coarse bristled broom. For wooden patios and decks, always check for manufacturer’s recommendations.
  3. Get your outdoor living space ready for guests – Summertime is when outdoor living spaces see the most use, and neighborhood get-togethers can be a community-building highlight over the summer months. Months have passed since last summer, and chances are it’s not just the ground that’s been collecting dust and dirt. Wipe down patio furniture and outdoor cushions, gently scrubbing with warm water with a small amount of dish soap or laundry detergent if necessary.
  4. Cut down on the clutter – If you have school-aged children that are now going to be spending a lot more time at home, use the start of summer as an opportunity to clear out old clothes and toys – you’ll be glad when there’s less for you to trip over! Summer is prime yard sale time, so put the kids in charge of the whole event, or else donate gently used items to a local charity.


Wash the windows – inside and out – With the curtains drawn to let in the sunlight, you don’t want to be staring through layers of dust and ugly streaks all summer. Using a squeegee with some mildly soapy water is the best method for cleaning window exteriors, while a spray-on glass cleaner and a clean, damp rag should do the trick for the insides. And don’t forget the screens! Remove them and scrub thoroughly with a soapy sponge until clean and bright.