Community Recommendation: Maidify Cleaning Services

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about Maidify Cleaning Services.

Community Recommendation: Maidify Cleaning Services

When helping clients buy and sell homes, a common referral question I get is finding a trustworthy and thorough cleaning service. I have had wonderful success with Maidify Cleaning Services and like to refer them to my clients who are looking for a house cleaner. They offer a weekly, monthly and deep clean for clients to choose from. Maidify Cleaning Services is located in Steilacoom and focuses on helping homes in the South Sound region.

Before starting Maidify Cleaning Services, the owner was serving in the Army as a Helicopter Mechanic. After being honorably discharged, he decided to finish his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. He tried to get part time jobs to relieve stress off of his family and attend school at the same time, but these “part time jobs” didn’t honor his school schedule and were demolishing his GPA at school. He was very upset and disappointed with most business establishments that claim they “help” College students, only to work them as like full time employees without any benefits.

He started Maidify Cleaning Services for 3 reasons:

  1. To provide part time jobs to local college students and prior military at JBLM
  2. To donate to charity
  3. To help relieve stress on local residents by providing them with a clean home

He wants to thank all the Veterans at JBLM and McChord Air Force Base for making the world a better place.

Maidify offers a 10% discount to Active Duty, Reserve and Retired Military.

For more information about Maidify Cleaning Services, visit their website or their Facebook page.

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How to Simply Decorate For The Holidays

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While yes we all have the dream to decorate every inch of our home for the holidays, time and money don’t always allow that to happen. You’ve still go shopping and wrapping to do, not to mention your everyday life to live. Here are 4 ways to simply decorate for the holidays with a big impact.

How to Simply Decorate For The Holidays

Target The Tree

Your Christmas tree will be the center of attention in your home, so it makes sense to spend time and energy into nicely decorating it. For an easy, simple look, go with a monochromatic color scheme. This could mean a white flocked tree with crème and blush ornaments, or a green tree with silver ornaments and garland. Using a monochromatic scheme also coordinates with any room décor which eliminates the worry of balancing a color palette.

Mantle Magic

Simply decorating your mantle can complement the tree and bring holiday cheer. Choose a statement making garland to drape across the mantle. A good tip is to coordinate with the type of tree you’ve chosen, so if you have a flocked tree then go with a flocked garland. Then add some candles on the mantle to light at night, giving your fireplace a warm white color. Keeping the mantle simple will add elegance without having to spend a bunch of extra money on knick knacks.

Table Top

Focusing on the table top is key in simply decorating for the holidays. The holidays are a prime time for entertaining, so you want to make the gathering dining area festive. Adding another garland to your table as a table runner can do wondering for adding the seasonal flair to your table. Then you can add candles or ornaments along the garland to bring in the extra pop of color.

Front Porch

The front porch is visible by your guests as well as any car driving by. Consider adding a simple wreath to your door and some lights to your home. Adding décor that is visible in the day and night will serve as dual purpose. Additionally, if you’ve chosen to go with a monochromatic color scheme inside your home, consider going with a monochromatic color scheme outside as well. So, if you have a flocked tree inside, add some white lights to the outside of your home to tie your décor all together. This will also maintain the simple yet elegant décor feel to your home.

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Home Organization Tips To Start The New Year Right

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One of the biggest new year’s resolutions for homeowners is to clean up and organize the home. There is a proven correlation between clutter and stress, so homeowner’s want to minimize the stress to start the new year right. Here are 5 home organization tips for a stress-free start to 2020.

Home Organization Tips To Start The New Year Right

Start in One Place

While it can be overwhelming to tackle organizing an entire house, the best way to begin is to start in one place. Start organizing in the room that causes you the most stress, or the room that guests see first upon entering. When you start with one cabinet in one room, and get in a groove, the rest of the house doesn’t seem so daunting.

Use Creative Storage Solutions

Look for wasted space that can be turned into storage. For example, if you have a small living room but need to make room for toys and blankets, consider investing in a storage ottoman to hide the clutter. Additionally, with limited space, another way to organize is to use stacking shelves that have cubes to hide your items. This way the toys are easily accessible but are not an eye sore when you walk into the room.

Get Rid of What You don’t Need

If you are going to take the time to organize and de-clutter, you might as well get rid of unwanted items at the same time! Homeowners often keep 80% of items they never use, so be picky when it comes to keeping items! Whether you decide to garage sale or donate your unused items, removing items you don’t use is a great step in the decluttering process.

Arrange by Frequency of Use

It only makes sense to put seasonal decorations in the back of the storage room since you only need them for a short period once a year. By keeping these in the back, you aren’t having to move these boxes every time you need the vacuum. If you use an item every day, make sure it’s easily accessible and at eye level. Constantly grabbing things from the back may derail your organization plan.

Take Your Time

Don’t expect to organize and de-clutter your home over night. Take your time and sort in an effective way so you’ll only have to do this once a year, not once a month!

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Community Recommendation: PNW Grill

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about PNW Grill in Puyallup.

Community Recommendation: PNW Grill

PNW Grill is a fun family-friendly restaurant that was established in 2019. Inside you’ll find casual tables, a large bar, darts, pool tables, and ping pong. PNW Grill serves scratch made food with some fun plays on American classics. I love a good steak and their rib eye is to die for! I loved this place so much that we are hosting our November VAREP Restaurant Takeover here.

Here’s what their customers have to say:

“Their wings are TO DIE FOR! Seriously, the Asian sesame are the way to go. Also, their mojitos are flavored with fresh fruit purées that are made in house daily. The peach and mango are amazing. I haven’t tried a pizza yet, but the table next to us got one and it’s definitely a must have next time. Great job to the new owners for really taking the place to its true potential.”

“My service was top notch and my waitress was very attentive.  My nephew had the rib-eye and it was mouthwatering as far as presentation. People: You want top quality beef you are going to pay for it, and I’m telling you it’s worth it to dine here.  I ordered the Rainer and some point during the meal I looked up to see my nephew staring at me.  I looked down to the pile of crust beneath me and muttered “What?” through a mouth full of meat and cheese.  I apparently was stuffing the slices in my face as though the apocalypse was upon us.  Great place, great service, great pizza.  If I ever get the chance to come back, I’m getting the steak.”

For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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How to Create a Pet Friendly Home

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Our furry friends are a big part of our families. From setting designated feeding stations to keeping lint rollers scattered through the home, here are 4 tips to create a pet friendly home your guests and your pets will feel comfortable spending time in.

How to Create a Pet Friendly Home

Designate Feeding Stations

Creating a designated feeding station that is convenient for your pets to access but also not an eyesore for your family is key to create a pet friendly home. Choose a room such as a laundry room or mud room to stash your pet’s food and water bowls. This will keep the mess away from the entertainment areas of the home. It is important that you store food appropriately to prevent spoiling or unwanted bugs.

Conceal Toys

Yes we love buying our pets new chew toys, but we don’t necessarily love to see the toys lying around the house. If you don’t want your home to scream “crazy cat or dog person” stash pet items where they are easily accessible but not noticeable. Decorative baskets and bins are great for stashing toys and treat jars. Having a designated animal toy bin helps you keep track of the toys and tidy up your living space in an organized manner.

Vacuum/Sweep Often

In the shedding season, it’s vital to vacuum/sweep on a weekly basis (sometimes twice a week if you have a severe shedder). Be sure to vacuum the living spaces, including the couches and throw pillows. If you just aren’t a fan of sweeping, consider investing in a robotic vacuum. You can set it and forget it and maintain a hair free home.

Lint Roll

People don’t mind if you have pets, but they might mind if they leave your home with a leg full of dog hair. While vacuuming often is important, sometimes hair just finds it’s way onto the couch. Store lint rollers in a few easy to grab locations, like side table drawers, to offer to guests if they need to remove hair from their clothes.

Treat Stains Immediately

Accidents happen, and it’s ok as long as you treat stains immediately. If your animals are accident prone, consider getting a portable carpet cleaner for quick spot treatments. The last thing you want is for your guests to smell a stale scent when they sit on the couch. Get into the habit of walking through lesser-used rooms to make sure there aren’t any surprise stains setting in.

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Financial Benefits of Owning a Home

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Buying a home is 38% cheaper than renting a home. This is especially true if you plan on living in one space for at least seven years. As mortgage loans are more affordable now with down payment assistance and different loan options, let’s take a look at the financial benefits of owning a home.

Financial Benefits of Owning a Home

Building equity

One of the largest financial benefits of owning a home is building home equity. When you pay rent to your landlord, you’re setting aside a chunk of money that you’ll never see again. Additionally, landlords have the right to raise your monthly rent yearly, so what you pay today could differ than what you pay monthly next year. When you sign a mortgage loan, you are agreeing to the monthly payment for the life of the loan (likely 15/30 years). So, you can accurately budget your spending every month on your mortgage. When you pay your mortgage, you are building equity as you are paying off your loan. This means that unlike renting, you will see these funds applied directly toward what you own.

Tax benefits

Another one of the biggest financial benefits of owning a home is the mortgage interest deduction. Most of your monthly mortgage payments will go towards interest in your first few years of homeownership. You are able to deduct that interest from your taxes, if your loan is $1 million or less. Additionally, any taxes you pay to the government on your property are deductible from federal income tax.

No longer moving every year

Homeownership increases sustainability and stability. While moving every year from rental to rental may be necessary for your lifestyle, it is a major inconvenience and a financial and emotional burden. Renting can mean you may never know where you are going to live in a year, or how much you’ll be paying. Owning a home allows a financial and emotional investment in both your physical home and your community.

Use your home investment toward another investment

The equity that comes from paying a mortgage is what allows many individuals make future investments in the same home (refinancing, renovations), a higher-valued home (using the equity toward a down payment), a second home (using equity toward a second down payment), or additional financial goals (paying off debt, buying an RV). A home equity line of credit helps homeowners use that part of their home that’s already paid off to obtain financing for additional investments.

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Community Recommendation Series: My Cleaning Lady

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking all things home cleaning with My Cleaning Lady.

Community Recommendation Series: My Cleaning Lady

The owner of My Cleaning Lady was a stay at home mom, while raising her children. As a busy young housewife and mom, she often wondered if she really could master it all. With the laundry, sports, school, homework, and trying to keep a tidy house, there just didn’t seem to be enough time in the day to complete every task.

So, just once she hired someone else to clean her house for her. She will never forget that feeling! All she had to do was manage the kids. It took a huge load off of your task list. That is where her passion for cleaning began. She wants to continue to share that feeling with others. She loves that what she is providing essentially is time.

She cleans all rooms of the house including kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, and living areas. She has a rotating schedule, so be sure to schedule an appointment to see what services she provides.

Here’s what her clients have to say about her:

“A clean home is a happy a home! And my home is now clean and happy and I can’t thank my cleaning lady enough!”

“It is a very cute service! From logo to the service everything is Top Notch J”

“My Cleaning Lady has been cleaning our home since September. We have always been pleased with the service. She does a great job and we are happy when we come home after she’s cleaned. We highly recommend My Cleaning Lady! Thank you!”

For more information on My Cleaning Lady, visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IKnowALady/

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Benefits of a Smaller Home

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Downsizing may seem like a daunting task, but there really are some major benefits of a smaller home. From having less to clean, to less utilities to pay for, to more family time, moving to a smaller home can add value to your life.

Benefits of a Smaller Home

Lower mortgage

The number one reason most people downsize to a smaller home is because they have kids that have left to college and they are left with a 5 bedroom home for just 2 people. Why pay for a home with 5 bedrooms when you only use 1 maybe 2? Moving to a smaller home can help you pay a higher down payment on the new home, and can help you save hundreds of dollars a month in a mortgage.

Less to clean

The amount of space you have to clean is one of the biggest benefits of a smaller home. Gone are the days of setting aside an entire weekend just to clean your home. Have you ever wished you had more house to clean? I didn’t think so. When you reduce the number of rooms in your home, you also reduce the number of surfaces that need to be cleaned. Less room in your home also means less clutter. So it’s really a win win situation.

Less focused on stuff

In a larger home, a big part of your focus is what you’re going to buy to cover all the walls. While furniture is necessary in smaller homes, you’ll have less wall space to cover and likely smaller décor to purchase. You’ll save a bunch of money on décor when you need less stuff!

More family time

When you live in a bigger home, it’s easy for everyone to retreat to their own rooms for time after school to evening. When everyone is thrown together in a smaller living space, it allows for more family time. You’ll spend hours and hours or more time with your family playing games and talking that you wouldn’t necessarily get if you spend all the time alone in your room.

More likely to know neighbors

With big houses comes big lots. And when you have a lot of land, it takes a little more time to spend quality time with your neighbors. Smaller homes often sit closer together. If you sit on your front porch, you’re likely to see your neighbors walking past with their kids and dogs. It’s easy to be a good neighbor when you’re closer in proximity! You’ll find that you become closer with the entire community when you live in a smaller home as well. Attending block parties and neighborhood functions can introduce you to neighbors all around!

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4 Mortgage Myths

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A house is probably the most expensive investment you’ll ever make, so it’s important that you have the correct information when doing so. From credit score to down payment, here are 4 mortgage myths that can stand in the way of you making the best decision for you and your family.

4 Mortgage Myths

Myth 1: You have to put 20% down no matter what

This is one of the most common myths that catch home buyers, especially first time home buyers. When buying your first home, the thought of putting 20% can be a scary feeling, and can even discourage you to begin the process. With FHA loan, you’re able to put down as low as 3.5% down, which makes hoe ownership possible for more first time home buyers. It’s important to note that if you put 3.5% down with an FHA loan, you’ll be required to pay mortgage insurance very month, that you wouldn’t have to pay if you put 20% down.

Myth 2: You need an excellent credit score to even qualify for a loan

If you’re a first time home buyer, you might not have a great credit score because you’re simply just starting to build your credit. In the olden days, you were required to have a 680 credit score to even be considered in qualifying for a home loan. Now, with FHA loan, you’re able to qualify with as low as 580 and 620 with conventional loans. If you have a lower score and nee help, it’s important to talk with you lender so they can set you on the quickest path of credit repair.

Myth 3: Renting is cheaper than owning a home

A mortgage seems expensive when you look at the MSRP of the home. $500,000 sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but you’re likely not paying it all upfront. Yes, sometimes a monthly rent payment is cheaper by a few hundred dollars but there are a couple things to consider when comparing them side by side. The first thing to consider is that when you pay rent to your landlord, you don’t see that money again. When you put money away to your mortgage, it’s going straight to your investment. Additionally renting payments can and probably do increase every year. When you sign a 30 year mortgage, you’re locking in the monthly payment for the next 30 years.

Myth 4: Mortgage rates are the same everywhere and with every type of loan

This is one of the mortgage myths that can cost you the most amount of money. If you qualify for VA loans, you’re able to omit a down payment, and sign with the loan type that has the lowest mortgage rate of all loan types. Additionally, many credit unions have less fees than big banks so they’re able to offer lower rates. Spending time researching the loan type that’s right for you can make a big difference on your monthly payment.

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5 Simple Ways to Decorate Your PNW Backyard

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Summer is officially here! And with summer comes late nights spent outdoors with friends. To maximize your time spent outdoors, you’ll need to have a backyard that you are happy with and is comfortable for you and your guests. Here are 5 simple ways to decorate your PNW backyard, so you’ll be THE house to hang out at this summer.

5 Simple Ways to Decorate Your PNW Backyard

Add a Fire Pit

Having a fire pit in your back yard automatically gives you and your guests something to do in your backyard for hours. You can either buy a metal one from your local hardware store, or you can construct one using stones. Add a few chairs around the pit and you’ll have yourself a fun and cozy place to relax. Because of the simplicity, adding a fire pit is one of the most popular ways to decorate your PNW Backyard.

Plant Your Favorite Herbs, Veggies, and Flowers

The wonderful thing about having a backyard is that you’re able to decorate it any way you’d like. Plants make a wonderful and warm decoration for your PNW backyard. A simple hack is to hang an over the door shoe holder on the fence, tucking herbs into the compartments to serve as a vertical planter. You can also place horizontal planter boxes around the edges of your backyard to provide an inner border. Additionally, plants can serve as great conversation starts and help you connect with your guests on similar planting interests.

Bar Cart

Having a bar cart around helps hosting gatherings in your backyard more convenient. Instead of having to go inside every time someone wants a drink or snack, the refreshments will be easily accessible on the bar cart. The great thing about bar carts is that they come in all different colors, so you can choose one that compliments your home or adds a pop of color. This is a simple way to decorate your PNW backyard.

String Lights

You’ll want to set the ambience as cozy and warm in your backyard so it remains inviting for you and your guests. While solar lights can do the trick, a much more aesthetically pleasing way to add light is to hang string lights from each side of your backyard. A bonus with string lights is that you can plug them into a master switch so that one button turns on/off all the lights. This prevents you from having to unplug and re-plug the cord each time you want to use your lights.

Tiki Torches

Unfortunately, here in the PNW, mosquitoes like to make their appearance in the summer months. Having a severely buggy backyard can deter you and your guests from hanging out in the backyard. A simple fix is to buy multiple Tiki torches for your local hardware store. These torches run off of oil that consists of bug repellent. Tiki torches also come in different styles so you can buy the ones that match your backyard style.

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