Thanksgiving observations, tips, and coupons!

It’s already October! Kids are counting down to Halloween and motivated parents are planning the perfect decorations for trick-or-treaters. For us the October shenanigans are the precursor to the great family traditions of Thanksgiving. We find some very interesting observations as November rolls around:

• Families know about Thanksgiving plans well ahead of the November season. Our customers that are meticulous in their planning book their house cleaning services way in advance of the actual Thanksgiving weekend.
• If customers are expecting a very large contingent of family members they usually book a house cleaning and carpet cleaning before family members arrive and a separate house cleaning after family members leave. While this expense is not for everyone we are pleased to be able to provide discounted rates for our loyal customers. Moreover with all the stress of hosting family house cleaning is usually the last thing on your mind!
• Perhaps the most glaring trend we see amongst our customers is the fact that the pre-arrival house cleaning is usually slated to be a deep cleaning. To quote one of our customers, the pre-Thanksgiving house cleaning is “to be treated like I am moving out of a really dirty and dusty home, except that we’re not going anywhere!” One of our office staff members asked this customer why he was setting up such a significant house cleaning beyond the obvious reason that he was hosting family, and his response was that he felt his family members only come once a year and he would rather host instead of lugging his family to places he did not want to be in the Winter season. And if family members are only coming once a year then having the house look immaculate was of significant importance.

Through the course of numerous conversations with our customers during Thanksgiving, we find many of them have become seasoned in preparing their house for guests. Beyond just the house cleaning for your home we recommend considering the following things:

• Ensure there is enough bedding for everyone. Sure, if there are a lot of people then there certainly won’t be enough beds. So customers usually have sleeping bags and sheets ready to go. Those are also the easiest things to borrow from neighbors when expecting a lot of people in the home.
• Plan your menu way ahead of time. The traditional Thanksgiving fare is always great and your guests are likely expecting that but try to incorporate some new dishes that perhaps put a twist on traditional fare.
• Decide which dishes are going to be “ready-made” (Costco can do no wrong!) or made from scratch. Ready-made dishes make life so easy but cooking dishes from scratch might get you accolades from the in-laws.
• Have disposable containers ready to distribute leftovers without much hassle.
• Plan some form of entertainment for guests – both young and old. If there are going to be kids in the home then it is absolutely worth renting a movie online. Most kids have already scoured Netflix streaming and as a result there is rarely anything of interest there. I suggest Vudu or any service that streams newer movies.
• Plan a day trip – there are some many great options in California. If you are in San Diego County then Seaport Village is perfect for an outing. If you are in Los Angeles County then nothing beats the Getty Museum. San Francisco Bay Area residents have so many options with Santana Row in the South Bay and of course San Francisco if you are in the East Bay or Peninsula. Riverside County is fortunate to have great wineries – perfect for sampling wine or just a picnic. Orange County residents have some of the most picturesque coastline California has to offer – definitely worth a visit.

At the end of the day, hosting family and friends can be a taxing experience. But relatives are going to be thankful that you went all out to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay for everyone. We are offering great savings on deep cleanings through the Fall and Winter seasons. Visit us online at weekendmaidstg.wpengine.com or our Facebook page for excellent savings on house cleaning services. We are open 7 days a week for your convenience.