Healthy Soul Archives - Maidkart https://www.maidkart.com/blog/category/healthy-soul/ Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:54:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Rid Your Summer of the Ever-Present Stress, Anxiety, and Burdens of Life https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/rid-your-summer-of-the-ever-present-stress-anxiety-and-burdens-of-life/ Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:24:24 +0000 https://www.maidkart.com/?p=72525 The flowers, the aroma, and the greeneries are calling! It’s the sights and sounds of summertime. Spending late nights outside, vacationing locally or abroad, attending summer parties, and having extended time with your family and friends. This is what summer is all about! As summer is here before you, don’t let it slip by. Make […]

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The flowers, the aroma, and the greeneries are calling! It’s the sights and sounds of summertime. Spending late nights outside, vacationing locally or abroad, attending summer parties, and having extended time with your family and friends. This is what summer is all about!

As summer is here before you, don’t let it slip by. Make the most out of your summer days doing what you love. We should always do our best to get all the treasures from the ones we have been given. Try not to let the stress and anxiety of everyday life get in the way of keeping your summer as a time filled with fun, quality time. Summertime adventures look different for everyone but making your summer one to remember is up to you!

Whether you prefer the longer summer days spending quality time together outdoors, or your preference is relaxing in your home while the A/C keeps you cool inside, this season should be a time of joy, laughter, and bliss. These are times of unparalleled simplicity yet unmatched sophistication. Such opportunities are few that we get. But whenever we can, we should certainly take all the measures available at our disposal to get back as much time as we can for ourselves to spend with our family and friends.

For much of the year, the cold, wet weather has us spending more time at home savoring the warmth inside. The moments of such awe-inspiring beauty, like visiting a bucket list attraction, or watching your child compete on the summer swim team, are the summer core memories many strive for each season. Spend as much time as you can having a carefree, joyous time in togetherness with the ones you love. The memories of stress-free summertime adventures live with us for years to come. This time is invaluable and we’re ready for it! Make the most out of life this summer and take in the beauty, worry free.

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Hiring a Professional Cleaning Service https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-home/hiring-a-professional-cleaning-service/ Mon, 06 Feb 2023 15:08:54 +0000 https://www.maidkart.com/?p=64885 Learn how hiring a professional cleaning service like Maidkart will benefit your home, health, and happiness.

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Having a clean home and living space is important but hiring a professional cleaning service can be quite daunting. There are many advantages to finding the right cleaning service near you, plus they offer many advantages over competitors.

We will look at some of the important factors to consider when making your selection.

The Benefits of a Professional House Cleaning Service

It is important to understand the advantages of a cleaning company that employs a team of full-time professionals who are insured, bonded, and certified.

When you find the right house cleaning service, you can expect a professional and reliable experience. Staff are trained and have the experience, equipment, and solutions to do the job safely and effectively. Owners monitor your satisfaction and assess their team members frequently. The best ones have a solid reputation built over many years of service in local markets.

Another advantage of working with a professional team is you don’t have to worry about missed cleanings. Vacations, illnesses, or vehicle troubles won’t impact you as they customer since they have other professionals with the same training to fill-in. Independent cleaners may not. Another advantage is that the trained teams work faster than a single individual and will be in and out of your home in less time.

Creating Room in Your Budget for a Professional Cleaning Service

While a professional cleaning service might appear a bit more expensive at first glance, there is more to the story. Apart from the advantages mentioned above, the reliability and professionalism will provide more value throughout your relationship.

There should be no hidden costs or surprise fees. Your quoted price for maid service should include everything from labor to house cleaning equipment to the cleaning solutions. This will allow you to properly budget.

How Frequently a Home Should Be Cleaned

Professional maid and cleaning services will give you an option of how often you want your home cleaned. You often have the option of “weekly”, “biweekly” (every two-weeks), and “monthly” (every four-weeks). Professional services have a standard of cleaning that they want to establish and maintain, so it will likely cost more for the first home cleaning. After that, you will have cleaning service in a specific day of week and at a consistent price to know and budget.

Weekly Cleaning Services

Weekly service is the most frequent cleaning that most professional cleaning services offer. This will keep your home’s condition in top share and your workload to a minimum. Now if only someone could do the laundry!

(Note: If you need daily service, then call your local Maidkart to discuss.)

Biweekly Cleaning Services

BiWeekly is the most popular cleaning frequency. It means every two-weeks and is a more budget-friendly option. Cleaning service every two weeks is priced slightly higher than weekly because it’s been longer since the team has been in your home to clean, but it’s still a high-value option.

Monthly Cleaning Services

Monthly cleaning service occurs every four-weeks vs the same date of each month. This is a distinction you need to know. Maid service every four-weeks is the most expensive cleaning frequency. Because of the time between cleanings, it will take the maids longer to complete their tasks. This means that the cost will be greater per service for clients.

Why Maidkart is the Best Choice for Professional Home Cleaning Services

Maidkart has been in the house cleaning business for over four decades with numerous locations across the U.S. and in Canada. We have dedicated teams of skilled and experienced cleaning professionals and have a great reputation for reliability, performance, safety, and innovation.

Our teams are fully insured, bonded, and certified.

PUREcleaning – Safe, Non-Toxic Cleaning Solutions

It is not enough for the home to simply be clean and tidy. It also needs to be disinfected. Unfortunately, the solutions used by many companies contain toxins that are left behind in your home after the service is complete. This is why Maidkart developed and uses the innovative PUREcleaning system.

It is a powerful, safe, and non-toxic method of effectively cleaning and disinfecting your home. This technology is exclusive to Maidkart and further proof of our commitment to you and your family.

Maidkart offers a range of flexible and customizable cleaning services. Contact your local Maidkart for a quote or more information.

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5 Helpful Tips for Handling Parenting Stress During Coronavirus https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/5-helpful-tips-for-handling-parenting-stress-during-coronavirus/ Thu, 06 Aug 2020 18:49:30 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/5-helpful-tips-for-handling-parenting-stress-during-coronavirus/ Seemingly overnight, life as we knew it changed with the pandemic. Where we were once shuttling the kids to school and afterschool activities while dashing off to work, we’re now home with the kids while working. There are projects to complete, deadlines to fulfill, and of course, Zoom conferences to connect to. The majority of […]

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Seemingly overnight, life as we knew it changed with the pandemic. Where we were once shuttling the kids to school and afterschool activities while dashing off to work, we’re now home with the kids while working. There are projects to complete, deadlines to fulfill, and of course, Zoom conferences to connect to.

The majority of summer camps are closed, leaving parents to try to strike a balance between work and parenting through the coronavirus. Never fear though as these 5 tips will help you handle parenting stress through these pandemic days.

  1. Create a solid routine

You might not be going into the office or dropping the kids off at various places, but set a schedule to stick to each day. Start with breakfast, then engage the kids in some form of activity. Depending on their ages, you can give them crafts or experiments to do without you so you can tackle some work while they’re occupied.

  1. Get comfortable with flexibility

While routines will certainly help add some stability to your daily life, you have to be ready to shift gears at a moment’s notice. Even your older children will need reassurance from you and simply having you near will help them feel more secure.

For this reason, be prepared to put work tasks on hold for 20 to 30 minutes so you can spend some time with your kids. As you do, you’ll be better prepared to finish your tasks later with a fresh mind and the children will have peace of mind which makes for a more productive household.

  1. Stop looking at all the news

Being informed is a good thing. It helps us make the right decisions to keep our families safe. However, there is such a thing as information overload. Constant scrolling through social media, opinionated arguments, and doomsday declarations about your state aren’t going to help you. Learn to tune it out and only seek out the facts while limiting that input to once per day.

  1. Give yourself a breather

We all love our families but all this togetherness can make us feel trapped. Take time for yourself to fill your own cup so you can be more effective working and parenting. When you constantly feel like your gears are grinding, you’ll be going nowhere fast.

  1. Outsource some of those tasks

Another thing you should try to remember is that you don’t have to do it all. You’re working, parenting, and trying to keep the household together all at once. It’s time to realize you don’t have to do all of that yourself. In fact, outsourcing some of the things you need to do might be the best option.

Maidkart can take that burden off by cleaning as advised by the CDC to keep your home disinfected and fresh while you’re working from home. With one less thing to worry about, you can free up more time to enjoy with the family and keep well!

 

 

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Bright, Easy Holiday Entertaining https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/bright-easy-holiday-entertaining/ Fri, 25 Nov 2016 12:27:36 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/bright-easy-holiday-entertaining/ Let’s face it, sometimes the easiest way really is the best way! Throughout this joyous season we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make a beautiful, sparkling clean home for welcoming our families and guests. On top of cooking and gift preparations, decorating for the holidays can really be overwhelming. Here are some great […]

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Let’s face it, sometimes the easiest way really is the best way!

Throughout this joyous season we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make a beautiful, sparkling clean home for welcoming our families and guests. On top of cooking and gift preparations, decorating for the holidays can really be overwhelming. Here are some great ideas to lessen your stress and keep your panic level to a minimum so you can enjoy yourself all season long:

Plan it out. Think of what you want and plan it out. From meals, to décor, to beverages, to guests, plan it out. Once the entertaining plan is made, put it into action. On the invitation, give as much info as possible, such as formal or informal, who is welcomed (kids and extra guests), whether or not to bring a side dish, etc.

Make a list and check it twice. If you stay organized, your entertaining vision will come together. Make a “to do” list in sections such as “meals, decorations, etc.” Don’t be afraid to use others to help pick those last-minute items up.

Order your decorations online. Ease the stress of long lines and overcrowded stores by shopping online. From fresh greenery and winter red berries to candles and white lights, there are a variety of stores that offer free shipping and fast delivery right to your front door. While you’re at it, and if you have some spare time, gift shopping on the web is another convenient time saver!

Decorate with ease. A couple strands of strings lights, some fresh poinsettias, a live evergreen wreath or strip of garland, fresh fruits and berries, and a few candles can make any room look festive and beautiful for entertaining. When choosing your scheme, start by picking a color scheme. One or two hues is all you need.

Go rustic, it’s easier. Skip those white tablecloths and choose a rustic winter theme instead. Guests will love the relaxed, nostalgic feel and you will love the easy cleanup. Plain, fresh smelling greenery and a few candles is all you need.

Use essential oils for cleaning and for decorating. Dab a few cotton balls with peppermint, apple, or mint essential oils and stick them around your rooms. Add some pine cones or cinnamon sticks to your scheme for added fragrance.

Decorate with natural items. Use poinsettias as centerpieces on tables or on top of mantles.

Instead of purchasing a wreath or strip of garland, ask for scraps or broken evergreen branches and make your own instead.

What about fresh fruit? Use pears and add small labels on them for place setting.

Make a beautiful garland by twisting together one floral wire or kumquats and one floral wire of cranberries to make one big piece of garland.

A favorite centerpiece of mine is a bowl of sugared fruit. Just fill your bowl with sugar, add some colorful fruits, and place high up in the center of the table. Another idea for a centerpiece can be made by using wooden picks to secure flowers or fruit onto foam forms, and adding a ribbon. Or, decorate a pewter platter with ribbon-wrapped candles surrounded by pears, white cherries, and figs.

To decorate your entryway use scraps of fruit, flowers and branches to assemble a neat mixture for a beautiful urn.

Or, try these easy citrus spheres:  Fasten kumquats to three or five-inch foam balls with wood picks. Hide the wire by adding a wide ribbon or bow. Hang the spheres on doors, staircase railings, or place on tables or mantles.

Buy a plain wreath from your local store and decorate it with pine cones, berries, and ribbon. Don’t forget to add a sprig of mistletoe inside the doorway!

Give your rooms that soft peaceful holiday glow with candles. Add white candles to glass vases for a warm look.

Fill white paper lunch bags with sand or dirt, add a votive to the center of each bag, and light them up on a path on your sidewalk. Better yet, add small strands of lights to large mason jars and place all around your front porch.

Add some color and comfort. Focusing only on the rooms where guests will be, add a pop of color to the room by placing throws and pillows around the couches and chairs.

Spot clean. Don’t spend a ton of time cleaning when you can quickly spot clean. All you need are a few microfiber cloths for dusting, and a HEPA-filter vacuum for your floors.

Create entertaining “stations”.  The easiest way to host a large holiday gathering is with stations. Make sure each one is easy to see. Be sure to include a self-serve beverage station, a dessert station, and even a coat station. To keep your guests mingling, set up different stations in different areas of the party. When serving dinner, for smaller parties where guests will be seated and can help themselves, serve dishes in large platters on the tables. For larger parties, a buffet style comes in handy.

Set the mood with music. Celebrate the holidays by listening to your holiday music favorites. Spotify can help. Your local cable network can also help.  Karaoke always comes in handy too!

Buy early. Stock up on wine ahead of time. Buy a few extra to have on hand for last minute gifts, too.

Cook simply. As far as food is concerned, not everything has to be homemade! Learn how to spice up store bought platters by adding oil, spices, chives, or even parsley flakes as toppings.

A “one-pot” dinner is never out of the question. Pasta and shrimp, chili and corn, chicken and rice, and many other dinners can be made in one big pot (or crock pot) for that matter. Don’t think you need to cook a three to five course meal all the time. Give yourself (and your post party cleaning crew) a break and cook a big meal in one pot!

Speaking of pots ~ if you never like pot luck dinners because the foods never went well together, have a themed pot luck dinner instead. Assign a “wine and cheese” theme or a “desserts only” theme to your potluck guests. This way you can cook the entire dinner yourself and leave the appetizers and desserts for the guests to make.

Don’t forget the kids. Having kids at your party? Then be sure to plan a “kid zone” in advance. Toys, movies, puzzles, decorating cookies, drawing, or singing. Be sure to have a variety of age appropriate activities for the kiddos.

And most of all….say yes! Say yes to help, no matter what it is, no matter who it is. The more help you receive, the less burden you have. After all, it’s your holiday too!

Here’s wishing you all and a very bright, healthy, and joyous holiday season!

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The Bright Side of the Holidays https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/the-bright-side-of-the-holidays/ Tue, 22 Nov 2016 19:35:24 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/the-bright-side-of-the-holidays/ Imagine a world where the holidays are about joy again. Where days are filled with magic. Imagine a world where the only thing we have to wrestle for is the last piece of pumpkin pie. And where the normal place to camp out is around a fire, not in a store parking lot. Imagine a […]

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Imagine a world where the holidays are about joy again. Where days are filled with magic. Imagine a world where the only thing we have to wrestle for is the last piece of pumpkin pie. And where the normal place to camp out is around a fire, not in a store parking lot.

Imagine a world where the holidays are all about people. Where “door busters” refer to our loved ones pouring through the front door. And the four-letter word that defines the season is L-O-V-E not S-A-L-E. What if the only reason to wake up at 3am was to spot a reindeer in the sky? And the only coupons we redeem are for “one more kiss.” Imagine a world where instead of rushing to buy, we rush to give thanks for what we already have.

Imagine a world where we celebrate THANKS GIVING like we used to.

Every year, on the first of November, bright and early in the morning, channel 890 on my local cable network begins their holiday music. As I make room for the Halloween candy in my kitchen, I find myself happily singing along to Christmas songs.

Maybe humming Christmas songs early in November makes most people cringe, but not me. To me, the days that fall between Halloween and Thanksgiving are filled with the holiday spirit the most. This is the only time where there is no pressure, and no stress, physically, mentally and financially to “get everything done” for the holidays. It’s now when I feel those happy, warm, child-like memories of what the holidays used to be. My “cringing” period comes the day before Thanksgiving, when the newspaper is three times the usual size, filled with coupons and savings from Thanksgiving morning until Christmas Eve.

What saddens me about today’s holiday season is that society doesn’t allow us to enjoy Thanksgiving. Remember when all retail stores were closed on Thanksgiving? Even the supermarket? Somehow, we lost the old traditions of family, holiday, and thankfulness.

I recently went into a local appliance store and on the front door was a big note stating that the store will be closed on Thanksgiving, “because Thanksgiving is a day for the celebration of families, friends, and loved ones.” The note went on to say how the company respects the values of family and appreciates the hard work their employees do throughout the year, so they gave all 2,761 employees the day off.

I admit, at first I was so “taken back” by this message because I haven’t seen respect for employees like this is such a long time. Reading this message made me feel good, because for five seconds in my busy life, I felt like a kid during the holidays again, happy, warm, and excited to begin the traditions of family gathering, lots of laughs, lots of food, and tons of love.

As hard as I try to carry on those memorable family holiday traditions for my children, it just isn’t the same. Instead the holidays have turned into the “best money making times of the year” with round-the-clock sales and the crowds they create. Heck, even the coffee shops are open 24 hours, fueling shoppers into a buying frenzy. The “thing to do” these days on Thanksgiving is to eat a good meal quickly and plan your Thanksgiving/Black Friday shopping map.

Boy times have changed!

Put the “shopping” piece of the holidays to the side for a minute and focus now on the “hosting” side. This too has changed. The world seemed to have gotten so busy for us that we can’t even enjoy having people over anymore! It seems as if the planning piece of the holidays becomes stressful instead of fun. And once we allow our stress to take over, we begin to lose our values, and the benefits of gathering loved ones and friends over during these special times. Instead of looking forward to sharing our homes with our guests, we tend to focus on the preparation of the gathering instead of what matters the most ~ the people themselves, the holidays, the love and appreciation of the good in our lives, the special memories to be made, and most of all, the thanks ~ to all the people in our lives and the sacrifices they make that help our little world become a better place each and every day.

Let’s put more value on what really matters ~ This season, bring back the holidays:

Stay home on Thanksgiving. Then, support businesses that stayed closed for the holiday so their workers could spend Thanksgiving with their families. And support small and especially local businesses whenever possible.

Be present and in-the-moment for your family and friends. Keep your thoughts on the conversation and the person at hand – try not to allow your mind to wander towards your long list of To-Do lists.

Remember that a well-chosen gift is far more precious than an expensive one. The same is true for items made by you or someone you know.

Don’t underestimate the power of a simple meal to comfort, nourish and satiate. Fussy food can take away, rather than enhance, a holiday gathering especially if you, the host, are stressing over the meal.

Smile, even when you don’t mean it. Smiles are contagious and, you never know who might need to “catch one” from you during this stressful time.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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5 Fun Ways to Express Gratitude in Your Relationship https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/5-fun-ways-to-express-gratitude-in-your-relationship/ Tue, 22 Nov 2016 18:04:39 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/5-fun-ways-to-express-gratitude-in-your-relationship/ with thanksgiving just days away, hopefully you are not only getting excited about eating three times the caloric recommendation but also taking a moment to express gratitude. “thanks” and “giving” are both vital pieces to marriage and really all relationships. in fact i would go so far as to say that thankfulness and giving are […]

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with thanksgiving just days away, hopefully you are not only getting excited about eating three times the caloric recommendation but also taking a moment to express gratitude.

“thanks” and “giving” are both vital pieces to marriage and really all relationships. in fact i would go so far as to say that thankfulness and giving are essential to a healthy soul. we should be striving to express thanks to our partners often. i interpret ‘giving’ as giving your full self to the relationship as well as giving your time and money to those who need it.

here are 5 fun ways to express gratitude in your relationship

  • send a letter

handwritten notes are becoming a lost art and yet most of us get super excited when we see our name scrolled across a card when venturing to the mailbox. take the time to pick out a sweet card and actually mail it to your spouse. another fun thing my husband does is sends me postcards from the different places he travels for work.

  • cheers!

while not everyone loves to be the center of attention, a brief “toast” or “cheers” when you are out with mutual friends or family is a fun way to express gratitude to your spouse! keep it brief  and heartfelt – while he or she may be taken aback for a few moments, chances are they will appreciate being publicly recognized. if that feels like too much, even complimenting your spouse in front of others can make them feel great!

  • tuck in a gift or a note

i like to tuck a surprise note in my husband’s luggage when he travels and he likes to bring me home a sweet treat when he returns. think about including a love note or small gift in your spouse’s laptop bag, lunchbox or purse. people like to know you are thinking of them.

  • mix up the routine

if your spouse is always the one to cook or take out the garbage, mix things up! take over a task or a chore that they usually do. when they express, “oh, i usually do that!” simply say “…and i’m grateful you do – this time it is on me!”

  • use your words

when your spouse opens your door or pays for dinner (even if you share money), say “thank you.” don’t lose this aspect of your relationship because gratitude will enhance your relationship. of course our actions speak loudly so be sure to do the above as well but words are powerful so let’s use them to give thanks regularly to our spouse!

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7 Sentences to Enhance Your Relationship https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/7-sentences-to-enhance-your-relationship/ Tue, 30 Aug 2016 17:59:12 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/7-sentences-to-enhance-your-relationship/ we can agree that when it comes to relationships, it truly is the small gestures that make the most significant impact. sure, jewelry or flowers are nice sometimes but i find that it is the every day moments that continue to build the connection between myself and my husband. we have started incorporating these sentences […]

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7-sentences-to-enhance-your-relationshipwe can agree that when it comes to relationships, it truly is the small gestures that make the most significant impact. sure, jewelry or flowers are nice sometimes but i find that it is the every day moments that continue to build the connection between myself and my husband.

we have started incorporating these sentences into our conversations (both in person and via text) and they have made a profound impact for both of us. below are 7 sentences to enhance your relationship.

1. “i am in love with you.”

this one has truly been a game changer for us. chances are ‘i love you’ has become routine and while those are still powerful words, adding ‘IN love’ with you feels deeper and unexpected. we say ‘i love you’ to our children, our parents, our friends and our dogs but there is only one person we are in love with – so let your sweetie know!

2. “i appreciate you.”

saying ‘thank you’ can go along way but saying ‘i appreciate you’ goes even farther. this says that you care deeply and appreciate the different things that initially attracted you about your spouse.

3. “i hear you.”

this one is especially important to me. i have found that often times when i am complaining or needing to vent to my husband, he often wants to fix whatever it is that appears to be ailing me. often times, i just want to be heard. by him saying “i hear you and that sounds tough” validates that he’s listening and cares.

4. “i am so proud of you!”

that promotion your spouse has been working hard to get or the efforts put into training for a race? instead of staying ‘great work!’ let your spouse know how proud you are of him or her. just because we aren’t kids anymore doesn’t mean we no longer need to hear that someone is proud of us, especially from one of the most important people in our lives.

5. “here’s what i love about us…”

my husband and i started saying this one when we were doing monotonous things like running errands or standing in line at the grocery store. in these instances, i said “what i love about us is that we can laugh and have a good time no matter where we are or what we are doing.” that gives you a common bond and shows you are paying attention.

6. “can i help you with that?”

this shows that you are paying attention and willing to put in effort. if your spouse is always the one to take out the trash or do the laundry, offer and ask if you can help. it is also important that when our spouse asks this, we are willing to accept help!

7. “here’s what i need more of…”

relationships and marriages remain strong when communication is strong. we are not mind-readers (but if you are – i hope you are capitalizing on it), we need to let our significant others know what we need more of. it’s important to make these requests in a loving and respectful way. if you need more help around the house – ask. if you need your partner to come home earlier – ask. if you need more romantic evenings away – ask. people don’t know what is needed unless we use our words to say so!

my challenge to you is to say one of these sentences to your spouse today and see what reaction you get from him/her!

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Planning a successful staycation https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/planning-a-successful-staycation/ Tue, 26 Jul 2016 18:39:14 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/planning-a-successful-staycation/ the ‘staycation’ has been growing in popularity in the past few years and not just because it’s a fun, new word to say. one of the top reasons is because it’s less expensive to stay home (or near home) than buy plane tickets and accommodations for the entire family! plus, dealing with air travel to […]

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The ‘staycation’ brings new meaning to the phrase “wish you were here.”

the ‘staycation’ has been growing in popularity in the past few years and not just because it’s a fun, new word to say. one of the top reasons is because it’s less expensive to stay home (or near home) than buy plane tickets and accommodations for the entire family! plus, dealing with air travel to kick off a vacation isn’t always a fun way to set the tone. consider, too, that you can take a staycation any time of year, not just when school’s out. i personally believe that another reason staycations are gaining popularity is because our culture is now so fast-paced that sometimes we forget to appreciate what we have within our immediate access.

whatever your reason for opting for the ‘staycation’ route, there are plenty of ways to maximize your time off!

to prepare:

  • set your “out of office” and any other auto-responders so you can truly take time off work
    • remember to turn off ‘push notifications’ on your cell phone while you are at it
  • if you’re obsessed with always checking the time, put your clocks at home away!
    • your watch might also like a little vacation in your dresser drawer
  • think about how you would define this time off as a “success” by the end of it (this is your own definition)
    • if you are staycationing with your spouse and/or kids, make sure you hear what they are wanting/needing from it too

during:

  • be fully present
    • we often do not feel truly recharged if we have one foot still working and the other foot trying to relax. go all in!
    • have a good mix of things that make you feel completely relaxed as well as what is important to other family members
  • think about how you want to spend your time off
    • is it important to you to enjoy your home and have downtime?
    • do you want to play tourist in a neighboring town or even your own?
    • do you want some structure or completely by the seat of your pants?
  • pamper yourself!
    • you could hire an in-house masseuse
    • order take out or visit that new restaurant you keep meaning to try
    • get a manicure/pedicure
    • hire a cleaning service like Maidkart to give your house an extra deep clean while you are out exploring

after:

  • think back to your definition of what a successful staycation looked like to you and raise a glass in that accomplishment!
  • you probably want to bring the clocks back out and turn off those auto-responders
  • start thinking about your next one! i think we can all agree that it’s easier to get back to work if we have something else fun to look forward to!

have you taken a ‘staycation’ before? how did you spend yours?

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21 Fun (and Cheap) Summertime Date Ideas https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/21-fun-and-cheap-summertime-date-ideas/ Thu, 09 Jun 2016 14:14:58 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/21-fun-and-cheap-summertime-date-ideas/ it’s that moment we all (at least those of us in the northern hemisphere) have been waiting for… S U M M E R! i don’t know about you, but often times my husband and i spend way too much on saturdays doing the ping-pong game of “what do you want to do tonight?” followed […]

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it’s that moment we all (at least those of us in the northern hemisphere) have been waiting for… S U M M E R! i don’t know about you, but often times my husband and i spend way too much on saturdays doing the ping-pong game of “what do you want to do tonight?” followed by the ever helpful response of, “i dunno, what about you?” no more!  if you are still being indecisive about your date nights, simply pick a number between 1 – 21 from the list below and then you will be on your way!

camping

so that no one wastes another summer day or evening, here is a list of fun (and cheap) summertime date ideas!

  1. go to a drive-in
  1. lay a blanket out on the grass and stargaze
  1. pack a picnic and head to a new park
  1. visit a winery or brewery
  1. take a cooking class
  1. play at the local waterpark
  1. go to a county fair (fried butter optional)
  1. chase down an ice cream truck like the good ol’ days
  1. take a dance class
  1. save up your quarters and play at an arcade
  1. go to a baseball game
  1. pick fruit at a local orchard

local fresh fruit

  1. go for a hike in a new area
  1. pack up the car and go camping (or in your own backyard)
  1. make a list of the restaurants you’ve always wanted to try and start crossing them off
  1. go to a concert outdoors
  1. brush up on your miniature golfing skills
  1. see if your community shows any movies outdoors
  1. have a water balloon fight
  1. look at coupon sites for new things to try (river rafting, archery, even paintball!)
  1. visit a farmer’s market for ingredients to prepare dinner together

 

what are some of your favorite summertime dates?

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3 Reasons Why Renewing Your Vows is A Good Idea! https://www.maidkart.com/blog/healthy-soul/3-reasons-why-renewing-your-vows-is-a-good-idea/ Fri, 25 Mar 2016 20:02:12 +0000 https://prdmaidbrigade.wpengine.com/blog/uncategorized/3-reasons-why-renewing-your-vows-is-a-good-idea/ have you ever considered renewing your vows? when i got married 5 years ago, i planned on saying my vows once and calling it good. however, now i feel like renewing your vows is a great idea! we will probably wait until a more milestone year like 10/15/25 because as we saw in the case […]

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have you ever considered renewing your vows? when i got married 5 years ago, i planned on saying my vows once and calling it good. however, now i feel like renewing your vows is a great idea! we will probably wait until a more milestone year like 10/15/25 because as we saw in the case of mariah carey and nick cannon – just because you renew your vows yearly does not mean your marriage is guaranteed to last.

around the rumor mill (aka the internet) it seems like people are under the impression that a couple only renews their vows after a hardship, perhaps after a rough patch or a last ditch effort to save a marriage. i don’t think that needs to be the case at all!

here are 3 reasons why renewing your vows is a good idea:

1)    it keeps the people and the relationship accountable

when you renew your vows, it forces you (in a good way) to reassess things. either you pull out your old vows from your wedding day or come up with new ones. this allows you individually and as a couple to look at what promises you made to each other and take stock if you are keeping those promises.

the marriages that last (and actually involve two happy people in them) are those that are cared for and made a priority. this is an excellent way to ensure this is happening.

2)    you have both changed immensely

one of the things i was most unprepared for when i got married was just how much we were both going to change. thankfully (and after a few rough patches), we have made space in our marriage for this individual growth. Since core values rarely change in life, chances are your vows revolved somewhat around them and there may not be much to change. however, at least in my case, moving from social worker to entrepreneur has given me a completely new mindset and outlook on life. also, our lifestyle looks remarkably different than it did when we were both struggling to find work when we got married.

by renewing your vows, it allows you to update them as your life updates. heck, you could throw in an updated vow like “i promise to always wait to binge watch our Netflix shows when we are together.” make them fun and make them yours!

3) new people in your life!

this is one of the main reasons i would want to renew my vows. we now have some incredibly close friends that we met right after our wedding. sometimes it makes me sad to look through our wedding album and not see their smiling faces (or ripping it up on the dance floor!) plus, if you and your spouse have made the decision to have children then it would be fun to include them as well!

a full out wedding ceremony and reception doesn’t have to be involved to celebrate the renewal of commitment (unless you want that and can afford it). it is up to the two of you to decide if you want to renew your vows publicly or privately. you might decide to declare your vows on top of machu picchu, spend a romantic evening at a bed and breakfast or gather close friends and family for a weekend getaway! the important thing is to express your love, commitment and continuation on the journey in life as partners! love should be celebrated vibrantly and often!

Chelsea Avery, MSW is a speaker, writer and the founder of The New Wifestyle, an online community empowering women and our relationships. She is especially passionate about reinvigorating relationships to be a partnership between two people who are making conscious choices and not living in outdated expectations. She resides in the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado with her dreamy husband and believes a warm chocolate chip cookie can solve most problems, at least temporarily. She’s thrilled to working with Maidkart to help us all enhance our relationships!

 

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