When moving out of your home or apartment, you’re likely more focused on your new place than your old one. But before locking up for the last time, you’ll need to make sure everything is in good order for the next occupants. That’s where move-in/move-out cleaning services come in. In this piece, we’ll cover what move-in/move-out cleaning entails and why you may want to use such a service for your next move.

What is Move-In/Move-Out Cleaning?

Move-in/move-out cleaning is a specialized cleaning service that aims to remove dust and dirt from a home after the owners or tenants have moved out. It’s similar to deep cleaning in terms of thoroughness, Read more

It’s spring cleaning season once again, but this year, rather than stick to safe, predictable tasks like cleaning your upholstery, you’ve decided to tackle something bigger—something outside of your comfort zone. That’s right…you’re finally going to organize the garage. Truly, you are a brave soul. However, courage alone isn’t enough to subdue an out-of-control garage—you also need a strategy. To help you, we’ve boiled down the process to five simple steps. Read more

If you’re moving, renovating your home or simply doing some overdue cleaning, you may find yourself knee-deep in junk and unsure what to do about it. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to this problem: junk removal services. Most hauling companies will handle every aspect of junk removal for you, which will allow you to focus on more important tasks. However, there are steps you can take to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Read more

Since the recent California wildfires, many of us have been reassessing our relationships to our possessions. Since my home was safe, my immediate response was to find useful items to donate to the fire victims. In fact, many Sonoma County donation sites were overwhelmed with people’s generosity and had to turn away used clothing and furniture. They requested cash donations instead or things like toaster ovens, hot plates and electric teapots for those living in temporary housing.

The stories about what evacuees took with them and what they left behind made many of us think about which of our belongings have value and meaning and which don’t. Read more

April is here, which means it’s once again time to engage in the longstanding domestic ritual known as spring cleaning. In addition to tackling annual maintenance tasks like cleaning your carpets and flushing your water heater, spring cleaning offers a chance to optimize your home for enjoying the temperate weather and extended daylight. Here are some simple things you can do to brighten, freshen and rejuvenate your home.

Brighten
During the sunny season, you’ll want to bring as much light as possible into your home. Start by washing your windows. Regardless of the tools or methodology you employ (most professionals recommend using a squeegee and a 100 percent cotton cloth), there are a couple of important rules to follow. Read more

When was the last time you vacuumed under and behind your refrigerator? It’s amazing how much crud builds up back there, as I discovered while getting a start on my spring cleaning. As I scrubbed away, I began thinking about the origin of this annual ritual.

To find out more, I called Ernie Andrade, owner of Allbright Maintenance Services, a Diamond Certified company. He told me that the idea originated in China. The Chinese clean homes in anticipation of the New Year. A thorough cleaning eliminates bad luck and misfortune from the previous year. In Jewish custom, Passover, which comes around April, is a time of house cleaning as well. And when homes were heated with coal, Read more