From The Lyons Den

The Lyons Den

March 2010

Arizona Desert in Spring

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Spring Into Spring Cleaning!

No, it's not a typo! Do you feel it? The gorgeous weather, the birds singing all day, the unbelievable smell of citrus blossoms and the wild flowers everywhere you can look! Now, do you feel like springing? A feeling of fresh enthusiasm. Maybe like skipping? OK, maybe not quite, but spring is inspiring, and many of you are refreshed, even those who love the winter.

OK, how can we possibly think about spring cleaning? Especially when we are working all the time and can barely keep up with regular housework?

Believe it or not, the act alone is a motivator. Try it and you'll see!

Here are a few ideas we've gathered. Remember, if you only take 10% of what you would like to do and put it into action, you'll have done more than being overwhelmed and not getting anything done!

Keep a pad and pen in every room and start your lists. Plan on keeping it going until mid-April.
Around April 16th (after taxes) committ to waking up 15-30 minutes early one morning (preferably a weekend when you can enjoy it more), with a cup of coffee on the patio. Gather your lists from each room and decide what is important, and realistic. Think inside and out of your home, pick a room or big project, or something that's been bugging you all winter.
Do this by yourself, don't solicit input from anyone, they may not have any inclination to join you, and could burst your bubble.
Plan to involve some of the family or a friend (you can reciprocate at their home on another weekend).

Some ideas to get you started;

Plan to organize something. A phone book, your computer files, a junk drawer, cabinet under a sink or a shelf in the linen closet.
How about some extra cash from a garage sale while your cleaning your garage! (Have a helper, make fresh lemonade and say hello to those hermit neighbors you forgot about!) This is a big one but well worth it.
Clean and organize a medicine cabinet.
Don't plan on the entire closet or dresser, just pick a corner of the closet or 1 drawer. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you don't stop at just 1!
Rent a machine (or a service) and get your carpets cleaned, you'll be amazed at what you have to do to get ready for it, and bam, two for one project!
Plant some herbs or flowers.
Sift through that 2" or 2' pile of papers and end up with saving 10% of it and throwing away, or filing the rest.
Make an annual calendar of all those birthdays and anniversary's you missed, AND. . . write some of those cards, envelopes and stamps and have them ready. Or better still, sign up for an online greeting service and enter those dates directly in there. They will send you email reminders and can cost less than $20 for the year! (I use American Greetings and Jacquie Lawson, but there are many others.)
And don't forget your roof! It can use a cleaning too! (Plug, plug).

We hope this was a good start, and that you get some enjoyment from it. Drop us a note, and better yet a photo and we will post it. If you do, we will choose a winner and send you a $25 Home Depot gift card to help you fix up your home.

Spring Cleaning RoofTune-Up Special

Did you know your manufacturer's warranty can be void due to improper maintenance? Lyons Roofing offers a Roof Tune-Up which includes cleaining your roof and inspecting 14 items such as;