Spring Cleaning & Mental Health 

As flowers bloom and sunlight fills our homes, spring cleaning becomes more than just tidying—it’s a powerful way to declutter not only our homes but our minds as well!

Science shows that clutter isn’t just visual noise; it can overload your brain. Research from Princeton University reveals that messy environments increase cognitive overload, making it harder to focus and process information.

A University of Connecticut study found that reducing clutter directly lowers stress levels, helping people feel happier, less anxious, and more confident.

In fact, women living in cluttered homes often show higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day, while those in organized spaces report better moods and even improved sleep.

The act of decluttering itself delivers rewards, too. Each completed task triggers a release of dopamine, your brain’s “feel-good” chemical, creating a wonderful sense of accomplishment and motivation that builds self-esteem.

Add the magic of aromatherapy, and the benefits multiply!  Incorporating essential oils like refreshing lemon (for focus and energy), calming lavender (for relaxation), or invigorating peppermint turns cleaning into a sensory treat. These natural scents can uplift your mood, reduce nervousness, and create a serene atmosphere that lingers long after the dust is gone.

Spring cleaning offers the perfect self-care ritual: open the windows, let in fresh air and light, move your body, and watch your space—and your mind—transform.

Your home will sparkle, and your outlook will brighten along with it.

Newport Institute did a great piece on spring-cleaning both your home and your mind, and it is here.

At Denver Concierge, we’re passionate about creating peaceful, healthy environments that support your whole well-being. Ready for a stress-free refresh with that extra touch of calm?

We are standing by to help.

In this month’s newsletter, we cover lots of stuff going on in and around our fair city. Read on to learn about Denver dumping Flock, its $1B investment in our roads, Colorado’s debt problem, and all the perks of Amazon Prime!

We hope you love it as much as we do!

Happy spring, everyone, and here is to refreshing our physical and mental spaces!!!

Flock Camera Controversy 

Have you heard of Flock?

We hadn’t until Denver implemented them citywide way back in 2024. The initial rollout included 111 cameras at 70 intersections.

Flock is an AI-driven network of surveillance cameras that can capture all of the following:

• Vehicle Fingerprint® Technology: Identifies unique vehicle characteristics like rooftop racks, decals, and custom wheels.
• Timestamp & Location: Creates a searchable, time-stamped log of vehicle movements.
• Real-time Alerts: Detects stolen vehicles, vehicles involved in crimes, and suspects wanted by law enforcement.
• Shared Network & Search: Allows users to search for vehicles across the Nationwide Flock Network to track suspect vehicles.
• License Plate Recognition (LPR): Identifies plates regardless of whether they are damaged, temporary, or missing. 

So, what is the controversy, you ask? 

Well, it stems from privacy concerns, including issues regarding data sharing, potential risks to civil liberties, and a lack of transparency.

Also, an investigation revealed that despite local policies, the collected data was accessible to external law enforcement agencies.

On top of it all, the city renewed its contract with Flock, in October of 2025, with no public review or vote. This was met with quite the outcry, as featured here in Denverite.

Well, time to backtrack, folks, as 9News reported, Denver is dumping Flock.

The new vendor? Axon, which already provides body cams and tasers to the Denver Police.

The full article covering the change to Axon, courtesy of Denverite, can be found here.

Walking the fine line between safety and government overreach has always been a challenge. 

We certainly hope that Denver can strike a healthy balance.

Hidden Amazon Perks

Good old Amazon Prime. I would bet a good many of you are subscribers, if for no other reason than free shipping.

If you are like us, you didn’t know about the hidden perks of Amazon Prime.

Denver Concierge to the rescue, because we are here to reveal all the ways you can make your Amazon Prime membership work even better.

We are guessing that most of you know about Amazon Music. If you are using Spotify, Apple Music, or any other service, Amazon Music can replace them, as it is included with Prime.

Amazon is also linked up with Whole Foods and offers Prime Member Deals, which give members discounts of 10% to 20% on selected items marked with blue Amazon stickers. 

You can also get same-day Amazon Fresh deliveries for groceries.

Also, Prime members get free access to Prime Reading, a virtual library where you can borrow as many books as you like.

If Kindle is your thing, anyone with a Prime membership gets one free Kindle book a month, as well as regular discounts on selected titles.

You like shoes? Amazon owns Zappos and provides a number of benefits to linking your accounts.

Prescription drugs can also be a source of savings with RxPass, which offers big discounts on medications.

Amazon Prime members get 5GB of unlimited storage for photos, and big discounts on Shutterfly, the online photography company.

Finally, there is a free GrubHub membership, which can save you $10/month.

There are even more ways to get the most from your Amazon Prime membership, and we thank CNet for this exhaustive list.

The most comprehensive list of all things Prime is found here, courtesy of Amazon directly. 

We also love the piece we found on “Amazon Prime Tips and Tricks” which shares lots of ways to maximize your Prime membership.

We hope this helps you unlock your Amazon Prime membership! Happy shopping!

$1Billion Road Project

Last month, we covered the Alameda Avenue drama in Denver.

As if that wasn’t enough, the recent announcement of a $1B road project in Denver has folks equally riled up.

From the article on Hoodline, “Denver is charging ahead with a sweeping, nearly $1 billion plan to rework city streets, cutting back space for cars in favor of bus lanes, bike facilities, and safety upgrades.”

“The program blends quick curbside tweaks with major corridor rebuilds, and it is already dividing the city: transit advocates and safety groups cheer the ambition, while many drivers and some businesses brace for slower commutes. City officials say the focus is on high-crash corridors and historically neglected neighborhoods as part of a broader push to reduce traffic deaths.”

“As reported by The Denver Post, Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has identified more than 500 traffic-calming projects that together total nearly $1 billion, with most of the work expected to wrap up by 2032.”

“The package leans on roughly $441 million in voter-approved bond debt and includes big-ticket work such as an East Colfax reconstruction estimated at $280 million. Reporting on the plan also highlights DOTI’s growing operating scale and the administration’s stated priority of fixing high-accident and historically neglected corridors first.”

The major projects include West 38th Avenue, Evans, Speer Boulevard, 8th Avenue, Santa Fe Drive, West Mississippi, and 17th/18th Avenues, to name just a few.

There are also 500 other street projects spanning the city.

Big, ambitious projects invite criticism, and plenty of residents are not sold.

Business groups and many drivers warn that narrowing major arterials or reallocating lanes to buses and bikes could trigger longer backups and push frustrated motorists onto smaller neighborhood streets.

Opponents cite anecdotal increases in commute times on reconfigured corridors and argue that the city needs to show clear, block-by-block benefits before it reshapes some of the most heavily used routes in Denver.

Details on this project can be found in the Denver Post’s recent article here.

Looks like lots of road construction is in our future. 

Colorado’s Debt Problem

Some rankings are just not good. This one caught our eye, as it relates to overall consumer debt in our state.

Utilizing criteria involving total average debt outstanding by every adult with a credit score, it revealed that Colorado is leading the country in consumer debt.

In fact, the average Coloradan owes about $90,540 in consumer debt, which leads the country.

The lowest? West Virginia has an average of only about $36k.

So, what do we attribute this to? Well, the good news is that 3/4 of that debt is in the form of mortgages, which sounds great.

The problem with that is that the appreciation of property values in Colorado has skyrocketed. Anyone who bought after about 2021 could face a difficult time selling their home should they need to. 

Along with mortgages, Colorado is among the leaders in college costs and student loan debt. 

Don’t forget vehicle debt, with the average Coloradan carrying about $36,000 in auto loans. Yikes.

Add it all up, and it becomes very financially unhealthy, and that is before factoring in credit card usage.

On top of it all, Colorado now ranks 3rd in the most expensive places to live in the U.S.

From the article in the Denver Post, “The three greatest obstacles to building wealth are debt, inflation, and taxes. Broadly speaking, there are two types of people in the economy: those who pay interest and those who collect it. At present, Coloradans as a group appear to be on the wrong side of that divide.”

The link to the Post article (paywalled) can be found here. It’s a good read and a reminder of how excessive debt can cripple financial futures.

Monthly Award Winners

Our February award winners were Patricia Rodriguez, Josefina Quinonez, Nimia Espinoza, Maria Zapata, and Aurora Dominguez.

In the Team Leader ranks, the two were Mayra Soto and Socorro Ibarra.

We are so proud of our winners and of all the folks who are in and out of your homes each week.

We are also very appreciative of being a part of your lives and your homes. You provide the platform for our teams to perform, and for that, we are grateful.

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for February.

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

It is, indeed, time for spring cleaning. 

But why do we do it?  Well, we do it because we are Denver Concierge, but where did the actual idea come from?

The seasonal motivation for spring cleaning was part of ancient cultural and religious traditions, including the Persian New Year, Jewish Passover, and Chinese New Year.

The lighter days highlighted the accumulated winter soot and grime from winter heating, and open windows cleared out the winter air. 

Cleaning in general is widely considered an evolved, instinctual behaviour inherited from our hunter-gatherer ancestors.

Much like our fight or flight instinct, or fear of heights or loud noises, it is a survival tactic. 

See, 10,000 years ago, the hunter-gatherers’ survival depended on how they reacted to and coped with the threats in their environment.

They organized their camps into different areas to keep their diverse activities separate.

An area for the butchering of meat, an area for cooking, and one for tool making, for example.

They kept the camp clean and free of insects by covering the ground with sand and vegetation, which is easily replaced. 

A clean camp was equal in importance to food and water. 

Today, a clean home is a healthy home. 

It’s still a jungle out there. Just 10,000 years later.

Bee

Spring Things 

Well, heck, the official start of spring is coming, arriving on March 20th. We aren’t sure what to think, as our lack of winter (and the resulting moisture) has our plants and trees confused, and even some of our lawns.

This winter has been nothing like what we have seen in a very long time. We are sure hoping that we get some moisture before summer gets here, or we will have drought conditions for sure.

However, our dry winter doesn’t change the fact that spring is on its way. In that spirit, we wanted to give our take on some of the most important things you can do to get your home ready for the even warmer months ahead.

• Concrete & Exterior Care: Inspect driveways and patios for cracks caused by freeze-thaw cycles, seal concrete, and remove accumulated sand or ice melt to prevent damage.
   
• Drainage Management: Monitor moisture, especially near foundations. Ensure snow (if we get any) is not piled against the house, and, if necessary, create small trenches to direct water away from the foundation.
   
• Irrigation/Sprinkler System: As temperatures rise, turn on your sprinkler system, check for leaks, broken heads, or other damage from winter, and prepare it for the growing season.
   
• Gutters & Roofs: Clean out accumulated pine needles, leaves, and debris from gutters and downspouts to ensure proper water flow during spring rains. Inspect roofs for damage or leaks caused by heavy snow.
   
• Landscaping Preparation: Clean up debris, remove dead plants, and prepare garden beds for new planting as the ground thaws.
   
• Indoor/Outdoor Transition: Clean and service your HVAC system (AC unit inspection) as you move away from furnace-dependent heating.
   
• Safety Check: Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, especially if you haven’t done so since autumn.
   
• Storage Swap: Transition your garage or shed, moving snow blowers and shovels to the back and bringing out rakes and gardening tools. 

What about the inside of our homes, you say? We have some ideas there as well! How about a list of 25 spring decor ideas courtesy of the Pioneer Woman?

Living Spaces also did a “Top 10 Spring Decor Trends” and it can be found here. If you want to learn about biophilic designs, this is your place.

For those of you on a budget, 5280 Magazine gives us the foolproof, less than $100 ideas to refresh your home for spring.

Oh, and lest you forget the wonderful deep cleaning that Denver Concierge provides every time we come. 

We hope you have a wonderful March and welcome spring in with the appreciation it deserves!

The Power of Self Talk 

Do you talk to yourself? We sure do.

It only becomes a problem when we do it out loud.

Seriously, though, new research is showing that the way we speak to ourselves can directly influence our health, both mentally and physically.

Neuroscientist Eldin Hasa published a very interesting article on LinkedIn covering this topic, and it caught our eye.

From that article, “The most powerful medicine might be your own voice. Your voice is not just sound; it is neurochemistry in motion. When you speak to your body with intention, you are sending real electrical and chemical signals that can tune your biology toward healing.”

“In neuroscience and psychoneuroimmunology, there is growing evidence that thoughts and language act like ‘software updates’ for the nervous and immune systems. When you repeat statements like “I am healing” or “My body is strong,” you repeatedly activate neural networks linked to safety, hope, and agency instead of circuits wired for threat and helplessness.”

“Over time, this intentional self-talk can downshift sympathetic ‘fight-or-flight’ activation and increase parasympathetic tone, which improves digestion, sleep, tissue repair, and immune function. The brain then sends different signals through hormonal, immune, and autonomic pathways, creating a measurable change in inflammation, pain perception, and recovery.”

The US Army even has a section on self-talk and its benefits.

Finally, the Mayo Clinic shared its take on self-talk here.

The bottom line? Self-talk is incredibly powerful for our emotional and mental health. 

We become what we believe, and it starts with the way we treat ourselves.

Remember, whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you are right!

Browser & Email Security Issues

While Microsoft Edge is prominent on Windows machines, many of us use other browsers, such as Firefox or the above-mentioned Chrome.

We use Chrome ourselves, so we were quite alarmed to hear that Google has had some security issues of late. Edge as well.

As always, we like to keep everyone in the know about these risks, so here we go.

For starters, it seems that Chrome (and Edge to some degree) are susceptible to extensions that can harm your PC. 

Extensions are certain add-ons that allow Chrome to operate with other software, and they are very common.

However, there are some bad actors out there, and if you aren’t careful, all your credentials and personal information can be accessed.

We recommend reading this article to learn about these malicious extensions and how to wipe them from your computer.

The “Phantom Shuttle” is what we are looking for, and more details on that bad little guy can be found here.

Oh, and speaking of Google, they had a massive Gmail breach, with 48 million credentials exposed.

17 million Facebook users, 6.5 Instagram users, and numerous other services were impacted. All in all, 48 million credentials were compromised.

Based on our research, we strongly recommend changing your passwords and not reusing old ones.

Two-factor authentication also protects you, but it has to be set up on each account.

You can also use passkeys, which add a layer of security. Full details on that process can be found here.

Update your passwords, people!!!

Remember, the most popular password is 123456, with “password” not far behind.

Alameda Avenue Drama   

Nothing like some good old-fashioned drama in Denver.

This time? Alameda Avenue.

It seems that Alameda has been dangerous for some time, and according to the Denver Transportation and Infrastructure, Alameda between Franklin and Lincoln averaged about 55 crashes each year between 2021 and 2024. 

That seems high, we agree.

From the recent article in the Denver Post (paywalled), “Neighbors of Alameda, a major thoroughfare that’s one of the most dangerous roads in Denver, have been lobbying the city for years to make changes along the section from Pearl to Franklin streets.”

“They say crashes are frequent, cars have plowed into front yards, and pedestrians are often put in dangerous situations.”

“The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure developed an initial plan that would have eliminated one of the street’s four lanes, leaving one travel lane in each direction and one for turns in the middle.”

“The redesigned three-lane road would have had more space for pedestrians and reduced the number of cars spanning the road at one time. But months after DOTI sent a notice announcing construction would begin in 2025, city officials said late in the year that they were changing part of the plan.”

The original design was supposed to be months into construction, but with the latest reversal, folks are taking sides.

Denverite did a fine job of encapsulating the entire situation on Alameda, and their article is here.

Denver 7 covered this issue as well; their take can be found here.

To get the City of Denver’s official take on the project, visit Denver.Gov’s site here.

We don’t really have a horse in this race, as they say, other than we like safety.

We hope that our city leaders can come up with a plan that achieves that and keeps the denizens happy along the way.

Meanwhile, if you drive on this stretch of Alameda, be vigilant!

DIA Turbulence

Over the years, we have become fairly experienced at air travel.

We are kind of embarrassed to say this, but we remember the days when airplanes had smoking sections.

Yep, it’s true.

Thankfully, we evolved beyond that poorly thought-out idea, and nowadays, air travel is safer than ever.

One of the things we don’t love? Turbulence. We have always felt like flights in and out of DIA were “bumpy”, and the most recent analysis of turbulence backs up that notion.

Thanks to an interesting company called Turbli, we now know that 5 of the top 10 highest-turbulence routes in North America involve Denver.

Wow.

In fact, DIA has a turbulence score of 17.9 (we won’t bore you with the calculations, but they are here), which makes it first overall in North America.

Santiago, Chile, holds the distinction of the world’s most turbulent airport, with a turbulence score of 21.4, even higher than DIA,

So, this settles it. We fly out of a very turbulent airport, and for those of you who are nervous fliers, we feel your pain.

May we suggest a visit to Turbli to allay your fears? They do a great job of covering turbulence, what it really is, and techniques to make flying more enjoyable.

You can actually track your route for a given day and predict the expected turbulence level.

As the old proverb says, “forewarned is forearmed”, so we sure hope this helps you in your travels!!!

Monthly Award Winners

Our January award winners were Patricia Rodriguez, Josefina Quinonez, Socorro Gonzalez, Nimia Espinoza, and Sandra Vidales.

In the Team Leader ranks, the two were Mayra Soto and Natalia Olivas.

We are so proud of our winners and of all the folks who are in and out of your homes each week.

We are also very appreciative of being a part of your lives and your homes. You provide the platform for our teams to perform, and for that, we are grateful.

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for January.

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

Denver Concierge has been in business for over a quarter of a century.  How has our cleaning technique changed over the years? Not much. 

We started with an old-fashioned vibe, more 1926 than 2000. In 1926, a home was considered modern if it had built-in kitchen cabinets and a refrigerator instead of an ice box. 

Cleaning products were basically a mixture of simple ingredients, utilizing significant elbow grease. Baking soda, vinegar, castile soap, and lemon.     

In 2000, modern meant an over-the-range microwave, stainless steel appliances, and granite countertops.  Cleaning products were chemically based with little regard for the earth or human health. They were, for the most part, heavily chemical-based surfactants. 

We said no and joined the Green Clean Institute, which meant fewer products, but earth and creature-safe.

We are now in 2026. Focus on technology, smart security systems, video doorbells, and water leak detectors.

Oddly enough, with all these innovations, modern cleaning products now try to mimic those of 1926; products that emphasize sustainability and eco-friendly formulas.

Our Denver Concierge cleaning techniques have not changed; we have simply adapted our methods to encompass all the new in-home features and latest advances in home interior design. 

We’re proud we took a stand in the beginning, and we are pleased that the current trend is in line with our original belief in a more natural approach to cleaning.

What we do as citizens of Earth makes a difference. “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” – Robert Swan

Bee

We Hate Price Increases 

Of all the things we do at Denver Concierge, managing our pricing is our least favorite. We absolutely love what we do, and we hate the thought of our service costing more each year.

Unfortunately, in the city of Denver, it is tough to run any profitable business without following their lead on costs.

See, unlike a company that makes physical things, our highest cost is labor.

70% of every dollar we earn goes to our folks. That leaves us 30% to pay for everything else, including vehicles, office staff, and all other non-field costs like workers’ comp insurance, liability insurance, etc.

In order to understand the difficulty in holding our price steady, a little history is needed. Back in 2019, Denver rolled out a very aggressive minimum wage campaign. It set wages for the first three years and then ensured fairly aggressive increases each year going forward. 

The increases are tied to the regional consumer price index and cannot be violated. This means Denver’s current minimum wage is 27% higher than the Colorado state minimum wage of $15.16.

So, how does this affect our business? Well, Denver now has the 7th highest minimum wage in the country, trailing only four Washington cities, and two in California. At $19,29 per hour, it rose $.48 year over year, an increase of 2.5%. 

It will continue to go up, per the 2019 mandate.

Beyond minimum wage, Denver businesses have been hit with FAMLI, mandatory sick leave, and Colorado Secure Savings. Please click on each of these if you are curious about what they are.

Without boring you, our fine city and state have added a ton of costs to Denver (and Colorado) businesses. 

If any of this sounds like we are complaining, we are not. We love our folks and wish we could pay them more. We fully support our people earning every penny they can for themselves and their families.

In fact, we are one of the only cleaning companies (maybe the only one) that still offers vacation to our folks on top of all of the benefits listed earlier.

The reality of it is very simple, however. Were we not to move our pricing with the minimum wage, we wouldn’t be in business very long. Labor is our main cost, so a little increase levers our costs significantly.

Why are we writing about this topic? Simply because we believe in transparency, and the last thing we want any client to think is that we are greedy and just trying to extract more money from them. Also, some of you have asked questions about the recent increase, and sharing the economic conditions seems like the right thing to do.

We cannot recall a price increase where we came out “ahead”. Each time we hold our breath and hope that we haven’t become too expensive. It’s not easy running a business in Denver.

Going forward, we have one mandate. We must make sure that our service is world-class in every way. Regardless of the price, it is our mission to make every client feel like what they get from Denver Concierge is 100% “worth it”.

Most of the people you see in your home have been with us a very long time, and we like to think that is directly related to our desire to give them the best possible place to work. We hope that shows up in the care we give to your home.

Rest assured that we will do everything in our power to hold our pricing year over year, but it is never going to be easy.

Thank you so much for supporting our small business. We hope you understand that anytime we raise prices, it is simply to hold serve against a strong headwind of costs that businesses are forced to absorb.

We appreciate every one of you, and hope to serve you going forward for a very long time.

We hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter. Read on to see what new things we have uncovered in the world, as well as our 2025 annual award winners! 

Thank you again for your kindness and support of Denver Concierge. We have been here for nearly 30 years, and we hope to serve you for 30 more. 

Do Hearts Hold Memories? 

Is it possible that your heart actually has memory?

Recent studies show that it indeed does.

In fact, your heart emits a magnetic field up to 5,000x stronger than the brain’s, extending up to 2 meters, measurable via magnetocardiography (MCG), and modulated by emotional state.

This field is structured, not random, and communicates coherent signals via afferent pathways to the brain. Its waveform encodes not just rhythm, but affective state.

Prove it, you say!? Of course. 

The most concrete examples of this come from transplant patients. Many of whom wake up with a donor heart and have new, unique cravings, or in some cases, specific memories from the life of the donor.

Psychology Today did an informative piece on this phenomenon and the full article is here.

We also found an article on Medium that goes into the ways that the heart communicates with the brain, which is fascinating and is here.

Neuroscience is leading us in many new directions as we uncover more about how our bodies and minds work together.

So, the next time someone says “Follow your heart”, it might be a wise choice.

Denver Pavilions 

Denver Pavilions has always felt like the heart of the 16th Street Mall to us.

Oh, how times have changed. After defaulting on an $85 million loan that was due in July of 2025, the Denver Pavilions and their owner, Gart Properties, were headed for foreclosure.

Enter the Denver Development Authority.

Way back in 1998, Denver leaders launched the Pavilions, and it was valued at $100 million.

Now, the city of Denver has stepped in and for the discount price of $37 million are planning to purchase the Pavilions.

From the article on 9 News, “Mayor Mike Johnston said the authority is purchasing the property for about $37 million. The board also approved up to $8 million in additional DDA funds for property improvements, leasing, and redevelopment planning.”

“The DDA will move forward with renewing leases for current tenants and working to attract new tenants, the mayor’s office said in a news release. The authority then intends to sell Pavilions to another buyer who can implement the new vision for the site, according to the release.”

COVID was the driving factor in the decline of the Pavilions, with the construction that has been ongoing on the mall also driving the decline. Throw in the work-from-home trends created, and there was a perfect recipe for disaster.

We found a most informative article courtesy of Denverite, which covers the history of the Pavilions, as well as some cool newspaper articles from the 1990s that show the history of this iconic space.

The purchase will still need approval by the Denver City Council, but it seems to be rolling towards that conclusion.

We aren’t sure about our tax dollars going towards this, but we also don’t want to see this long-standing part of the 16th Street Mall fall into disrepair either.

Interesting times, we will keep you updated here as things go forward.

New Look at Life Expectancy   

Looking at the photo above, one could draw lots of conclusions.

If you look really closely, though, you will see something a bit different.

Normal “by state” life expectancy, most of us have probably seen. Hawaii usually leads, with a Southern state in dead last.

Sure enough, the range by state is about 9 years, with Mississippi last at 71.9 and Hawaii at 80.7.

But that doesn’t tell the whole story.

In that photo, you will notice not just a state breakdown, but one by county.

This completely changes the range.

By county, you can see a low of 66.8 years, and a high of 86.8, a full 20-year gap.

Wow, we were fascinated by this. From the article on LinkedIn, “Geography aligns closely with economic reality. Areas with shorter lifespans often face persistent poverty, limited access to hospitals and preventive care, food insecurity, and higher rates of chronic illness.”

“Public health research consistently shows that living conditions, education, and local infrastructure exert a powerful influence on long-term health outcomes.”

Interesting for sure. As an example, Denver residents average 77.8 years, while Boulder residents average almost five years more at 82.4.

This information sure sheds new light on this topic for us. 

Of course, we have included a link to the “by county” longevity rates, and it can be found here. Just put your zip code in and away you go.

We hope you find this as interesting as we did!!

AI Pet Companions?

Being an only child would be tough.

Being an “only pet” is also challenging (we assume) as owners travel, go to work, or simply conduct their lives on a day-to-day basis.

While the obvious solution is to get a second pet and hope they get along, it is risky business.

Or, what if there was a new solution to keep your pet busy and happy while you are away?

There now is.

A company called Tuya has recently launched Aura (the cute little one in the photo), an AI companion for your pet.

From the recent article on their website, “Pets have become vital emotional companions for people—yet their own emotional needs are often overlooked. When your pet starts hiding under the bed, excessively grooming, or losing interest in treats, these seemingly minor changes may actually be distressing signals.”

“Research shows that long periods of solitude can lead pets to experience anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues. While traditional smart devices can handle basic tasks such as feeding or monitoring, they fall short of addressing pets’ deeper emotional needs. Pets need more than just to be fed—they need to be seen, understood, and accompanied. Driven by this insight, Tuya unveiled Aura.”

So cool.

The AI robot can handle many different things for your pet. From giving treats to capturing photos of your pet, Aura can move freely throughout your home and will return to its charging dock when in need.

Pricing for this very fun gizmo has yet to be announced, as this is a brand new launch for Tuya, announced recently at CES Vegas.

The complete rundown on this fascinating new technology can be found on the Tuya website here.

Fox News also did an article on this new toy and it can be found here.

We can’t wait to see how this new tech plays out, and we think our pets will be excited as well!!!

Annual Award Winners 2025

This is our favorite time for recognizing our people.

It is time for us to let you know who our top performers for 2025 were.

Before we do that, our monthly winners from December were Patricia Rodriguez, Josefina Quinonez, Nimia Espinoza, Maria Zapata,  and Sandra Vidales.

In the Team Leader ranks, Mayra Soto and Natalia Olivas led the way.

For the year, we are so proud to recognize our top Cleaning Associates and Team Leaders.

The winners for 2025:

Best Cleaning Associate: 

Aurora Dominguez

Runner Up:

Maria Zapata

Best Team Leader:

Laura Varela

Runner Up:

Mayra Soto

Big congratulations to our top performers for 2025. These ladies are truly the best of the best.

We are so proud of our winners and of all the folks who are in and out of your homes each week.

We are also very appreciative to be a part of your lives and your homes. You provide the platform for our teams to perform, and for that, we are grateful.

Please join me in congratulating our best performers not only for December but also for 2025.

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

Happy Early Valentine’s Day!

To: All of our Denver Concierge clients, partners, and families

From: Queen Bee and the Denver Concierge folks who make it all come together, specifically listed below:

Our Team Leaders.  My direct conduit to our clients. They constantly amaze with their ability to guide their crews while working alongside them, inspecting, fielding, and reporting any unusual occurrences that pop up during a clean, of which there are a surprising number.

Our Cleaning Associates.  Their hard work and determination to do their very best all day, every day, is the major contributing factor to our reputation as a top-notch cleaning company. Bar none. 

Our General Manager, Maria Herrera. Capable of maintaining her cool while controlling a daily roster always in flux and frequently thrown into disarray by last-minute cancellations, requests, lockouts, and sundry day-to-day hiccups. She’s possibly superhuman. 

Our Office Manager, Blanca Garcia. She serves as resident mechanic, driver, equipment guru, and fixer. This woman can produce from her “cabinet of curiosities” just about anything from common to odd, rare, or hard-to-find items needed in a pinch, from a simple safety pin to a hex screwdriver.  Plus, she is Maria’s emotional support human.

We figured a peek at our team and their unique skills would be a wonderful way to show love to them, and to you. 

So, in that spirit and from all of us to all of you….Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Bee

Thankful 

It certainly seems like we were just writing about Thanksgiving 2024, and another one has arrived. The years go faster the longer we are here, but we remain thankful.

What are we thankful for? 

Well, you, for starters. If you are receiving this, you are part of the Denver Concierge family. As a client, partner, or supporter of our small business, how could we not be thankful?

Today’s business climate couldn’t be much more difficult. We are still in a post-COVID inflationary time. The cost of nearly everything is still very high, and labor costs have never been higher, especially in Denver.

Yet, 27 years later, we remain. We like to think it’s because we are pretty good at what we do, but that is far from the entire story.

Through the years, all of you have trusted us to be in your homes, sometimes every week. We take that trust very seriously and don’t take anything that we do for you for granted.

We are thankful for you. In the face of price increases, weather, illnesses, and lots of things out of our control, you remain with us as well.

At the risk of being sappy this holiday season, we say thank you for supporting our small business. 

We are also so very thankful for our wonderful ladies who clean your homes every week. We are sure by now that you probably don’t notice our monthly award winners at the end of each newsletter, and that’s perfectly normal.

But please know that those awards are based largely on your feedback and that recognition, along with our annual awards, are important to our folks.

So as we head towards 2026 and another Thanksgiving newsletter that will come way too fast, we simply say thanks. 

Your support, feedback, and trust are all we have.

Finally, in these chaotic times full of political divides and strife, we hope that all of us can come together this holiday season and put aside everything else that might be in the way.

Getting back to business, we are closed tomorrow to celebrate and give thanks. We are also giving our teams Friday off, so we will be celebrating a four-day break as we launch into the holiday cleaning season full speed ahead.

We will be back in the saddle on Monday, December 1st, and will be chugging along right through Christmas Eve on Wednesday the 24th. We will be closed on Christmas Day and again for New Year’s Day on the 1st. 

This first holiday newsletter covers lots of interesting topics, starting with Xcel Energy and their plan for a pretty big rate hike. We also discuss the housing market in Denver, brain styles and productivity, and our near-record lack of precipitation.

Read on to learn more, and we wish you and your families, and friends a wonderful Thanksgiving 2025.

Xcel Proposed Rate Hike 

We hate price increases. As a small business, even a tiny increase of 2% or so bothers us.

We hold our breath every time we have to do it, because we realize how tough things are presently.

So when we read that Xcel Energy was proposing a 10% increase, it sure caught our eye.

From Tuesday’s Denver Post article,  “Xcel Energy, Colorado’s largest electric utility, has asked state regulators for an increase of $355.5 million to its rate base, which would boost the average residential electric bill by nearly 10% per month.”

“Xcel filed the proposal Friday with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, which will take testimony from the company and various intervening parties and hold a public hearing. If approved, the increase would take effect in September 2026.”

Xcel Energy-Colorado President Robert Kenney said the utility’s last increase to the rate base was in 2022. The average residential bill rose by 3.2%”

Wow, that’s a big one, and three times the amount of the last one.

The difference between Xcel Energy and the rest of us, however, is that they have no competition for their service, leaving customers at their mercy.

The only saving grace is that this request must be filed with Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission, which can approve or deny the increase.

The process is also open for public comment, and you can contact the Public Utilities Commission with your thoughts here.

We are all for companies being profitable, but this is a significant increase, and we all need to be aware of how the process works.

It sure looks like the full cost of the Marshall Fire settlement and other costs are being fully passed on to the consumer.

CPR News did a fine recap of this situation, and you can find their non-paywalled take on the situation here.

Brain Styles & Productivity

Did you know that your brain has a specific “productivity style”?

We are always happy when we are productive, but we have never really given thought to why that happens or how.

So when we ran across this concept, we naturally wanted to learn more.

Fast Company published a cool article on this, and from that article, the four styles:

1. The Disciplined Virtuoso (Focus & Discipline)
   These are your “practice room” professionals. Like Prince, who mastered 27 instruments through relentless repetition, they thrive on structure, consistency, and clear goals.
    
2. The Creative Shape-Shifter (Reinvention & Innovation)
   Think David Bowie or the Beatles. These individuals thrive when they can reinvent themselves, innovate, and question the status quo.
    
3. The Resilient Improviser (Experimentation & Recovery)
   Modeled after jazz legends like John Coltrane, this style thrives in uncertain times. They treat challenges as improvisational prompts, seeing them as opportunities to adapt and grow.
    
4. The Collaborative Conductor (Collaboration & Vulnerability)
   Like Beyoncé, who builds a powerhouse creative team, these leaders excel at orchestrating others. Their groove is creating safe, trust-filled environments where collective brilliance emerges.

So very interesting!

The article goes on to teach us how to not only identify which style is yours, but how to turn that specific style into a strength.

Of course, there are other takes on productivity styles, and the most traditional ones include the “Prioritizer, Planner, Arranger, and Visualizer”, and a recap of those is here, courtesy of Pridestaff. 

Another good recap of those can be found here as well, should you want to go the traditional route.

The complete article referenced above from Fast Company can be found here.

Our takeaway? We all have different styles for learning, getting things done, and generally functioning in life.

Understanding our style and the styles of those around us can make life easier for all involved.

Denver Real Estate Trends

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

If you were lucky enough to sell your home during or around the pandemic, you probably did just fine. 

Things these days are a bit more challenging for homeowners looking to downsize or get some much-needed equity out of their homes.

According to Zillow, Denver is leading the U.S. in a less-than-desirable category, with 91% of homes in metro Denver losing value in 2025.

Yikes.

The only saving grace is that we aren’t completely alone. Nationwide, 53% of homes lost value.

Once hot markets like Phoenix and Austin are also getting hit, with both metros coming in just behind Denver at 89%, so we are not alone in our pain.

From the paywalled article in the Denver Post, “Denver’s home values were growing in 2024, so it’s natural to see a bit more giveback now. What stands out more is the depth of the losses. The average Denver home has lost about the same as the national average, while Austin’s average drop is more than twice that,” said Mischa Fisher, Zillow’s new chief economist, in an email.”

“While nearly all Denver homeowners have lost equity, those losses are mild and very much in line with what homeowners across the country are experiencing when measured from the peak, he said.”

Big changes in our once very hot housing market.

Other headwinds exist as well, including skyrocketing homeowner’s costs driven by natural disasters.

The Denver Post article can be found here.

Yahoo Finance published a good look at this issue, and shows other metro areas and it is here.

We are hopeful that the economic situation improves and that our housing market rebounds a bit, but we cannot lose sight of the massive appreciation many of us have seen over the years, leading us here.

Finally, Colorado used to be one of the main places for people to move to, but we don’t currently make the top 10 nationwide.

Our state needs to rebound!

Where is the Snow?

December 10. That is the latest first snow recorded in Denver. 

In history.

Yes, you read that right, we are in the middle of the second-latest snowfall in Denver history.

In fact, our current streak sits at 221 days without measurable snowfall. The previous record?

232 days, which occurred in both 1887 and 2021. We just passed 1889, which was 220 days, and if we make it through the weekend, we will be past the 225 days set way back in 1888.

Crazy for sure. 

Westword did a fun piece on this and it is here.

We aren’t smart enough to know why this is happening, but we have a suspicion that winter may show up angry and make up for the current drought.

Denver 7 has a fun chart of consecutive days without snow here.

For you skiers and snowboarders, the Colorado Ski Report can be found here, but the news isn’t great.

About that drought?

Not so fast, as the most recent article from CPR says, “While unusual, forecasters say this pattern isn’t unprecedented — and it’s not a reason to give up hope for a wetter winter.”

“In the fall of 2016, we were down in the teens and 20 percent of normal that year too,” Strautins said. “Then we had some storms come through later on, and by the late spring of 2017, we were at or above normal for snowpack across Colorado.”

“A pattern change starting Sunday could bring more storms to the state as November ends, though Strautins said they’ll likely affect higher elevations first.”

We know the snow is coming. For now, enjoy the mild weather, and let’s hope we get enough moisture to avoid an official drought in 2026.

Monthly Award Winners

Our October award winners were Sandra Vidales, Xochitl Tehuacati, Cecilia Reyes, Yessica Censo, and Fidelia Bautista.

In the Team Leader ranks, the two were Mayra Soto and Natalia Olivas.

We are so proud of our winners and of all the folks who are in and out of your homes each week.

We are also very appreciative to be a part of your lives and your homes. You provide the platform for our teams to perform, and for that, we are grateful.

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for October.

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

As we enter into another holiday season, I wanted to change things up a bit and do a “Frequently Asked Questions” section.

Since we get a lot of the same questions regularly, this will help all of us stay on the same page, so here goes:

Q: Can you tell me what time the team will arrive at my house?

A: We can give you an estimated arrival time with the caveat that it could be subject to change. Unexpected last-minute cancellations dictate a shifting of houses from their original placement on the team’s roster. In which case, we will text you. 

Q: Will I always have the same team?

A: Yes, because our employees are granted sick days and vacation days, there will likely be a day when one of your team members will need to be substituted. 

Q: Can I leave while the team is cleaning?

A: Absolutely, and we recommend it. Cleaning is a noisy business and best experienced after the fact once you come home to a clean and quiet house. If there are questions that arise during the clean, we can always reach you via text.   

Q: Is it ok to leave pets unattended in the house while the team is cleaning?

A: Yes, but we ask that recent additions like Petey the kitten and Charlie the visiting dog be formally introduced to the team first. 

Q:  Can the teams accept and sign for packages while at the house?

A: Yes, and they will also bring in any parcels or mail left outside. 

Q: Who is the go-to for any comments, concerns, or questions?

A:  That would be me. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bee

Green Again

We don’t really like to toot our own horn very much. Or very loudly, but that is a different discussion.

However, we are super proud that we have again been certified 100% green and environmentally friendly by the Green Clean Institute.

We started this way back in 2007, before anyone was invested in green cleaning. As we have stated before, we were the very FIRST Green Clean Certified housecleaning company in Colorado back then. 

Many have since followed suit, but we were the trendsetters.

Our certification continues, and we continue to lead the way in environmental responsibility in housecleaning. 

Along the way, we have learned many lessons and hope to continue to grow and be even better going forward.

A good example of our commitment to the environment? We consistently get asked to use products that aren’t ours. While we do make some exceptions to this rule (Bona for floors, as an example), we won’t use anything given to us without thorough vetting.

No bleach, no toxic drain or oven cleaners. We won’t do it. Not only is it bad for the environment, but many common household products could be harmful to our ladies, so those are non-starters for us.

The good news is that we bring all of our own environmentally friendly supplies, equipment and people so you don’t have to worry about anything we use.

We also hope you understand why we are reluctant to use products we haven’t researched for safety.

As always, we thank you for your business and support. We hope that our focus on doing things the right way gives you peace of mind when we are in your home.

Quishing Scam 

Here at Denver Concierge, we love learning new words.

The word of today is “quishing”. While that sounds like something cute, in reality it is not.

It is the name of the latest scam, where bad actors replace the QR code from something frequently scanned and replace it with their own. 

This leads unsuspecting people to scan the QR code, immediately sending them to a place they shouldn’t be. It gets worse if credit card information is given.

This was just uncovered in Cherry Creek.

From the recent article on 9 News, “A viewer shared her story after she thought she was paying the city to park, only to receive a fraud alert moments later. When she returned to the parking sign, she discovered the QR code sticker easily peeled right off.”

It seems these fake QR codes are linked to some nefarious types in the Dominican Republic, and in this case immediately tried to use the credit card that was given.

Yikes.

So, what can we do to make sure this doesn’t happen to you?

First off, Cherry Creek does not currently use QR codes for parking. Other areas are experimenting with them, however.

The article goes on to provide some great tips on how to avoid this scam:

• Pay at a meter or kiosk instead of scanning a QR code, if possible.
• Inspect the QR code before scanning. If it looks like a sticker that’s been pasted on, avoid it.
• Preview the website URL on your camera before clicking. Ask yourself: Is it an official site or a suspicious link shortener?
• Watch for red flags: In this scam, Cherry Creek meters directed users to “eb.do” instead of the official PayByPhone website.

Our thoughts? Make sure you are using the correct parking app. 

Denver uses PayByPhone. You can register here, download the app, and enter your information safely.

When you park, just enter the number of the area you are in directly into the app, and you will be fraud-free!

Be safe out there, folks.

Cell Phone Enforcement

Way back in January, we covered a list of new laws going into effect in Colorado.

One of those prohibits any use of a cell phone that is not completely “hands-free”.

While we thought we knew what that meant, Colorado has a very specific meaning, and 206 unsuspecting drivers (so far) have found out the hard way what that means.

From the Colorado DOT website, “In a move to enhance road safety and reduce distracted driving crashes, a new Colorado law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, that prohibits drivers from using a mobile electronic device while driving, though hands-free accessories are permitted.”

“The new law expands the ban on using cellphones beyond just texting. It now includes holding or manually using a phone or other mobile device for voice calls or any other reason, requiring all drivers to use a hands-free device.”

“Penalties for violating the law start with a $75 fine and two license suspension points for the first offense.”

We are usually pretty good about not messing with our phones while driving, and it is a safety rule that our ladies follow 100% of the time (we hope).

That said, we have “touched” our phones at stoplights (illegal). We have also taken speakerphone calls in the car (also illegal).

The bottom line? Touch your phone, go to jail.

Just kidding!!!

The truth is, you cannot handle your phone while in the vehicle, moving or otherwise. If they spot you, it will cost you money and points off your license. You won’t go to jail, thankfully. 

The DOT did a great job of outlining this new law, and the details, along with FAQs can be found right here.

The only silver lining in this? The new law was passed with a compromise in which handheld cellphone use became a secondary offense.

It is not allowed to be the main reason that a police officer pulls someone over.

But, once you get pulled over for other crimes, like weaving between lanes or driving unsafely, they can then add the charge of handheld cellphone use to that case.

Probably better to just use hands-free all the time, seems like a silly ticket to get.

Gas from Thin Air? 

Our country has always been dependent on fossil fuels. 

We have also spent the last 50 years or so looking for alternatives.

The reasoning ranges from environmental concerns to the finite resources that fossil fuel usage continues to deplete.

Enter Aircela. Founded in 2019, Aircela has created a machine that creates gasoline directly from the air.

The technology involves capturing atmospheric CO2 and converting it into fuel on the spot.

The process is powered by renewable electricity, resulting in gasoline that is free from sulfur and heavy metals, making it compatible with existing engines without costly modifications.

How cool!

The fuel created can then be used by all existing engines and seems to be just what we need to slow down the depletion of fossil fuels. Not to mention the political ramifications of less energy dependence on other regions.

More information on this innovative company can be found on their website here.

The folks at Interesting Engineering also did a great piece on this startup technology and it is here. 

We are impressed and thankful for the innovative spirit our great country possesses!

Colorado’s Homebuying Problem 

We know how expensive it is to live in Colorado. It is getting worse.

Let us add to the number of lists that we do not want to be on. 

Like the one that says Coloradans have faced the highest escrow increases in the entire nation, increasing 31% year over year.

For those of you who don’t know, escrowing is where you put aside property tax and insurance with your lender, and they add that amount to your monthly payment.

From the article in the Denver Post:

“Nationally, homeowners faced a 17% increase in the average escrow payment last year compared to this year, according to a study from Cotality, a real estate research firm formerly known as Core Logic.”

“Colorado led the country with a 31% increase. Other states with high increases include Louisiana at 28%, Wyoming at 26%, and Montana and Alabama at 24%.”

“In markets like Colorado, for example, it is the top market, it’s not just insurance, but it’s taxes as well,” said Selma Hepp, chief economist with Cotality, who was speaking at the National Association of Real Estate Editors in New Orleans.”

Couple these lovely facts with high interest rates, and it is easy to see why home sales might be slowing down in our state.

In fairness, part of the increase is the skyrocketing home values we have seen over the past five years or so.

Insurance has gone up as well, due to many natural disasters ranging from hail to the Marshall Fire.

Kind of a perfect storm, no pun intended.

We wish we had some advice on how to mitigate these costs, but alas, we do not.

Hopefully, mortgage rates will drop a bit, and our state government will figure out a way to get our property taxes down a bit.

The full article in the Post can be found here (paywalled). 

The Coloradan did a nice job on covering the “hidden costs” of owning a home, and it can be located here.

Monthly Award Winners

Our monthly award winners for June were Patricia Rodriguez, Nimia Espinoza, Sandra Vidales, Silvia Anguiano, and Aurora Dominguez.

In the Team Leader ranks, it was Isela Mendoza and Brenda Garcia.

We are so proud of our winners and of all the folks who are in and out of your homes each week.

We are also very appreciative to be a part of your lives and your homes. You provide the platform for our teams to perform, and for that we are grateful.

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for the month of June.

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

We have a new addition to our Denver Concierge family. Meet Miguel, the little black Pug. We have officially added to the 50% of Denver residents who own dogs.

I am pretty sure the percentage of our clients who own dogs is closer to 90% judging from the number of houses where we are greeted with barks and wagging tails. 

With that high a percentage of clients with dogs, our ladies have over time become quite familiar with doggie routines and can readily let the dogs in and out, fill their water bowls, and dispense treats 

As for the dogs, they probably think we are there for their entertainment.  A brief interlude between naps. 

Our thought was that Miguel would be a cheerful start to our morning dispatch, waiting eagerly at the door to welcome the ladies as they arrive for their equipment and assignments. 

However, during ongoing training for his new job as Greeter, I’ve found him falling short of the task.  He is easily distracted and often wanders off from his post in pursuit of a new scent or toy.

So Miguel has joined us as my personal companion and aide de camp. A job at which he excels. 

Welcome Miguel!

Bee