May 2019 Newsletter

denverconcierg on May 6, 2019

Memorial Day Facts and Events

Each year on the final Monday of May, we celebrate those that have given all for our country. Did you know that Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day?

It was meant to honor the Union and Confederate soldiers that died during the American Civil War. By the 1900’s it became a day to celebrate all Americans that have died in service around the world. It was renamed in 1967 and became a federal holiday in 1971.

This year it falls on Monday the 27th, and of course, Denver Concierge will be closed.

Meanwhile, a few facts that you probably didn’t know about Memorial Day:

1. Congress passed a law in 2000 that requires all Americans to stop what they are doing at 3 PM on Memorial Day to remember and honor those who have died in action.

2. The flag is supposed to be flown at half-mast until noon, then raised to full mast until sunset on Memorial Day.

3. There were more American lives lost during the Civil War than the two World Wars combined. Approximately 620,000 died during the Civil War while approximately 116,516 died in World War I and approximately 405,399 died in World War II.

4. There are more than 300,000 fallen soldiers buried at Arlington Cemetery. On average, there are 28 burials there each day.

We take this time to honor the fallen and show our gratitude for the freedoms we have in our great country.

This is also a wonderful time to spend with family and friends doing fun things. For you campers out there, 5280 Magazine had a few ideas here. Also, the Denver Arts Festival is taking place this weekend, its 21st year here. Details on that fun event can be found here.

We hope you have a relaxing three-day weekend and get to spend it with the ones you love.

Hot Rocks Griller Challenge

Those of you that follow us know we love to support local charities and good causes.

Every year the nice folks at Denver Health promote a cool event called the “Hot Rocks Griller Challenge”.

This event kicks off the summer concert series at Elway’s in Cherry Creek, and all the fun supports men’s health initiatives.

From the Denver Health website:

“The Hot Rocks Griller Challenge will kick off summer fun with a fired-up grilling competition. On a warm summer evening, supporters flood the courtyard patio outside Elway’s in Cherry Creek to enjoy live music, spectacular food and drinks, and games.

More than a dozen of Denver’s best chefs will compete in a sizzling sliders ’n’ sides cook-off with attendees eating the grilled creations and voting for the winner.

Better yet, all the fun will support men’s health programs.

This is summer’s most popular patio bash, attracting 1,000-plus guests, including government, business and community leaders, foodies, professional athletes, and local celebrities.”

We go every year and we hope to see you there. For more information on sponsorship, or ticketing you can learn all about it here.

Denver Area Zip Codes & Housing Growth

While there are rumors that the housing market might be slowing, the amount of construction we continue to see around our fine city have us thinking maybe not.

We ran across an interesting infographic about which zip codes have grown the fastest over the last 10 years, expressed as median home value.

Lots of cool information and it’s all interactive.

Growth information can be found here.

In case you are wondering about the possible correlation between home value and wealth by zip code, we also found some interesting data on that.

The three wealthiest zip codes in Denver?

80238

80007

80108

If you live in one of these….well, we aren’t sure what that means, but congratulations?

The entire list is pretty interesting though.

The full list of zip code/income information is here.

Afraid of Self Driving Cars?

71% of you are, according to a study performed by AAA.

From the article, “Self-driving technology is evolving on a very public stage, and headlines about tragic failures tend to grab more attention than those about incremental successes,” said AAA Colorado spokesman Skyler McKinley.

“The good news is that once consumers interact with partially or fully self-driving vehicles, much of the mystery disappears – opening the door for greater acceptance.”

We decided to learn more, so we did some research.

We found a very informative piece by the Union of Concerned Scientists that explains exactly how this works, as well as what it might mean for our future.

The pros and cons of self-driving vehicles are many. We were surprised to learn that 81% of all car accidents are caused by human error. A computer would surely have a lower rate than that.

The auto insurance center also did a list of the 20 pros and cons of self-driving cars and we wanted to share that with you here as well.

We certainly live in interesting times!

40,000 New Jobs Coming

Yep, that’s a lot of jobs!

The Lone Tree area is planning a massive project that will bring those jobs and a lot more to the surrounding areas.

The new community will be called RidgeGate and consists of around 3,500 acres south of Lincoln avenue around the I-25 area.

Coventry Development Corp., the master developer of the 3,500-acre multi-use community, revealed their plans for a 400-acre expansion on the east side of Interstate 25 that’s slated to include 12 million square feet of office, retail and health care space, 10,000 homes and more than 600 acres of parks, trails and natural habitat. The east side of I-25 is comprised of 2,200 acres of land, 400 of which will be used for the expansion.

The expansion, which is named “Lone Tree City Center,” will be marketed as Lone Tree’s new downtown, officials said, centered around a light rail station and a mixed-use, transit-oriented development. It’s going to feature two additional commercial districts, dubbed “Lincoln Avenue Commercial District” and the mixed-use “Couplet District” along RidgeGate Parkway, and three diverse residential villages.

Full coverage of this expansion can be found here.

Monthly Award Winners

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for April 2019.

Our top Cleaning Associates for the month were Maria Zapata, Aurora Dominguez, Josefina Quinonez, Josefina Puga and Juana Luna

Our top Team Leaders were Mayra Soto and Rosa Chavez.

Thanks to all our team members for their hard work, and a special thanks to our award winners!

Congrats ladies!

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

Yet another reason to praise Denver.

I was recently invited to a Nuggets playoff game, which was especially exciting for me because I had never been to a live professional sports event.

I was a bit overwhelmed at first by the sheer volume of people, and of course there are stories of rowdiness at sporting events.

Yet even with long lines at the food and drink stands and difficulty maneuvering the walkways, I saw no one being rude or impatient. The atmosphere was friendly and casual.

During the game the capacity crowd en masse offered ear piercing enthusiasm and encouragement, some offering a little more encouragement than others but overall a great show of our city’s spirit. I loved being a part of it.

Well done, Denver!

Bee

April 2019 Newsletter

denverconcierg on April 6, 2019

I Can See Clearly Now….

Now that we have had our windows cleaned for spring!

Yes, it is that time and we wanted to remind you that we are still doing windows across the Front Range.

As you may recall, last year we ventured into window washing. We partnered with Unger, the leader in window washing technology for the newest and best tools to make your windows sparkle just like the rest of your home.

Did you know that the particle buildup that occurs on your windows can markedly diminish your property’s air quality? One of these particles can be mold, which can take its toll on the well-being of your property’s inhabitants. If the air in your property seems more stagnant than usual, a window cleaning can help to clear the air.

Also, we learned that over time, glass can degrade. The majority of particles, like those that make up water and minerals, can damage your windows. The particles will enter the glass’ pores and effectively contaminate and corrode the windows. The first things you may notice will be some light scratches or cracks, but an unmaintained window can eventually be altered on a structural level and will need a full replacement. Cleaning your windows will prevent this outcome and give your windows far more longevity.

So, beyond just looking good and giving you a better view, there are practical reasons to clean your windows!

To schedule a window washing appointment, please contact Angela and we will get you on the calendar. Anyone scheduling a window cleaning in April or May will receive 10% off as a Denver Concierge client or partner. Just mention the newsletter to Angela and she will make sure you get the discount.

As always, thank you for your trust in us, and we look forward to taking great care of your windows, as we do your home.

Green Denver

Do you know what LEED is? It stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Normally, it is a classification used for buildings, as in LEED certified via the U.S. Green Building Council.

However, LEED is now being used to identify cities and communities that are committed to healthy, sustainable practices.

As part of that program, our very own Denver was recently named a LEED Platinum city.

From the article:

“LEED for Cities certification demonstrates Denver’s commitment to sustainable growth and progress, and provides a platform for the city and to communicate its overall sustainability goals and performance to key stakeholders and the broader community.”

As your favorite green housecleaning company, we are always on the lookout for green initiatives and ways to make our planet healthier.

For more information on this outstanding certification, visit the Mayor’s office commentary here.

LEED Platinum information, as well as a list of all the cities nationwide that are LEED certified can be found here.

Are Robots Coming for Your Job?

Gosh we hope not, especially since Rosie the Maid from the Jetsons looks so efficient above.

The short answer (and good news), according to the smart folks at the Stanford Graduate School of Business is not yet and not likely, depending on your job and its level of complexity.

While many of us fear automation taking over everything from our cars to our housecleaning, experts say that these fears are dramatically overstated.

The bottom line is that most jobs are more complex than many people realize. Cleaning your home, for example is a very custom activity and one that we certainly hope won’t be replaced anytime soon.

The article, which can be found here, goes more deeply into which types of jobs might be replaced, as well as how our workforce today is still deeply divided in terms of education.

Even Elon Musk of Tesla uttered the following:

“Excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake. To be precise, my mistake. Humans are underrated,”

Ballpark Project Update

Since it is now spring and baseball season has commenced (Someone please tell the Rockies the season started!) we thought it might be a good chance to update you on the massive project by the ballpark.

You may have noticed the giant hole in the ground next to the Chop House and across from Coors Field.

The official name of the project is McGregor Square, named for former Rockies exec Keli McGregor who died suddenly in 2010.

A mixed-use development, there will be office space, residences, and a luxury hotel. The Rockies Hall of Fame will also be located here.

To create more openness and public space, McGregor Square will abut the already-existing but underutilized Wynkoop Plaza, a 25,000 square-foot promenade between 19th and 20th streets just outside of the stadium. Additionally, another 75,000 square feet of restaurants and retail space will be open to the public.

What a fun and exciting project for downtown and for our Rockies. Full details and photos of this project can be found via 5280 Magazine here.

Red Light Cameras

Very few things are more annoying than getting a ticket in the mail telling you that you owe money for running a red light. Or, for being slightly over the speed limit as you drove past an automated radar system.

We decided to investigate (for a friend of course) to see if these tickets are valid and if you really need to pay them.

The answer….well it’s complicated. Technically, in Denver you have to be served in person within 90 days or the ticket is invalid. You do not need to be served by a law enforcement officer and any adult that is home can sign for the ticket, and yes, they will potentially send someone to serve you.

The good news is these tickets are not reported to the DMV, so there are no points taken from your license.

As an aside, did you know that you can get a photo/red light ticket if your tires are over the crosswalk? In fact if both front and back tires are over (bad idea anyway) you may get a full red light ticket.

So….if you aren’t served, technically any ticket is not valid. However, if you are properly served and don’t pay, you can be sent to collections.

Of course, we aren’t advising you to not pay these controversial tickets, but if you arent served in person there may be a way out, depending on your level of risk tolerance.

Good luck and be safe out there!

Monthly Award Winners

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for March 2019.

Our top Cleaning Associates for the month were Aurora Dominguez, Josefina Puga, Josefina Quinonez, Maria Zapata and Juana Luna.

In the Team Leader ranks, our top Team Leaders were Juana Olivas and Mayra Soto (back to back months for those two!).

Thanks to all our team members for their hard work, and a special thanks to our award winners!

Congrats ladies!

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

I would like to take a minute and reintroduce you to the folks at Rambunctious Ranch, who deliver my eggs.

I love that we have the option in a city of this size to have fresh produce and egg deliveries. I also love that we are helping a local family enterprise and not the big suppliers. We are what our food has consumed, and these chicks are very well tended and fed.

Every Sunday I get an email with happenings from the ranch and photos of the ducks and chicks, dogs and goats. It starts my week on a pleasant and sweet note, with a little bit of country. Just thought I’d pass that along.

Feel free to email the ranch: [email protected]

Bee

February Newsletter 2019

denverconcierg on February 23, 2019

Company Milestones

Time flies when you are having fun!

We wanted to share a couple of fun milestones with you. This newsletter marks the beginning of our sixth year of newsletters since we started writing. Five years of newsletters and you are still reading!!!

Thank you for that. We promise to try and stay interesting and relevant.

An even bigger milestone is upon us, however. We are turning 20 years old this year!!! Way back in 1999 Denver Concierge was founded as a full-service conciergebusiness. A short time later, the company decided to focus on what we do best, which is green certified housecleaning!

Ownership changed in 2006 to our fearless leader, John Kitts. He (and the rest of us) want to sincerely thank you for your business and for being part of our wonderful, local company.

We have so many loyal clients (some that have been with us almost 20 years) and there really aren’t any words to express our gratitude.

So, how about a giveaway? The first five people to email, text or call Angela today and wish us a happy 20-year birthday will receive a free refrigerator cleaning. If you haven’t had this done, it’s pretty special, so enjoy!

Thanks again for making us successful. We hope in our own little way that we return the favor!

Keeping your Gym Germ Free

Since we clean your homes, we know some of you have amazing home gyms & workout spaces.

We also know that many of you go to the gym to workout. We try to, but need to do better.

One of the things that people don’t realize is the number of germs and amount of bacteria that gets left on gym equipment, both at home and in public.

One of our fabulous guest writers, Karoline Gore, published a piece last month on how to keep your home germ free.

We have added that article to our blog, and the full text can be found here!

Here’s to keeping those New Year’s resolutions and staying healthy at the same time!

DenverRestaurant Week

Speaking of anniversaries, did you know that Denver Restaurant Week is now in its 15th iteration?

It starts on February 22nd and will run until March 3. Hundreds of Denver‘s best restaurants will be participating and multi-course dinners will be priced at $25, $35 or $45 each.

The full list of participating restaurants and menus can be found here at Denver.Org, which is a fabulous resource for our fine city.

Finally the nice folks at 5280 Magazine posted their take on restaurant week and all of the changes for 2019.

Happy dining and we hope to see you out there!

Denver‘s Best Hospitals

Colorado has some very good health care.

In fact, for their ability to demonstrate “superior clinical outcomes,” seven Colorado hospitals have been named to the Healthgrades “America’s Best Hospitals” list for 2019, three of which also made the top 50 best hospitals in the country.

Good Samaritan in Lafayette, North Colorado Medical in Greeley and Lutheran Medical Center (pictured) all received top 50 rankings by Healthgrades in their “America’s Best Hospitals” annual rankings.

We also had three hospitals in the top 100, including Centura Health-owned Porter Adventist Hospital, UCHealth-owned Poudre Valley Hospital and University of Colorado Hospital — Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion.

Sky Ridge in Lone Tree rounded out the seven facilities that made the list.

The full DBJ article can be found here.

The Future of Larimer Square

Did you know that Larimer Square was not only Denver‘s first commercial block but its first historic district?

Did you know that Larimer Square was added to one of the most endangered places in the U.S. in 2018?

We didn’t realize any of this, and as we dug into this issue we found a lot of useful information about the future of Larimer Square and this important part of Denver‘s history.

Last year, the developer of the block proposed a massive redevelopment plan that received almost instant pushback and criticism.

The plan included two tall buildings for condos, a hotel and businesses. The plan was to build them in the alleys behind the square so the new would hover above the old.

Channel 7 of Denver did a nice article on this project and the future of the Square.

Last month the project was discussed again, this time with the lead developer, Urban Villages.

The Denver Business Journal article with the updates on this important project can be found here.

We certainly hope that this project maintains the wonderful history that is Larimer Square.

Monthly Award Winners

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for January 2019.

Our top Cleaning Associates for the month were Josefina Quinonez, Maria Zapata, Fernanda Gonzalez, Brenda Garcia and Aurora Dominguez.

In the Team Leader ranks, our top Team Leaders were Socorro Ibarra and Juana Olivas.

Thanks to all our team members for their hard work, and a special thanks to our award winners!

Congrats ladies!

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

A February Valentine to Denver.

Year after year during the post-holiday season when nasty weather sets in and the street in front of my house is an ice slick I wonder if I should move to a kinder and gentler climate. Break if off. Take flight.

The thing is, I find it very difficult to contemplate leaving Denver. It is by its very nature a kinder and gentler city.

Museums, galleries, sports venues, testaurants and shops aside, Denver has stayed true to its core through all the changes. It is a clean city, a safe city, and a tolerant city.

We have been together for 20 years and I must say they have been 20 happy years. Why ruin a beautiful relationship?

Happy Valentine’s Day Denver!

Bee

Tips for a Spotless Pet-Friendly Home

denverconcierg on February 22, 2019

Adorable pets, Dever Concierge

By Guest Writer Karoline Gore

Around 84.6 million Americans households have a pet, with dogs and cats being our top two choices for a furry best friend. Pets are such an important part of our lives that they affect our home buying decisions, and often dictate where we stay when we go on holiday. For many pet owners, just about the one bad thing about pets is having to clean up after them. Pets can unwittingly bring home pests (including fleas) and dirt, so thorough cleaning is as important as grooming to ensure neatness in the home and optimal health for your pets and family. If you have dogs and/or cats and you’d like to ensure your home is tidy and hygienic, follow these tips and ensure you impress friends and family every time they visit.

Denver Concierge’s Green Cleaning System

Toxic home cleaning products may eliminate germs, but they also contribute to poor indoor air quality and can spur on allergies, respiratory problems, and more. Therefore, it is important to rely on pet-friendly cleaning products which are also environmentally friendly. If you are unsure about what green cleaning involves, give Denver Concierge a call. They are renowned green residential cleaners that can help you have a sparkling home in no time, while ensuring all surfaces are safe for children, pets, and adults in the household. Having your home professionally cleaned on a regular basis is key when it comes to really getting rid of fleas and other potential nasties on flooring, bedding, and soft furniture. Once your home is sparkling clean, it is easier to maintain in an optimal state afterwards.

Vacuuming is Key

Opt for a steam vacuum to reduce the need for cleaning products and to effectively kill germs. Some steam vacuum cleaners are specifically catered to pet-loving homes. That is, they have special handles capable of suctioning even the shortest of fur off difficult surfaces such as soft furnishings. These machines come with a host of other handles that can also be used to make cleaning areas like the kitchen and bathroom a breeze.

Finding the Right Place for Pet Items

You need to really think where you place regular essentials for pets like cat litter, dog bowls, toys, etc. Homes can get pretty dirty if your dog plays with his chew toy on the sofa, or your cat’s litter bowl is in a spot in which people can trip over it or spill its contents. Ideally, the litterbox needs to be away from the living room and kitchen, and placed against a wall in the furthest area of the room it is located in. Ensure your cat always has access to rooms in which litter trays are placed, so it does end up doing its necessities in other areas of the home. You can use one side of a kitchen island for dog bowls, or have custom made kitchen storage furniture, with a space beneath the tabletop for dog bowls. Use non-slip mats beneath the bowls for easier cleaning after your dogs enjoy their meal.

Good Grooming is a Must

You might be surprised by the extent to which good grooming can affect the cleanliness of your home. By trimming your dog’s nails and fur and treating your pets regularly for fleas and ticks, you can ensure they don’t drag in dirt (or pests) or soil furniture and floors. Long fur in the paws can trap dirt, snow, and ice, but they are also favorite spots for pests to ‘hide’ in. In addition to applying a flea and tick treatment to your pets, you should also check their fur for ticks that may have attached after a long day out in the Great Outdoors. Remove any ticks you find with tweezers, ensuring your remove the entire tick in one go.

Keeping your home sparkling clean when you have pets is a little more challenging, but definitely not impossible. Because dogs and cats shed so much and can unwittingly bring in pests that are sometimes hard to spot, a good, professional ‘green clean’ is important on a regular basis. Maintain the cleanliness of your home by steam vacuuming frequently, tidying up every day, and placing pet items in accessible areas of your home that are not conducive to spills.

January Newsletter 2019

denverconcierg on January 26, 2019

2018 Award Winners

We know some of you may not read all the way to the bottom of our newsletter (you know who you are). However, if you do, each month you see our award winners. So for this month only, we are putting it first.

Did you know that we rigorously measure every Cleaning Associate and Team Leader each month? They are rated on professionalism in attire, promptness, cleaning efficiency, client complaints and compliments too?

Yes, you read that right, your feedback is largely what determines the awards you see each month. So, we thank you for your feedback and as always, if we can do anything better please let us know.

Without further ado, please join me in congratulating our 2018 award winners.

In the Cleaning Associate ranks, we had a tie for top performer in 2018. Aurora Dominguez and Maria Zapata are officially our top Cleaning Associates. Josefina Quinonez was a very close 3rd, only missing out by one point.

For our Team Leaders, Natalia Olivas ran away with this award, nearly lapping the field. Rosa Chavez is our runner-up this year, nudging out Mayra Soto for 2nd place.

Please join me in congratulating our winners and thank you again for your consistent feedback on our performance!!!

2019 DenverReal Estate Outlook

Has the housing market in Denver finally slowed a bit? It sure seems like it might have.

The Denver Metro Association of Realtors just released their numbers for the end of the year and things seem to be slowing, especially in the suburbs.

From the article: “Currently, in the luxury market [anything priced above $1 million], we’re seeing 7.22 months of inventory,” says Jill Schafer, DMAR Market Trends committee chair and an agent with Kentwood Cherry Creek. As a result, “especially in the suburbs, it’s becoming harder to sell a home over $1 million.” The full article can be found here.

Also, Zillow just released a report for 2019 that has our fine city ranked 3rd in the hottest housing markets. We trail only San Jose and Orlando nationwide.

That report can be found here. We hope you find lots of prosperity if you are transacting in real estate in ’19!

Goodbye Electric Scooters?

We wish. Could we have Jetsons style hovercrafts instead?

When the scooter phenomenon landed in Denver last spring, we weren’t thrilled. Neither were our city administrators as companies like Lime and Bird dropped scooters all over town.

This has created a public safety issue, as well as new sets of rules for where these can be parked and ridden.

Initially these things were designated as “toy vehicles” which meant they were to be ridden on sidewalks. If you have ever been nearly taken out by one barreling down a sidewalk (yes we have), you would agree with us this is a bad idea.

Last month the city council of Denvervoted 13-0 on a mandate that these contraptions be ridden in bike lanes and not on the sidewalks any more. Only in situations where there is no bike lane and the speed limit is over 30MPH is sidewalk riding allowed. They are also now illegal on the 16th Street Mall.

The long-term future of the scooter business in Denver remains uncertain, as the original pilot program ends next summer, and could create further chaos. To learn more about this interesting dilemma, read the article in 5280 here.

Crowded Skiing

We are pretty sure we are one of the few folks who don’t ski that live in Colorado. In fact, we don’t dance either (two left feet), but we digress.

But, for the rest of you, this looks like a challenge. We learned that already this winter, some resorts have actually been turning people away, due to capacity issues.

On January 11, the lots were full at Eldora, A Basin, and Keystone. As an important distinction, it isn’t that the mountain is full….it’s the parking lots!

So the major issue is vehicular density. There are a number of resources that folks can use to gauge the parking situation, including Keystone’s and Eldora’s Twitter accounts.

The complete article and detail on how to combat the 12 million skiers that hit the mountains can be found here.

DenverTeacher Strike

Uh oh.

Denver teachers have voted to strike.

Denver teachers haven’t been on strike since 1994. The current impasse is largely about wages, with DPS offering a 10% increase across the board.

This is disputed by the teacher’s union, who claims that number includes an already promised cost of living increase.

Denver Public Schools has promised an uninterrupted school year, and they are in full blown recruiting mode. With a pool of over 1200 substitute teachers, they are doing everything they can in the event of a strike.

The first possible day that teachers in DPS can strike would be January 28th.

Here is hoping both sides can work things out, for the sake of the students.

Complete information on the potential strike can be found here, courtesy of the Denver Post.

Snow Driving Refresher

Since it looks like more snow might be coming at the end of this week, we felt like it was time for a snow driving refresher course.

Colorado has been the new home for many folks from non-snowy states like California and Texas for a while now.

The kind people at AAA published a list of winter driving tips that includes valuable information on not only regular winter driving, but longer distance trips as well.

As an example, anyone that has ever had a fuel line freeze up will appreciate the tip to keep your tank at least 1/2 full on long trips!

Our friends at the Denver Post also chimed in on Twitter with their winter drviing tips….be safe out there!

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

Clients have asked how we handle lockouts and last-minute client cancelations.

Our employees are paid by the hour fromthe time they leave the building in the morning until they return. This means in the event of a last-minute lockout or cancelation we are paying for the team’s time while we try to contact the client and/or find another house for them to clean instead.

We don’t charge for these occurrences because lockouts are unintentional and generally unavoidable. Of course, if it happens more frequently we may need to charge for the team’s lost time.

On the same subject, many clients are giving us their garage codes to use instead of keys. If this is easier please let me know and I will add the code to the work order instead of signing out keys on the clean day.

Bee

Keeping Fit: Hidden Germs In Your Gym

denverconcierg on January 12, 2019

Denver Concierge Home Gym Cleaning

Typically people think of the bathroom as being the germiest, followed by the kitchen (surprise- it’s actually the other way around). When people think of an exercise space like a fitness center or gymnasium, the impression is “healthy”. After all, that’s what it’s used for. Yet research has found as many as 25 different types of bacteria in fitness centers. Setting up a home gym will cut that number back drastically, but not entirely; there are still some risky germs lurking around there.

Working Up A Sweat

Sure, having a home gym reduces the odds that you’ll get a cold, flu, or stomach bug- and that’s great, especially when combined with a healthy diet and supplementation. But all of the surfaces in your gym are a breeding ground for bacteria. Benches, the handle bars of stationary bikes or treadmills, the grips on free weights, and literally anything you sit or lay on while working up a sweat, can all harbor bacteria. The floor along with any exercise mats can also be a haven for bacteria, but that certainly doesn’t have to be the case – it’s easy to remedy.

Easy To Wipe Down

Surface areas like gym mats are easy to keep clean with a simple wipe-down. In fact, it’s recommended that you place mats down especially over carpeted areas especially for that reason. The bacteria that is likely building up in your gym is the contact-based variety (not airborne illness), the most common of which is staph or MRSA. While it’s the most common, it also poses the highest threat.

Most of the time, you come into contact with this bacteria without even knowing, because it doesn’t often doesn’t cause any issue. In fact, many people have a form of staph bacteria present on the surface of their skin. Small cuts, scrapes, knicks, and any type of open wound allow the bacteria to get inside the skin, thus inside the body, and this is where things can become troublesome. Once it’s inside your body, it becomes an active infection. This usually presents with boils on the skin near the wound, but can also present with the usual symptoms of skin infections, like itchiness, redness, and swelling.

Clean After Contact

To eliminate contact bacteria in your home gym, wipe down any equipment, mats, and benches with sanitizing wipes (like Clorox wipes) or an all-purpose anti-bacterial spray and dry wash cloth. You should wipe down anything you’re about to use before you use it, and immediately after you’ve been in contact with it. Cleaning it right after use kills bacteria right away so it doesn’t have a chance to grow, and doing so right before use is an extra precaution – just in case you forgot, or some of the buggers got away the first time. Fungi is another little monster that might be hanging about. Fungi typically invade areas that are dark and wet, like gym bags, gym clothes left in a hamper, and inside sweaty shoes. This is what causes conditions like athlete’s foot. This is a pretty easy thing to avoid, though. Simply be sure to wash and dry your gym clothes, don’t re-wear dirty socks, and keep things dry.

A home gym is a great way to save time, money, and stay in good shape. It’s convenient and economic, plus you’re in control of the environment so you can feel more comfortable and do as you please. Just because it’s your personal gym, though, doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a bit of maintenance. Keep your gym in good condition. After all, that’s what it does for you!

By Karoline Gore, guest writer

December Newsletter 2018

denverconcierg on December 30, 2018

Year End & 2019 Outlook

Wow, 2018 was an interesting year at Denver Concierge. We launched window washing, moved out of some markets and recommitted to others, in short, it went fast!!

Of course, our year had its challenges with labor and scheduling, but thanks to your understanding and patience we were able to pull it off. We truly have the best clients in Denver.

We have exciting plans for 2019, but most importantly we want to be the best service provider you know. Angela, Maria, Blanca, John (Maria, John, and Blanca pictured below, Angela photo credits!) and our wonderful ladies in the field wish you the best for an amazing holiday season, and we sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

We look forward to doing an even better job for you in 2019, and if there is anything that we can ever do better, please reach out to Angela directly .

As a reminder, we will be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, returning on January 2.

Happy Holidays!!!

Warren Buffett’s Keys to Success

Warren Buffett has a question for you. “Do you say no enough”?

Surprisingly, that is the main premise of what separates successful people from those of us that maybe aren’t so successful.

Buffett says “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”

Once we digested this, it made perfect sense. Beyond saying no more often in our lives, and focusing on what is truly important, he also shares some other great tips for success.

To learn more about success by Buffett, click on the article here.

Denver New Year’s Eve Celebrations

What are the best ways to spend New Year’s Eve in and around Denver?

Because we know you love to have fun, we came across some resources for you.

Ever wonder how to include kids in the celebration? The Denver Children’s Museum has a family-friendly celebration during the day called “Noon Year’s Eve”!

From the Avs being in town to Denver‘s Grandest New Year’s Eve party, the folks at 5280 Magazine are here to help.

They recently published “11 Festive Ways to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Denver“and we wanted to share with you. You could even ring in 2019 as the Mad Hatter, if the urge strikes you!

Whatever you do, be safe and we wish you a wonderful New Year’s Eve celebration.

2019 Carpet and Rug Trends

Along with cleaning your home, we want to pass along anything we can to make is perfect for you.

Our friend Marina Dagenais at Designer Premier always has great content in her newsletter, so we often steal her ideas!!!

This month, Marina wrote about fresh trends in the world of flooring and we wanted to share that with you.

While many of you have beautiful hardwood floors (which we love to see shine), 2019 is predicted to be the year of the carpet.

Her article also taught us a new word, “Hygge” (don’t ask us to pronounce it). Danish for happy living, this style is categorized by using natural materials such as linen and cotton.

To see the full piece and learn what is happening with trends in flooring, click here. As always, if you need a designer to help, contact Marina directly here.

Winter Home To Do List

Winter officially starts on the 21st, the winter solstice. Also the shortest day of the year in terms of daylight. (We have a pretty cool winter trifecta here in Denver today and tomorrow, take a look here, but we digress.)

Daylight aside, we have had a pretty mild start to the season. Also, it’s not too late to get your home ready for winter and there are some great projects that you can tackle this time of year.

The nice folks at Mr. Handyman published a wonderful list of things that we can all take a look at this winter.

Home automation, how to protect your mailbox from the deadly snowplow and energy efficiency tips are just a few of the great ideas provided.

We recently installed both a Nestthermostat and a Ring doorbell (great for package theft prevention) and we can vouch for both as great additions.

Nothing like being able to control the temperature in our homes with our smartphone (which never seems to leave our side, but that’s another discussion).

To see the full December to-do list, visit Handyman Matters here.

Monthly Award Winners

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for November 2018.

Our top Cleaning Associates for the month were Maria Zapata, Josefina Quinonez, Aurora Dominguez, Angeles Hernandez, and Maria Reyes.

In the Team Leader ranks, our top Team Leaders were Natalia Olivas and Mayra Soto.

Thanks to all our team members for their hard work, and a special thanks to our award winners! We look forward to announcing our top performers for the year in January!

Congrats ladies!

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

I want to close 2018’s Queen Bee Corner by giving a one-woman standing ovation to all Denver Concierge clients. You really are the best I could ask for. And I’ll tell you why.

You are kind to our ladies. Number 1 top of the list.

You make me laugh. In a good way, as in it brightens my day.

You are forgiving. We do our best. Mistakes happen. You are quick to forgive.

You are flexible. Readily accepting of our crazy schedule changes.

You are generous in your compliments, in whatever form you express them.

So, I stand and applaud you as best a bee can.

Happy 2019 to all!

Bee

Keep Your Kitchen Clean To Stave Off Disease

denverconcierg on December 3, 2018

Denver Concierge, Keep Your Kitchen Clean To Stave Off Disease Did you know that cutting boards contain 200 times more coliform bacteria than a toilet seat, or that kitchen tap handles contain around a quarter million germs? Dirty kitchen islands, utensils, and crockery can also build up bacteria quickly, potentially resulting in illness for your family. When tackling the issue of cleaning your kitchen, it is important to be realistic. This is because in addition to cleaning surfaces and equipment every time you use them, you will also need to deep clean your kitchen with regularity, to ensure stored items are kept hygienically and to get rid of grease and food remains that can escape your daily cleaning. If you find that you don’t have time to clean as much as you like, rely on a trusted cleaning company to keep your home safe for your family; make sure the company is a certified green cleaner to value sustainability as much as you do cleanliness.

What diseases can kitchen bacteria cause?

Some of the many diseases that can be caused by viruses and bacteria in the kitchen include colds, flu, and foodborne illnesses. As noted by academics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, those who handle food can pass diseases such as Hepatitis A, noroviruses, or diseases caused by staphylococcus and streptococcus, to others. Bacteria in raw foods such as uncooked hamburger and other raw meat and seafood, meanwhile, can cause a deadly disease called uremic syndrome. Those who prep food can sometimes neglect to clean their kitchen as is required because “nothing has happened so far.” But all it takes is one incident to drastically change your family’s health and wellbeing.

How often should you clean your kitchen space?

Those who are very busy may not like the answer to this question. Kitchens should be cleaned daily – that is, countertops and any other items that touch food should be cleaned immediately after use. Research shows that some of the dirtiest areas in the kitchen include the sink area because we tend to use contaminated sponges that contain food bacteria. Sponges should be kept for no longer than one week to reduce the chances of illness. Microwaves should be cleaned once weekly, while fridges should be disinfected once a week. Make sure to throw away old fruit and open packages and cans that can leak or drop onto your fridge trays. Ovens, meanwhile, should be cleaned every three to six months. If you clean your oven regularly, you can rely on steam or natural ingredients like vinegar and baking soda, rather than having to use grease removers with a high chemical content.

Keeping dishes and utensils clean

If you are worried about bacteria build-up on sponges, you might wish to opt for a dishwasher instead. You have two choices when it comes to dishwashers. You can either opt for a standard model (which doesn’t get so hot and sanitizes dishes using chemicals) or for a commercial dishwasher, which uses high temperatures to clean dishes and utensils. If you have a large family that goes through various dishes a day, a commercial type dishwasher may be more suitable. Look into certified green machines, which will enable you to save water and energy yet kill potentially harmful bacteria.

Kitchen floors count too

Be vigilant of floors; steam vacuum them frequently since food often spills onto the floor and those who walk into a kitchen can bring bacteria from the kitchen into other rooms. If you don’t use a steam vacuum machine, sweep the floor first to remove crumbs and potentially sharp pieces of food. Use warm water and a mop, adding a couple of drops of dish soap and a cup of vinegar into your mop bucket to remove stubborn stains. Use a microfiber mop to dry the areas you have cleaned.

When cleaning your home, carpets, and floors may be most important for aesthetic purposes and to lend the home a tidy look when guests arrive. However, it is also important to pay special attention to the kitchen, since contaminated food can have serious health consequences for you and your family. Plan your cleaning routine, using your phone calendar to remind you when specific cleaning tasks are due. Clean countertops, crockery, and utensils immediately after using them, and pay as much attention to floors as you do cooking spaces.

By Karoline Gore, guest writer

November Newsletter 2018

denverconcierg on November 18, 2018

Holiday Schedule/Snow

Winter seems like it is serious this year. We are still in the middle of fall and headed for our third snow already. You skiers out there could be poised for a big year!

We wanted to remind you that we will always do our best to get to you in any sort of weather, but snow can be problematic as we have team members coming in from all over the Front Range and poor weather can make this difficult.

We ask that you have patience with us when the weather changes and if you want real-time updates on service status, you can follow us on Twitter @bestmaidsdenver .

Regarding the holiday schedule, we will be closed on the 22nd for Thanksgiving, and the following day, the 23rd as well. December we will be closed on Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th for Christmas Eve/Christmas.

We wish you a very happy Thanksgiving and want to remind you that we are thankful for each and every one of you. Whether a client, vendor, partner or just friend of DenverConcierge, we wake up every day grateful for our relationship with you.

We hope you get a chance to spend time with loved ones and recharge for the challenges of everyday life.

Finally, we have a guest columnist in this month’s newsletter! To learn about the potential harmful stuff in and around a dirty kitchen, please read Karoline Gore’s column about this important topic!

Amazon HQ and Denver

Well the news is official, and you may have heard. Amazon did not select Denver for its second headquarters.

After a long process narrowing down the field to 20 cities, Amazon decided to split the location between two metro areas.

Northern Virginia and Long Island City in Queens ended up being the winners here.

The decision comes with an investment north of $5 billion and will create 50,000 jobs. Along with it, traffic, labor pressure and all that comes with a massive endeavor such as this.

The Washington Post wrote an interesting “winners/losers” article following this very local decision and they offered a good perspective.

As we have discussed here, Denver may have actually “won” by not being awarded this project. We already have labor and traffic problems here, and this may have made things dramatically worse.

On a happy and much smaller note, Amazon has recently opened one of their “4 star” stores in Park Meadows.

This location will provide only the highest rated items that are sold on Amazon and is one of their new brick and mortar locations around the country.

Full details of that opening can be found here.

Congratulations to the “winners” of the Amazon sweepstakes…..we will watch with interest from afar!

Denver‘s Labor Crisis

Wow. Take a look at the chart above. Denver has no labor, as you may have noticed by all the “Help Wanted” signs around town.

This has largely been driven by the very hot construction and cannabis industries and has impacted nearly every service business from restaurants to unfortunately, cleaning companies.

Denver restaurants have been struggling with this for some time, and there is a fine article from 5280 Magazine on the wage issue that can be found here.

Mayor Hancock also recently floated the idea of $15 per hour for all City of Denveremployees as well.

The bottom line is all of us in the service industry are struggling to find quality employees.

At Denver Concierge it becomes even more difficult as our standards for cleaning are super high and we won’t just hire anyone to be in your homes.

Rest assured we will continue to do whatever it takes to provide high levels of service to our clients and to make sure you are getting the best housecleaning in town.

DIA is Number One

It is every traveler’s right to complain about airports. Back in the day when we used to travel, we had our list of the worst airports in the U.S. (yes, we are looking at you Newark).

Some of you might even have flown in and out of Stapleton airport, which we always thought was ok.

Enter DIA. Completed in 1995, it cost nearly $5 billion in total, nearly $2 billion over budget.

How far we have come, as DIA was recently rated as the best large airport in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal.

In its first ever rating of U.S. airports, the Journal surveyed 4,800 readers along with doing their own research and came up with the following list.

The full article by the Denver Post can be found here.

Congratulations to DIA and the city of Denver for an outstanding achievement!

Kitchen Facts and Health

By Guest Columnist Karoline Gore

Keep Your Kitchen Clean to Stave Off Disease

Did you know that cutting boards contain 200 times more coliform bacteria than a toilet sea t, or that kitchen tap handles contain around a quarter million germs? Dirty kitchen islands, utensils, and crockery can also build up bacteria quickly, potentially resulting in illness for your family.

When tackling the issue of cleaning your kitchen, it is important to be realistic. This is because in addition to cleaning surfaces and equipment every time you use them, you will also need to deep clean your kitchen with regularity, to ensure stored items are kept hygienically and to get rid of grease and food remains that can escape your daily cleaning. If you find that you don’t have time to clean as much as you like, rely on a trusted cleaning company to keep your home safe for your family; make sure the company is a certified green cleaner to value sustainability as much as you do cleanliness.

What diseases can kitchen bacteria cause?

Some of the many diseases that can be caused by viruses and bacteria in the kitchen include colds, flu, and food borne illnesses. As noted by academics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, those who handle food can pass diseases such as Hepatitis A, Noroviruses, or diseases caused by staphylococcus and streptococcus, to others. Bacteria in raw foods such as uncooked hamburger and other raw meat and seafood, meanwhile, can cause a deadly disease called uremic syndrome. Those who prep food can sometimes neglect to clean their kitchen as is required because “nothing has happened so far.” But all it takes is one incident to drastically change your family’s health and well-being.

How often should you clean your kitchen space?

Those who are very busy may not like the answer to this question. Kitchens should be cleaned daily – that is, counter tops and any other items that touch food should be cleaned immediately after use. Research shows that some of the dirtiest areas in the kitchen include the sink area because we tend to use contaminated sponges that contain food bacteria. Sponges should be kept for no longer than one week to reduce the chances of illness. Microwaves should be cleaned once weekly, while fridges should be disinfected once a week. Make sure to throw away old fruit and open packages and cans that can leak or drop onto your fridge trays. Ovens, meanwhile, should be cleaned every three to six months. If you clean your oven regularly, you can rely on steam or natural ingredients like vinegar and baking soda, rather than having to use grease removers with a high chemical content.

Keeping dishes and utensils clean

Kitchen floors count too

When cleaning your home, carpets, and floors may be most important for aesthetic purposes and to lend the home a tidy look when guests arrive. However, it is also important to pay special attention to the kitchen, since contaminated food can have serious health consequences for you and your family. Plan your cleaning routine, using your phone calendar to remind you when specific cleaning tasks are due. Clean counter tops, crockery, and utensils immediately after using them, and pay as much attention to floors as you do cooking spaces.

Monthly Award Winners

Please join me in congratulating our best performers for October 2018.

Our top Cleaning Associates for the month were Maria Zapata, Aurora Dominguez, Josefina Quinonez, Josefina Puga, and Jessika Leal.

In the Team Leader ranks, our top Team Leaders were Natalia Olivas and Mayra Soto (two months in a row for these two!)

Thanks to all our team members for their hard work, and a special thanks to our award winners!

Congrats ladies!

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

We are about to jump on the holiday roller coaster where we are bombarded by advice on gift giving, family, diet, cooking, style, parties, the works. We live in frantic times.

On the other hand, there is an ancient tradition which brings a balance to the season.

For thousands of years societies around the globe have celebrated various festivals of light to ward off the dark months of winter. We witness this in our winter streets, lighted windows and public displays even today. It brings a feeling of quiet hope and inner calm that we sorely need.

We just need to take the time…

Bee

October Newsletter 2018

denverconcierg on October 20, 2018

Firefighters & Puppies?

Yes, it’s a unique combination, but it definitely works! One of our Partners We Love, Misha Photography, donated their time to a very cool charity this summer. The photo below gives you a good look at this fun project, also known as the 2018 Fire Rescue Dogs Calendar.

This calendar project benefitted Lifeline Puppy Rescue, a no-kill organization established in 1993 that rescues puppies and each calendar sold gives one puppy a new home!!

We were able to come up with a few of these calendars and we are offering them to the first five people that email or call Angela to request one, free of charge.

Lastly, if you want to play with some of these puppies yourself and support a wonderful cause, Misha and Lifeline are hosting a “Puppies and Headshots” event on November 8thfrom 4-7PM at her studio in Broomfield.

For $150 you can contribute to this great cause, along with getting your very own 2018 calendar and fully edited business headshot for LinkedIn or any other use you might have in mind. We will also be there and hope you can join us!!!

For more information on this event, please see the details below, or you can learn more on Misha Photography’s Facebook page here. To reserve your spot please contact Misha directly via her email here.

Your Clone

Have you ever seen your clone? The kids today call it “finding your doppelganger“, which means you encounter someone who looks just like you!

Well that’s impossible, you say?

It’s not. In fact, scientists have figured out that there are, on average, seven people who look just like you on the planet.

We ran across a fun article on Quora that got us interested in this topic, so down the rabbit hole we went.

The chances of you meeting your doppelganger are well….not very good, but not impossible.

If you are curious about the actual odds of finding your “semi-identical twin” or learning more about just who this might have happened to, we found a couple of articles that might interest you.

The folks at the BBC published this article last year, and the Daily Mail published this one, with some fun examples of people that have actually met their own!

Happy Birthday to Two Stars

We don’t like to toot our own horn very much, but we owe much of our success to the “people behind the scenes”. Since two of our best people celebrated birthdays in the past couple of weeks, we wanted to recognize them.

Maria Herrera, our General Manager, and her trusty assistant, Blanca Garcia both celebrated birthdays in late September and October.

These are the two people that make sure the ladies arrive at your home ready to go, on time, and efficient.

Both Maria and Blanca have been with us since back in the late 90’s and both started with the company cleaning houses.

Let’s just say they know what it takes to properly clean your home.

Please join us in wishing both of our superstars a happy birthday! Our company wouldn’t be the same without them.

Best Restaurant List 2017

As our loyal readers know, we love to eat out in Denver and across the Front Range.

So, we get pretty excited when the annual list of our best restaurants is released by 5280 Magazine.

This year’s list is out and there are some new faces (and places) to go visit.

Old standbys like Frasca Food and Wine are there, and one of our favorites up north, Blackbelly Market in Boulder.

The complete list can be found here, and happy dining!!!

$200M Market Street Project

Larimer Square, Union Station and….Market Station?

On September 29, construction on the 370,000 square foot Market Station got underway (photo above).

Market Station will include 95,000 square feet of office space, 85,000 square feet of retail and around 225 apartments, including both luxury units and micro-apartments that are meant to provide a more affordable option.

Two levels of below-grade parking will be built for a total of 320 parking spaces that can be used by tenants, as well as the general public.

For the full story from the Denver Business Journal, click here.

More exciting stuff in our city!

Monthly Award Winners

Please allow me to introduce our September 2017 award winners for quality and client service.

Our best Cleaning Associates for the month were Sandra Vidales, Anita Solis, Salvadora Rosales, Maria Zapata and Juana Luna.

Our best Team Leaders for September were Socorro Ibarra and Perla Hernandez.

Thanks to all of our team members for their hard work, and a special thanks to our trend setting award winners!

Congrats ladies!

Queen Bee Corner

by Angela

I love talking to clients, in case you’ve missed the gazillion times I’ve mentioned it in these missives from my little corner.

Once in a while though, a call is inconvenient and a text is the perfect conduit. The ladies in the field can text any questions directly to me and I can then text you directly so you can respond even if in a meeting, restaurant, or out shopping.

The clients who have started texting me seem to like the idea.

However, please know that texting does not replace phone conversations altogether because there are times when we have to discuss larger issues.

For those clients who don’t want to text, please continue to call me (see paragraph one above).

The text number is different than our main number, so if you don’t have it already let me know and I will gladly provide it!

Happy October!

Bee