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 DiseaseDid 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 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 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

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 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

August Newsletter 2018

denverconcierg on August 20, 2018

Labor Day & Back to School 

Summer is rapidly leaving us, and we are heading into fall, which means school is starting as well.

As a reminder, we will be closed on Monday, September 3rd in celebration of the Labor Day holiday. We will be back open for business on Tuesday the 4th.

Since it’s time to get the kids ready for school as well, we wanted to provide a few handy tools to make sure you (and the kids) are ready.

For those of you sending your young adults off to college this fall, congratulations. We have a number of clients that have mentioned this to us, so we thought it might be a good time to provide an “off to college” checklist, which can be found here.

We also ran across a nice checklist from Good Housekeeping for normal back to school activity, and that can be found here.

We hope you have all had a wonderful summer. Also, we would be remiss if we didn’t remind you all that fall in Colorado is gorgeous and looks even better through clean windows. If you haven’t tried our super green, really cool window washing yet, please give Angela a call and mention our fall special!

Here’s to a great fall and go Broncos!

The End of PowerPoint?

Long before we got into the housecleaning industry, some of us spent some time in corporate America.

Not sure about you, but we saw our share of PowerPoint presentations.

They weren’t all great, and certainly were not all effective.

Then we ran across an article where Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, has outlawed PowerPoint presentations in favor of a more creative (and effective it seems) approach.

Early results of this new “narrative” methodology are promising, and the science behind how we learn and assimilate information best seems to back it up.

Visit Inc. here to learn more about this revolutionary approach to presentations.

Colorado Etiquette

Those of you that have been in Colorado for a while (including the few natives that are left) can relate to all the new faces in our state.

We have discussed the burgeoning population here quite a few times, and the effect it has on our city.

But beyond traffic and overall congestion, we thought it might be a good time to remind everyone about Colorado “etiquette”.

The nice folks at 5280 Magazinepublished a fun list in this month’s magazine about how to behave in our fine state.

Everything from trail etiquette to little quirky Colorado things are covered, and the full article can be found here, and it’s pretty entertaining.

So, for newcomers and long-timers alike, let’s all be kind to one another and enjoy this beautiful place we call home.

What $1M Will Buy you in Denver 

Short answer? Not as much as it used to.

Some fun facts…..the median home price in the Denver metro area was $440k in July.

Also, 2.65% of all homes in Denver are valued at $1 million or more. That is good for 10th nationwide.

Home inventory dropped again, pushing prices upward in what seems like a recurring theme here.

So, if you are curious or have $1 million burning a hole in your pocket, you came to the right place.

The Denver Business Journal published a slide show with 46 examples of homes in the $1 million range and it’s impressive.

To see those homes and what a million dollars can bring you, visit the DBJ for the full slide show.

Regrets, I’ve Had a Few

We hate regrets. In fact, most of us have likely spent most of our lives trying to not have too many.

While we don’t like to look backwards too often, there are some lessons in there for sure.

One of the untapped resources in our civilization is the wisdom of our older citizens. They have seen more, done more and have much to share, if asked.

The folks at Medium Daily Digest did an exhaustive set of interviews with folks in their 90’s, posing the question, “what do you regret most”.

The answers might surprise you, but our favorite quote from the article:

 “Do you wish you accomplished more?” He responded, “No, I wished I loved more.”

The full article can be found here, interesting read for sure.

Monthly Award Winners

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

Our top Cleaning Associates for the month were Ana Solis, Josefina Quinonez, Aurora Dominguez, Jessica Rios and Juana Luna.

In the Team Leader ranks, our top Team Leaders were Rosa Chavez and Natalia 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

I hate to see the old buildings torn down.  We should be so thankful for the hard work of the preservation societies that fight to guard our city’s history.

A recent example is the makeover of Union Station.  There really is nothing else like its ambiance in Denver, and the bustle is reminiscent of a much larger and more diverse city.

It feels like a city within a city and the station itself is just stunning.   What an incredible salute to the glory days of our railroad town.

Quite a few of our clients have historic homes, which I praise.  And much of the newer architecture is innovative and quite beautiful; a segue into the future of our city.

Hopefully the changes will be gentle and not jarring.  Supporting whatever efforts are being made to balance past and future is a step toward the gentle, so let’s get on the train!

Bee

July Newsletter 2018

denverconcierg on July 20, 2018

Green Cleaning and You

Every now and then we feel compelled to remind you that we were the first Green Clean Institute certified cleaning company in Colorado, making us a charter member in our fine state.

Since we started this movement across the Front Range, many have followed. Most companies just do it for marketing because it makes clients “feel good” about using them. That isn’t why we do it.

Since we just renewed our certification with the Institute, we thought it might be a good time to remind everyone why this is important and just why we do it.

Here are five good reasons for cleaning your home with green, eco-friendly products.

1. Environment-This is the obvious one. Using green products ensures you won’t be putting harmful, non-biodegradable substances into our environment. Many cleaning products found in stores have harmful ingredients that should be avoided.

2. Health-Feel better with green cleaning products – literally. Unlike conventional cleaning products, you’ll know that what you’re using won’t harm you, your family, or your pets. Considering many of the hazardous chemicals in conventional products are often carcinogens, neurotoxins, mutagens, teratogens, or endocrine disrupters, it is worth ditching them in favor of natural green cleaning products.

3. Air Quality-Did you know that the use of conventional cleaning products can contribute to higher pollution indoors than outdoors? Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which have been associated with a host of health problems like damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system, are released when products are used and stored and can also linger in the air long after use.

4. Safety- Flammable/Toxic! With labels like these on some conventional cleaning products, you get a pretty good idea that they aren’t really that safe. Many chemicals (e.g., chlorine and ammonia), when mixed together, can be downright dangerous. Small children and pets are especially vulnerable due to higher exposure levels because of their size. Plus, household cleaning supplies are one of the top five substance classes accounting for calls to the National Poison Control Center.

5. Know What’s in Your Products-Shockingly, manufacturers of cleaning products aren’t required by the U.S. government to divulge ingredients; however, many green cleaning manufacturers make it their policy to be fully transparent, whereas some conventional manufacturers don’t and may only list a portion of their ingredients.

Rest assured that every product we bring into your home is fully vetted and green certified. We use lots of natural things as well, such as plain old vinegar and water to ensure that things are naturally clean.

Thanks for your support of Denver Concierge and our efforts to make your homes clean and safe for your family and pets.

Just How Expensive is Colorado?

Last week, someone told us that Denverwas the 3rd most expensive city in the U.S. to live in. Being naturally skeptical, we decided to research that for ourselves.

The folks at Expatistan did the work for us, with the most and least expensive places to live. They also provide a nifty calculator in case you want to compare two cities and what it costs to live there, anywhere in the world.

Anyway, it turns out that it’s expensive here, but not quite yet on the scale of many California cities or New York, for example.

Boulder checks in at 15th most expensive, followed by Denver at number 24. Colorado Springs is 55th.

So, it isn’t as bad as we think (yet). But, when it specifically comes to housing, things are a little worse.

We found this piece by the DBJ that shows just how many square feet $200,000 will buy you across the country.

For example, in Cleveland that number gets you a 3,700 square foot home and in Denver that gets you 661 square feet, 10th most expensive in the U.S. Most expensive? Still Manhattan at 126 square feet, take solace folks.

The full slideshow can be found here, fascinating stuff.

Summer Cleaning Tips

Summer brings with it another set of challenges for keeping your home clean. Kids are out of school and the warm weather opens our homes for lots of potential messes that we don’t see in the colder months.

Between visits from Denver Concierge, we know you all like to keep things tidy and we wanted to share some tips for making that easier for you.

We found a few resources that might help!

DIY network published a great list of quick summer cleaning tips that we thought we would share here.

We also like this list by the Huffington Post, which contains some cool tricks like cleaning your microwave with a lemon!

Finally, there is a list of cleaning tips by Clean and Organized Family Home that we thought was creative as well. That list can be found here.

Meanwhile, you can rest assured that we are on the job and will do our best to keep dirt and grime out of your homes this summer!

Don’t forget that our ladies also do things like sweeping off your patio or deck for those outdoor parties.

If you have special requests this summer, don’t hesitate to let us know!

State Health Insurance Increases Dropping

No, health insurance costs aren’t dropping, but the amount of increases in Colorado could be significantly smaller in 2019 than we have seen.

In 2019, small group policies will go up by an average of 7%. The good news is that individual policies look like they will rise about 6% in 2019. This doesn’t sound like good news until you realize that those increases were 34% in 2018 and 20% in 2017.

Interestingly, for the first time, less than half of Coloradans will have a plan through their employers.

In short, it seems like the health care market in Colorado is stabilizing a bit.

The full article from the folks at the DBJ can be found here.

You Are who Your Friends Are?

Businessman and motivational speaker Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”.

This caught our eye. We found a great piece by Medium that illuminates this idea.

From the article, “According to research by social psychologist Dr. David McClelland of Harvard, the people you habitually associate with determine as much as 95 percent of your success or failure in life.”

Building a group of competent, smart people to surround yourself with seems to be a pretty good strategy for improvement in life.

Lastly, we also found that common wisdom (and science, from the British Journal of Medicine) says smarter people have fewer friends. This caught our eye as well, and the details of why this is can be found in this article.

Interesting stuff for sure!

Monthly Award Winners

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

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

In the Team Leader ranks, our top Team Leaders were Maria Varela and Socorro Ibarra.

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

Clients have asked me how our ladies manage to get the shine on stainless steel appliances.  Stainless steel is beautiful but easily shows water spots, drips and streaks, ruining the effect in no time.  A quick fix between Denver Concierge visits would be helpful, and I happen to have one!

Nothing is quicker or more effective than a simple clean microfiber cloth and a solution of water and green dish washing liquid.  Be sure to immediately dry with another clean microfiber cloth.  This works on brushed stainless steel, stainless steel sinks, and faucets too.

It’s amazing how the complete kitchen will look cleaner simply by taking care of the stainless steel!  And then we’ll be there to take care of the rest!

One product.  One solution.

Bee