A Perfect Shine Cleaning Services

Organization, Resolutions and the like....

2012-01-07T00:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2012!!

With the New Year upon us, I think it is always a good idea to analyse not only our life but also our homes and see where we can best make progress into the new year.

For myself: ORGANIZATION is always a top priority in the New year. I feel so much more centered and focused when I feel my life and all my possessions (junk) are in some organized and meaningful structure.

One of my top New Year's resolutions is to get better organized within my home. I think once you feel an inner calm within your home that this will radiate out to your work, your friends and your entire circle.

When you come home each day to a semi-structured and organized existence you are better able to feel an inner calm. You are better able to find your inner "Chi...."

So where do we start?

Well first, we must sit back and gain an overall view of where we are and where we want to be. Don't just jump into organizing without a game plan. This will only lead to you being stressed out and feelings of utter despair.

Get a game plan.

A good tip is to start at the top or back of your home. If you have a 2 story house, start upstairs. 1 story? Start in the back rooms and work forward.

Kids? No problem. Get them involved and teach them some structure in the process!

For the last few days I have been organizing my home.

I started with my living room and kitchen. Drawers are my nemesis. Opening drawers and seeing piles of misc items drives me crazy. Best way to deal with drawers is to just pull them out and dump them out! Don't try to organize them with all that junk inside!

No! Dump it out! Organize it.... anything that doesn't belong gets pulled out.... trash gets dumped in the trash!

About this time... my kids are becoming interested in what I am doing.... Now it is time to work the transition from dread to fun. The ol' Tom Sawyer trick. "What are you doing pop?" Yes... they call me pop!

"Oh, I am just organizing my drawers. It is so fun!" I reply. "Can we help?" they chime. "Oh no, I am fine you wouldn't like this type of fun!"

"Oh please?" they yearn.

And with a malevolent smile I say...."Well do you think you would have fun organizing your rooms?"

"Oh YES pop.... please can we????!!!" HA HA HA.... as I rub my mad scientist hands together....

So my 9 yr old son is already pretty organized so we just worked on
organizing his drawers and closets. Pants w pants... shirts w shirts... you know the drill!

My daughter on the other hand was a hard task! This was also a good opportunity for me to see how much "stuff" I had purchased for her over the years. Trust me... I discovered that we had bought a lot of "stuff" for my 7 year old daughter over the last few years. TOO much!

Also... I was beginning to realize that all these "dollar" stores were not really my friend in the battle of frugality yet they had become my nemesis in the whole battle of organizational bliss!

Organizing a 7 yr old girl's room can quickly become an exercise in futility so I soon invented a neat little trick.

I told my daughter that I would pay her $2 for each trash bag full of clothes, toys, dolls or misc. that she was willing to part with.

Man, those toys that she once could not live without, were soon being thrown into a trash bag quicker than she could switch channels from Wizards of Waverly Place to Sponge Bob Square Pants!! O.K. only some of you will understand that reference!

I ended up owing her $30 bucks. And, trust me, it was the best $30 I have spent in a long time!

So organizing our homes can be a daunting task!

When we finally do decide to purge out the old.... it is imperative that you just go for it!

It may be hard to get rid of the "stuff" in the beginning but by the end of the day you are just whizzing through it and throwing stuff away or placing items in bags for donations like nobody's business!

When organizing drawers or items in a closet; The best and easiest method is to just pull everything out of the drawer or closet right from the start!

Don't even bother trying to organize a drawer with all the items inside. This rapidly becomes tedious and frustrating!

Just empty out all the drawers... then put the items back that you truly need in a proper organized way and everything left over can go straight into the trash.

Yes, even those Christmas items you received over 2 years ago that you have never used, can go in the bin.

The philosophy you want to go with is this: If you haven't used "said" item in over a year... just get rid of it! Why keep "shhhtuff" that you may use one day in the future?

No, live for today! Today you want to be organized! Today you want to be happy! So if one day in 5 years you want that nutcracker or that odd looking pot holder....oh well.... you have lived 5 years without it and you can buy a new one for a dollar. Right?

5 years of organized bliss is worth way more than a dollar, right?

So I have now organized my entire home! I am exhausted... my kids no longer see the thrill in organizing... but guess what? I feel great! I know where everything is, I have purged huge amounts of useless items, and I know where my screwdrivers are!

It's the little things that make us happy! Now it is time to call A Perfect Shine to clean the home and have all the nooks and crannies of my home scrubbed.

Then, my friend, this 2012 will definitely start out on a very positive foot!

Happy New Year to all. I hope 2012 is not only positive and prosperous... but organized, meaningful and inspirational as well!

Cobwebs, Cleaning, Advertising and the Net...

2011-11-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

Those pesky cobwebs always seem to sneak into the corners... No matter how many times you knock them down... they always seem to creep back.

A Perfect Shine Cleaners get so wrapped up into getting the daily grime that accumulates on the counters of the kitchen, the goop accumulated on the stove and inside the microwaves..... the grime in the shower, the gunk on the floors and all the dust that builds on all the easily visible surfaces... they sometimes fail to look up.

They work so hard and become so focused in these principal areas. We remind them at our meetings that they need to look in areas they don't normally view.

Looking in areas not normally viewed is also a huge reminder for myself, as a President of A Perfect Shine Cleaning, when viewing our overall advertising and marketing strategies.

Such bold and fast movements in our society these days. It used to be that, as a company, you worked hard... put out a good product, placed an ad in the Yellow Pages and then managed your company.

In today's fast paced technological society; we are now tasked with not only working hard, putting out a good product, placing ads in multiple sources of media including print, and the internet. However, now as an added bonus, we have the pleasure to work almost full time working on the internet ads.

We no longer have the Yellow Page companies to design the perfect ad. We no longer have advertising company reps as advocates for our business. No, we must now work constantly on internet ads that change from day to day and to whom large internet company's only care in the world is how many "clicks" our company generates.

Now it seems that the main concern of the internet company is how much I am willing to pay for the next person to click on my website and possibly call to make an appointment.

Meanwhile, as a company that prides itself on consistency and quality in the cleaning business, I am still tasked with letting my crews know to clean out the cobwebs in the corners of the rooms when they perform their General Cleaning Services and reminding them to hit the light switch plates or areas that might not be noticed.

Our company cleans hundreds of homes each week. We have a wide following which we have amassed over the years. We take great pride in that. Our end goal is to provide a quality cleaning job with a reasonable price. We are trying to build relationships in a world that often times does not value those relationships. At times, it seems the internet only allows the small negative minority to express their opinions. The vast majority of content clients are sometimes lost in that loud confusion of the internet....

However, I don't let all the negativity bring me down. I fight on. I love my employees. I love my company. I take pride in the work we perform. I know that many, many people enjoy a sense of calm and positivity from the work that we perform. I know that I am a fighter and I will change and adapt and move forward. I know that our company blows away the competition. I know that we work our butts off and I know that in the end....

Our strengths, overwhelmingly, outweigh our flaws!

Yet, even more importantly, I know in my heart of hearts..... A Perfect Shine serves a noble purpose.

Fidelity - A Perfect Shine Cleaning

2011-09-15T23:29:00.000-07:00

Fidelity defined; 1. Faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances

I feel that A Perfect Shine truly tries to live up to this one simple word. We started this company with the belief that we would offer hard work at reasonable rates. We would give all that we have and we felt we would be rewarded with reciprocal respect.

So far that philosophy has held true. Yes, on occasion we have been taken advantage of for our philosophy.

Yes at times, we may not have lived up to some person's expectations.

But if you look on whole, over 12 years of constant work, .... I think we are in balance and holding true to our beliefs.

At any point in time if our customer needs a last minute cleaning or to cancel a cleaning due to a problem we accommodate that request. We rarely raise our regular customer's rates. We have tried to hold our rates steady during these truly tough economical times. We never miss a scheduled cleaning. Hey, we may be a little late... but we are always there!!!!

We have volunteered our services to help out people w mental disabilities (hoarders), we have donated Gift Certificates to PTA,s and charitable organizations. We have helped out people that are being evicted and elderly on limited resources.

We are not a bottom line type of company. We have never tried to get the most out of our customers. We base our prices on our costs and add in a reasonable profit. We do not call our competitors and offer slightly less then their inflated rates!

We try so hard to be true to our core. All our employees are basically extended family. We strive to build something of meaning.

O.K. I really didn't intend to write some philosophical blog on our company... so i will just leave at this:

If you are a customer of A Perfect Shine: If you are ever in need, if you ever need anything... just let us know. Heck, email me personally:

Sincerely,

Kevin Cromley
Kevin@aperfectshine.com

Walking into clean home!

2011-07-12T23:45:00.001-07:00

Ahhh yes.... walking into a clean home upon arrival from work, or from leaving the home for a few hours... what bliss....

I'm not quite sure why we experience that sheer euphoria. However, I do know it to be true, that we do experience that great sense of calm....

Perhaps somehow it is internalized.... osmosisized... inebrecized into us from our parents complaining about having to clean the house when we were young. Or worse yet... forcing "us" their kids to clean the house. Please don't fault me for my liberal distortions of adjectives, expressions and liberties I partake on the English language.

I only hope to express a feeling of content that we all feel when we come home to a clean home.

That is quite a different feeling that we experience when we are personally subjected to partaking in that same physical action! Cleaning is such a negative and physically demanding job. Hey, I know. I used to clean homes daily! Imagine cleaning your entire home, scrubbing the toilets and shower, mopping the floor, dusting all surface areas, cleaning countertops, vacuuming, sweeping, cleaning mirrors... sweating and moving.... o.k. now imagine going to another home and starting all over!

Then off to another house..... UGGGHHH!!!!!!!!

Yes... cleaning is such a tough and extremely hard and physical job! A job that I personally did for a long time building A Perfect Shine. Even after I had my Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration! O.K. my degree was from the infamous party school of Chico State... but, hey I still worked by butt off in college and I didn't slack off! Well that is a little s-t-r-e-t-c-h!

I digress.... my point being is this: Don't feel bad about using a service to clean your home. But also... realize that the people cleaning your home are working their "butts" off too. Don't get uptight about a small item missed here and there. look at the big picture.

Also... BE content walking into your clean home! This is a great feeling... enjoy it! Embrace it! You deserve it! These are life's small pleasures that few people truly understand. You belong to that club! I now am happy to belong to that club too, on occasion!

I love walking into my clean home when I manage to break a crew free from their busy schedules to clean my home!

We work very hard here at A Perfect Shine. This is a tough business all around and I am proud to own such a successful and hard working business. So here comes my pitch... Wait for it....

If you have felt any enjoyment from our services... help us out by writing a positive review for us on Yelp.com, yahoo.com, Insiderpages.com, citysearch,com...or all of the above! Or any other online review site!

Your reviews and recommendations help us succeed and thrive now and into the future. Also feel free to "like" us on Facebook. Yes, we have a facebook page.

But hey... if that doesn't float your boat, don't worry about it. Either way, we appreciate your business and we are working hard for you!!!

Above all... I wish you all much joy in life for this is paramount and imperative!

Kevin

Spring Cleaning Time Top 3 Tips

2011-03-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year for Spring Cleaning. Time to get rid of the clutter and dust and start the year in a clean, organized manner.

Top 3 Spring Cleaning Tips

1. Start from the top and work your way down. Clean ceiling fans, dust walls, use dusters with poles to get the spiderwebs in the corners, clean light switch plates, windows, window ledges and then baseboards. Save the floors until the end.

2. Make a list. Write out all the tasks per room that you would like to accomplish. Take your time. If it seems too overwhelming, work on one room at a time. Take a break and reward yourself after finishing each area. Split the job up over a few days or weekends.

3. Call A Perfect Shine Cleaning. Take a "me" day. Go shopping, catch a movie and have a glass of wine. Come home and say..."ahh... look at my shiny house." (619)269-1745. www.APerfectshine.com

Kids and Cleaning

2010-04-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has children can tell you what a challenge it can be to keep a house clean when there are little ones running around. Even professional cleaners, like those at A Perfect Shine, come home to a variety of messes left by our children. How can you have kids and a clean house? Here are some tips:

Have cleaning routines. Even the youngest kids can be taught basic cleaning skills, even if it is something as simple as putting their clean clothes away or putting all their stuffed animals in a basket when they are done playing.

Prioritize. If your family schedule looks like ours, you are constantly on the go between school, scouts, and sports. This can leave very little time for cleaning, so decide on a few key areas that are not negotiable when it comes to cleaning, and give yourself a break on the rest.

Call in the professionals. It is so much easier to keep your house in tip top condition when you start out with a deep cleaning. A Perfect Shine can come out to your home and do a deep clean of your house for you on a regular schedule so that you can stay on top of your housework more easily. Imagine what a relief it is to come home to a house where someone else has cleaned your bathrooms and mopped your floor for you, freeing you up to spend important time with your family.

We have found that having a crew come to our own house has even helped our kids to keep their rooms cleaner. When they know the cleaners are on their way, the kids have to pick up all of their toys and clothes, and make their beds. This has led to them keeping their rooms neat and tidy much of the time.

Having a professional cleaning crew come regularly to our home has not made our kids lazy when it comes to cleaning, but gives them the clean, orderly foundation that is much easier for them to maintain. Call our office today to schedule a cleaning of your home, it will be a gift your whole family will benefit from.

Why not relax and enjoy the holidays this year?

2009-12-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

Most people look forward to seeing their friends and family over the holidays, but dread the extra work that comes with making their home sparkling clean and ready for visitors. If you love the holidays, but don’t love all the work that goes into getting your house ready for your mother-in-law’s critical eye, let A Perfect Shine help make this the best holiday ever. There are several ways we can help take the stress out of your holiday planning:

• Deep cleaning: You probably keep up with your basic housework on a weekly basis, but if you are like most people, it is hard to find the time to do a deep cleaning of your home. What better gift to give yourself than to allow A Perfect Shine to come to your house with a professional cleaning crew to give your home a top to bottom cleaning to start the holidays off right. We will get all those hard to reach places for you, making your home the holiday showcase you want it to be when all your guests arrive.

• Carpet Cleaning: Holiday parties mean holiday stains. Our steam cleaners work quickly and can remove the wine and food stains left over from a holiday celebration. With prices that are lower than our competitors, you will be amazed at how a small investment can make your carpets look like new again in a short time.

• Hauling/ Removal Service: Plan ahead for new holiday gifts by clearing out clutter before all the new gifts arrive. When you call A Perfect Shine we will send a professional crew who will quickly remove all your unwanted items for you. If you are planning on having overnight guests for the holidays, now is the perfect time to get rid of all the excess furniture and clutter in your guest room to make it ready for guests. Hiring us to haul away those things you no longer need costs a small amount, but can reward you with valuable new living space for years to come.

• Yes- we do windows! You spend hours putting up your holiday lights and tree, why let the effect be ruined by streaky, smeared windows? With winter comes rain, and dirty windows. At this time of the year the last thing you need to worry about is one more cleaning chore. Why not call us and have the Perfect Shine cleaners come and do your windows for you?

You have enough to do this holiday season. This year why don’t you worry about baking cookies and wrapping gifts and allow us to make this a happy holiday season for you by making your home clean and ready to be the backdrop to many holiday memories.

Call today 619-269-1745, North County 858-483-8290 or visit us at www.aperfectshine.com

Choosing a Cleaning Service

2009-12-04T07:52:00.000-08:00

Many busy families would love to have a regular cleaning service, but get nervous at the thought of hiring strangers to come into their homes.. If you are considering hiring someone to come to clean your house for you on a scheduled basis, but aren’t sure what to look for in a cleaning company, here are some things to look for:

An established company: Most small businesses fail within the first few years of opening, so it is a good idea to look for a janitorial company that has made it past these critical first years and remained in business. If you go with a well-established company, chances are good that they will work with you to resolve problems because they have a local reputation to maintain. A Perfect Shine has been in business in San Diego for over ten years, and we pride ourselves on our reputation in the community.

Sufficient manpower: Oftentimes families are looking for a single housekeeper to come and clean their home. While it can be nice to have a relationship with your housekeeper, this set up can sometimes cause unexpected problems. One housekeeper working alone will take much longer to clean an average-sized home and can ruin the flow of your day as you try to stay out of her way as she cleans. When you only have a single person coming to clean, you are at the mercy of that cleaner’s personal life. If they are sick, running late from another job, or otherwise unable to get to your house at the appointed time, your house may not get cleaned. When you use a professional janitorial service, like A Perfect Shine, you never have to worry about your maid’s personal life. With a large staff, we will make sure someone is at your home at the appointed time, no matter what.

Realistic pricing: The biggest factor for many families when choosing a cleaner is price. The problem with choosing a cleaning service on price alone is that just because a price seems low, it does not mean it is a good value. You need to consider what you are getting for the money. Is your house being cleaned by a single maid or a cleaning crew? Are you providing the cleaning supplies, or is the service? Most importantly of all, how long will it take? Is it going to take a single cleaning lady many hours to clean your home, or will you have a crew that can do a big job in a short amount of time. Your time is valuable, and A Perfect Shine knows it, that is why we always send the right number of people to do the job as efficiently as possible.

Licensed, Bonded, Insured. The last thing you want is for the unexpected to take place in your home. Unfortunately for you, if a maid injures herself while on the job in your home, you can be liable for the injury. When you use A Perfect Shine, you never have to worry about your personal liability, we cover the risk for you. Our insurance, business license, and surety bond mean absolute peace of mind for you when one of our employees is working in your home. For more information on our services check out our website at: www.aperfectshine.com