The Vacation Rental Experience

There is a lot of talk out there about vacation rentals in Prescott.  Some are in support and some are against the vacation rental industry here in Prescott and the surrounding communities.  Regardless of what side of the fence you are on, the fact is that people want to come here and enjoy the many things this area has to offer. 
The Prescott area continues to be named “The Best” in many publications and surveys including:
#1 “Best Place to Retire” – escapehere.com
#13 “Happiest Healthiest City” in the country – Sunset Magazine
#5 “Best Arizona Attraction” – USA TODAY
#3 “100 Best Places To Retire” – topretirements.com

#1 “Best Destination for Nature Lovers” – Expedia
With all of this in mind, owners of vacation rentals need quality, professional and reliable service to keep the properties in shape and cleaned between renters.  Many owners work out of the area or just don’t have the time to manage the maintenance and cleaning required to provide a successful vacation rental.  It is important to have a bonded and insured company overseeing the ongoing cleaning schedule.  The company should:
Provide quality cleaning
Handle laundry service
Monitor condition of the property
Report damage or excessive use
Provide pictures of property condition to owner
Be available to make minor repairs
Report daily maintenance issues such as light bulbs, batteries in fire alarms
Restock supplies and snacks
Take care of outside yard maintenance
Respond to renters needs when requested
Provide professional window and floor cleaning
I am sometimes amazed at how lucky I am to be able to live every day in a place that many people spend their valuable vacation time to visit.  I am able to look out my window and watch as people from all walks of life enjoy the trails and the outdoors.  It is very important that visitors are able to return to a clean and comfortable place to stay while here.  It is our goal at Prescott Maid to Order to help owners provide a positive and wonderful experience for their renters.
www.prescottmaidtoorder.com
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott Valley Arizona
928-899-8518

We Love Our Pets!

Here at Prescott Maid to Order, we know how important our furry friends are to our clients.  We see it everyday in the homes of the people we serve.  Often times we find that the kids are all grown up and the companionship of the pets in these homes is paramount to the lives of our clients.  Because of this, we offer pet sitting to our list of services and have designed a program called Prescott Maid to Order’s Forever Home Program.  I talk a little more about the program in a minute.  But first, here are a few interesting facts about the health benefits of owning a pet from Womens Day website:



Decreases Stress

Lowers Blood Pressure

Eases Pain and Anxiety

Lowers Cholesterol

Improves Mood

Helps People Socialize

Prevents Strokes

Monitors Blood Sugar Levels for Diabetics

Prevents Allergies and Improves Immunity

Helps Children Develop



Our Forever Home Program is in conjunction with Yavapai Humane Society.  On the website “Mighty Cause” it states: , “Every day 9,000 pets are killed in American shelters.  However, the Yavapai Humane Society bucks that trend.  YHS is the safest shelter in Arizona and among the safest in the nation with a lifesaving rate of 97%.”  What a great opportunity to serve.



In an earlier article a year or two back, I talked about community service in business, stating,  “While trying to grow a business, many companies locally and nationwide are seeing the value in serving their community and the world at large.  Whether it be on a large or small scale, the value of volunteerism, contribution and service is of unlimited worth.”  We are involved in several causes in our community with this being just one.



So what is the program about?

We will feature a dog or cat (sometimes both at the same time) and post an ad anywhere we can get      exposure for it, on our facebook page, our website and several community pages.  Often times, it will be a pet that is older, maybe has been there longer or may not be the one that will get adopted quickly.  We will post and repost as long as needed to try to get the word out, not only about that particular pet, but the cause of finding homes for any of the pets in YHS.  When someone responds to one of our ads, either to us directly or to the Humane Society and then adopts our “featured” pet, we will in turn sponsor the fees.  How fun is that!  We ask people to “share” the ad to their page and to their friends so that the word will spread.



Our homes not only put a roof over our heads, but house and protect those we love, including our critter kids.  It’s where we make memories, enjoy our quiet time, recuperate from a long day at work, celebrate with those we hold dear and much more.  If you have been considering the companionship of a new pet, we encourage you to check out our Forever Home Program on our website or fb page and visit the Humane Society.  We love our clients and we love our pets!



Lucy Leyva, owner Prescott Maid to Order
www.prescottmaidtoorder.com
928-899-8518
Prescott Arizona

SHOW THE LOVE – to your home this Valentines Day

So here it is, the month of love.  This Valentines Day month is a good time to show a little love to your home without breaking the budget.  I’m not talking about a renovation project, but rather, lots of little things that you can do to spruce up and “show the love” to your home.  Some of the simplest tasks can make a huge difference in the look and feel in your home and it doesn’t have to be expensive.  Here are a few to consider:

Replace some area rugs, curtains or shower curtain.  It’s easy to change the feel of a room just by changing the color scheme or adding to it.  Change out a rooms curtains or rugs and add in a color or style that is new and fresh.

Use a little scratch cover up or good quality wood oil with appropriate color in it to give your wood furniture a face lift.  Sometimes I forget what a difference it can make

Pay attention to the details like baseboards, window tracks and door frames. Scrub the baseboards and paint if needed.  Clean out the window tracks and clean all the tops and edges of the door frames.

Has it been years since you put those knick knacks up high on the pot shelves?  Maybe it’s time they come down, the pot shelf gets cleaned and new, then clean and updated décor goes up.

Add a little life to your house.  It won’t be long until you can start to plant some outdoor plants but you can plant indoors any time.  Bring in some flowers, fresh cut or potted.  There are particular benefits to having indoor plants and flowers beyond the obvious, including:
Reducing carbon dioxide levels, increasing humidity, reducing levels of certain pollutants, such as benzene and nitrogen dioxide, reducing airborne dust levels, keeping air temperatures down.

Add some new art, change it up, expand your style.  It feels good and different and fresh. For that matter, change up the whole theme if you can.  Without having to renovate, knock out walls or change flooring, a simple change like changing the art style in your house can give it a completely different feel.

Change filters and clean vents.  Filters should be changed out several times during the year.  Pollutants and dust particles collect and get blown back into your environment.  A dusty dirty vent gives an impression of lack of care.

LOVE your home this Valentines Day, show it you care.  Do the little extras and enjoy the new year with a fresh, new, clean perspective.

Jann Watts and Lucy Leyva
Prescott Maid to Order