November Newsletter

November Monthly Newsletter

www.enjoyrnr.com • (484)903-9808

 

I pray you all are safe from the storm. I am still without power and am dedicated to you and your newsletters. I have spent my time in the storm bringing you a great thought out newsletter! In this time of being home with no power I am sure you and your friends need a cleaning, due to wax dripping, sipped drinks, experimental cooking in the dark. So we want to extent a “Sandy discount” For new clients we have a free hour for every 4 hours paid, and you who refer the new client to us we extent a 15% discount to your cleaning in the next 2 weeks.

Keep your eyes peeled for new staff; we have recently done a switch in staff members with new staff. We want you to welcome them to our family and into your home. The new staffs have all their clearances and love to serve. I also would like you honest opinion of them and let me know their pros and cons!

Charity of the Month

This November we will be donating to Global Giving, the funding will go towards Hurricane Sandy, it has caused extensive flooding in the Caribbean and the East Coast of the United States. This fund will support relief efforts by organizations working in the area, including International Medical Corps in Haiti and Save the Children in the US, to provide emergency assistance to those in need. For more information you can visit http://www.globalgiving.org.

Organization Idea of the Month

                Getting ready for Christmas is not a time when you plan last minute. Some do, and then know that they could have done so much more, enjoyed themselves, been relaxed and had the holidays prepped for and ready way before snow fall. This plan I call the Christmas count down. I break it up into 5 weeks. Each week I plan an attack and spend 30 minutes a day preparing and at the end of the 5 weeks you have the last 3 weeks of Christmas to sit around the fire, plan and enjoy big parties, and just enjoy Christmas for what it really is: your children.

                Week 1: Make a plan of your home. What needs to be cleaned for company, cleaned out and gotten rid of. This is where reality meets the pen. Go through your home, room by room, write down your dream. Are you traveling this holiday? Make your calendar, get tickets and reservations. Family photos? Carpet cleaning? Get your gift check-off list in hand as well; make the list of every person that needs to be taken care of and the budget.

                Week 2: Get your Christmas card list and divide it into 4 groups. Fill out the first quarter of cards this week. Then divide the gift list in 4 according to stores/areas of shopping, and purchase a ¼ of the gifts this week. Make that list now public of what you want your house to be like, post it on the fridge and divide the list to do among your family members of which they are accountable for. Make sure you have the wrapping supplies needed as well as postage.

                Week 3: Finish the 2^nd group of Christmas cards this week. Purchase ¼ of the gifts this week, however do the ones you need to purchase online. And wrap the gifts from last week. Check up on the family’s “To Do” list and make sure they are doing their part (Including you)! Begin on the “to make” gifts this week. Reserve baby-sitters for the parties in December.

Week 4: Finish the 3^rd group of Christmas cards this week. Purchase the ¼ of the Christmas gifts this week. Stay on your family about their “To Do List”, and complete a few items off of your list as well. Clean out the refrigerator and freezer and plan your holiday meal. Prepare for drop in visitors.  Purchase cheese and crackers and table grapes. Enjoy Thanksgiving this week.

Week 5: Finish the 4^th group of Christmas cards this week. Finish up your shopping this week. Decorate your home with Christmas décor. Start your wrapping of gifts. Send out the gifts to far away family. Cultivate for the month of December a “No TV” evening so that you can spend the time you need to with your family. Replace it with family traditions, holiday reading or broaden the family’s knowledge of what other cultures do for the holidays.

Cleaning Idea of the Month

                Due to Sandy stopping in for a visit in our area our refrigerators have come to our attention. Have you cringed at the thought of picking up the jelly jar that is stuck to the door and try to save it in ice? Or that frozen sticky patch from the dripped popsicles that started to melt? Have you discovered you would rather throw out your food then try to clean it? Yes this has become most of our realities. So let’s take our attention to our fridges and freezers before the holidays come and fill our refrigerators.

Start top to bottom. Remove everything and unplug your refrigerator, take a look at expiration dates, and if you have used it. If you haven’t used it and it’s still unopened you can donate it to a local food pantry, they are always in need. Fill a pot with hot water and dish detergent and grab a sponge with a score side. Then fill up your sink full of hot water and dish detergent. And start. Start in the freezer section and scrub the top of the freezer to the walls, the bottom and the door. Many shelves can be removed and submerged into the sink and scrubbed. Dry everything with a cloth so that nothing can freeze once you turn it on.

Move to the refrigerator, and start top to bottom removing the shelves submerging them into the sink and scrubbing them, drying them and setting them aside. Wash the top, walls and bottom. Remember to remove the drawers and the shelving on the door. Before you put your shelves back in this is a great time to look at your organization in your space. A great way to organize your fridge is to grab a cloth basket and organize your food. Ex: Yogurts, cheeses, meats, leftovers or kids snacks. Grab your baskets, label them and put your shelves in according to size. Place your non expired wiped clean food back in. And if you're like me, you'll spend the next two days sneaking admiring looks at your gleaming, well-organized refrigerator. It may not be glamour, but it's life!

Now that you have a clean fridge and freezer, let’s try to get them to work more efficient. The freezer works most efficiently when packed as full as possible. Need to fill in some space? Tuck extra ice for cold drinks or cold-packs. A black-out bonus: full freezers keep food frozen longer if a power outage occurs.

The refrigerator is a different animal; it needs air circulation to keep food at an even temperature. Packing a refrigerator too tightly means some foods can become too cold--and may even freeze--while others aren't kept cold enough for proper storage. Let the refrigerator breathe to keep food fresher longer.

Keep produce cool, condiments cold and proteins downright chilly for longest food life.  A cold spot near the cold-air inlet makes a good home for meat or poultry, but will freeze and spoil a head of lettuce.

 Track temperatures with a thermometer. Too-cold temperatures waste energy, while too-warm temps lead to premature food spoilage. In the fridge the temperature should be set between 36 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. In the freezer, shoot for a temperature range between zero and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Also clean condenser coils with a vacuum wand; making sure to clean behind and under.

 

Craft of the Month

                A good craft to do in the month of November is something called the thankful tree. On a wall in your home make a tree trunk with branches. Everyday someone in your home takes a leaf and writes something you are thankful for. So on thanksgiving when you spend your quality time together you can admire your tree and know what in your life is worth living for. Take a picture every year and see what changes and what was the most valuable to you and your family from year to year.

Healthy Idea of the Month

                Every year it’s a battle to not gain all the holiday weight when you attend the holiday parties and have all the cookie bake offs. Here are 10 tips to help you in your weight goal.

1. Never Go To A Gathering On An Empty Stomach

2. Drink Plenty Of Water

3. Don't Deprive, But Don't Indulge

4. Chew And Enjoy Your Food

5. Socialize Prior To Heading For Seconds

6. Exercise

7. Snack On Healthy Choices

8. Skip The Alcohol Or Limit Intake

9. Don't Cave Into Peer Pressure, people take pride in their food, however your health is more important.

10. Protein Is Your Friend

October Newsletter

October Monthly Newsletter

www.enjoyrnr.com • (484)903-9808

 

Do you love this weather or what?! The cool crisp air, the start of leafs changing; the pumpkins pies and let’s not forget the homemade applesauce! This time of year is always the time I love to try new crafts and tips. I feel energized because soon my home will not be able to have the windows open or nature brought in. So cleaning and organizational tips are a high need! Keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page for daily tips at Revitalize with Rebekah LLC. Also before we lock up the windows, do you need them cleaned? Or your carpets steam cleaned? Keep us in mind before it’s too late!

Organization Idea of the Month

Is it time in your home to switch the clothes in the drawers from summer to winter? If so what is your set up? Always looking for feedback and would love to hear from you, email me at EnjoyRnR@gmail.com for your great tips! As for me, I keep a dresser for winter and a dresser for summer. However many don’t have the space for 2 dressers, so let’s talk totes. I think totes work great. As you take out of the tote what is in there, see if it fits from last year or out of fashion. This includes your closet. Go thru your closet, take out what you won’t use this winter, and use some space saving strategies. Thin uniformed hangers or a belt with holes in it, so the hanger hooks fit in it (sort of like a wonder hanger, but eco-friendly). Always keep sweaters, sweatshirts and bulky clothing in a shelving unit, a cabinet or basket. These take up so much space and you normally don’t wash them as much.  And last thing, how do you store your tall standing boots? Tossing them in the bottom of a closet never works well. You could get a shoe door organizer, or a small closet hanging shelving unit and fold them in half. If space allows and you are able to store them upright, a great idea is to take your old magazines, roll them up and insert them into the boot.

 

Cleaning Idea of the Month

Do you have a Keurig? How often are you cleaning it? It should be every month or so you thoroughly cleaning it. To be able to clean it the way you should you need: a toothbrush, white vinegar, all purpose cleaner and a micro-fiber cloth. Then disassemble the machine, remove the reservoir and lid, drip tray and cover, k cup holder and funnel. You can take all of these and soak them in the sink with some vinegar. Or you can also put these items in the top rack of your dishwasher. Remove them and towel dry. Now let’s move to the unit, wipe down with the cloth and the natural all purpose cleaner. While the parts are washing or soaking, take your (clean) cleaning toothbrush and gently brush out any stuck coffee grinds in the K Cup holder. If these aren’t removed, they’ll eventually inhibit the machine from working properly. While you’re in there, use a damp cloth to remove any build-up from the K Cup holder. If there is any white scaly build up or deposits use a vinegar soaked cloth to wipe clean. Then reassemble the Keurig. Fill up the reservoir half of vinegar and brew until the reservoir is empty. Then remove the reservoir and clean out completely, fill up the reservoir completely with water and brew continually until there is no vinegar taste in the water.

Craft of the Month

                What a great time of year for crafts. I feel like I have an encyclopedia full of great crafts. However, if I had to pick a craft for all ages, useful, and easy, this is what I have to pick. It’s very easy, simple and useful. Everyone makes carved pumpkins in this time of year and sometimes it’s difficult to let the children cut the pumpkins. So a great tip is to grab some metal cookie cutters and a hammer, and halo out the pumpkin. Make a design, whether it’s a face, or just a design take the cookie cutters and hammer them into the pumpkin till they are all the way threw. Then pop out the cookie cutter and piece if pumpkin and enjoy!

Healthy Idea of the Month

There are so many things I would love to guide to a healthier life. However this month I am going to briefly talk about how to be prepared in an emergency.  Nearly half of the country is not prepared for an emergency at all. People live pay check to pay check, go on vacations, and have no food storage or water storage. What you need to be prepared for at minimum of 72 in your home for natural disasters, storm, flooding, terror, contagious disease, no power etc. Here are a few links to look over. For $100 your home can have the basics needed for an emergency. Is your families safety worth $100?

http://72hours.org/index.html

http://www.ready.gov

Take a look, get a kit, get a plan and get educated. Be ready.

September Newsletter

September Monthly Newsletter

www.enjoyrnr.com • (484)903-9808

 

I absolutely love this time of the year. You cannot find me in a bad mood from September to December 26^th.  It’s the crispy air, the pumpkin…everything, the apple and cinnamon scents, the scarves and the best of all…I get my schedule back! I love having my daughter home. I love to spend time with her, go to the beach, the warm summer nights, and everything about summer - except the lack of routine. So my life has gone full swing into being organized, efficient, and I got my groove back. So I have had a hard time deciding what to put in this month’s newsletter, because I could have written a book. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Organization Idea of the Month

                Do you remember the old commercial when the owl answered the lifelong question, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?” That is exactly how I feel when I have to look through my daughter’s folder every day after school. “How many papers does it take to get to the inside of the folder?” If it’s not yesterday’s homework, it’s her class work. If it’s not her class work, it’s her art. If it’s not her art, it’s a reminder of upcoming events…and the list can go on and on. So you need to have a system, a system that works for you and that will save some of their memories. Keep this in mind, procrastinated decisions = clutter. So don’t wait! Here are some staples to staying on top of it; also, I will leave you with 3 options for your child’s art work.

·         Have a place for your monthly school calendar and your lunch menu on the fridge or your calendar.

·         Look at teacher notes immediately and deal with them that minute.

·         Keep a pin up board or a folder of all the projects that are ongoing and spelling lists.

·         Join the school’s PTA. You may be asking, “How does that help me stay organized?” Well, going to a monthly meeting for an hour can enlighten you of papers your child “forgot” to bring home. A meeting can also help you prepare for the upcoming events that you don’t get notified of, and what to expect the next year when your child is in the next grade up. Without those meetings I would have had NO IDEA what was going on in the school.

What can you do with the constant flow of art? I have touched on this subject many times. However I see many times it’s a problem still in homes. So, I will give more options.

1. A portable filer. Purchase a portable boxed filer at staples. Add in dividers and have each grade level be a divider. Add in only enough to fill one. You can allow your child to pick out their own art they want to keep! However you need to train them to pick one a week or skip a week and pick out 2 another week.

2. A scrapbook. Purchase a scrapbook and insert the beautiful art your child has made thru the year into a page, by the end of the year you will have a scrapbook with no effort! Label the front with the child’s name and grade level.

3. A frame. Purchase a large frame next time they go on sale. And rotate the art in it, seasonally, weekly, or yearly with a favorite picture you think they put the extra hard work into. Your child will be so proud to not see it up on the fridge, but in a frame on the wall for all to see.

Cleaning Idea of the Month

                Our company does a great job at cleaning. And a constant conversation we have at the company meetings is that our staff wants to go above and beyond. They want to clean the closets, or move the furniture, or any random thing your home needs that day. It is difficult for them to just do what they need to do and not everything else. For that I am proud of them. However this being a constant discussion I have asked what is one of the things you wish you had time to clean. And one of the responses was the shower heads. They would love to clean them however they need special attention. So next time you shower take a glance. Is it a straight stream? Is it weak? Is there rust or build up? If so take 1/3 cup of baking soda, 1 cup of vinegar and put in it a zip lock bag and let it do its small explosion. When it has calmed take the bag and wrap it around the shower head and get a bread bag tie and tie the bag on the shower head. And leave it there overnight. The next morning remove it and turn on the hot water and let it run for about 5 minutes.

Craft of the Month

                Simple craft if you have a sewing machine! To make a reusable sandwich bag!

 1. I cut two 12" squares of fabric. I then took a large zip-lock bag I had been using in the kitchen, and cut it open down one side and along the bottom. I opened it out and cut a 12" square out of it also.

2. With the right sides of the fabric facing, and the plastic pinned in between them, I sewed around three sides of the squares, and along 2/3 of the fourth side. Using that gap, I turned the fabric inside out, so that now the plastic was on the outside. I folded the edges of the open seam inwards and sewed up the gap on the machine, and then sewed just inside the seam on all four sides so that it all sits flat.

3. Then I sewed small pieces of the Velcro onto the opposite corners of the wrap, two on the inside and two on the outside.

Perfect! 1 reusable sandwich bag that you will love!

Healthy Idea of the Month

With so much produce to eat, do you know how to store it? I mean not the way you were taught, but what is the actual healthy way to store?

Apples: Store in the refrigerator to keep crisp for three to four weeks or store outside of the refrigerator in a cool, dry place to keep crisp for about one week. Tip: You want to store apples in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

Citrus (grapefruits, oranges, etc.): Store in the refrigerator to keep fresh for two weeks, or store at room temperature to keep fresh for seven to 10 days. Because citrus fruits have a tougher skin, they will last longer than most other fruits. Tip: Lemons and limes have a shorter shelf life, only two weeks in the refrigerator.

Grapes: Store grapes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Grapes also have a bloom, so it’s best not to wash them until you’re ready to eat them.

Pears: Store unripe pears at room temperature for approximately five days. Once ripe, refrigerate for up to a week. Tip: To check for ripeness, check the “neck” right next to the stem for a slight softness. If you want to speed up ripening, put pears in a paper bag.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes should be stored in a cool, dry place and enjoyed within a week once they’re fragrant and soft to the touch. You want to avoid refrigerating tomatoes because it puts the fruit into cold shock and inhibits the taste. Tip: Avoid storing them in plastic, because the trapped ethylene will cause them to ripen more quickly.

Root Vegetables (onions, potatoes, etc.): Store in a cool, dry place—ideally in an open basket away from the oven. While most last approximately a month, baby potatoes have a shorter shelf life of about 10 days. Tip: Keep these items away from light, which causes them to sprout and turn green.

Mushrooms: They should be stored in their packaging in the refrigerator and used within five to seven days. Like other produce, mushrooms will perish faster if they’re pre-sliced.

Bell Peppers: Refrigerate peppers for up to two weeks or store them at room temperature to keep fresh for about a week.

 

 

August Newsletter

August Monthly Newsletter

www.enjoyrnr.com • (484)903-9808

 

People tend to think when spring rolls around that is when they get the most done in their home due to “spring cleaning”. I disagree, come August and September when families are getting ready for a new routine, the home completely changes. New schedules, new materials, new organization. How long do families really keep this doing? Maybe one semester out of 4 the routine stays. Why does this happen? Maybe the goals are too big, or they were never fully prepared. Either way this newsletter can help you get ready and can help and change your family.

Difficult to implement organizational structure in your home? Give us a call! We are more than happy to work alongside of you to accomplish your goals.

Charity of the Month

This August we will be donation our 5% of sales to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization. We are dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Our ministry was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, decent place to live in dignity and safety. To learn more about them visit www.habitat.org.

Organization Idea of the Month

                Aw, with school right around the corner you have some great idea’s I am sure to make the school year run more smoothly, your children to get better grades and to make your life a little easier.  Many times we make huge adjustments that arent realistic for the whole family to stick to. However here are some easy ideas to make your life a little easier and more organized this school year!

Establish fresh routines. If mornings are chaotic (or just not your prime time of day) consider taking care of as many daytime preparations as possible the night before. Layout clothes. Pack lunches. Set out the breakfast dishes and cereal. Pack the backpacks. And so on.

Make your new systems kid-friendly so your young helpers can help you get things checked off your to-do list. (The more help you have, the more time everyone has for fun.) For example, carve out a spot on a low shelf in the pantry to store lunch boxes and lunch making supplies. Then, have your helper be responsible for putting away his empty lunch box at the end of the day or even packing lunch. Install low coat hooks so your child can hang up his own coat and backpack at the end of each day.

Create a homework station. If a task is simple to do, it’s more fun to do. Homework is no different. Decide on the best spot in your home to set up homework central. Once you have a place picked out, corral together handy homework tools and supplies into a nearby bin, cabinet or drawer. Stock up on age appropriate supplies such as pens, pencils, erasers, paper, crayons, markers, a ruler, a calculator, a dictionary, scratch paper, basic craft supplies and a pencil sharpener.

Create a system for school papers. There are three types of papers, recycling, those you need to take action on and those you’re keeping for future reference. Designate a convenient spot, like a cork board, or a binder, for items you need to act on or refer back to throughout the school year. Items like classroom rules, schedules, class lists, and teacher contact information will be right at home in the binder.

Create a communication hub. Your communication hub can include a family calendar, your binder, colored markers, pens and pencils, and all your supplies.

Remember not to forget. Create a simple system by the door to help you remember your new routine or special items you need to take with you each day: gym shoes on gym day, violin on music day, and snacks on snack day. Hang a bin or basket by your door to corral the items you need to remember, or create a fun little daily checklist.

Backpack station. The kids know exactly where their backpacks need to go when they get home from school and the central location allows me the opportunity to check the packs each day to ensure notes are received and homework is done. Mornings are also a snap because backpacks can quickly be grabbed on the way out the door.

Cleaning Idea of the Month

                Can you imagine a summer with a child around the clock running in and out of a room, playing for hours doing what they do best with their imaginations in there, and many threats from you saying “You can’t go unless your room is clean!”, what that room would look like? Take a stroll thru their room and see. That means a closet’s worth of stuff shoved under their beds, drawers a disaster, their desk a mess and something smells funny in there. If you are going to implement a new routine you should also spend some quality time in their “sanctuary” cleaning it up. But not just clean it up, do an over haul. Here are some check points:

ü  Empty everything under the bed, and then move it

ü  Empty each desk drawer with a large recycling bin next to you

ü  Empty the dressers of old summer clothes the school won’t allow them to wear and re-fold everything back

ü  Move the furniture and vacuum behind

ü  Go thru their books to see what is age appropriate

ü  And set aside things they can’t use or wear till September to get them excited for the next year to come!

 

Craft of the Month

                A great craft for the kids to get back to school with is a teacher’s gift! A great and inexpensive way to say “thank you” this year to your new teacher would be to purchase a reusable cup and insert items into it. You can purchase these reusable cups in dollar stores or even your grocery store! A fun way to decorate it is to insert single serving tea packets into it and print out a note to insert over the straw saying “Thank you for keeping up TEArrific” or looking forward to having a great TEAcher like you!”. You can also insert lemonade single serving packets and the notes saying “Thank you for being a great ‘ade’ to our class” or  “Thank you for giving us a thirst for knowledge”. Doing this is always a great way for the child to be more comfortable with the teacher and the teacher to fall in love a little faster with your little one in such a uncomfortable time.

Healthy Idea of the Month

                Ringing in the new school year many people send their children to school with their packed lunches. Doing this is a worthwhile investment. The schools lunches are not known for being healthy. They tend to be filled with high fat, high processed foods that are easy, quick and every kid is willing to eat them. This concludes the severity of how unhealthy they are. If every child of every unhealthy lifestyle is ready to eat it and 60% of American children are obese that goes to show the standard of quality. However going thru the nightly argument of what goes into their lunch seems almost not worth it at times. To help prepare and to stop the arguing before it begins a great idea is to make a list of foods you both agree on and post it up on the fridge. Then you both can always agree and the child can choose by what meal they want according to mood. An example of this is at this website: http://www.tipjunkie.com/lunch-menu/. Enjoy packing!