Cleaning with kids can be fun. Here are a few ways to help make chore time something the whole family can look forward to. Bonus: make sure to keep reading to learn about a great deal for one of our new services! Age-appropriate Chores Create age-appropriate chores and expectations. This can help kids view to-do lists with less dread. If you give them too many chores or explain them too fast children can easily become overloaded and disinterested in helping. Look for chores that motivate your kids and discover ways you can allow them to lead the process so that cleaning is something everyone can pitch in with and not viewed as the dreaded chore or task list. This can help make cleaning a win-win for everyone. Gamify Cleaning Make cleaning more fun with games. Create a game out of each chore. For example, tell your kids they have 5, 10, or 15 minutes to do a particular task as fast as they can. Set the timer and check in on their progress. As the clock starts to run out of time, update them on how many more minutes are left on the clock. When finished, check to see how much they were able to accomplish in that particular time frame. If needed, you can set the clock again if they weren?t able to finish the entire task. Playing games can help make chore time more fun and even competitive. Cleaning Basket Provide your child with their own cleaning basket. Keep things in the basket that are fun and useful in helping your child complete their chore list. Be sure to make the basket and cleaning supplies age appropriate for each child. Include things like a duster, lint roller, spray bottle with water and or vinegar, rags, and baby wipes. Go ahead and give them a little project specific to them. They can then explore the various cleaning supplies you?ve provided in the basket that will help them get the job done. Chore Cards Create various chore cards for each room in your home and list specifics of each task. This way the child can read the card, or you can read it to them, so they know exactly what needs to be cleaned. They can then check off each item on the list to keep track of what?s been cleaned during the process. You can laminate the cards and include them in each of the cleaning baskets. The cards will help keep your child on task, so they know exactly what needs to be cleaned in each room. Chore Chart List the various chores you?d like your kids to accomplish throughout the week. Be specific with each chore you create and break down each task into specific details and place it on your chore chart. This way it is easy for kids to read the specific details that need to be accomplished with each task. Also, check to make sure that the chores have been completed to your satisfaction. This is a great opportunity for kids to learn your specific cleaning style and what your expectations are of them when cleaning the home. Figure out a fun way your child can mark off each chore when a task is completed whether it is a simple check mark or a sticker they get to choose. It is fun to get the family organized by finding easy to make and print chore charts online if you need some inspiration. Reward System Develop some sort of a reward system for your child. It is fun to be rewarded for a job well done especially if all the chores have been completed all week long. Rewards don?t necessarily have to be of monetary value. It could mean a special treat, time spent with you doing something your child enjoys, playing a game with your child, etc. Find a way to make your child feel appreciated for the great work they?ve done especially if they?ve followed through with all their chores during the week. Involving your kids in household chores can help teach them responsibility as well as give them a sense of pride when accomplishing a task. However, sometimes you just need to let go and let someone into your home to clean. Blind Appeal is proud to announce our newest service: Housecleaning! For a limited time, new clients will receive one hour FREE home cleaning ($35 value) with purchase of our new home cleaning services. Give us a call today and let us clean your house while you have some summer fun!
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If you?ve lived in Boise long enough, you?ll learn to get the most out of the full summer sunshine that we get. Entertaining friends and family around the backyard barbeque pit is an American tradition as old as apple pie. Now, if you?ve already gotten your motorized exterior shades installed around your back patio, then you?re ahead of the game and ready to start firing up the grill. For bonus points, you can have us at Blind Appeal wash your windows to get them looking fabulous for your summer guests. Ask us about that and our other products and services to help turn your backyard BBQ dreams into a reality. Now, once you have your shades set and your windows washed, it?s time to start planning your menu! We?re going to try something new this year. The theme for this ultimate BBQ will be southwest gourmet. The menu will have three courses that finishes with a grilled dessert. Every course will be 100% cooked and finished on the grill top. We?re going all in on that delicious smokey bbq goodness that you can only get over an open grill in your backyard surrounded by a few good friends and cold beverages. Appetizer For the first course, we?re kicking things off right, southwest style with a cheese stuffed grilled pepper with a zest of lemon for a kick. These grilled and stuffed peppers are a great way to kick off the day?s grilling because they are simple to execute yet pack a huge flavor punch. This will help tide people over until the main course can be served. We recommend either a mixture of provolone and mozzarella or provolone and Queso Fresco for that real authentic south of the border flavor packed into every bite. Here?s the full recipe to get you started! Main Course For our southwest BBQ entree, we are going on a one way trip to flavortown with this bold flavored burger accompanied by a grilled salad and grilled potatoes. (We?ll reveal the burger at the end. Trust us, it?s worth the wait!) For the grilled potatoes, we?re going patriotic with a unique twist on grill ?fries? with these red, white, and blue themed potato skewers . They consist of a mixture of golden, purple, and red potatoes drizzled with olive oil and topped with salt and pepper. Here?s the full recipe. For the side salad, we?re going full southwest with this light and juicy grilled corn salad with a honey lime dressing . This salad has a little bit of everything. Sweet honey and zesty lime with a hint of smoke and pepper to bring it full circle. This salad will dance on your pallet like a whirling firecracker. Make sure you have lots of libations to wash it down! For the main course finale, it?s time for the burger. You?ll be serving an angus beef coffee-rubbed burger topped with peppered bacon and a house-made Dr. Pepper bbq sauce . This is a true masterwork of flavor innovation that will enshrine your next BBQ party in the history books. The all-angus beef patties are rubbed with a tangy, sweet, and smokey coffee based dry rub, grilled to perfection over a hot grill (along with the thick cut peppered bacon) and then topped with homemade Dr. Pepper bbq sauce. They are then adorned with a thick and pillowy pretzel bun and arugula cheese. For an extra southwest kick, we recommend grilling a few jalapenos alongside each burger which are then added to the top layer above the bacon. Here?s the full recipe. Enjoy! Dessert Well, that burger is a tough act to follow, but we have just the thing to wind down the night in a way that is still decadent and sweet, but not too heavy. We?re serving farm fresh grilled peach halves topped with cinnamon-sugar butter . The heat from the grill helps to activate and caramelize the sugars in the peach while also softening up the juicy interior. They are going right off the grill and onto your plate with a dab of cold cinnamon-sugar butter on top. Check out the full recipe here . This simple, tangy, sweet, and light dish is the perfect way to wind down your southwest BBQ feast and to pay tribute to fresh crops of summer. From our family to yours, Bon Appétit.
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It?s starting to warm up outside but that doesn?t mean your home and energy bills must suffer. Fortunately, with exterior solar shades, you?ll be able to block and absorb heat, decrease glare, and reduce your energy bills. Just like when it?s sunny out and you reach for a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from damaging UV rays, using solar shades for your home is a similar concept. With solar shades, you?ll be protecting your home both inside and out from the sun?s harmful rays. Here are three reasons why you should consider solar shades for your home. Tip #1 Provide Comfort West-facing windows and reflective landscape surroundings can be especially problematic when the weather warms up making parts of your home uncomfortably hot. Exterior solar shades not only help provide a comfortable interior but also help to reduce cooling costs by decreasing heat gain in your home. Also, solar shades are designed to control light but not eliminate it completely so you can still enjoy the view you love and have your privacy too. Tip #2 Block Solar Rays Damage from Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is not visible to the human eye, but its damage is well known. Harsh UV rays shining into your home can fade fabrics, carpets, wood flooring, photographs, and artwork. Plain, untreated window glass can block out a small amount of UV rays, but additional window treatments can help block much more. Using UV-blocking solar shades or window treatments not only help prevent damage, but they can also prevent wear and tear on your home both inside and out. Tip #3 Reduce Energy Costs Did you know that 50% of the solar heat that enters a room in your home comes through the glass? Exterior solar shades are the best defense against beating the summer heat. Preventing your home from heating up in the first place with the use of solar shades can be a more energy-efficient solution than using the air conditioner. Solar shades may help to create a more consistent temperature throughout your home during the day helping to lower your monthly energy costs. As you can see, solar shades really can help you beat the heat as it starts to warm up. Here are a few other products and benefits you might find helpful. Did you know there are many kinds of exterior solar shades? There is something for everyone! For example, a zip screen, which is a great exterior screen for outdoor room enclosures. This screen helps prevent color fade of your furniture and blocks up to 90% of the heat and glare, as well as provides insect protection. Or what about, self-storing solar screens? These screens filter out 90% of the sun?s harmful UV rays and retract into a self-storing cassette style hood. Not sure exactly what your needs are, no problem, just call our experts and they are happy to work with you to address your specific needs to help you beat the heat and reduce your energy costs moving forward. Please give us a call us today, so that you can have those exterior solar shades selected and installed in time for the summer months. Call Blind Appeal today at 208-888-1056.
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Spring is a great time of year for cleaning and sprucing up around the house. If you?ve found yourself saying ?Out with the old, in with the new? a little more frequently this time of year, you?re not alone. It?s possible that as you were going stir crazy this past winter you were also thinking of all the new ways you?d like to redecorate your home come spring. In fact, maybe you?ve even considered replacing or refreshing the blinds and shades as well. If these thoughts sound familiar, here are a few things to consider as you make that spring to-do-list this year. Take Inventory Taking inventory of the current condition of your home?s window coverings is a good idea. Spring is a great time of year to check the condition of your various window coverings and see how they?ve held up through the winter months. Also, it lets you assess which coverings may need to be cleaned or repaired from any possible damage. After you?ve taken inventory you may simply find you?re tired of your old window coverings and it?s time to replace them with something fresh and new . An Indoor Makeover An indoor makeover can do wonders to freshen up any room in your home. You may want to explore the various types of window coverings available on the market and find which ones may help bring in a little more sunshine or provide you with a new sense of warmth and coziness. When looking, consider Graber window treatments. They come in many selections to choose from for example composite shutters, dual shades, sliding panels, and more. You are sure to find a variety of coverings to match your home and lifestyle. Check out the many galleries we have on our website for inspiration. Get Creative When it comes to your window coverings get creative and think new colors, better lighting, how to block light out, or ease of use and functionality. Maybe you are trying to bring more light into your home or on the flip side trying to protect your furniture, flooring, and artwork from damaging UV rays. If you need a little help in getting creative, call in the experts at Blind Appeal and they can help you find creative solutions for your window coverings throughout your home. Getting your home refreshed and ready for spring takes a little time and effort, but when you are done, you?ll be able to enjoy the results of your hard work year-round. So as you?re checking off your spring to-do-list, don?t forget to check out Blind Appeal?s extensive line of window coverings and treatments. We?ll be glad to assist you and help you find what you need for your spring refresh. Give Blind Appeal a call today for an estimate and an opportunity to preview our wonderful Graber products! Call us for a free, no-obligation estimate. It will be well worth your time. 208-888-1056
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You?ve probably noticed that the spring flowers in your garden are starting to bloom and we are certain they look absolutely lovely, especially after the recent rain we?ve received. As you?ve been admiring that garden, you?ve also probably noticed there is more buildup of dirt and grime on your windows and well frankly they?ve lost that sparkle and shine you love while looking out or in. Not to worry! Simply pick up the phone and give Blind Appeal a call and we?ll come out and restore that sparkle and shine to your windows in no time. Just think, you are only a phone call away from feeling like you can pull up the shades and not only show off that beautiful spring garden, but also your crystal clean windows at the same time without having to feel embarrassed that you haven?t gotten to that chore yet. Here are three reasons why having your windows professionally cleaned in the spring is a great idea. Reason #1 Enjoy Your Home and Yard With a Clear View Spring is an active time of year and you may find yourself peering out through the windows more frequently as you watch the grass green up and grow a little taller, gaze out at those beautiful flowers, or look at that veggie garden you are preparing to plant. Of course, these views are even better when you can see clearly in and out of your windows without the headache of having to look at all layers of dirt and grime that?s built up. You?ll find that by having your windows professionally cleaned both inside and out you?ll be able to enjoy the spring sun that shines into your home that much more and love the warm feeling having clean windows creates in your home. Reason #2 Spring Has Sprung Don?t Let the Bugs and Pests In The bugs and pests are starting to crawl or fly right about now and with that you?ll want to make sure they stay out of your home. Having your windows professionally cleaned in the spring is a great time of year because our expert technicians will make your windows look so great you won?t have to open them to see outside! Reason #3 Say Goodbye to the Dirt and Grime The spring rains have left dirt and grime behind, which have formed a layer of film on your windows. You?ll want to be sure to have this professionally removed before the warm sun starts to bake that onto your windows making cleaning more difficult. Also, it?s a good idea to remove the dust and grime that builds up in the tracks of your windows and doors as this helps prevent allergies. Yes, we can appreciate by now that your spring to-do-list is growing quite long and that?s why we?d like to help you check one more thing off the list by calling in the professionals to clean your windows. Let our experts remove the dirt, grime, and dust from your windows today, so you can enjoy the crystal-clear views again that you love so much. Don?t wait to have clean windows this spring, call today for an estimate and to schedule a time our experts can come by and clean your windows. 208.888.1056
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When caring for window treatments we often overlook some of the important cleaning tips in how to care for our blinds once they?ve been hung in our home. Yes, custom blinds may be one of those items you?d rather install and then forget about them, but don?t put blinders on when it comes to maintaining and caring for your custom blinds. Here are a few helpful tips to keep your window treatments looking fresh, clean, and well cared for. Dusting Any window treatment could benefit from a good dusting at least once a month. With regular upkeep, dust will brush off the surface of the slats of mini blinds, wood blinds, and the vanes of vinyl and aluminum vertical blinds since they are quite smooth. These surfaces can easily be dusted regularly by tilting slats up first, then down to reach the entire top and bottom surfaces. A soft dusting cloth can be used, and a feather duster works well on fabric shades. You can find several products specifically made for dusting online, so do a google search and you?ll discover the possibilities are endless. Vacuuming Use the brush dust head attachment for your vacuum for a more thorough cleaning. If cleaning a mini or wood blind, tilt slats as described above. Often vacuuming is a preferred method for cleaning fabric shades. Spot Cleaning Spot clean with a soft cloth or sponge and a mild detergent and warm water when cleaning vinyl or aluminum blinds. Blot gently and allow to dry completely. Spot cleaning is not recommended for fabric or wood window treatments. Also, do not try cleaning fabric or wood surfaces with water, club soda, soaps, or cleansers of any kind as they could damage the fabric or wood. It is recommended that all fabric products be cleaned by a professional drapery cleaner or dry cleaner with specific experience in decorative fabric window treatments. Professional Cleaning When caring for your window treatments you?ll want to be sure to follow the manufacturer?s recommendations for care and cleaning. Also, it?s important to know when to call in the experts and hire a professional cleaner who can help you properly maintain and care for your window treatments. If you are looking for a local expert to help you, we highly recommend Wally Bashaw with Clean as a Whistle. Give him a call at 208-859-3363. Frequency Clean your window treatments at least once a month to help keep dust and dirt away. This not only helps keep your window treatments looking fresh but also helps you keep a better eye out for damage. If you purchased your blinds or window treatments from Blind Appeal , you will never pay for any repair. The Blind Appeal Service Guarantee means you can call us anytime to repair your blinds or window treatments for free! For more information on how to clean your blinds or window treatments or if you are looking for new window treatments, we can help! Call us today at 208.888.1056.
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The Boise Rescue Mission has been serving individuals and families in the Treasure Valley for over 60 years. When they first opened their doors back in 1958, they were a humble single-facility rescue mission. Now, they serve the community with several shelters from Nampa to Boise that in 2017 served 347,477 meals and provided 144,930 nights of shelter. They have been blessed to have grown so much over the years, but they still need your help! Since they rely upon the community for donations, they need our help to be able to provide the much needed food and supplies for Treasure Valley families. And, there?s no better time than now because starting March 1st, 2019, the Boise Rescue Mission is having an exciting competition that will help encourage people to donate food and have fun in the process. We at Blind Appeal have been competing in this food drive for years! It?s called the ?March to End Hunger Can Castle Competition.? Here?s what you need to know. For the entire month of March, businesses, groups, teams, schools, neighborhoods etc. will be hosting food drives throughout the Treasure Valley. Their goal is to stock the cupboards for the leaner summer months. This is crucial as even in March the weather is still cold and even snowy so people will be in need of as much food as possible to keep them going. Don?t forget to donate clothing, including socks and shoes as well! Join us! At the end of March, anyone who wants to participate will build a ?Can Castle/Creation? out of the food they have raised. There will be a contest on Facebook with voting from our followers. There will be a Golden Can Trophy presented to the winner. The larger and more creative, the better! So come on and join us ? Fill out the information sheet here to get started! We at Blind Appeal love helping the Boise Rescue Mission gather food in order to feed those in need in our community. We challenge YOU at your business or office to rally together and try to outdo our awesome can castle we put together every year. Talk to your managers and team leaders and let them know that you want to help boost office morale and help people get food in the process. This is the perfect competition to help motivate your team in the lead up to summer and good weather! Join us in the March To End Hunger. Build your can castle and take lots of pictures to share on your social media accounts. The bigger and cooler the castle, the more people in need get to eat! And, the winner gets the awesome ?Golden Can? to display in their office. It is a great conversation starter and a perfect way to remind your employees and customers that you went above and beyond to help feed people in the Treasure Valley. See you at the finish line!
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