Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning for the House and the Car

Stained carpeting is very unsightly and can make even the most well decorated home look shabby and old. Similarly, a stain in the carpet or on the upholstery of your car can make even the newest model seem old and unkempt. That’s why there will always be a demand for carpet and upholstery cleaning. There are many companies that offer carpet and upholstery cleaning. These companies will either come to your home or you can take your car there for all your carpet and upholstery cleaning needs.

You Can Do It Yourself

If you don’t want to pay a professional to do the job, you can do it yourself. After all, who wants to pay labor costs if they can do the job themselves? Nobody that I know of. There are many machines that you can buy or rent that can be used for carpet and upholstery cleaning with great results. These machines may not be as powerful as the ones used by professionals but they do wonders on stains that aren’t too bad. However, if the stain is something that won’t come out easily, you may have no choice but to turn to a professional. The cost is worth it, however, when you consider what it can do to even the most stained of carpeting and upholstery.

Carpet and upholstery cleaning can even be done at most do-it-yourself carwashes nowadays. For usually a dollar, you can vacuum and shampoo the carpet and upholstery in your car. These vacuums are very powerful and should be used before you do the shampoo job. You simply vacuum the entire floor and upholstery and then shampoo it using a separate apparatus. Then, you vacuum the soap up. Once, it dries, you’ll be amazed at how clean your carpet and upholstery will look.

If you have a stain in the carpet of your home or car or even on your upholstery, you should definitely consider some carpet and upholstery cleaning. There’s no better way to improve the look of your car or home. Search the local yellow pages for a carpet and upholstery cleaning service near you or rent or buy one for yourself so you don’t have to pay labor costs. You’ll be very pleased with the results and it’s always helpful to have a clean car or home so that you don’t have worry, in case company comes over, about your friends and family thinking you’re a slob.

Matthew Meyer
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/carpet-and-upholstery-cleaning-for-the-house-and-the-car-64525.html

Ten Tips for Easing Depression

Depression can be brought about by many factors: winter weather can trick the mind into believing that thoughts and emotions should be as gray and dull as the world. The death of a loved one can erase hope and quickly turn happiness into despair. The break up of a relationship, the dissolution of a family, the loss of one’s job - the list of causes is endless, and the list of repercussions is as equally infinite.

Depression can tax both on the mind and body. Constantly dark thoughts have driven people to despair, self-mutilation or even suicide. Deep, bottled-up emotions can lessen one’s appetite, or raise it considerably, causing extremely high changes in weight. Inner rage and anger can raise blood pressure, causing body organs to function improperly, or even leading to greater chances of a heart attack.

If you are suffering from depression, you may be subscribed antidepressant medication. This medication, however, can work only with the proper environment and mindset. You may need to modify your outlook or channel your energy into other activities that can help you ease your depression. To turn your blue day into a red letter one, take note of these ten depression-easing tips.

1. Express your feelings through art. Painting pictures of what bothers you can help you devote more energy into the task of making your thoughts manifest. Your concentration will therefore be on turning your work into art, not in focusing on your state of depression. If you are not into painting or drawing, you can also make sculptures.

2. Write poetry. Writing about what you feel can be a way of channeling your energy away from your thoughts, and into making plain words beautiful. If poetry is too difficult for you, you may want to write essays or short fiction.

3. Keep a gratitude journal. At the end of every day, list ten things that you are thankful for. A gratitude journal can change your outlook on life, and allow you to focus on what is good in the midst of what you might believe to be ugly or evil.

4. Do not engage in a menial or routine task too frequently, such as tilling the soil for gardening, or washing dishes. Such tasks can make your mind wander back to your depression. If you are doing such tasks, make sure that you have a friend to perform them with, so that you can conduct a conversation and keep your mind off your state.

5. Do thorough research on your antidepressants. These medicines may have side effects that have not yet been documented in marketing literature, so you may want to check out contraindications.

6. Join an online group that helps depression patients or sufferers share their stories. Support and human interaction can help you through your depression. If you have a local depression support group, then you can also join it and widen your circle of friends.

7. Get out of your comfort zone. You may find the house to be an all-too welcoming haven, or your routine tasks to be comforting. Your comfort zone, however, is also the place where your depression reigns, and you must try to escape it. You will struggle, no doubt, but with patience, you can rise out of your depression. Rising out of your comfort zone simply means that you should do things that you had never done before, such as engaging in sports, watching movies alone, or even eating in a restaurant you have never been to.

8. Clean your house every day and repeat these words to yourself, ‘I am taking away all the sad things of yesterday, and I am putting in happiness for today.’ You may also try variations of the statement, but make the meaning clear: you are cleaning your house free from whatever is shackling you to your depression, so that you can let happiness and goodness enter. Cleaning your house is simply a representation of your resolution to be and do better.

9. Be convinced that you can rise out of your depression. Think positively! Medicine can only go so far, and will need a willing body to be able to work. If you believe that you can get out of your depression, and if you acknowledge that it is only a temporary state, then you will survive.

10. Be patient. You can think positively all you want, but you will find that every day is a struggle. Recognize that you need to take small steps to recover, and that if you recover too quickly, you may sink back into depression again. Great rewards take long to reap, but with patience, half the battle is already won. Depression is only a phase, and with the proper attitude and know-how, you can indeed recover and have a better life.

Bill Urell
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/ten-tips-for-easing-depression-125186.html

Writing Children’s Books: Take Chances To Get Published

In an editorial several years ago, I described a tree house in the backyard of a local restaurant. I wrote, “The entire structure has been pieced together from recycled lumber, much of which still bears the paint, logos or posters of the original walls from whence it came. The generous platform is ringed by a sturdy fence that includes branches of the tree itself, random two-by-fours, wooden signs, and even a pair of moose antlers. The ‘house’ is more of a lean-to, tall enough for kids (but not adults) to stand up inside, with a screened door and two screened windows positioned so occupants can easily spy on the diners below or out over the adjacent parking lot. A green padded bench that looks like it had once belonged in a diner adequately furnishes the space. Underneath the tree house hangs a rope swing, from which kids can fling themselves into a thick layer of hay on the grass.”

Fast forward to this summer. The restaurant revamped their backyard, including the tree house. The railing now consists of uniform boards about three inches apart. The house is reached not by a ladder and trapdoor, but via a bona fide staircase. The screen door is gone, the windows are covered in glass, and several of the tree’s branches have been pruned back to discourage climbing. But the worst part, according to my 10-year-old, is that the rope swing has disappeared. Matthew declared the whole structure “boring.” In today’s world, kids have far less freedom than in previous generations. Their lives are more controlled-sometimes because of parents’ fears of an increasingly dangerous society, but often because we’ve somehow come to believe that to grow into successful adults, children’s activities must be channeled, scheduled and programmed from infancy.

Danger comes in many forms, from a stranger encountered on the way to school (who may be a neighbor out walking his dog, but you never know), to free time not filled with “enriching” activities. But, in my opinion, kids need a little danger in their lives. They need to test their boundaries, to learn how to climb a ladder and squeeze through a trapdoor. They need to hurl themselves into a pile of hay and learn it’s best not to land on your face. If grown-ups clean up their world too much, kids will never learn how to push themselves. They’ll never have the satisfaction of trying things that are a little scary, a little off their parents’ radar, and accomplishing something that belongs just to them.

One of the few places kids can still push their limits is with books. It’s possible to step outside your safe life with a story, or try new ideas on for size. But many adults want to clean up their kids’ reading choices as well. I know parents who abhor Barbara Park’s perennially popular Junie B. Jones chapter books because the spirited Junie isn’t a good role model, or won’t read Winnie the Pooh because Christopher Robin can’t spell very well. I also know a lot of authors who are afraid to write books that are slightly subversive because they worry editors won’t publish them. But for every parent who insists on only “safe” reading for their child (and it’s every parent’s right to do so), there are at least two parents who believe it’s okay for kids to wade into the danger zone through fiction. I’m not advocating murder mysteries for preschoolers here, just books that might be considered slightly uncivilized, or more entertaining than educational. Let’s look at some popular examples:

When I first saw Walter, the Farting Dog by William Kozwinkle and Glenn Murray, illustrated by Audrey Colman (a picture book whose plot needs no explanation), I was worried that children’s publishing might be sinking a little too low. But as it started winning awards and spawning sequels, I changed my opinion. Let’s face it: farting makes kids laugh. And if your child finds this book hysterical, you should be glad. In order to get the joke, kids need to know that noisy bodily functions are considered impolite. Laughing about them is one of the perks of childhood. Don’t worry, they’ll outgrow it.

A picture book coming out this December that’s already creating a buzz is 17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. The heroine utters such statements as “I had an idea to staple my brother’s hair to his pillow. I am not allowed to use the stapler anymore.” She also glues her brother’s bunny slippers to the floor, and shows Joey Whipple her underpants. Both big No’s. This ingenious story should satisfy two camps of parents; those who want kids to see consequences for inappropriate behavior, and those who don’t mind letting their kids live vicariously through a curious, mischievous character. A pop-up book due out later this month from three publishing powerhouses-Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks and Matthew Reinhart-lets young children face the monsters hiding in their closets and come out on top. In Mommy?, a young boy wanders into a haunted house looking for his mother and encounters creatures like a goblin, a mummy, and Frankenstein. Instead of running scared, the boy pulls pranks on each monster, deflating their power and showing how humor conquers fear every time.

Speaking of scary, if you haven’t read any of the enormously popular Series of Unfortunate Events middle grade novels by Lemony Snicket, do so. With titles like The Bad Beginning, The Miserable Mill, and The Penultimate Peril, and cautions from the author such as, “If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book,” these are clearly stories where adults dare not tread. But children brave enough to venture between the covers will find hilarious plots full of nail-biting twists. The intelligent Baudelaire orphans have unusual skills (Violet for inventing, Klaus for reading and researching, and baby Sunny for biting) that make them admirable heroes.

Lauren Myracle enters the private world of teen girl talk in her young adult novels TTYL and TTFN. The titles alone might raise some parents’ suspicions because unless they’re well-versed at IM (instant messaging), they won’t know what the abbreviations stand for. In fact, the entire novels consist of conversations between three high school girls written in emails, text-messaging and IM’s, using the standard computer shorthand that includes abbreviated spelling and quirky syntax. If you’re not an IMer yourself, you’ll find the books somewhat difficult to read. But you and I aren’t the target audience here. And though the format might keep adults from examining the books too closely, the plots are standard upper young adult fare-relationships, family trauma, peer pressure, even drugs and alcohol-handled in a believable manner that conveys growth of character by the end of each story.

As an author, if you’re inspired to delve into the slightly dangerous, dark or subversive corners of childhood with your books, feel free to do so. Don’t limit yourself to all that’s bright, safe and up to code. Allow kids places where they can wander away from their parents’ watchful eyes and have an adventure. If the adventure’s in a book, they’ll always come home safe and sound. And if you’re still not convinced, consider this: In the backyard of the restaurant, the tree house now sits empty. But the books I’ve described above are flying off the shelves.

This article excerpted from Children’s Book Insider, The Newsletter for Children’s Writers. More information at http://write4kids.com

Laura Backes
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/writing-childrens-books-take-chances-to-get-published-70603.html

How to start a house cleaning business

How to start a housecleaning business

Have you ever thought about how to start a housecleaning
business? When you think of how to start a housecleaning
business you will probably think of questions such as - How do I
start a housecleaning business? - Do I have what it takes to run
my own house cleaning business? - How do I find and keep
clients? - How much should I charge? - What other services can I
offer to my clients? - How do I hire and train staff? - How does
commercial cleaning differ from home cleaning?

And most of the people who have dreamed about how to start a
housecleaning business have been hesitant to put their plans
into action, as they cannot find the correct answer for these
questions. This comprehensive guide will help you to
successfully launch and grow your business by offering expert
advice on each and every aspect of setting up and running a
prosperous home-based housecleaning business.

Housecleaning businesses are one of the fastest-growing service
businesses in the United States. It is an ideal option for new
entrepreneurs, part-time workers, and also for those people who
would like to make a career switch. In today’s busy world, these
are highly sought commodities, and a good housecleaning service
offers comfort and order. Housecleaning is a cost effective
business with low operating expenses, inexpensive equipment, and
a flexible work schedule. Generally speaking, the answer to how
to start a housecleaning business is an understanding of basic
cleaning technology. In the very beginning of housecleaning
business, the home cleaning service might start out small, but
it has the potential to foster into a multi-million dollar
business with branch offices and franchises.

The very first thing about how to start a housecleaning business
is to develop a business plan and policy. After developing a
business plan you need a unique name which must stands out from
the rest. The next and important step before starting the
business is to insure your housecleaning business. You are
starting the business, and as you are the sole-proprietor,
insuring your business entitles you to the status of independent
contractor. Insurance also eases the minds of your future
clientele as well as it gives you peace of mind to work freely.

The next important step is to get a copy of your background
check and police record. Hopefully, you won’t have one; but
depending on which state you are residing in, you have to pick
up the application at the State Trooper Barracks, City Hall or
the Police Station. This is a simple step; you just take about 5
minutes to fill out the form. The application fee will be
between $3 and $15.00. After filling out the form, mail it in,
and within 14 days the form will be mailed back to you with an
official stamp stating “No record.” You can take photocopies of
this form, as you should provide this certificate to your
prospective clientele with your information packet.

The information packet is the major step in the housecleaning
business - it is what makes your business professional. The
information packet must contain a printout or photocopy of your
policy and procedures, insurance and background check,
references and a sample work order. In your policy statement you
should explain the details of your working policy. This will
give information such as: your hours of operation; if you will
work in a house that has a dog; if you bring the cleaning
products or the client has to provide his/her own cleaning
products; your rates (per hour or per job); and what form of
payment you take. All these details have to be included in the
policy statement.

Don’t forget to include a sample work order in your information
packet. For example, in cleaning a bedroom, what will you do?
That is, you must write - ceiling fan will be dusted, trinkets
dusted, bedroom furniture dusted, sheets changed and bed made,
carpet vacuumed and any other service you will provide. Also,
you can custom create a work order if a client wants something
done which is not on the work order.

Also, it is a plus for you to include at least two references.
Adding references might be a difficult task as you are just
starting out so add them as you go along. You can get a
references by offering a free cleaning for some community
organizations or churches.

When you create your business cards, you must only include your
name with the title of proprietor, and your telephone number.
Don’t put anything such as FREE ESTIMATES or CHEAP on the cards.
You have to present yourself as a person offering a professional
service.

Now you’ve got some idea about how to start a housecleaning
business! It is a highly profitable business. So what’s stopping
you now

Tom Laing
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/how-to-start-a-house-cleaning-business-558.html