11 Things You Need To Know About Security Cameras for Your Home

What Matters, What Doesn’t, and How To Choose

Table of Contents: 

Reasons To Set Up A Security System 

Different Aspects of Security Cameras 

Trail Cams & Their Uses 

Security systems used to be a thing that you only needed if you were rich. You purchased them to provide protection for your assets and family, not just for your peace of mind. It meant having an outside company securing your home 24/7. Now though, you can recreate that both inside and outside of your home using DIY kits, individual models and a little bit of planning. So why is an appliance repair company talking about all of this? Because our goal at Appliance Rescue Service is to keep your home running. While normally that means we tackle things like your appliances and doing repairs, sometimes there are things that we find useful that we want to share with you. So let’s dig in.

Reasons to Set up A Security System 

So what are some of the reasons you might look into getting a security camera system for your home? In today’s era, many people simply feel better having one. Even if you live in a gated community, it doesn’t imply perfect security. It’’s the same concept of having life insurance when you’re strong and healthy in your 20s, “just in case.” For others, it might be that you’ve had a dispute with someone and you feel it’s needed to prove your argument, to ‘catch them,’ so to speak.  A security system is also useful when it comes to knowing how your kids are doing if you have to go out of town for the weekend. We will of course always advocate for relying more on talking to your kids rather than needing to use a camera, but we know that it can help put people’s minds at ease. Of course, there’s also the possibility that you have noticed a recent uptick in theft in your area and want to keep you and your home safe.  Is your list of reasons different than the ones we’ve discussed? Don’t worry. There are still plenty of times when a security system is useful, these are just some of the most common. 

Different aspects of security cameras

The next thing then is to understand what you’re looking at. What do all of the different features of a security camera mean towards the total goal? That’s where this section comes in. 

Battery Power vs Plug-Ins

This one is self explanatory at first glance, but it has deeper implications. If you choose a security camera that’s battery operated, you need to add it to your schedule to check in on it. There’s no point in having a camera if it doesn’t have power, right? A plug in though, you’ll need to have someone wire it into your home so that it can’t just be unplugged from the outside.  You have to weigh up which matters more to you and how you intend to utilize the system. 

Video Resolution

The camera’s resolution is important, but that doesn’t mean that you need to stake everything on it, unless you’re looking to purchase this for a private security job. In which case, we have to ask why you’re here?
Anyway, the resolution of the camera is the same as for your computer or your tv. How clearly do you want to see what’s going on? The caveat is that resolution doesn’t automatically imply clarity when it comes to night vision. 

Color Vs Black & White

This one is straight forward. Do you want your video in color or black and white? So long as the resolution is good, we’d say that color is only incidental, but it is up to you. 

Field of View

A more important one, how far can the camera see? Different types of cameras will have a different angles. You’ll see everything from 360* fish eyes, to wall mounts that give you 130*. We suggest getting a rough blueprint of your house, selecting areas where you want to put cameras, and then charting out the different angles. This way you cans see if they cover each other, if there are any blind spots, or other obstructions due to things around your house. 

Audio Recording Capabilities

On one hand, having sound can be useful. If your home does get broken into, voice recordings might be used to identify a suspect. However, this is an additional feature that will not only make the video files larger, it is also going to raise the price of the cameras. It’s up to you. 

Onboard Storage 

Much like the power issue, this is one that seems simple but has larger implications for how your home security is going to fit into your life. If the camera has onboard storage, you’re going to need to remove the cards and back them up, and reviewing them as needed so that they don’t record over themselves.  If it doesn’t have onboard storage, this is going to mean that you need a centralized location to store the data that it sends back, or pay for a cloud subscription. 

Smart Connectivity 

This is whether or not the cameras connect to things like Alexa, Google Assistant, or other systems.  While being able to turn on a camera with your voice is useful, we feel that there are too many drawbacks still inherent within the smart connectivity systems to really vouch for them at this point. 

Night Vision Capability

Here we’re back to another key feature in a security system. This is one we think you need to really pay attention to if you’re setting up your own system as how this integrates with  daytime vision is going to be an important factor for your night time security. Are there significant differences in visibility or clairty? Another question is at what point is the ‘drop off’ for night vision? How far out can the camera see clearly? Some of the ones we’ve included in our list are able to see only up to 25 feet, something you need to take into account based on how high the cameras are mounted on your home. 

Ability to be Hidden 

The ability of your security system to be hidden says different things, all of them psychological. On one hand, having a system set up clearly says “I am capable of defending my home. I have the tools to catch you.” On the other hand it also says “I have things I need to protect.”  Having them in plain sight also means that someone can observe from the outside where the patterns are within a system and if there are any gaps that you might have missed. So being able to hide your security cameras can be useful. That’s our thoughts on the matter though, and we are not security experts. 

Price 

As with many things, everything comes down to price. How much are you willing to invest into individual units? Will you need an electrician to set them up for you? What about someone who is skilled with computers to handle how they connect to one another your internet? Do you intend to install the units yourself or hire someone else? All of these things need to be charted out and considered before you make an ultimate decision on which plan is right for you and your home. 

Why trail cams can be useful for additions to your security net 

Now, if you really want to buff up your security system,  you might consider trail cams. These are also useful if you’re looking at adding security to an area that is difficult to move around on, has obstructions, or poor internet connectivity. While they don’t alert you when something happens, they can be useful if you’re looking at just proving someone has been on your property, or you’re looking to add security to further reaches of your property.
Some additional benefits of trail cams include: 

-Most trail cams catch still photos, but due to motion detection, they can catch quickly passing things like someone creeping around the backyard. Since they’re meant to catch shots of animals usually, this is one area where they are more dependable vs traditional security cameras. Those still shots will typically be crisp. 

-There are some trail cams that are capable of doing video as well as still shots. 

-One thing to be aware of about them is that the majority of them are onboard storage only. Again, this means that you have to add checking, cleaning and backing up data to a regular rotation on your to-do list. 

 - As of right now, due to what they are, they all have some form of battery power, so please see above on ‘to-do lists.’ 

- Most of them do come with some sort of camouflage design in order to make them less obvious. 

We hope that this helps make security cameras and the systems that go into place with them less opaque. You can definitely DIY your own system, so long as you’re willing to plan out what goes into it, and how you want everything done. As always, we will suggest that if you’re not certain, that you seek a professional. Down below we’ve provided two sets of charts for you to download so that you can compare and contrast different models and their benefits vs drawbacks. 

If you’ve gotten down this far and you’re thinking “well, that’s interesting and all, but it’s got nothing to do with my oven smelling like something died.” Don’t worry, we really can help with that too. At Appliance Rescue Service whether you live in McKinney or Dallas, Frisco, or Coppell, we can help. You can reach out to us at ((214) 599-0055) or by setting up an appointment via our webpage. We won’t stop until you’re happy with the repairs and your home is running smoothly again. 

Very Peri - The Color of 2022

Red & blue, bright and soothing, a color of contradictions.

Welcome to 2022 everyone! We’re taking a look at Pantone’s Color of the Year and how you can bring it into your home.

 This year’s color is a first for Pantone in their 28-year run. Instead of going with already existing colors, they created a new one. The color of the year for 2022 is Very Peri “Very Peri is a  new red-violet infused blue hue.” Pantone said that they created the color because “Creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of the Year educational color program reflects the global innovation and transformation taking place. As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions and engage and connect, the complexity of this new red-violet-infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lay before us”.” We think it’s going a bit much for the color terms, but it’s a beautiful color. A beautiful mix between red and blue, and it’s surprisingly soothing, while also making us feel rather playful? It’s a confusing color, but pleasing. We can see it being used almost anywhere, primarily in terms of fabrics and accent walls. We could even see it in a child’s playroom or nursery. 

Pantone

What about the colors that Very Peri pairs with though? No color exists by itself, so what does VP pair with? Fortunately, Pantone has given us several very different palettes. 

The first one, Balancing act, is a very aptly named palette. It’s a balanced palette with both cool tones and warm tones, making each one pop in different ways. There are four neutral roses in the palette that we can see being used for carpets and furniture, with the two greens, very peri and the clay color, being used for different pops of color in a room. Alternatively, we could see the walls being painted in the different roses, with very peri being used for an accent wall. 

Pantone

Our next palette is called Wellspring. This one is full of lush greens, blues, and purples, with the wild card “dirty chai’ thrown into the mix. This one we see not so much for a living room, but for a personal office, although we would say to stick to neutrals for your flooring. Unless you want to do one of these strong colors? Then we say go for it, but we’ll leave it to you.  We love this rich mix of colors, very reminiscent of a day in the garden, which is why we could see it working in a personal office. Use the different colors and their vibrancy to encourage you to reach your max every day. 

Pantone

Our third palette is Star of the Show, and that is exactly what very peri is in this palette. This time we’re looking at a mix of different true neutrals, creams, browns, greys, and black. This palette would work almost anywhere. You would end up using the neutrals of the palette over everything, from the wall, to the floor, to the furniture. Then you bring back in very peri to make everything pop. That color could be used anywhere you wanted to bring interest. A doorway, behind a picture gallery, highlighting the prime focus of the room, whatever. 

Pantone

Our final palette, at least directly from Pantone, is called Amusements. This one is full of bright, eye-popping colors that we think (hope?) is really going to be left to the clothing industry. These colors are so bright that we can see how people are going to love them, but we also are uncertain how many companies will put out items in these colors. (Although we will include a link to our article involving vinyl wraps for your appliances down below.) 

Pantone

So that’s the color of the year for 2022! What do you think? Where do you plan to use it in your homes? Do you like the color at all? We’re still trying to figure it out for ourselves, but we want to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on the color and its coordinating color palettes over on our Facebook page. As usual, we’d love to hear from you! 

If on the other hand you got lost on our page because you were looking for help with your appliances, you are actually in the right space. We can help you whether you’re looking for someone to fix your washing machine or your dishwasher, your stove, or your refrigerator, we can help. You can set up an appointment on our webpage or by giving us a call at ((214) 599-0055). 

19 Essentials to Setting up a Gorgeous Guest Room

Tricks For Making Your Guest Room Luxurious For The Holidays

Whether you have someone staying for a single night or over the entire holiday season, a well kept guest room is a must. Making the guest room a place to relax sets up the excellent experience you want for your guests.  Here is a good checklist for how to set up that room.

Having a well laid out  and carefully considered guest room can often help make your guests feel more welcome in your home, and can make their stay just a little more comfortable. It helps them to focus on the things that they came over for, spending time with you! So, here are some good ways to help change your dusty old spare room into a place fit for any guest.

Let’s start off with sanitization items. Between the new COVID variant and the general germs that tend to go around during the winter, it’s a good idea to have some of these handy, especially for a guest who’s away from home.

• Extra masks, in case your guests forgot to bring any. Unused disposable masks or new reusable masks will work for this one.

• Hand sanitizer. It’s always useful to have a bit of this on hand in case it’s needed.

• Tissues & paper towels. These are items that you would rarely think about until you need them, and having them close by will massively improve your guests’ experience.

Next up, the bathroom. You want to make sure it is well stocked, not only with the essentials, but maybe with some things that your guests would need but could easily be forgotten.

• Extra towels. Always good to have a spare towel just in case, and one already being there will put many guests at ease.

• Extra toiletries. Extra toilet paper, hand soap, and even an unopened pack of toothbrushes will help a lot, and will never be a problem to have handy.

• Ibuprofen, antacids, alcohol wipes, and band-aids. Always good to have common first aid items close at hand, and these more common items are always a good addition.

A luggage rack in the closet will help a lot, especially if your guests have packed for several days. It will generally make life easier when it comes time to pack up before they go.

Now, for some of the basic life items that are always good to have in the room.

• An Iron and ironing board. These are especially useful if you’ve got a guest who brings their sunday best with them, in case they need to press out a couple wrinkles.

• An alarm clock. A small digital clock will do, but you can go for a more traditional mechanical design if it will fit the room better. 

• Bottled water. A useful thing to have on hand, especially if your guests are among the many people who prefer to drink some type of filtered water over straight tap water.

• A spare USB charger/charger cube. Try to include multiple if your guests have multiple devices. Most stores carry multipurpose cables for charging several different devices, you may consider one of these.

• A sleeping mask and ear plugs. Occasionally, you may have guests who are used to a very dark and quiet sleeping environment, and having a sleeping mask and some ear plugs on hand will make their stay a little more comfortable.

• A small heater and a small humidifier. These will be very useful for adjusting the environment of the room to your guests’ liking, helping them enjoy the stay just a little bit more.

• A note with any important info, such as the wifi password. It goes a long way to have these important bits of info written down, that way they’ve got a quick reference at hand for any important things about the house.

The final step in preparing the room is going to be to get the bed ready for your guests. Here’s a good formula to follow for it:

• Start with the mattress. Strip everything off, and if it’s been a while since it’s been used, go ahead and flip the mattress and spray it with lysol to freshen it up a little bit.

• Next, do the sheets. Go for something with a high degree of breathability, such as linen or cotton.

• The next layer should be a comforter or duvet of some sort as your “main” blanket.

• Put on two to four pillows, and we suggest using either cotton or silk pillowcases to add a bit of a luxe feeling.

• Next, fold a couple spare blankets and maybe add a couple spare pillows at the foot of the bed, in case the guests need them.

And there we are! We hope that this helps you set up a very comfortable space for your guests, and makes their stay at your home just that little bit better. If you have further tips for making the most of your visiting guests, let us know over on Facebook, we’d love to hear from you!

If on the other hand you wound up here because some of your kitchen appliances are acting up, or your dryer refuses to cooperate when trying to set up that guest room, stop off on our appointment page. We’ll get your home back to tip top shape no matter what’s going on.

How Your Home Can Help You Sleep

It’s Time to Get Some Real Sleep

Table of Contents

Kitchen

Living Room

Bathroom

Wardrobe

Bedroom

It's another restless night and you're stuck, staring at your ceiling trying to figure out how you're going to survive tomorrow. You know the questions you'll get.  Did you not get enough sleep? Did you go to bed too late? Did you stay up partying all night? And worst of all, have you tried going to bed earlier? These questions don't help anybody. They're well-meaning, but all they do is leave you more frustrated. We're hoping to help you turn your entire home towards the goal of helping you get a better night's sleep. 

So the first thing to understand is what are the different things that affect sleep. 

Temperature- For your best night's sleep your room should be somewhere between 60 and 68° F. Scientists have found that this is the ideal temperature to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Being too hot or too cold can either keep you awake or send you into nightmares.

Blue screens - Wherever you are right now look around and count the number of screens that you see. Phones, they count. Computers, they count. TVs, they count. All of these emit blue light. Our brains have a certain rhythm that they follow every day. It's called the circadian rhythm. For some people, they wake up early with the sun and go to sleep with the sun. Some of us stay up till 2:00 a.m. and sleep till 10:00 a.m. each person has their own rhythm. While you can change your rhythm intentionally, exposing yourself to blue light at the wrong time of day can drag you off course without you realizing it. 

Stress - Think about the last time you had a major project due. The night before were you stuck staring at the ceiling unable to stop thinking? 

Light - Aside from blue light, having light from digital displays, power cords with lights on them, or that cute baby Yoda your niece got you. All of these things can admit light, and keep your brain running.

Alarms at the wrong time -  Just like your brain has a circadian rhythm, it also has a certain rhythm when you're asleep. You have times of light sleep, REM sleep, and deep sleep. And you'll vary between these as the night goes on. However, if your alarm wakes you up in the middle of REM or deep sleep, you'll be groggy and harder to wake up.

Mattress and pillow comfort - Do we need to explain this one? If your mattress or your pillows aren't comfortable, if you're tossing and turning all night, you're not sleeping.

Sound - Your neighbor's baby crying, the car down the street going off, your spouse in the living room with the TV on. When you're going to sleep your brain kicks into a heightened state of awareness for these sounds. Any and all of them can keep you awake or wake you from sleep.

Not having a wind-down ritual - Our brains like rituals. They like having touchstones throughout the day moments to connect to and say "ah I know what we're doing right now and next". Not having a wind-down ritual can leave your brain confused. It needs time to transition from being awake being aware into the calm patterns of sleep.

Caffeine -We drink caffeine to keep awake. Most of us don't realize how long that caffeine stays in our systems though. If you're drinking caffeine too close to bed, whether it's a soda or coffee or tea even, most people are going to have trouble falling asleep.

Let's Start In The Kitchen. 

Ideally, you should eat dinner 3 to 4 hours before you go to bed. Foods high in fats and complicated carbs sit more heavily in your stomach and need more energy to process. This means that your body will keep you awake even if you don't know why. To avoid that, make sure to eat 3 to 4 hours beforehand. If possible try to make it a lighter meal, although we understand that's not always an option. After all, a heavy meal would make many of us fall asleep at work. If you absolutely need a snack closer to bed, try something with simple carbs and proteins. Something like toast and scrambled eggs is a good go-to. It's fast to whip up and easy to break down, but it will leave you feeling full. 

Before we leave the kitchen, put down the coffee and leave the soda in the fridge. Caffeine should be avoided for most people, after 2:00 p.m. . Instead try stocking your cabinet with cocoa, or herbal teas like chamomile or passion fruit. These warm drinks will soothe and relax away the day, and help you fall asleep when the time comes. 

The Living Room 

Moving on we go to where many of us wind down at the end of the day. Start by looking at your curtains. Are they sheer? Do you have street lights right outside your house? As you mentioned up top lights set our circadian rhythm. By exposing yourself to more light as you're trying to wind down, your brain becomes confused. We suggest having two sets of curtains on your windows. An interior sheer curtain that you use for privacy, and a blackout curtain. The blackout curtain not only helps to block out light at the end of the day, but it also will help to keep out heat in the summer, and cold winds in winter. Multiple benefits for you and your pocketbook. 

Moving on let's take a look at your lamps. Smart bulbs such as the Philips Hue bulb, can be set to different colors. You can also set them for either bright white light or a warmer light. We suggest having your lights set to a timer on your home central hub, or via the app. When it becomes say 9:00pm, an hour before you would usually go to bed, the program runs, and all of the lights switch to a warmer tone. This removes the blue light that would otherwise keep you awake. 

From that central hub you could also connect to your thermostat to turn the temperatures down. While you don't have to make your living room as cold as your bedroom is, if you're winding down in your living room, it can help to start the process. So if your bedroom is comfortable for you at 65°, you might set your thermostat in the living room to 68 or 70.  

You can also try adding a blue screen protector to your TV. Although most companies make them for computers, there are some that are made for TVs. Or if that's not to your taste you can always keep a set of blue screen glasses in your living room and just wear those while watching your TV. 

One last tip for your living room, is to make a cell phone charging station. This can be as simple as a dedicated spot with a charger. Or you can make it as complicated as a wireless charger, with an air diffuser and inspiring words to start your day. The point is that when you're getting ready for bed, your phone goes here to its bed. This way you aren't tempted to stay up all night scrolling and wandering on the internet. 

Next Up Is Your Bathroom 

Now you're starting your get-ready for bed routine. Brush your teeth, wash your face, maybe take a relaxing bath. So your bathroom is just as important as any other room in your home. Just like in the living room we advise including blackout curtains and programmable lights. 

However, we also suggest including a diffuser or a lotion set. Scents like lavender and chamomile have been shown to reduce stress, calm the mind  and relax the body. 

You might also consider a small night light or a strip of dim LED lights that you can hide under cabinets or baseboards. This way if you do wake up in the middle of the night, there aren't jarring bright lights to wake you up. 

And last but not least we suggest including some sort of noise-producing unit. We have seen people that use fans, or HVAC units. There are also speakers designed specifically to play noise within the white, pink, or brown ranges. These units are meant to block out other sounds so that you don't get woken up suddenly by them. All of this so that when you're winding down for the night or wake up suddenly to go to the bathroom, you aren't forced to wake and have to start the process over. You can stay in that lovely in-between stage and drift easily back to sleep once you're back in bed. 

On To Your Wardrobe

We have one last stop before we head into the bedroom. Fortunately, it's a quick one, your wardrobe. Take a look at the clothes that you're wearing to bed, are they light, are they comfortable, are they restrictive, are they hot? You want something that is comfortable to wear and will wick moisture away if you end up getting too warm. 

Finally, The Bedroom

Last but not least, let's take a look at your bedroom. Again we're going to say curtains, lights, and temperature. All of those things that were important outside the bedroom are even more important now. If possible, you want to block out all sources of light. Even those on your alarm clock can be dimmed by throwing a piece of painter's tape over top if necessary. You can sleep with a mask, but we find that they make some of our suggestions for later more difficult. 

Now let's take a look at your mattress. The important thing here is that it supports your spine in whichever way you want to sleep. So if you sleep on your back, it needs to keep your spine relatively neutral. If you sleep on your side it needs to give in more at the hip and shoulder in order to do the same thing. When your spine is out of alignment not only do you not sleep well, but you wake up miserable. Your mattress is something that you should replace every 10 years to protect spinal integrity. We advise starting to put money away as soon as you purchase a new one, but that's for a post on finances.

 Again we suggest having some sort of noise machine. You want something soothing and quiet that's going to block out other noises and keep you relaxed. For some people that might be the sound of the ocean or woods. And there are systems that can recreate or play those sounds. For others, you might consider a fan as a source of airflow and a dull noise. What's important is that you aren't going to be jarred awake suddenly. 

This brings us to our next point, your alarm clock. As we mentioned up above most of us use the alarms that our phone offers, which isn't a bad thing. If your phone offers a functionality it makes sense to use it. Unfortunately, the one offered by your phone isn't the greatest at waking you up slowly or picking when to wake you up. It goes off when the alarm says to go off, no sooner no later. We prefer something like the alarms offered on smartwatches. Many of these will analyze your sleep and choose a point when you are closest to waking already. Another option is a sunlight alarm. This will slowly begin brightening your room so that when the alarm does go off you're already close to being awake. This is why we said wearing a sleep mask is not always the best idea. 

Now we aren't saying that your home's only purpose should be to ensure a good night's sleep. However given the advancements of technology, if you have the means, why not? Many of the different technologies that we pointed out in today's post have multiple different settings and routines that can be programmed to them. So that if you can make them a part of your home setting up the routine to increase your sleep and your comfort seems only natural. But we want to hear from you! What have you tried and found success with? Let us know over on our Facebook page or in the comments down below. 

Now if your creaky old dryer rattling and clanking away is what's waking you up early or keeping you up late, that's a different matter. We can help with that and any of your other larger appliances so long as you live in the McKinney area. You can give us a call ((214) 599-0055 ) or reach out to us on our contact page. We at Appliance Rescue Service want to keep your home running smoothly from dawn till dusk.

Making Cleaning More Fun

How to make cleaning less of a chore and more something to enjoy

When it's already hitting temperatures of 100+, you don't want to clean. You definitely don't want to fight with your kids about cleaning. It's hot and sticky outside and it leaves you exhausted when you get home from work. What if by changing the way you look at it, you could make it more fun and interesting? 

Some of these ideas are going to sound strange and maybe a little silly. We hope you'll give them a try anyway. You never know if it works for you until you give it a shot, right? So, whether it's getting through the mountain of laundry, or finally tackling that project you've been putting off, let's get going. 

Bring in some rules

No, we don't mean /those/ kind of rules. We're talking rules that make things more interesting. Are you trying to get your steps in every day? Maybe you can have a set number of items you can carry from the laundry pile to the washer or dryer. Maybe your child is great at playing basketball or soccer. You can have them 'shoot hoops' when it comes to cleaning up their room. You can challenge your spouse to a race to see who can finish cleaning the dishes first. Bringing in elements of play to a chore makes it go that much more quickly. All it takes is being willing to look at it from a  different angle. 

What would the Gaines say? 

Or a different decorating expert that you like and admire. We're not saying this to stress you out, just the opposite really. Imagine you're watching them go through your home on your favorite show. What would they say? How would they look at things and what suggestions would they make? Go through your home room by room with a notebook and see what ideas you might come up with.  You could also check out something like The Lazy Genius podcast for her tips on how to clean and organize your home. 

Take some YOU time! 

Most of us don't look at cleaning as anything beyond 'necessary' or at worst, a 'chore.' What if instead you looked at it as a time to take care of yourself? Sure you're getting things done, and you're doing some work. You can use that time though to do all sorts of things. Go through something that stresses you out as you're scrubbing the bathroom. You'll have time to work it out in your head and you get the frustration out in a positive way. Or you could use doing the dishes or folding laundry as sort of mindful meditation, focusing on your breathing and staying in the moment. 

Catch up on your To Be Read list. 

If you don't want to be in the moment grab your favorite book! With Audible, podcasts and Youtube, there's no end to ways to listen to a new book or story that will entertain you while you're getting things done. We suggest getting a good set of wireless headphones and diving in. You'd be amazed at how fast a good story can make chores pass by. 

Take time to reward yourself

If you're at work and you finish a major project, you reward yourself, right? Why wouldn't you do that at home? It doesn't have to be a huge reward, it can be something as simple as some time to sit down and watch your favorite show, or head down to the pool for a relaxing swim. The point is keeping things balanced. If you do a 'small' chore, something that you find easy, make it a 'small' reward. If it's something larger, like going through and cleaning and reorganizing your garage, you might make it a larger reward. Giving yourself reasonable incentives to get things done not only makes it more likely that you will finish the job, but also that you're going to be less annoyed about having to get it done. 

That's us though. What about you? How do you convince yourself to get through cleaning on a regular basis? What do you do to bring more enjoyment to these regular tasks? Let us know over on our Facebook page or in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you. 

If on the other hand you ended up here because you melted something in your dishwasher, or you're trying to figure out how to clean your oven, we've got articles to help with that as well. 

If during your cleaning you've found that your refrigerator isn't working right, or your washer has a leak, we can help with that too. Give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or set up an appointment at our website. Wherever you live in Plano and the surrounding area we're here to help keep your home running.