 Festive decorations make our homes & businesses feel oh-so-magical over the holiday season! Putting them up & soaking in their joyful ambiance is something I look forward to. Taking them down on the other hand....not so much!
We left our decorations up until New Years Day and have been plugging away bit by bit until today. Here's a few tips & tricks that have made the process run a little more smoothly for us this time around...
Do you have any favourite tips? Share them in the comments below! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season! Happy New Year & Happy Decoration Demo-ing! As always, if you could use a hand, we're here to help! Nicole
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 At our house, the holidays mean lots of quality time with family & friends. With varying schedules, the celebrations will be starting in the coming weeks. I absolutely LOVE hosting and having a good plan always takes the pressure off for me. Here's a few of my tips to get your self in shape at home before the new year, and stress less while you're at it! Create Your Canvas This time of year, I like to a deep clean in my house. We often talk about spring cleaning, but I love a good autumn update. It's nice to have a clean slate if you're putting up any decorations too! The 2-minute Blitz I do 2 minute cleaning blitzes throughout my day. Little spot cleans or decluttering a section of counter/chair/table can really make a big difference when it comes to doing the deeper cleans...+keeps things looking fresh and makes the larger routine less daunting. Stashing your go-to cleaning products where you need them most saves time too! I keep spray bottles(full of my signature, Fairy Water) and microfiber cloths, within reach, in my bathrooms & kitchen. When I'm in the 2-minute blitz zone, it gives me a few more moments to grind. Focus on the Kitchen & Entry Way If you're anything like me & my peeps, you tend to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. If you're short on time, concentrate on your kitchen and your entry way.
Work that Green Thumb! Putting up a Christmas tree this year? Even your tree wants to be loved over the holidays! Don't neglect your tree and ensure it has adequate water. This will minimize the millions of prickly little needles from finding their way under your feet prematurely. They're also a pain to suck up in the vacuum! Don't Go Crazy with Wrapping Not only is it better for our dear Mother Earth when we conserve disposable wrapping paper, it also makes for a lot less clean up and clutter when if you are exchanging gifts. Consider using bags that can be reused and easily stored away to mitigate post-holiday garbage overload. Schedule Downtime With all the hustle, bustle & excitement, it can be easy to lose your self care rituals and put your feet up from time to time. Shortly after my son was born, I read a great book called I Know How She Does It. Laura Vanderkam's ressearch and insights provide fantastic, actionable tips on making the most of your time. One of my favourite takeaways is how scheduling your priorities can make a huge impact in your career, home life and health. When we intentionally make time for the things that matter most, we benefit greatly. I wish you all the best as you navigate through the holiday season! Need support? My fairy godmothers & I have you covered! Book a free consult, or support appointment today! When it comes to cleaning, my team and I have tried countless products, strategies and hacks in an effort to be as efficient as possible for our clients. We love being able to accomplish more & more at every visit. Here's a few little tricks I have up my sleeve to make our cleaning regimen run a little more smoothly... Magic Sponges are my best friends!!! These bad boys are my secret weapon. I use them in a multitude of ways. Here's a few of my faves:
  These little warriors remove so much dirt it's unbelievable!
We have ceiling fans above our beds throughout the house. It's crazy how fast the dust can accumulate, and I certainly don't want dust sprinkles showering my head during my beauty sleep. I love to keep my fans dust free, but I hate having the dust fall below where we sleep while I'm trying to clean them. I recently found a great trick...
I hope these two, Tuesday tips will save you a little time this week! Do you have tips to share? Leave them in the comments below! With 2018 moving along & 2019 approaching, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of my fantastic clients and business partners for an amazing year thus far!
With your support, my business has experienced incredible growth and I get the chance to do meaningful work for you, your families & your businesses each and everyday. It is such a pleasure to help you all get your time back! Referral Program I'm so grateful to all of you who have referred my business to a friend or family member. Your trust and recommendation means the world to me. When you refer your friends to our Team, you'll receive more than just a clean home! You can receive $20 off your next cleaning bill when your friends or family sign up for our weekly or biweekly cleaning services. All you have to do is have your friends or family member mention your name when they book their cleaning services. They will also get $20 off their first clean! Gift Certificates Give the gift of cleaning! With back to school & extra-curriculars in full swing, and the holidays quickly approaching, time may be feeling more precious than ever! Looking for the perfect gift for a loved one, teacher, bus driver or anyone else under the sun? Consider a gift certificate for our diverse services! We would love to help your friends & family harvest some time back. Contact Nicole at 519-994-1201 or nicole@nicoledrakewright.ca for more details! Packages available at every budget! Reviews Your trust in our team means the world! Would you be willing to provide a review or testimonial of your experience with our business? I would sincerely appreciate the feedback. If you would be willing to do so, please feel free to send via email to nicole@nicoledrakewright.ca, or complete on my Facebook business page at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/pg/nicoledrakewright/reviews/ Wowzers!
It's been awhile since this blog has seen any updates! Like many of you are experiencing day in and day out, time seems to be a precious commodity these days! Between working for our current clients, growing our team, moving to a new home, having my son start JK(+ making lunches every night!), and trying to live my best life, this blog has gone to wayside. That said, I'm pleased to be connecting with you all again through this forum! In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing some tips & tricks that have really helped me get some time back lately! Time is so precious and I'm always looking for ways to increase my personal efficiency, making more room for the wildly important! My hope for all of you, is that you harvest as many of these moments as you can, and that your yield is abundant! Wishing you all a beautiful weekend and looking forward to bringing life back to The Blog. XO Nicole  Here's the scoop on Rabindrath:
Rabindrath Tagore was born in Calcutta, India to a wealthy family. He started to explore writing poetry at 8 years, and was first published at 16. Tagore was also the very first non-European and the only Indian to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. SO- Why do we stare into the water?
When you are ready to take the plunge, make sure you’re setting out on the best possible path... Do you have the tools, resources and support that YOU need to be successful? Are you prepared to reach your potential? Where do you start when you’re ready to cross?
Don’t swim against the current, and be wary of treading water for too long. There's no better time to take that first step than right now. The best way to beat the procrastination bug is to do something! Squash inaction with an action! What if you get tired when you’re half way across the sea? Do you stop swimming? Growing up at our family cottage, I had a goal of swimming across the lake. I found, over and over, that once I’d make some distance, I’d lose my breath and need to turn back. Have you ever tried swimming on your back? It can be a great way to catch your breath and take some time to think about what you need to do next. Move fast, try new things and adapt. Don't focus on problems. Find solutions. Look at the situation differently or try something new to get to the outcome you want. It's there waiting for you... How do you keep motivated & in motion? Think of the last time you were in a canoe - the longer, stronger and more consistent strokes you made, the easier it was to continue, as you built momentum. Your first try is usually not your last. Think in & outside the box. Look at a multitude of solutions. Your goals won't fall into your lap. An optimistic outlook & calm approach attract solutions. Your dreams are at your fingertips. Nicole What's stopping you from living the life you've dreamt of? What are the things that are holding you back from doing the things you enjoyed before life became....so....hectic! What if I told you I could help? When I started this new chapter of my life, and began seeking joy & experiences instead of chasing money & climbing the corporate ladder - it took a lot of soul searching. It led me to think about the things I did as a child and the dreams I had growing up. I found that I had lost much of it along the fast-paced 'adulting' path. Balancing a full time job & being a mom/wife, alongside laundry, cleaning, errands, bills, and everything in between took precedence over the experiences that made me feel like my true self. When people asked me what I like to do in my spare time, I didn't have much to say. I'd stopped doing most of it. It's all too common that the hopes & dreams we strive for as we grow, fall to the wayside as we move through life. What can I tell you about the last few months, since I've changed my intention and focus? The pay off has been HUGE. My time with my husband and son is much more vibrant and robust. My self care has come a long way, and I'm actually fueling my body with the nourishment I need to slay the day. I don't feel 'under the gun' and suffocated by the constant pressures of corporate life. I drink water. I take my vitamins. I walk instead of hopping in the car. I'm sleeping better. I'm laughing more. I dance to Bruno Mars before bedtime. I sing. I breathe. I'm happy. And guess what - my business is still thriving! I'm finding my freedom more and more each day. Are you finding yours? When I changed my course, I felt like I had waited too long. Like it was too late. I'd almost forgotten the person that I once was. I promise you it's never too late. Choose YOU today. Choose time with your friends & family. Choose to truly live. Life is too short to be consumed with the details of the day that provide us no fulfillment. It's time to put yourself first and change your life. Need a hand to get started? If I could help you find your path, would you explore it? What are you waiting for? Nicole  Thank you so much for exploring my website & blog! It's been an exciting few months and I'm ecstatic to be in the business of making dreams come true. I worked in the fast-paced, hectic, corporate world for most of my career. I was commuting, on-call 24/7, time-starved, underutilized, drained, overwhelmed, and generally speaking - not taking care of myself. When I realized the toll this life had taken on me and my ability to be present with my family, I was afraid it was too late. How was I going to change my life? How could I possibly have all the things I want...quality experiences with my family & friends, travel, good food, financial viability...without the 'hoity toity' job??! What I realized, after a few weeks of soul searching was that I could have the very life I'd dreamt of. It was possible! But the ticket to this freedom is through helping others. My unique blend of experience has set me up to be a professional "Fairy Godmother", so to speak. There's nothing I can't do or find out how to do. That's why I started this business. I want to help my friends, family & community avoid the trap I was stuck in. There are 168 hours in a week. What would you do...what COULD you do...if you had even one hour back? That's where I come in. There's no request too big or small. If you have a need, whether personal or professional, I can collaborate with you on a plan moving forward. Want more time to belly laugh with your kids, spouse, family & friends? Feel the sun on your face? Spend more time working on yourself or your business? Let's find your freedom. How can I propel you forward? The purpose of my blog is to engage with this great community, enhance your week with great tips & tricks, and to elevate you to your very best. What do you want to hear about? I'd love to hear your thoughts & feedback. Nicole  Nicole Drake Wright is an experienced, dynamic & supportive professional with 20 years cumulative experience in the hospitality & corporate industries. Think of her as part private investigator, part air traffic controller, & part fairy godmother. Nicole has an extensive & diverse background, with proven success is leading, managing & motivating individuals & teams towards their goals. As the oldest of 7 children and a seasoned professional, Nicole has picked up a few tips & tricks along the way. She's become an efficiency virtuoso and truly knows how to get the job done.
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