They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a
lamb. I hope this is true for you, the country could use a break from
the winter weather we've all been having!
As we move into Spring, with this newsletter it is our
goal to provide useful information and tips, and to be on call for you
when you need help with all your projects. Be sure to check out our new
section, Tips from our Concierges, for some great seasonal ideas.
With tulips and daffodils on my mind,
Ellen Lovelace, Founder and President
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March Calendar
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8
International Women's Day
The entire
month of March is Women's History Month, with this special day honoring
all the women of the world. Behind every great man... To learn
more about Women's History Month, click
here.
9 Daylight Savings Time
Begins
Spring your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed
on the 8th. Don't you love this extra month of extra daylight?!
17 St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick was responsible for bringing Christianity to
Ireland in the 400s A.D. He used a 3-leafed clover, or Shamrock, to
explain the trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Wear green or risk
a pinching!
20 First Day of Spring
Day and night are of equal length today. Ancient Saxon
legend said the goddess, Eostre, who symbolized new life, was saved by
a bird whose wings had become frozen by winter, which turned the bird
into a hare: a
long-eared rabbit that could also lay eggs! Aha!
The bunny arrives extra-early this year! Don't OD on
Peeps.
Have other dates this month that are important to you:
birthdays, anniversaries, etc.? Visit our Forget Me Not
page on our website to learn how QCS can make sure no important date
ever goes forgotten again.
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Make Spring Cleaning Fun
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Spring is nearly here: time to open up your
windows and let the sunshine in, but also time for the often-dreaded
"spring cleaning". Warm weather makes this seem more
palatable, but how do you actually follow through and keep it
manageable?
Put together a game plan for success: start in one area
of the house and work your way through. First, tackle the one area you
dread the most. Getting the
difficult task out of the way will actually make it easier to get
through the rest.
Try starting in the master closet: rotate winter clothes
and boots to the back of your closet, pulling the lightweight clothing
to the front. From there, work
your way though the baths, then perhaps the kitchen and garage. Get rid
of anything old, dirty, outdated, or just unused.
Be brave enough to donate unused items, giving someone
else the opportunity to enjoy it.
There is a great rule of thumb: if you haven't used or
worn an item in over a year, get rid of it. This can truly help you to keep your clutter
to a minimum.
Have fun with this seemingly daunting task. Put on some summer music--Beach Boys
maybe-- and turn the volume up.
Reward yourself with a BBQ dinner or a Margarita at the end of a
big day of cleaning.
Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. The QCS team are experts at this, and
can work with you to accomplish your spring clean-out in no time.
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Allergy Patrol
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Have you
started to sneeze yet this spring?
Do you find
that certain rooms in your house cause your nose to twitch?
Perhaps
allergens are to blame. Here are
a few tips to keeping those nasty little fellas in check.
- Dust
the tops of hanging pictures, door jams, window sills, blinds,
walls and ceilings at least once a month. Wear a dustmask if
cleaning bothers you.
- Replace
your air filters each season without fail.
- Have
your curtains cleaned every other month. (Many professional carpet
cleaners do draperies as well.) If washing them in your washing
machine, turn up your water heater to 130 degrees to kill dust
mites. Be sure to turn the
water heater back to your normal setting afterwards.
- Store
your childrens' stuffed animals in the freezer periodically. A 2-3 day stay in there can stop
mold and dust mites from reproducing.
- Consider
replacing cardboard boxes with plastic storage bins. Mold and cardboard get along
very well.
- Look
for visible mold in bathrooms and in your kitchen, under sinks and
in cabinets. If found, wash
the area with bleach and water.
- As
much as Spring tempts you to throw open the windows, severe
seasonal allergies do better in a closed environment. You may need
to run the air conditioning year round.
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Tips from our Concierges
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Among our concierges we have a vast wealth of knowledge
about a surprising range of topics--which is why you hire US to be the
experts! This month, our concierges offer some valuable
tips to keep your identity safe.
1. Don't
sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, write "SEE PHOTO
ID." If you lose your card, this could prevent unauthorized use.
2. When you are writing checks to pay your credit card balance due, DO
NOT put the complete account number on the "memo" line; just
put the last four numbers. Anyone who might be handling your
check as it passes through all the processing channels won't have
access to your full account number.
3. Beware of
emails asking you for personal information. If you receive an email that looks
like it's from your bank, but is asking for your account number and
other items of personal information, call your local branch. Do not
call the phone number provided in the email. Your bank has your account number and
will never need to ask for it.
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