June 27, 2014
Here is an old article that I wrote in July 2010 for Women's Lifestyle. It is still good and useful information so I thought I'd share it with you. Happy Vacationing!
V A C A T I O N...Free at Last!
Yes! You’ve waited all year and it’s finally here! You’ve already mentally packed your suitcase. Take a few moments to make sure your bases are covered so vacation doesn’t end on a sour note.
No doubt you’ve been putting in extra hours at work to finalize all tasks before you leave. You’ll need to make sure everything is done at home too. A little pre-planning will help you enjoy your hard-earned vacation even more.
Use this checklist and check each task as it’s completed:
_____ Food: Plan your shopping and meals carefully just before vacation. No need to waste food.
_____ Coverage: Think about what needs to be done while you’re away. Do you have a relative to handle responsibilities such as house or pet sitting? Or hire a professional, insured business such as a concierge service to provide peace of mind without the sometimes awkwardness with relatives.
_____ Pets: If you’re not taking Fido along, you’ll need to make arrangements for boarding or someone to care for them. Make sure you leave enough food and your vet’s contact information.
_____ Mail & Newspapers: Make arrangements because overflowing boxes or cluttered driveways alert people to an empty home. You can have your mail held by the USPS via the internet at https://dunsapp.usps.gov/HoldMail.jsp. Or have your designee pick up your mail, newspapers and deliveries; just be sure they don’t stack it in clear view of a door or window. In reality, the fewer people that know you’re away...the better.
_____ Home Security & Safety: Protection from burglary or home invasion is very important. The appearance of being at home is excellent for deterring criminal activity. Set timers for various lights, stereos and/or televisions programmed to a talk show or news channel, so it will seem like someone is home. Have someone check on your home and instruct them to do a quick check for problems, such as break-ins or water damage, etc.
_____ Packing: Pack lightly. People take too many clothes and shoes on vacation. Most airlines charge for extra luggage or for luggage exceeding weight limits.
_____ Plants & Landscaping: Water indoor and outdoor plants before you leave. Set your automatic sprinkling system. Arrange lawn care services for mowing so an overgrown lawn doesn’t greet you upon your return.
_____ Contact Information: Always leave your contact information with your designee so that you can be reached should a problem arise.
_____ Refrigerator & Trash: Check the refrigerator and dispose of things that will spoil while you’re away and be sure to empty the trash.
_____ Final Walk-thru: Adjust your thermostat to conserve energy. Lock all windows and doors and be sure to set the security alarm if you have one.
Now...breathe that sigh of relief and enjoy yourself. All work and no play....well you know how it goes! Travel safe and take lots of pictures!
Mary Beth Esquibel is the owner of ‘A Single Ray of Hope’, a professional Personal Assistant & Concierge Service for busy people. “Got a TO DO list? Consider it done with A Single Ray of Hope!” www.asinglerayofhope.com
Article printed in July 2010 Women’s Lifestyle
Here is an old article that I wrote in July 2010 for Women's Lifestyle. It is still good and useful information so I thought I'd share it with you. Happy Vacationing!
V A C A T I O N...Free at Last!
Yes! You’ve waited all year and it’s finally here! You’ve already mentally packed your suitcase. Take a few moments to make sure your bases are covered so vacation doesn’t end on a sour note.
No doubt you’ve been putting in extra hours at work to finalize all tasks before you leave. You’ll need to make sure everything is done at home too. A little pre-planning will help you enjoy your hard-earned vacation even more.
Use this checklist and check each task as it’s completed:
_____ Food: Plan your shopping and meals carefully just before vacation. No need to waste food.
_____ Coverage: Think about what needs to be done while you’re away. Do you have a relative to handle responsibilities such as house or pet sitting? Or hire a professional, insured business such as a concierge service to provide peace of mind without the sometimes awkwardness with relatives.
_____ Pets: If you’re not taking Fido along, you’ll need to make arrangements for boarding or someone to care for them. Make sure you leave enough food and your vet’s contact information.
_____ Mail & Newspapers: Make arrangements because overflowing boxes or cluttered driveways alert people to an empty home. You can have your mail held by the USPS via the internet at https://dunsapp.usps.gov/HoldMail.jsp. Or have your designee pick up your mail, newspapers and deliveries; just be sure they don’t stack it in clear view of a door or window. In reality, the fewer people that know you’re away...the better.
_____ Home Security & Safety: Protection from burglary or home invasion is very important. The appearance of being at home is excellent for deterring criminal activity. Set timers for various lights, stereos and/or televisions programmed to a talk show or news channel, so it will seem like someone is home. Have someone check on your home and instruct them to do a quick check for problems, such as break-ins or water damage, etc.
_____ Packing: Pack lightly. People take too many clothes and shoes on vacation. Most airlines charge for extra luggage or for luggage exceeding weight limits.
_____ Plants & Landscaping: Water indoor and outdoor plants before you leave. Set your automatic sprinkling system. Arrange lawn care services for mowing so an overgrown lawn doesn’t greet you upon your return.
_____ Contact Information: Always leave your contact information with your designee so that you can be reached should a problem arise.
_____ Refrigerator & Trash: Check the refrigerator and dispose of things that will spoil while you’re away and be sure to empty the trash.
_____ Final Walk-thru: Adjust your thermostat to conserve energy. Lock all windows and doors and be sure to set the security alarm if you have one.
Now...breathe that sigh of relief and enjoy yourself. All work and no play....well you know how it goes! Travel safe and take lots of pictures!
Mary Beth Esquibel is the owner of ‘A Single Ray of Hope’, a professional Personal Assistant & Concierge Service for busy people. “Got a TO DO list? Consider it done with A Single Ray of Hope!” www.asinglerayofhope.com
Article printed in July 2010 Women’s Lifestyle
A Single Ray of Hope celebrates 16 years of being in business in July 2022! How is this even possible? It is an amazing milestone for me and I am extremely proud and a veteran and woman-owned business.
Where did the idea come from to open a Concierge Service in Portage, Michigan? Well, myself and two dear friends would gather over frozen strawberry dacquiri's and making jewelry while brainstorming businesses to go into. My friends chose other routes and were equally as successful in their career paths, while I pursued opening A Single Ray of Hope's Personal Assistant & Concierge Service.
Still today, I love being of service to people. I am blessed to meet and work for a wide variety of clients. Individuals of all walks of life....some working professionals both with and without families, retired seniors and their adult children, various businesses and more. I love getting to know people and hearing about their fascinating lives. My reward is knowing that my service is giving them the ability to focus on what is most important to them. It's about the value of time and how they choose to spend it while handing of their TO DO List to a trusted business.
I started my business as a way of giving back to others. My youngest son has special needs and many family and friends helped guide us over the years, providing respite, words of encouragement, providing helpful information of where to go for services and assistance. The term...it takes a village is true. Others helped us and I wanted to help others in return.
Another reason for my business is I saw my mother who raised thirteen children end up struggling later in life with Alzheimers. I'd visit her in her nursing home and think...is this really how life should be for a women who worked so hard to put her children through catholic school by donating her artistic time & talents, staying up late at night just to have a little peace & quiet, stretching a dollar beyond belief, and raising a good family? Mom's put themselves last, we do it willingly but in the end, we are doing a dis-service to ourselves and our families. I thought life shouldn't have to be this hard. How about a providing a service so that people could enjoy life more instead of running in a hundred directions?
Many times, I don't see a lot of my clients....I'm in and out of their home during the day while they are at work. Shopping is done, errands done, dry cleaning is hanging in their closet, meals prepped or cooked, prescriptions picked up, library books returned, service people have been to the home such as plumbers, etc. My business gives my clients some breathing room and that is how life should be lived.
You get the picture. It's about work life balance and peace of mind....for both myself and my clients. Life is short....take time to smell the flowers.