Category: NEWSLETTER

Just over three years ago, I got myself talked into trying a “Try-a-Tri” triathlon in beautiful Lake Chelan. I had never even considered “swimming” as an activity I would do as part of my athletic adventures.  But, what the heck!

I signed up and learned how to swim!  The next summer, I did an Olympic distance triathlon, and then last fall did my first “half iron” distance triathlon.  I guess it can be an addiction of some sort.  At any rate when IRONMAN Canada announced moving its location to my favorite ski resort I thought….I must give this a shot!

Wow! IRONMAN in beautiful Whistler BC.  So, the “buzz” went full circle, and at least 20 of us from Mukilteo/Edmonds area all signed up the same day registration opened.  Thank you endurance sports NW for creating a real “club” like feeling where I got to meet other nut cases…LoL.

Training  for IRONMAN Canada has been exhausting, fun and a tremendous learning experience.  I think the biggest surprise and most challenging part for me has been the nutrition aspect of the sport.  Nutrition is huge for longer endurance and is very calculated for each. To get through a 15 hour + event, you need consistent nutrition but different types during different parts.  Every body is different, and I had to learn to listen to my body and figure out how different foods and supplements impact it.  Dehydration is not fun either….does not work well for me anyway!

I am excited to participate in the Ironman.  Races especially the huge ones like this one, is when you completely feel your fitness come together.  Plus, I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I was nervous too.  I am nervous about all the things that can go wrong….a lot of stuff could go wrong.

I have anxiety about the water, and the crowd in the swim during this sold out event!  Additionally, I also know that I have put in the training, am physically capable and mentally healthy.  Furthermore, I am prepared and worked hard to get to this point and am ready to participate in Ironman Canada on August 25th with my bib # 896.

This will be an especially significant event to celebrate my 50^th birthday just five days later, and it has been wonderful bonding time with my younger sister as she is also participating in this event.

It will be her third Ironman!  I was telling our mother she would be about 4 hours ahead of me and she said: “why”?  REALLY????  She is done it for years, and she is younger was my response.  My goal? To FINISH!

I think that most people could spend less than 5 minutes on our website and figure out the who, what, when, where and how in regards to Clean and Simple Cleaning™, but could they answer the why?  I hope so, but it can be difficult to convey.

My favorite quote when my kids were in preschool was, ‘Good Moms have Sticky Floors, Piles of Laundry and Happy Kids!‘  It gave me grace when my floors didn’t shine, and I was too tired and exhausted to do anything about it.  I knew my primary job was taken care of and that my kids felt love.  Now that my kids are a little older and we are all sleeping through the night, I want it all!  I want time for my children and myself AND a clean house.

Kids grow up way to fast.  My advice to moms has always been, enjoy every stage your child is in. It is because it will just be a ‘remember when’ very soon.  I want to be at all of their ball games. Help them with school projects. Moreover, be with them,  just curling up with them on the couch. However, I also want a clean house.  Since I haven’t figured out how to clone myself (and seriously, don’t think I haven’t tried) and I value my sleep, I have maid service.

I don’t want to scrub toilets instead of going to the park.  I don’t want to feel guilty when my floors are dirty, and I leave to go to a taekwondo tournament.  If you put the cost of having a clean house, being able to enjoy my kids like I want, being a little less overwhelmed with life, the cost is minimal to the value it provides.

I feel lucky to work at Clean and Simple Cleaning™ because at all levels of the company from the owner, Stacie McMillan to the cleaning technicians and the office staff the ‘why’ we are in business is not only understood it is believed.

Clean and Simple Cleaning™ is here to give you back your time. It is so you can spend it doing the things you enjoy.  We do not look at the houses we clean as mere buildings. We, instead, see them as the people who live in them.  So however you want to spend your time, remember your time is valuable and our time is affordable.

As Spring rolls in, Clean and Simple Cleaning™ is keeping busy and has exciting News to share. It’s a good thing it is staying light out longer so we can fit a lot into our days!

First of all, we are proud to announce our gold level sponsorship of the Inspiring Hope Run/Walk. Inspiring Hope Run/Walk is a race in Mukilteo in May that raises funds for the Susan G. Komen For The Cure. Clean and Simple Cleaning™ will have a table the morning of the race with a fun giveaway or two. We also plan on having several employees from our office running or walking. Our new Marketing Assistant, Jen, ran the Inspiring Hope 10k for the last 2 years and says its a great course to run. I am looking forward to running it and supporting such a great cause both personally and professionally.

Going along with our support of breast cancer research, we also received our newest Certification of Appreciation and Participation from Cleaning For A Reason. Our company is proud to be a charter member of this organization which provides house cleanings to women undergoing cancer treatment.

We are also looking forward to a company wide photo shoot with Urban Utopia Photography. We will be updating some photos for our website and other marketing materials. Having photos taken can be such a daunting task, but we plan on having fun. One of the greatest things about the crew and staff at Clean and Simple Cleaning™ is that we can have fun and smile while we work hard.

As mentioned before, our office staff has grown to include a marketing assistant. Jen started in February and we enjoy having her in the office. Janet, Ivon and Raquel are still busy making sure our customers are being taken care of.

Next month, I will be headed to Dallas, TX to attend Extreme Business Makeover convention. This Spring Leadership Conference is sponsored by ARCSI (Association of Residential Cleaning Services International) and Cleaning For A Reason. It is always educational and fun to network with other cleaning business owners from around the country.

As always, thank you for your support and for your business. It is a pleasure to serve you.

Stacie McMillan