Spring is almost upon us and it is time to start thinking and organising the spring- cleaning of your guesthouse. Besides the daily and weekly cleaning that needs to be adhered to we advise a total clean of your guesthouse at least twice a year and what better time to do it then now! It is time to give your guesthouse a new lease of life.  Before you pick up your duster, delve into closets etc, here are a few tips to help you de-clutter, clean up and revitalise your guesthouse with a minimum of fuss.

Before You Start:

There are a few things to consider so that the cleaning will be finished quickly as possible.

• Check your cleaning supplies.
• Assemble your supplies and put them in a bucket to take with you when you clean. Items such as cleaning rags, all purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, cleaning rags, feather duster, disinfectant, and furniture polish. If you are interested in ‘going green’, Kerry of Better Earth www.betterearth.co.za has an amazing range of household products.
• Get rid of the junk. Hold a garage sale. De-clutter your guesthouse and garage to turn trash into cash or think charity, there are many charity shops that will be more then grateful to you if you drop off your unwanted goods, from old clothes to books to household goodies. 
• Pick a week and start your spring cleaning.
• Make a list: Make a list of all things you would like to replace, fix or give to charity, and prepare a budget if necessary.
• Open the doors let the fresh air in: open all the doors, let the fresh air in, start some music and start working in the room.

Take it one room at a time

A common mistake that people make when spring-cleaning is moving randomly around the house.  Try to clean methodically from room to room.  This will conserve your energy and ensure that nothing gets missed out.

Clean your curtains

In order to prolong the life of your curtains and keep them looking as good as new, curtains need cleaning at least once a year.  You will be able to clean and iron most curtains, if the fabric is washable at the guesthouse.  It is important to release the pleats or gathers if curtains are gathered at the top and look for mildew.  Mildew often happens when the curtains rest against damp windowsills or against patio doors, so please remember to wipe down sills and windows frequently.

Rescue your carpets

Carpets accumulate a lot of dust, dirt and even fungi over time, this is unhygienic, unsightly and can be a potential health hazard.  Most of carpet dirt is loose and can be removed with regular vacuuming. To tackle those really stubborn bugs and stains, it's well worth hiring professional steam-cleaning equipment for a day.

Get your duvet dry-cleaned

Duvets should be cleaned at least twice a year. Now's the perfect time to do it, as you switch between Winter and Summer duvets.   Domestic washing machines are generally too small to clean duvets effectively.  Professional dry-cleaning is more likely to kill of dust mites and the allergens produced by them.

Clean your oven

If your oven is in desperate need of a clean after all of the Winter roasts, here is a useful tip to make life easier.  Mix some bicarbonate of soda into a thick paste, then smear it inside your oven - including the door - and leave for a few hours or overnight. Then you simply wipe it away with a damp sponge. No chemical cleaners required!

Clean out your pantry and kitchen cupboards

Remove everything from your cupboards and drawers, and vacuum them thoroughly inside and out, then wash the insides with soap and water. Moths and cockroaches love to eat, mate and lay eggs in dark, dusty, undisturbed corners.

Store away your winter blankets and bedding

Always wash or dry-clean your winter blankets and bedding before putting them into storage. Moths feed on the proteins in wool - and they especially love the food, skin and hair particles left behind. Store out-of-season blankets and bedding in cotton, breathable bags - never in plastic, as this can attract dust and condensation.

Think charity

Do your bit for good causes by donating any clothes, books, blankets, sheets, towels etc that you haven't used in the past year. Remember, charities will also be glad of books, music, films and home accessories. E.g:  www.ruralchild.org.za

Get your windows squeaky-clean

Now the sun is shining, it's time to get that natural light flooding through your windows.  Here’s a useful cleaning tip: Use  a spray bottle to mix together 1tsp washing-up liquid, half a cup of white vinegar and two cups of warm water. Spray this solution on to your windows and use a soft, dust-free rag to wipe clean.

Now is it time to use your vases and display the beautiful flowers that are in bloom

If your favourite vases have become discoloured with grime and greenery over the winter months, you can give them a new lease of life.  Use a few tablespoons of vinegar and add warm water, let your vases soak a few hours and now they are ready to use.   Buy yourself a bunch of spring flowers as a reward for all that cleaning...

The following great idea was taken from Hospitality Secrets and Solutions www.hospitalitysecrets.co.za 

"Do your guests love your décor? Have you considered allowing your guests to purchast the items they fall in love with?

Westin Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, allows their guests to purchase anything from bathroom amenities to the Westin Heavenly Bed, replete with linen and pillow! If a large group, with more then 160 hotels in 30 countries can do it, then what is stopping you?

Think about it. How many of your guests have commented on a beautiful vase, a stunning centrepiece, as stylish bedside lamp or a sumptuous duvet? If handled with elegance, a comment like that could turn into a profit!

Pros

1. You can earn extra money as you can put a mark-up on the price at which you purchase the items.
2. Your guests will take home more than photographs as a reminder to their stay with you

Cons
1. You will need to keep extra stock of décor items so you aren’t stuck with ‘bare spots when items are purchased.
2. You may be required to ship the itmes if your guests are not able to take them with them when they leave.

While it may sound like an attractive option there are pitfalls and you have to
Consider all aspects carefully before exchanging your décor for your guests’
Below are some do’s and don’ts to help you with your decision:

Dos

Consider your clientele. If your guests are mostly travelling businessmen this will most likely not be a viable option for you
Execute the sale with style. Be discreet and elegant. Rather then slap a visible price tag on every conceivable object, draw up a neat price list and include this in your services brochure with a note to say that the items on the list are available for purchase. Also say who they should speak to if they are interested in an item and how the shipping will work. Be sure to mention up front that shipping will be at the guest’s own expense and be sure to keep the price list up to date.

Find a reliable shipping again. Establish a relationship with a reputable courier company who will take care of the nitty gritty details for you.

Ensure that you staff members are conversant in the sales terms so that they are able to assist the guests if you aren’t on site.

Invest in packaging materials so that you are able to wrap an item immediately if the guest wishes to take it with them.

Ensure that the items are of a high quality and aren’t readily available-you wouldn’t want your guests to spot the same items at a curio stall or chain store at a lesser price then you are charging!

Don’ts

Don’t mix sales items with non-sales items. You don’t want to disappoint a guest who may fall in love with something you’re not willing to part with. Rather remove items that you are sentimental about.

Don’t put everything up for sale! Decide which items are likely to be desirable and only sell those. Selling items that are difficult to replace (like linen that matches the curtains) is not practical. A good rule of thumb is to only sell those items that are ‘moveable’ and ‘replaceable’ – like vases, candelabra, bedside lamps, works of art, decorative bowls, wall hangings and the like. You may want to include branded bath robes and branded amenities in gift packs as well. One establishment, situated on a herb farm, sell herb plants in beautiful pottery planters. They are part of the landscape (no in a nursery) and are all the more attractive to ‘being part of the scenery’.
Don’t see this as a major source of income-if you over-invest you will be disappointed. Rather see this as an extension of your service delivery.

With careful planning and a touch of elegance you may very well satisfy the shopaholic tendencies of your guests in ways never before imagined!"

Flowers and Plants always help to brighten up a room. 

With money being tight, this does not mean that our homes and guest houses need to be dreary. A guest house should be a sanctuary and should be decorated in such a way to make your guests feel welcomed, comfortable and safe.  If you have the imagination the sky is the limit, even on a tight budget.Cheap House Decorating Ideas

Plants and Flowers

1.   Plants and flower are one of the best ways to cheaply decorate your guest house. Freshly cut flowers such as lavender make stunning displays and will also make your guest house smell wonderful, try to pick aromatic flowers and get three for one, lavender looks great, grows easily in South Africa and keeps the flies and wasps away.   A few heads of lavender placed in drawers will also discourage clothes moths. Small pots of herbs bring colour to a kitchen.  A row of grasses growing from terra cotta pots on a plant ledge will brighten up any living space. Fresh flowers scattered on arriving guests’ beds will always make them feel welcome and special. 

Paint

2.   Adding a fresh coat of paint is always a dramatic and popular way to decorate your guest house and keep it looking fresh and clean.   It is amazing how different a room will look after it's been painted. Paint walls in a neutral colour and add bright coloured accents, such as pictures, head boards and lamps to make statements. You could also make the wall a statement by going all out and painting them some interesting stripes or other designs.  Installing mouldings around door and window frames can also make them stand out.  Spray paint is a marvellous tool to keep handy for touch ups.   

Textiles 

3.   Textiles are on of the greatest ways of decorating your guest house cheaply. Always go, firstly, to the bargain box in upholstery stores and look for interesting off cuts , these are great for pillow cases, table runners etc.  Beautiful fabrics can be used as artwork, simply stretch a beautiful patterned piece of fabric over a wooden frame, staple it to the back and hang.  Check out local home stores for discounts on blankets.  A blanket thrown on the foot of a bed or back of a chair can update and change the whole atmosphere of any room.   

Hit the Sales and Auctions

4.  Often, deals can be found at garage sales and auctions.  Looking through the classified adds in the local paper and online, you can find anything from artwork to light fixtures.  One person’s junk is another persons treasure and remember to keep that can of spray paint handy.

Leading mobile and game development studio, Apalon, has released a useful design tool known as Dream Home for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

Providing users with the latest home design trends inspired by professional interior designers from all over the world, the application helps users to brighten up every room in their home.

Dream Home offers users a smooth navigation experience, featuring high resolution photos which can be filtered according to Room Type, Style or Colour. Once the application has been downloaded, users can view the gallery without being online. There are three folders within the app – Recent, Popular and Favourite. A slideshow allows users to browse through the selection of photos in each section. Users can zoom in on photos to get a closer look at interesting details.

VP of Apalon, Peter Melnikov, believes that Dream Home stands out amongst the variety of gallery applications Apalon has previously developed. He says, “The unique design of the gallery allows users to easily browse through hundreds of spectacular photos featuring unique and original home design ideas from around the globe.”

Dream Home is available on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and is required with OS 2.2.1 or later.

If you weren’t able to make it to Decorex Cape Town this year, there are more design expos on the way, showcasing South Africa’s talented designers and filling you in on the latest trends.

Running from 21 to 23 May, the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg will host a brand new design event known as Grand Designs Live South Africa. Grand Designs, a hit television show in the UK, informs audiences about home renovation and design solutions. Based on the multi-award winning UK consumer event, Grand Designs Live will combine cutting-edge design products, interactivity and an eco-friendly message. Grand Designs Live aims to be South Africa’s top design and home show. Visitors to the event will be provided with ideas to help them create their dream home.

If you missed Decorex in Durban and Cape Town, you can still catch the event in Johannesburg later this year. From Thursday 5 August to Monday 9 August in the Gallagher Estate in Midrand, the multi-award winning show, now in its 12th year, displays the latest trends in everything design and décor related.

Decorex will be back in the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) again next year as well as the Design Indaba Expo, which will hit the Mother City between Friday 25 February and Sunday 27 February. The Design Indaba Expo brings together more than 260 exhibitions displaying the latest in advertising, architecture, craft, décor, film, fashion, graphic design, interior design, jewellery, new media, publishing, product design and visual media. All products are original, contemporary and innovative, and manufactured in South Africa. There will be much to do and much to see, including fashion shows, a short-film festival, a Design Indaba Kids Workshop, a designer bar, designer food and daily Pecha Kucha presentations. The Expo runs alongside the Design Indaba Conference which has been going since 1995.

View the talent South Africa has to offer and learn about new trends at these interesting and exciting design expos. Join in on the fun and satisfy your curiosity!