House-Sitting Discount 4th of July Weekend

We are offering a discount this weekend for house-sitting in the Redmond area.

For $35 you get a 30 minute visit from a licensed, bonded, insured personal assistant who, depending on your needs may;

• Water indoor plants
• Water outdoor lawn and plants
• Check on your home
• Care for your cats
• Get the mail

Please call (425) 788-3192 to schedule your personal assistant.

Eating Gluten-Free

What's all the fuss about gluten-free foods?

Is eating gluten-free a food trend or new recession diet? Is it a preservative like MSG or is specifying gluten-free just a way to customize meals?

Gluten, as I recently learned, is a protein that generates problems for the 1% of people with Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disorder causing fatigue and less desirable symptoms.

Savory Moment, formerly Month of Meals, located in Redmond offers a full line of gluten-free, chef-prepared meals on the go.

All of Savory Moment's meals are 100% customizable to accommodate food preferences and allergies. Meals can be delivered anywhere in Washington and servings average under $7 per person. You can order online through their website and even order holiday meals.

Our clients have ordered from Month of Meals when they are extra-busy, so they always have a heat and eat, gourmet meal in the freezer. Our medium-sized business clients order meals for employees recovering from surgery or after a new baby has arrived. Others rely on Savory Moment for catering small parties in their home.

Additional Gluten-Free Resources:
Garlic Jim's Pizza- Redmond
Davinci's Gluten Free Bakery- Seattle
Gluten Free Registry lists local restaurants helping the cause

If you need help planning a gluten-free event or placing an order at Savory Moment, please let us know!

Relocation Made Easy

Selling your house and moving away? It's one of the most stressful times in your life, but with our help, it doesn't have to be.

Like a well-oiled machine, our staff assists with packing, cleaning and following up with the loose ends that inevitably arise.

We work with Chipman Relocations to move your bulky belongings and safely crate your high-value items.

Regardless of whether it's a local or long distance move, you will feel confident that your possessions will arrive safely in your new home as you prepare for your next adventure in life.

3 Scrapbooking Solutions for Busy People

by Alyssa Hagen

Sometimes the best way for me to start a scrapbooking project is to clear a space for the task at hand, gather my supplies, pour a cup of coffee and research page layouts.

I find inspiration in the scrapbooking magazines and I'm quickly motivated to dive right in to my project, not just because it's a fun hobby that allows me to be creative, but because I'm always so behind! My two-year-old daughter isn't slowing down and neither are the digital photos taken by her grandparents.

If you are in the same boat, read on to learn about three ways busy people can scrapbook.

There are many scrapbooking resources available, but I have found that Close to my Heart is a great resource for traditional book making and Creative Memories is ideal for Digital Scrapbooking.

1. Use Themed Kits

Close to my Heart produces idea books with layout variations showcasing their huge collection of scrapbooking and stamping supplies. They have made scrapbooking faster and easier by offering themed kits and pre-printed layouts. If you are a beginner, you may be interested in their newly released, hardbound book "Wishes" which gives step-by-step directions for scrapping techniques.

2. Go Digital

If you are looking for a way to manage your own scrapbooking without getting your fingers sticky, you may be interested in Digital Scrapbooking. Creative Memories allows you to use their templates, upload your photos and when you're done, your book is mailed to you. You can make a scrapbook of a family trip and order a copy for everyone, or document a sports team and give the books away as gifts at the end of the season. You save money by not having to buy supplies, and you have a professionally printed and bound book as a result.

3. Delegate it

If you are interested in scrapbooking and need to catch up on an unfinished project, or you have materials, but lack the confidence to make the pages look good, we can help. Our personal assistants do the things you don't have time to do. Call us today to discuss your artistic strategy and creative challenges.

Regardless of your preference for traditional or digital scrapbooking, we can help you get started and more importantly, finished with your memory book!

Sun... Finally!

With a beautiful Memorial Day weekend behind us and temperatures in the 70's expected this weekend, summer is feeling closer every day.

Kids are finishing up their classes, seniors are graduating and even amidst the current economic climate, everyone can celebrate the free things in life; swimming, sunning, singing, dancing, reading, napping and I'm sure you can think of more.

Several of our clients are planning their summer vacations. Some are staying closer to home by taking overnight trips throughout the San Juans or taking long weekends and 4-day trips. Others are heading to their summer residence and booking flights abroad.

If you are looking for a great vacation destination or a house-sitter, give us a call. We can help you plan your trip, assist with packing and last-minute details. While you're away, we can keep an eye on your house, stopping by weekly or as needed.

Now that your bases are covered, get planning! Here is a Summer Guide published by the Seattle Times.

Congratulations to the Bride and Groom!

Congratulations to Maren and Garrett!
Your wedding in Seaside, Oregon was beautiful and Alyssa was honored to be a part of it!

Miraculous, sun in February! What a gorgeous memory!

The ladies at Maren's Paris-themed, bridal luncheon.

Spring Cleaning story in the Redmond Reporter

Spring has sprung! The birds are singing, the trees are blooming and oh yes, it's raining.

Our personal assistants have been busy lately with spring cleaning and home de-cluttering. A clean house is a wonderful thing.
We have been so busy in fact, that the Redmond Reporter heard about us and interviewed our president, Alyssa Hagen.

"Restoring Order to Your Home", a story about spring cleaning was published on Friday, April 3rd.

Here is a snippet of the article:

"Clients request assistance with problem areas and whole house cleanings equally," said Hagen.
"We have seen our fair share of expired food in fridges, but by the time we leave, we can always see the effect that simply having a clean house, fridge, closet or storage shed has on the client. They look happier and relieved. Their inevitable response is, 'I should have done this a lot sooner.'"

She advises people to tackle the most challenging problem first and work toward the easiest.

"I am an organized person by nature," Hagen admitted. "I love sorting, categorizing and merchandising. When I walk into a project, I look around, make a game plan. ... Sometimes we start at one end of the room and make our way to the other side. Other times, we take the largest items out of the picture, which reduces the overall mental picture of the task at hand. Then the smaller stuff is easier to manage."

Click here to read the entire article.

And remember to give us a call if you need an extra hand with your spring cleaning.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Looking for a unique gift for your sweetie this Valentine's Day?


We love Sweet Cakes in Kirkland, located on Park lane. Make a special trip with your hunny bunny for the perfect Valentine's Day trifecta;

First, Dinner at Cactus Restaurant
Then, walk across Park Lane and shop together for a unique gift from Simplicity Decor
Finally, step next door for a custom cake, cookie or dessert from Sweet Cakes

Do You Need a Personal Assistant? Take Our Quiz!

No pen or paper required. Just answer yes or no.

1. Are your daily chores and responsibilities keeping you from the things you love?
2. Are you sacrificing everything to be "super mom" or "super dad"?
3. Have you lost clothing at a dry cleaner because you couldn't pick it up before closing?
4. Do you "vacation" at home because you don't trust anyone to care for your pets?
5. Have you decided not to host a special event because you were overwhelmed with the details?
6. Have you recently moved to the Seattle area and need assistance making your house a home?
7. Do you have a family member or co-worker with a new baby?
8. Can you easily think of five tasks that you would pay to have someone else manage?
9. Are you a real estate agent looking for a unique gift for your clients?
10. Do you know someone who "has everything" and could use a personal assistant?

If you answered YES! to any of these questions, please call The Conciergerie today to speak with a personal assistant who can assess your needs and get started on your projects!

Yes We Can

President Obama has called Americans to volunteer in our communities.

While listening to National Public Radio, we at The Conciergerie have heard a common request for volunteer placement. The public wants to take action on Obama's request, but they don't know how to find a cause that fits their interest, schedule and location.

If you are one of these people, please let us help. For our normal, hourly rate of $35, we will learn your criteria and find several volunteering opportunities that allow you to support your community, be it with an animal shelter, food bank, assisting at a homeless shelter, making food for the hungry and more.

You can make a difference.

Savory Moment/ Month of Meals

Looking for the perfect Valentine's Day gift?

Redmond residents can look no further than their own back yard. Savory Moment, formerly know as Month of Meals, makes complete heat and eat, gourmet meals.

Here are a few interesting facts about Savory Moment:

• They have been in business for over ten years
• They have no minimum orders, which means you can order one side or entrees only if you want
• You can stop by their kitchen in Redmond to buy pre-made dinners from their fridge
• They specialize in healthy, delicious frozen meals
• You can view their entire menu and place a complete order online!

We suggest choosing a few fabulous dinners from Savory Moment's website, cooking one up for a romantic dinner at home and surprising your sweetie with a gift certificate from The Conciergerie.

If you don't live in Redmond, but want to try Savory Moment, our personal assistants at The Conciergerie are available to deliver the food to your home or office for our standard rate of $35/ hour.

Savory Moment (425) 867-1516

Earthquake? Emergency Kits Available Here

On January 30th 2009, Seattle shook with a 4.5 earthquake in the early morning.

Few people, if any, felt the tremor, but it still reminds us to be ready for "The Big One."

The Conciergerie offers the unique service of providing customized Emergency Supply kits for your home, office, vehicle and classroom.

King County urges the public to "be ready to survive on your own for a minimum of three days following a disaster. For large disasters, you may not receive any government assistance for up to seven days." (www.3days3ways.org)

When you request your Emergency Supply Kit from The Conciergerie, we consider your location, the number of people in your home or office, any medical concerns and much more.

The vague threat of an earthquake allows us to put disaster preparation off. Think of this service as a once a year insurance plan that could save a life and make you a hero.

Coming Soon- Prime Card Discounts

We are excited to announce our planned affiliation with the Passport Program, also known as Prime, which offers exclusive discounts to card holders.

Stay tuned this July for exclusive offers and discounts!

Warm on the Inside- Holiday Giving

During the holiday season there are many charities who provide unique ways to give back to the community and to the world around us, depending on the causes that are most important to you.

When we at The Conciergerie saw these unique ideas, we thought they were too interesting to pass up, so we would like to pass them on to you.

Heifer International www.heifer.org offers many programs to help impoverished families all over the world.One called "gift of chicks" helps families from Cameroon to the Caribbean with a starter flock of 10 to 50 chicks, adding nourishing eggs to their diets.

World Vision www.worldvision.org has over 100 programs from sponsoring a child to meeting basic food and care requirements for the needy.

And if you need help finding a charity to give to, Charity Navigator www.charitynavigator.org lists hundreds of charitable organizations according to their causes and user ratings.

Donating to a worthy cause is a great way for families to come together and learn about the joy of giving, especially at a time when there are so many people in need.

Happy holidays!

Home for the Holidays, or are you?

It's the most wonderful time of the year, a time when many of our friends and neighbors are making plans to visit loved ones during the upcoming holiday season.

And while some folks are planning to travel out of town to spread the message of holiday cheer, goodwill and peace, here at The Conciergerie we will be providing peace of mind.

At a time when homes can become vulnerable to theft, fire, and even winter storms, we are happy to provide house monitoring, key holding, and pet sitting services to the people of our hometown community.

After all, peace of mind is one of the best gifts worth giving, and there's no place like home!

Green Gardening

Tell me if this sounds familiar: It’s Monday morning and you don’t have to be awake for another hour, your alarm clock says so. Yet, you are awake. Why? It’s not that you weren’t sleeping cozily and comfortably in your bed. It’s that *cough-cough-splutter-rrrRRRROOOAAARR* the gas lawn mower in your neighbor’s yard is ruining a perfectly good, sound sleep!

Brenna Johnstone, Founder and Head Gardener of The Quiet Gardener, had met with similar problems, morning after morning after morning, but instead of rolling over and stuffing a pillow to her ears, she had an idea. Moving beyond noise issues, she began to wonder when gardening stopped being clean and natural and became another gas-guzzling, pollutant-emitting fact of modern life.

The EPA estimates that gas spills alone from lawn equipment equate to around 17 million gallons a year. Johnstone thought that surely, there is a better way.

Starting with friends and family, she offered her quieter, earth friendly gardening services. Using a combination of electric, battery and shear muscle, she’s bringing gardening back to its roots (pun always intended).

One of her customers, Jamie Willis of Redmond, noted that she’s “so quiet my husband did not know she was here!” and that meanwhile her neighbor’s gardener “blows up a storm.” Brenna prefers a broom.

Quietly zipping around town in her tool-packed, hybrid car, she’s taking the small steps needed for a cleaner, quieter, healthier world.

Brenna’s services include lawn and garden maintenance, weeding, trimming, landscaping, and soil improvement (using all organic amendments). For more information, visit her online.

Christmas Tree Delivery Service

Fall is back to school season, but even if no one in your household is heading back to the classroom, you still probably get that fall feeling.

The weather in the Pacific Northwest quickly turns from summer to fall and the milder temperatures urge you to cozy up in a layer of fleece, shop for "school clothes" (or at least a sturdy new pair of weatherproof boots) and you begin to crave your favorite comfort foods. Mmm, homemade macaroni and cheese...

In my family, we start jockeying for hosting rights to Thanksgiving and Christmas. We make tentative plans to travel over long weekends and in late December, to make the most of our paid time off. We are always looking for ways to stretch our family and vacation time despite our mounting responsibilities at home and in the office.

This year, The Conciergerie came up with a time-saving, stress-reducing service that could make your holidays a little brighter. If you are looking for ways to optimize your sugar cookie baking time, you may want to consider our Christmas Tree Delivery service.

You can choose the tree and the tree size; we bring the tree to you, set it up in your home or business and even clean up the mess. After the holidays, we'll take the tree away, discard it responsibly and you won't have to lift a finger.

Check in with our blog this fall for more details. We will be posting the tree delivery dates, service areas and pricing as Christmas nears.

Happy fall!

Tips on Hiring a Gardener or House Cleaner

When you consider hiring a housekeeper or gardener, what are the qualities you look for? Good work ethic? Good references? Price? What about insurance?

On the surface, hiring uninsured workers is certainly less expensive, but the repercussions can be costly.
Q. How could hiring an uninsured service provider cost you?
A. If a worker is injured on your property and they are not covered by their own insurance, they can sue you under workman's compensation and your home owner's insurance will not cover the cost. Unless you have a specific workman's compensation coverage added to your own insurance, you as an individual will be held accountable for the suit.

For homeowners who employ several full-time domestic workers, adding workman's compensation may be the best way to go, as it protects against other kinds of suits, such as sexual harassment. For the rest of us, however, it is unreasonably expensive.

The best option is to ask about insurance coverage before hiring any kind of domestic help and employ only those who are covered, even if it means paying a higher rate.

Even the best workers can have accidents. It is better to be safe than... well, you know the rest.

Administrative Office Assistance

If you have a small business, you know how quickly paperwork can pile up and become misplaced. "Where did that bill go? Did we pay our vendor yet? How many hours did the delivery guy work this month?"

The Conciergerie offers administrative consulting services to create solutions that fit your needs.

We start by reviewing everything that you or your administrative assistant does on a daily basis. How long does it take? What does she enjoy doing? What doesn't she like to do? What types of projects never seem get done? Is anything or anyone preventing her from completing her work, or particular projects? If you could change the office procedures, how would you? What things could run better?

One of our goals is to play to the strengths of everyone in your office. After we get your office organized and you feel comfortable with the new processes, then we'll make recommendations that are aligned with your business goals and restrictions.

Maybe you just need a part-time filing assistant. Perhaps you should hire an accountant or CPA.

We'll work together to maximise your efficiency and create a sustainable administrative process. With professional administrative consulting, you will have a better chance to make money for your business.

Internet Research

When I mention that staff at The Conciergerie frequently conducts internet research for clients, I get some funny looks."I know how to use the Internet," people invaribly reply.

You also know how to grocery shop, plan a party for your six-year-old and buy airline tickets, but if you have better things to do with your time, lumping these tasks together and calling your personal assistant may be a better option.

We recently had a client who needed to attend a specific training course. She had 24 hours notice and a 48 hour deadline. She was also much too busy at work to find a solution. We quickly researched the training facilities and in under an hour we found the class and had her registered.