Online shopping during the holiday season grows exponentially as holiday shoppers take advantage of the ease of purchasing gifts from their couch and having it delivered right to their doorstep, avoiding the crowded malls, jam packed parking lots, and going outside in the frigid temperatures.

Unfortunately, there are some really not-so-great people out there who also take advantage of this increase in online shopping and spend their days and nights driving through neighbourhoods and snatching up deliveries off of people’s doorsteps. If you’ve ever had a package stolen, you know all too well the extremely frustrating feeling of having to report it and go through customer service for a replacement, but you also know the feeling of unease knowing that your house and belongings have been compromised, and the what-ifs begin to run through your mind.

For the most part, porch pirates are just looking for a quick grab off the front door step. But, that doesn’t mean some aren’t checking the front door to see if they can hit the jackpot.

Here are some tips and tricks to make sure your packages and your house stay safe and in the right hands this holiday season:

1. Invest in a good quality front door/doorbell camera that can catch the thieves in the act, here’s a link to one of our favourites.
   
2. Invest in a delivery disguise box like this one.
   
3. Arrange for large and higher cost items to be delivered to your nearest post office, your workplace or an Amazon pickup location.
   
4. We know it’s a pain and an extra step if you miss the delivery, but if you’re able to – request a signature for your deliveries so that your packages aren’t left at your door unattended.
   
5. Ensure that any doors and windows are locked at all times, even when you’re home!
   
6. If you suspect you will be home for a delivery and don’t have a doorbell camera to notify you, put up a sign that asks the delivery driver to ring the doorbell so that you know when it’s been delivered and can grab it right away. During the holiday rush, a lot of drivers will skip the door knock and just leave it on the front porch without any notice!
   
7. Consider gifting a Whirl Cleaning subscription or gift card, you can’t steal that off a front porch! 

Do you have any tips to ward off the porch pirates this holiday season? Comment below and let us know!

This post may contain affiliate links, a commission may be earned if products are purchased through the provided links at no cost to you.

The post Tis the season for…porch pirates? first appeared on Whirl Cleaning .

We know it’s hard to believe after such a warm start to the fall, but if you’ve looked out the window today or have had to drive anywhere then you can see that winter is here, and it came in QUICK! Which means it’s time to make sure that your property is set up for the winter season.

To make it easy, we’ve compiled a checklist for you to follow. And to make it even easier, you can Book a Whirl Cleaning Professional to complete some of these services for you!

Exterior Maintenance Reminders:

1. Faucets – Make sure you drain and shut off exterior faucets, and don’t forget those underground sprinkler lines! 

2. Roof – when safe to do so, give the roof a good once over, fix any lifting shingles and/or metal flashing, and ensure adequate coverage of caulking around vents and skylights, and take a quick peek in the attic to see if you can see any water pooling or issues. 

3. Vents – inspect and clean dryer and furnace vents

4. Trees – inspect and prune any branches that are close to the house or have died and may fall during a particularly windy day, or allow us to do this for you!

5. Gutters – remove leaves and debris to prevent clogging, or allow us to do this for you!

6. Windows – inspect and clean to ensure that all dirt and debris is removed from your windows, this helps with the longevity of your windows and helps to detect any cracks or breaks, or allow us to do this for you! 

Interior Maintenance Reminders:

1. Filters – change furnace filters regularly, especially during seasonal changes!
2. Dust and clean bathroom fan covers, or allow us to do this for you!
3. Sump Pump – check on the sump pump to ensure it is working properly
4. Attic – check to ensure insulation (fibre glass or blown in) is not matted down, airflow is key!
5. Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors – test all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and change batteries as needed
6. Consider a handy fire extinguisher within the home 
7. Windows/Doors – check the caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors, and seal any drafts 
8. Windows – inspect and clean to ensure that all dirt and debris is removed from your windows, this helps with the longevity of your windows and helps to detect any cracks or breaks, or allow us to do this for you!
9. Carpet Cleaning – a seasonal deep clean of your carpets ensures any dust, dirt and allergens tracked in through the summer months are cleared from the fibres, allowing you to breathe cleaner air while spending more time indoors, or allow us to do this for you!

The post Your Winter Maintenance Cheat Sheet first appeared on Whirl Cleaning .

Online shopping during the holiday season grows exponentially as holiday shoppers take advantage of the ease of purchasing gifts from their couch and having it delivered right to their doorstep, avoiding the crowded malls, jam packed parking lots, and going outside in the frigid temperatures.

Unfortunately, there are some really not-so-great people out there who also take advantage of this increase in online shopping and spend their days and nights driving through neighbourhoods and snatching up deliveries off of people’s doorsteps. If you’ve ever had a package stolen, you know all too well the extremely frustrating feeling of having to report it and go through customer service for a replacement, but you also know the feeling of unease knowing that your house and belongings have been compromised, and the what-ifs begin to run through your mind.

For the most part, porch pirates are just looking for a quick grab off the front door step. But, that doesn’t mean some aren’t checking the front door to see if they can hit the jackpot.

Here are some tips and tricks to make sure your packages and your house stay safe and in the right hands this holiday season:

1. Invest in a good quality front door/doorbell camera that can catch the thieves in the act, here’s a link to one of our favourites.
   
2. Invest in a delivery disguise box like this one.
   
3. Arrange for large and higher cost items to be delivered to your nearest post office, your workplace or an Amazon pickup location.
   
4. We know it’s a pain and an extra step if you miss the delivery, but if you’re able to – request a signature for your deliveries so that your packages aren’t left at your door unattended.
   
5. Ensure that any doors and windows are locked at all times, even when you’re home!
   
6. If you suspect you will be home for a delivery and don’t have a doorbell camera to notify you, put up a sign that asks the delivery driver to ring the doorbell so that you know when it’s been delivered and can grab it right away. During the holiday rush, a lot of drivers will skip the door knock and just leave it on the front porch without any notice!
   
7. Consider gifting a Whirl Cleaning subscription or gift card, you can’t steal that off a front porch! 

Do you have any tips to ward off the porch pirates this holiday season? Comment below and let us know!

This post may contain affiliate links, a commission may be earned if products are purchased through the provided links at no cost to you.

The post Tis the season for…porch pirates? first appeared on Whirl Cleaning .

We know it’s hard to believe after such a warm start to the fall, but if you’ve looked out the window today or have had to drive anywhere then you can see that winter is here, and it came in QUICK! Which means it’s time to make sure that your property is set up for the winter season.

To make it easy, we’ve compiled a checklist for you to follow. And to make it even easier, you can Book a Whirl Cleaning Professional to complete some of these services for you!

Exterior Maintenance Reminders:

1. Faucets – Make sure you drain and shut off exterior faucets, and don’t forget those underground sprinkler lines! 

2. Roof – when safe to do so, give the roof a good once over, fix any lifting shingles and/or metal flashing, and ensure adequate coverage of caulking around vents and skylights, and take a quick peek in the attic to see if you can see any water pooling or issues. 

3. Vents – inspect and clean dryer and furnace vents

4. Trees – inspect and prune any branches that are close to the house or have died and may fall during a particularly windy day, or allow us to do this for you!

5. Gutters – remove leaves and debris to prevent clogging, or allow us to do this for you!

6. Windows – inspect and clean to ensure that all dirt and debris is removed from your windows, this helps with the longevity of your windows and helps to detect any cracks or breaks, or allow us to do this for you! 

Interior Maintenance Reminders:

1. Filters – change furnace filters regularly, especially during seasonal changes!
2. Dust and clean bathroom fan covers, or allow us to do this for you!
3. Sump Pump – check on the sump pump to ensure it is working properly
4. Attic – check to ensure insulation (fibre glass or blown in) is not matted down, airflow is key!
5. Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors – test all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and change batteries as needed
6. Consider a handy fire extinguisher within the home 
7. Windows/Doors – check the caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors, and seal any drafts 
8. Windows – inspect and clean to ensure that all dirt and debris is removed from your windows, this helps with the longevity of your windows and helps to detect any cracks or breaks, or allow us to do this for you!
9. Carpet Cleaning – a seasonal deep clean of your carpets ensures any dust, dirt and allergens tracked in through the summer months are cleared from the fibres, allowing you to breathe cleaner air while spending more time indoors, or allow us to do this for you!

The post Your Winter Maintenance Cheat Sheet first appeared on Whirl Cleaning .