by Kara | Aug 18, 2023 | Residential, Travel Services
If you travel often for business or leisure, you’re probably pretty familiar with the feeling of coming back after a long trip, setting down your bags and finally relaxing in your own home.
You can just kick back, enjoy a meal, cuddle with your pet and then crawl into your soft bed.
Except … that’s probably not how it goes.
The house is cold because the heat’s been off. The fridge is either empty or full of expired food that you forgot to toss before your trip. Your houseplants are parched, your garden is dry, and your things are strewn everywhere from your hasty departure.
You’d love to rest, but you have to unpack your suitcase, do laundry, walk the dog and make dinner.
Unless, of course, you’ve hired us.
[Related: How To Delegate When You’re Used to Doing It All Yourself]
Pepper’s Personal Assistants for Absentee Home Services
Two of our specialties are taking care of homes while the occupants are away and preparing the spaces for their return. We can do pretty much anything you want to get your house ready for you. Still, here’s a sampling of services we recommend for absentee home care and arrival preparation.
Kitchen
A worst-case scenario is coming home to an empty fridge — or worse, a fridge full of expired food. We’ll stock your refrigerator with fresh produce, juice, milk and other perishables and clear out the old stuff.
Additionally, our assistants can make sure a healthy, homemade meal is in the crockpot or ready for you to heat up right out of the fridge. You’ll have no need to cook right away or stop to grab takeout!
[Related: Our Advice for Getting Started With Your Personal Assistant]
Home Improvement
Have a home project you can’t seem to pull the trigger on? What better time to arrange it then when you’re out of the house! Our assistants can meet with and stick around for home-visiting vendors to arrange things like carpet cleanings, car wash or repair, gutter cleanings, and more!
Outdoors
From arranging fresh flowers on the table to making sure your cactus or Monstera thrives, Pepper’s personal assistants have somewhat of a green thumb. We’d love to help out with your plants and/or garden!
General Tidiness
Come home to a clean and cozy bedroom with fresh linens and nicely folded towels. Your home will rival the hotel you just left! We can also sweep and clean floors and surfaces to ensure you return to a spotless house after your time away.
[Related: A Personal Assistant Can Help Make Your Summer Vacation Even More Relaxing — Here’s How]
Administration
Don’t worry about an overflowing mailbox, packages piled at the door or home-related appointments needing rescheduling. Pepper’s personal assistants will collect and sort your mail and packages, as well as meet with any gardeners, maintenance people, painters or other home service providers who work while you’re out of town.
Completely Customizable Help
Our absentee home services are all about making you feel confident that we’re caring for your home while you’re away and that everything is ready when you return. We’re happy to tailor our services according to your trip length, home type, occupants and more.
Just let us know!
[Related: 10 Things You’d Love To Never Do Again]
Contact Pepper’s Personal Assistants Today!
To learn more about our absentee home services for people on the go, contact us today!
by Kara | May 4, 2022 | Travel Services
School will be out soon, the weather is heating up, and you might find yourself looking at some summer getaways. But before you stuff your suitcase and lather on the sunscreen, you have to think about logistics. Where are you going? How are you getting there? And how will everything continue to run smoothly while you’re gone?
Whether you’re looking at a month-long tropical stay or a simple hotel weekend to yourself, here’s how a personal assistant can help you prepare for your summer vacation and help you stay organized while you’re gone.
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer is Yes.]
Book Hotel and Flight
First thing’s first—where are you staying? We all know how much time you can waste opening tab after tab of flight and accommodation sites. A personal assistant can sift through the seemingly endless online reviews for hotels and possible flights and present you with the best options under your specifications.
Itinerary Planning
Looking for activities to do while you’re on vacation? Making plans of things to do ahead of time is smart—after all, you want to make the most of your time away. Let your personal assistant research some exhilarating (or ultra-relaxing) events to add to your itinerary.
Laundry
Imagine your flight leaves early the next morning. You just realize all of your summer clothes are still in the attic and you are definitely running out of clean socks. This is where your personal assistant can come to the rescue. Personal assistants can take care of pre-vacation laundry, and retrieving some seasonally appropriate options out of storage so that you won’t be scrambling to pack the night before.
[Related: Will More Free Time Bring You Joy?]
Pet-sitting
If you aren’t planning on taking your furry companions on summer vacation with you, you’re going to have to make sure they’re fed and not too lonely while you’re away. Ease your mind and hire a personal assistant to take your dogs on walks, play with your cats, and feed your fish while you’re enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
Package and Mail Pick-Up
Did you know that last year people reported approximately 210 million packages stolen off of front porches across the U.S.? If you don’t have a secure spot for mail and packages, a personal assistant can help you avoid being part of that statistic. They can drop by when you anticipate receiving packages and safely and securely store them in your home.
Lawn and Garden Care
Summer means soaking up the sun. While that may be the goal for your vacation, it can also wreck your lawn. Put your mind at ease! Hiring a personal assistant to keep up with lawn and garden care while you’re away. If your yard requires more attention than simply watering the plants, your personal assistant can be there for any scheduled landscaper or gardener appointment.
[Related: How to Get Back on Top of Your Routine and Enjoy Your Summer]
Enjoy Your Summer Vacation with Pepper’s Personal Assistants!
Planning and going on summer vacation shouldn’t be stressful. Avoid the panic of last-minute preparations. Don’t worry about who will take care of everything while you’re gone—Pepper’s Personal Assistants has your back. Our personal assistants can help you prepare for a well-deserved summer vacation and keep things running smoothly at home.
Contact us today for a consultation!
Featured image via Unsplash
by Kara | Jan 30, 2017 | Travel Services
As the dreary winter months seem to drag on, you may find yourself dreaming of taking a break, even if only for a few days on local trips near Seattle. Sure, you could take some time off work or go away for the weekend, but how can you swing it with so many commitments waiting for you at home?
With a trusty personal assistant, you won’t need to fret over tasks going unfinished. A PA is so much more than a housesitter. They’re your right hand. When you can’t be home to run errands, do the laundry, schedule appointments, work with contractors or repair people, take your car in for service, or prep the week’s meals, we’re there to tackle everything so you’re free to recharge without falling behind on the daily grind.
Hand off your home responsibilities and relish your freedom by heading for the hills — or a nearby city, mountain, or island. Allow Pepper’s Personal Assistants to hold down the fort while you take a personal, romantic, or family retreat. Here are five local destinations whose proximity to the Seattle area makes for the perfect weekend getaway.
Port Townsend
This charming Victorian community, located on the coast along the Olympic Peninsula, is quite the change of scenery from nearby metropolitan hubs. It’s just over two hours of travel time from Seattle, including a quick and scenic ferry ride. Maritime enthusiasts will feel right at home in the boating scene, and many flock to Port Townsend each year for the long-running Wooden Boat Festival. The town is also home to numerous parks and hiking and walking destinations, so there’s something for visitors looking to relax as well as those looking to get active.
Leavenworth
Just over two hours east of Seattle by car, this Bavarian-style town is known for throwing a killer party each year at Oktoberfest. It is also the place to be during the holidays, with many winter activities in town or nearby, including a popular Christmas tree lighting ceremony. No matter the time of year, you can enjoy any of several town tours, authentic German cuisine, wine tastings, or even the quirky Nutcracker Museum! Get your fill of hiking, biking, skiing, and many more outdoor activities within the surrounding Wenatchee National Forest and Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Leavenworth is truly a slice of Europe… without the expensive plane ticket.
Whistler, BC
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re fortunate to have easy access to international travel. All you need is a passport, a full tank of gas, a train or plane ticket, and time (which won’t be an issue!) and you’re across the border to Canada in no time. Expect a 4-hour trip to Whistler if you’re driving from Seattle. Hike among patches of leftover snow in the summertime or see what makes Whistler a legendary destination for skiers, snowboarders, and other winter athletes (after all, the town hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics for a reason!). Year-round activities include a gondola tour with must-see views, numerous luxury spas, and shopping or dining at Whistler Village.
San Juan Islands
If you’re looking for local trips near Seattle on an island, hopping a ferry to reach these destinations can be half the fun. Orcas, Lopez, Shaw, and San Juan Island are some of the most-loved local travel spots. Perhaps this is because island life tends to move at a relaxed pace compared to city life. Adventurous spirits can enjoy hiking, kayaking, zip lining, paddle boating, horseback riding, and so much more. If you would rather sit back and take in the majestic surroundings, go for a ride on a whale watching boat, read your favorite book at the beach, indulge at a winery or spa, or mosey through museums where local history is on display.
Portland, OR
We’re only a three- to four-hour trip to Portland’s flourishing food scene. Try Voodoo Doughnuts and sip on Stumptown Coffee, then marvel at the Rose Garden or Japanese Garden before getting lost inside multi-level Powell’s Books. There really is a little bit of everything to do in Portland, especially for arts and culture enthusiasts.
So go ahead and treat yourself one or two local trips near Seattle while your personal assistant from Pepper’s handles the rest!
by Kara | Oct 15, 2016 | Residential, Travel Services
Do you have a plan for maintaining your vacation home in the off-season? When vacation season comes to a close, how do you ensure your investment remains safe, secure, and cared for? When you can’t be present to maintain your second home yourself, a local caretaker is often the best stand-in.
Now that summer is over, Pepper’s Personal Assistants can care for your Seattle area vacation home while you return to your daily life in your primary home. So
Why is an Absentee Caretaker a Necessity?
Your local PA can offer much-needed peace of mind. They can confirm all your second home’s treasures are in place, doors are locked, windows are shut, and everything is intact. Regardless of how you’re using your vacation home in the off-season, you’ll also want to make sure it stays tidy and secure.
General Caretaker Tasks
Here are just a few of the tasks your personal assistant can do for you:
- General security check-ins (ensuring windows, doors, garage, and any other entrances and exits are secure)
- Checking smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, home security systems, etc.
- Ensure appliances are running smoothly (for instance, making sure freezers have not thawed, replacing burned-out lightbulbs, etc.)
- Schedule, coordinate, and be present for home maintenance (i.e. – repair people, cleaners, landscapers, etc.)
- Picking up any mail, newspapers, deliveries, etc.
- Turning lights and electronics on or off
- Tidying up/minor cleanup tasks (i.e. – sweeping, vacuuming, etc.)
- Stocking your refrigerator and pantry in preparation for your arrival
- Taking out any trash and filling bins with fresh bags
- Water plants
- Run faucets to help prevent unused pipes from freezing
Prep Your Vacation Home for Guests
If you plan to host guests in your vacation home, your personal assistant can prep and ensure it is well-stocked. This will remove additional stress from your already busy schedule (especially when it comes to last-minute visitors).
Tasks your personal assistant may take care of for guests include:
- making sure necessary supplies are stockpiled
- double checking that amenities are ready for use
- setting out personal goods such as fresh towels and toilet paper
- ensuring each room is tidy (including performing minor cleaning and straightening tasks such as turning down bedding, dusting off countertops, and more according to your requests).
Contact Pepper’s Personal Assistants Today!
Contact us today to learn more of the ways a professional personal assistant can be your second set of helping hands while you’re away from your vacation home or timeshare!
Featured image via Unsplash
