Home & Garden Guide 2024

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Breeze Breeze through spring-cleaning

Jordan finds joy in professional service, inspires others by sharing tips

BY SARA EISINGER | STAFF WRITER

Jordan page 2B

Janell Jordan grabbed a handy broom and swept her way to a rewarding family career — Jordan Home Cleaning. A former stay-at-home wife and mother of two, Jordan sometimes drove for Foley Public Schools. Cleaning residential and commercial properties began as another side job.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Janell Jordan, of Jordan Home Cleaning, wipes windows in summer 2023. Jordan cleans with the lights off to help prevent streaks.

Jordan from front

“I have always loved cleaning,” said Jordan, who founded her business on Christian values. “I’ve always found it super rewarding. Weirdly enough, I find it very relaxing. I cleaned the Presbyterian church in town for a couple of years. It started with referrals; this person would refer that person.”

In no time at all, Jordan built up a clientele doing what she loved.

“I believe in leaving the world better than how we found it,” she said, spiraling her love for cleaning into a state licensed, insured and bonded business. “It provides reassurance to anyone looking for a house cleaner.”

From there, Jordan dove head-first into the grease and grime to make homes and possessions

shine like new.

“Cleaning comes easy for me,” Jordan said. “I understand that for some people, it doesn’t come as easily. I like being able to jump in and help figure out what products to use, or even just clean along with people.”

“I believe in leaving the world better than how we found it.”

sparkle.

First thing first, Jordan suggested trying the left-to-right, top-to-bottom method.

– Janell Jordan

Husband Mitchell assists by cleaning campers, trailers and cabins. Children Lillian, 6, and Lawson, 4, walk in parades and often sport Jordan Home Cleaning T-shirts.

“Mitchell helps with a lot of the backend stuff like ordering supplies, organizing, loading and unloading,” Jordan said. He also steps in to pressure wash, as needed, she said.

There is not much Jordan will not clean. With that being said, the professional house cleaner has offered some spring-cleaning tips to spark the motivation necessary to make homes

“You want to work your way out of the house,” she said. “If doing a whole house, I would start in the farthest back spot of the house. That’s probably going to be a bedroom. Then, you start from ... the top of the left-hand side (of the bedroom).”

Making way into the bathroom, Jordan prefers to keep mirror wiping and tub scrubbing as natural as possible.

“You want to try the less harsh methods first,” she said. “I start with like steam or plant-based products, and I work my way up. Some people only want steam or plantbased products in their houses.”

Jordan even shared trade secrets to clean showers and help remove unwanted paint from hard surfaces.

Jordan page 3B

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Jordan from page 2B

“Lemon oil and sugar mixed together becomes nail polish remover,” Jordan said.

“You can mix Dawn dish soap and vinegar. It’s a really good way to clean your shower.

Spray and let it sit for like 15 minutes, come back and just rinse it.”

Whether using natural products or opting for chemical cleansers, Jordan encouraged people to give cleaning products time to work.

“Instead of super-scrubbing your toilet before bed, just put your toilet bowl cleaner in there,” Jordan said. “Let it sit overnight. Just make sure you are using the correct product for the job.”

Streaks on the vanity mirror?

“Clean your mirrors with the lights off,” Jordan said. “The heat will cause streaks.”

Choosing the right product is key.

“A lot of people think I put tons of elbow grease into things,” she said. “While there are scenarios when I do, most of it is letting a specific product do the work.”

People are not always careful about what products they are mixing together or using, so reading labels is imperative to ensuring overall health and safety.

“One rule is to never mix bleach and vinegar,” Jordan

said. “It creates toxic gas. If you’re working with bleach or oven cleaner, make sure you have a window open to air it out.”

When cleaning, Jordan encouraged people not to forget those all-too-often-forgettable

cracks and crevices.

“People can often miss the little lip where the shower meets the wall above their curtain,” she said. “People sometimes forget to wipe the top of the fridge, or clean an oven exhaust filter. I mean, the

list goes on.” Due to the daily hustle and bustle of work, kids, appointments and more, not everyone has time to clean.

“A lot of people don’t have time to do their dishes, vacuum and stuff,” Jordan said.

“They don’t want to get on their hands and knees to scrub the toilet or vacuum behind the washer and dryer.”

Some might lack a couple of necessary skills, while others just crave a little extra support.

“I have a couple people who hate doing the dishes and switching laundry,” Jordan said. “So, I do that for them. I have a lot of people who hire me to clean with them, so they can get inspired or motivated. I try to be an inspiration to the mom seeking to get herself caught up.”

Jordan also offers discounts to include law enforcement employees.

“I offer 10% off to anybody in law enforcement,” she said. “Even if it’s the wife (spouse), who hires me and their husband (spouse) is in law enforcement, whether they work at the jail, as a school resource officer or deputy, it’s an automatic 10% off. I think they’re the people in our communities who need the biggest, ‘Thank you’ from the average citizen, and they often don’t get it.”

Jordan also provides military and veteran discounts.

Jordan said homes –whether rented or owned – should be viewed as investments.

“A cleaner environment just helps you focus on the more important things in life,” she said.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Janell Jordan, of Jordan Home Cleaning, washes dishes in summer 2023. A wife and mother of two, Jordan said cleaning comes easy to her.

IsaacWinkelma

Weather from page 5B

“Mulch helps to moderate soil temperatures so as the plants come out of dormancy it helps the roots to warm up slowly,” she said.

University of Minnesota Extension experts put together an article on this year’s warm winter impacts. The article contains the following information: Plant dormancy is affected by day length and temperature. In general, dormancy is overcome when the buds of trees and shrubs experience temperatures of 24 to 50 degrees for approximately four to eight weeks at which time the plants break bud.

Impacts in the garden

— Spring bulbs and hardy perennials may emerge from the soil, especially on the south side of landscapes where the soil warms earlier. If the cold

Julie Weisenhorn

weather returns, they may suffer cold damage to leaves but the plants should survive.

— Once the frost is out of the soil, plants will need extra care to reduce stress. Mulch around roots and water if the soil is dry. Prune plants to allow for light and airflow.

— Gardeners can trim back dead hosta leaves and spent hydrangea blooms now.

— Leave the leaf mulch in place to protect beneficial insects until they emerge.

— Be sure to leave hollow stems of flowers like Joe Pye weed standing until it falls over. Once the stems fall, pile them up and do not compost or burn them until the stem-nesting bees emerge; many lay eggs in the stems.

Weather page 7B

With warming temperatures and lengthening daylight, trees and shrubs will emerge from dormancy. In general, dormancy is overcome when the buds of trees and shrubs experience temperatures of 24 to 50 degrees for approximately four to eight weeks at which time the plants break bud.

PHOTO COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Weather

from page 6B

Trees, shrubs

— Some northern trees and shrubs are adapted to a lengthy winter period and are not easily tricked into waking up with unseasonable temperatures. There is little documentation that states which plants fall into this category.

— The recent warm temperatures combined with longer day length triggered bud break on a few species, particularly those growing in protected microclimates. If temperatures remain above freezing, this tender new growth may survive. If night temperatures dip into the 20s or less, and day and night tempera-

“Minnesota gardeners “Minnesota are smart gardeners, are smart and they really watch and watch the conditions”

– Julie Weisenhorn –

tures fluctuate, new growth will likely die. — Wait to water trees until the ground is completely thawed. For more information on these topics, as well

as pruning, lawns and insects, visit extension. umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/how-willwarm-winter-affect-myplants.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION

Experts agree that mulching around plants, trees and shrubs is the best way to help maintain soil moisture. People should feel the soil before watering, and if the soil is cool and moist, wait a few days to water.

Trends in home

renovation renovation

Brenhaug talks everything from kitchens to sunrooms to bathrooms

BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER

Kitchen renovations, sunroom additions and bathroom re-dos top the list of remodeling projects at Berscheid Builders in Rice.

The team there handles remodeling proj-

ects from walk through evaluations and beginning concept designs to completion. And, though coastal remodeling trends have announced a step away from the open concept floor plan, Paul

Brenhaug, Berscheid’s remodeling specialist, said that is not the case locally. Most often, he said, people are looking to take down walls and create great rooms.

“The reality is, the kitchen is the heart of the home, so there’s a lot of visiting that takes place in the kitchen,” Brenhaug said. “Here in Central Minnesota, we have a strong sense of family and have big family events in our homes. I think this is going to be

a strong request for some time to come.”

To create a cohesive look in those living room, kitchen and family room spaces, Brenhaug said clients usually opt to install one type of flooring throughout the area. The current favorite is luxury vinyl plank, he said.

“There’s no defined space, so you’ve got some flexibility in how you arrange your furniture,” he said. “If you have a larger event, you

can redesign just for that event.”

Additionally, as customers design and remodel, he said they are looking for large islands and pull-out drawer features. While pull out trash and recycling centers have been in demand in kitchen design for a while, he said customers are looking for pull out drawers for everything from pots and pans and lids to food storage containers. They are also looking for things like built-in pan dividers and silverware dividers.

“Drawers are easy access, easy visibility,” he said. “You don’t have to get down on your hands and knees to get something out of a shelf or cabinet.”

Beyond planning around load bearing walls with kitchen remodels, he said, experts can also work to create solutions to replace lost cabinetry or storage when a wall comes down. A plan for a remodel, he said, starts with an assessment of how the owners actually use the space. Owners

who do a lot of cooking may opt for something like a hood over the stove, while people who generally heat up prepared food may opt for more simplistic kitchen choices.

While kitchen remodels rank as the top home remodeling project, Brenhaug said, sunroom additions come in second place.

Typically, he said, sunrooms are a minimum of 14-feet by 16-feet and are often placed on the other side of an existing sliding glass door. The door is removed to create a cohesive, finished connection between the sunroom and the existing house.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED Berscheid Builders in Rice replaced this aging deck and accompanying lattice trim at the request of the homeowner. The deck was removed and replaced with a screen room addition. (Right) This screen room addition provides great protection from Minnesota mosquitoes. The deck surrounding the porch offers enough space for grilling and taking in the views.

(Top, inset) The interior of this screen porch addition provides protection from the elements. This addition was constructed to take full advantage of the natural surroundings.

Brenhaug from page 8B

“A lot of times people want to replicate the feel like they’re out at the lake or the feel like going to the cabin,” he said.

To achieve that look, he said, clients may opt for wood ceilings and walls, creating a more casual feel. The sunrooms may be finished with vaulted ceilings and typically, feature lots of windows to allow nature in.

“People want to feel like they’re going outside without going outside,” he said.

While customers often want to use an existing deck as the base for a sunroom, Brenhaug said, that often is not the recommendation. The rooms are designed and crafted from the bottom up to account for proper heating and cooling.

While sunrooms are a popular addition, Brenhaug said many homeowners in homes hitting the 20-year mark, choose

Paul Brenhaug

to tackle a bathroom renovation. That, he said, could mean adding a master bathroom where there is not one, or renovating an existing space.

“I spent a good portion of my career putting Whirlpools in bathrooms and now we’re taking them out and redoing the

“Here in Central Minnesota, we have a strong sense of family and have big family events in our homes. I think this is going to be a strong request for some time to come.”

– Paul Brenhaug

space,” he said.

When a soaking tub is removed, he said, it opens up space to create a large, tiled, walk-in shower. Those showers are often outfitted with a rain shower head or a detachable shower wand for convenience.

If there is not existing space that can be reconfigured, Brenhaug said, they may pull space from an adjacent room to create a master bathroom.

“A situation where we can combine a couple rooms and do it within the footprint of the house, that’s a very cost-effective way to do that,” he said.

While Brenhaug said he does encourage clients to look for inspiration photos, so they can get ideas of things like countertops and cabinetry, a professional team of remodelers can help take them from beginning to end on a project.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

(Left) Berscheid Builders in Rice gets a lot of requests to remove jetted tubs from master bathroom spaces. The remodelers replaced a seldom-used jetted tub with a walk-in ceramic tile shower. The bathroom remodel included an update of all the cabinetry, flooring and plumbing fixtures.

CONTRAST CONTRAST

in Colors of the Year

The nation’s leading trusted paint brands have a wildly different take on this year’s paint Color of the Year. Behr, ranked No. 1 by Lifestory Research in California, chose a statement soft black labeled as Cracked Pepper PPU18-01. The No. 2-ranking brand, Sherwin-Williams, contrasts the dark color with its introduction of Upward SW 6239, what that company calls a “breezy and blissful shade of blue that evokes the ever-present sense of peace found when slowing

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Food

down, taking a breath and allowing the mind to clear.”

Both colors, according to the respective websites, can be used to inspire floor to ceiling walls to small details within a space.

And, despite the difference, both have their own complementary colors within their company’s coordinating palettes that include Behr’s Offshore Mist PPU13-16 and Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW6258.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERWIN-WILLIAMS Upward SW 6239, a shade of blue, is Sherwin-Williams 2024 Color of the Year. The company describes the color as “breezy and blissful.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEHR Cracked Pepper PPU18-01 is the paint brand Behr’s 2024 Color of the Year. The soft statement black can be used for floor to ceiling walls or small details.

Cracked Pepper PPU18-01

Upward SW 6239