FAMILY FOCUS; “We enjoy helping people keep their house clean and in good order. It enables them to have more flexibility and spend quality time with their family. It is known that a clean house can reduce stress, and make your home more comfortable and provide a better setting for you.” Igor and Teresa Filipovic, owners of Fresh Living Professional Cleaners, enjoy spending time with their own family, including daughters Sabrina, Valentina, and Penelope, shown here in Medvednica Nature Park in Zagreb, Croatia, Igor’s homeland.

By Jean Stratton

You just don’t have time for dusting, mopping, vacuuming, sanitizing, etc., but finding the right person to clean your house can be an ongoing challenge. Some people do a good job, but they don’t always show up on time or even on the day they are expected.

Others are very reliable, but the quality of their work may be lacking. It is always something!

What to do? Check with friends, surf the net, even look through print newspaper ads, stick with what you have?

Fresh Living Professional Cleaners understands this dilemma. Owners Teresa and Igor Filipovic have been there!

Modern Living

“We couldn’t keep up with the demands of modern living without some help,” they explain. “We wanted to spend more time at the river skipping stones with our three children. We wanted to go shopping for local produce at the farmers market. We wanted to go to that Vinyasa yoga class.

“It was hours of scouring the internet for reputable numbers. We experienced tons of no-shows. Communication and expectation issues abounded. We felt tied down by having to oversee work we were paying for. Finally, the level of cleaning service received never met our standards.”

They decided to take action, and establish their own cleaning service. Thus, in January 2024, Fresh Living Professional Cleaners opened, and became the Filipovics’ new adventure.

“Having our own business has allowed us to make our own decisions and have more time and flexibility with our children,” points out Igor. “We are set apart by our online focus. Customers can find us online, fill out an application, set up appointments, and let us know their needs and preferences.

“The cleaners we partner with are all vetted, and have the highest reputations. There are quick and easy booking forms, excellent customer service, and trained teams of professionals. We take the stress out of finding services to help you improve your quality of life.”

Regular Customers

As Teresa explains further, “We did a lot of research, and we intentionally chose a different business model to work with cleaners as independent service professionals. This typically results in better performance, less turnover, and increased customer satisfaction.

“We have created a standard that our customers expect. They count on our reliable service, and our regular customers typically have the same cleaners unless the cleaner is unwell or on vacation.”

In one of those cases, Igor, who focuses on overseeing the business, has been known to step into the breach. “In an emergency, I can fill in and help out. This is a hands-on situation for me.

“We normally have three different cleaning teams, each with a leader,” he continues. “How many come to the house depends on how big it is. It can be between one and four cleaners. Sometimes, if someone needs a cleaning to be done especially quickly, we can send even more people. We do our best to accommodate our customers’ needs.”

This includes their time preference — morning or afternoon, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleanings, he adds. Different types of cleaning services are available, including regular, deep cleaning, and move-in, move-out. The cleaners bring their own supplies unless the customers have specific preferences to use their own products.

Cleaning covers the full range of services for all rooms — from making beds to cleaning, polishing, and vacuuming; to hand washing baseboards and relining kitchen trash cans to refrigerator interior cleaning.

Additional services, such as oven interior cleaning, sweeping the garage, and hand-washing woodwork, can be included if requested.

Prompt Response

“Also, sometimes, people have special situations and need extra help,” points out Igor. “Maybe the in-laws are arriving unexpectedly, and that might just mean a one-time cleaning. Or they need something done very quickly. They can count on us to accommodate them with a prompt response.”

Originally from Croatia, Igor has spent most of his life in New Jersey, having attended school in West Windsor. A passion for tennis led to an early career as a tennis coach, but then over time, circumstances brought about the opportunity to open Fresh Cleaning.

The work is primarily residential, with some commercial as well, and as he reports, “We do all sizes, kinds, and ages of houses. Many have home offices today, and also gyms and exercise rooms.

“Some customers are very neat, while others’ homes can be more cluttered. And some people are very particular, and others more laid back. But people are all different, and can be happy in different kinds of settings. We understand. It’s your space, and you are entitled to dictate your terms.
We see a lot of different lifestyles, and get an insight into that. We really have an opportunity to establish relationships with our customers.”

Loyal Customers

Customers are primarily from Princeton and the surrounding area, “We are very encouraged,” he says. “We have many loyal, regular customers already, and new ones all the time. We are getting a lot of word-of-mouth and referrals.”

Typical cost for a full cleaning is $150, and there may be reductions if customers sign up for ongoing cleanings. In addition, a 50/50 program offers further savings. If a client refers someone to Fresh Living, that client will get a $50 credit toward their Fresh Living account, and the referral will receive $50 toward their first service.

“It is always exciting and challenging to start something new — a new adventure,” points out Igor. “We know our work is important, and we always want to hear from our customers if there are ways we can do better. We want their feedback.

“We are active listeners, conducting ourselves with empathy and treating everyone with dignity. Respect is the way in which we build trust and loyalty. We set high standards, pay attention to details, and strive for continuous improvement. Our clients know they can count on our integrity and quality work.”

For further information, call (609) 806-5565. Visit the website at freshlivingpc.com.