My office was nestled in the heart of a bustling city, though from the premise of this story, you'd never know it. It was a seemingly ordinary office, closed for remote work in the face of a global pandemic, but with the world reopening again, we were all looking forward to getting back to our "new normal" routine. 

We couldn't have chosen a better time to come back, right smack dab in the middle of National Housekeeping Week! Our party planning team was busy searching for the perfect housekeeping week gifts for our cleaning and organizing crew, who were working hard to clean up the office. Of course, we didn't realize the size of the literal living, breathing mess they'd taken on. 

As fate would have it, while our employees were away, diligently working remotely, we would all find ourselves unable to return due to a peculiar predicament...an infestation of wildlife had taken over the office both inside and out. Needless to say, our Housekeeping Week gift ideas weren't enough to thank them for handling the sheer amount of wildlife running rampant in and around our office space. 

We had to turn to SwagMagic for high-quality personalized gifts that our housekeepers would love, as they were actively engaged in an uphill battle. We needed so much more than gifts for clean freaks. Gifts for women, though our team was primarily comprised of women, weren't going to cut it here.  

The party planning team needed terrific gifts, and this wild tale of survival, housekeeping heroism, and the triumphant return of the employees will show you why! They were dealing with the wildlife infestation of a lifetime!

Our International Housekeeping Week journey started innocently enough, with some of us going into the office to start helping to clean and set up for the parties we'd hold for our housekeepers to thank them during Housekeeping Week 2023. We noticed a few chirping birds perched on the office windowsills, seeking refuge from the harsh city life. Little did we know that the birds' presence attracted more than just our attention. 

We initially thought they were cute, but as word spread in the animal kingdom, a motley crew of critters decided to make the office their haven. Squirrels began staging acorn heists, raccoons held wild parties in the break room, and a family of rabbits transformed the office lawn into a vegetable farm. 

The situation grew out of control quickly, and not only were we worried about the raccoons contaminating the break room, but the word "rabies" was thrown around a few times. Then, we high-tailed it, no pun intended, out of the office and back to our homes and local coffee shops, leaving housekeeping alone in the building. At the same time, we came up with Housekeeping Week ideas to present gifts to the staff for handling the overabundance of animals, even if we’d have to hold the festivities at a later date.  

Most of us were led to believe that the animal infestation would be relatively easy to handle, so we spent our meeting discussing housekeeping week decorations instead of how we should help them remove the animals. One fateful day, as the housekeeping team arrived for their regular cleaning duties, they were greeted by a sight that they could only describe as a scene from a whimsical Disney movie. 

The office lobby had turned into an impromptu zoo, with geese waddling across the reception desk, deer nibbling on potted plants, and a mischievous opossum making its way across the floor. The housekeeping team couldn't help but burst into laughter at the absurdity of it all, but they were left with their mouths hanging open, wondering how they would get rid of all of the animals safely.

It would be nearly impossible, and a bit dangerous, to do it on their own. Terri, the head of housekeeping, decided that it would be necessary to call in animal control. In the meantime, she set up wildlife cameras that we could all access to see how out of control the animal situation had become. 

Our team was having a fantastic time logging in to watch the animals destroy the office, and we almost forgot about the gifts for housekeepers that we'd ordered for Housekeeping Appreciation Week. It was time to consider Operation Wildlife Eviction, though it was true that we'd miss the faces of the little deer that greeted us virtually every morning! 

We had housekeeping appreciation gifts to hand out, work to get done, and in-office parties to hold. Not to mention an animal control team that was completely booked solid for the next month. It was time to reclaim their workspace, and soon, the housekeeping team became the unsung heroes of the office. 

Terri led her team into battle. Armed with brooms, mops, and a sprinkle of creativity, they devised an ingenious plan. With caution and cleverness, they started by enticing the animals outside with strategically placed baskets of tasty treats. Instead of city animal control, Terri called wildlife experts she'd found through social media, and they collaborated to ensure the animals were safely relocated to nearby habitats, all while documenting the peculiar wildlife interactions for research purposes. 

It wasn't long before the fuzzy office intruders began to decrease in number. Attracted to the snacks they found much more appealing than old granola bars in the break room, it was time for them to move on. 

The office was finally free. After weeks of dedicated efforts, the office was finally empty of wildlife invaders and we could start moving in as soon as the housekeeping team cleaned up the mess, which we volunteered to help them do. 

It was a fantastic way to spend International Housekeeping Day, and we shared our journey on social media, posting housekeeping appreciation quotes and letting our followers in on the wildlife journey. The housekeeping team had triumphed, and it was time for the long-awaited return of the employees. As a token of appreciation, the office organized a heartwarming celebration during National Housekeeping Week. 

We expressed our gratitude with an assortment of swag from SwagMagic, ranging from whimsical animal-themed merchandise to hilarious office-related paraphernalia. SnackMagic provided a cornucopia of delectable snacks to satisfy every craving. Laughter and heartfelt thanks filled the office once again.

Our office would forever cherish the memory of the Wildlife Takeover. The story became legendary, passed down through the office as a testament to the dedication and resilience of the housekeeping team. National Housekeeping Week would never be the same, as it now represented not only a celebration of cleanliness but also a reminder of the extraordinary adventures that can unfold within the walls of an ordinary office.

We also drummed up a ton of business on social media, as our invasion went nationwide and we quickly became a trending household name within mere weeks. No animals were harmed in the making of this story, though every bit of it is true. 

We ask everyone to treat wildlife respectfully and allow them to thrive in their natural habitats. We now respect nature as much as we respect our housekeepers, and we'll always use National Housekeeping Week as a time to appreciate the hard work of housekeeping professionals worldwide, with plenty of swag!