Do you have a housekeeper?

[AGBF]

Not a housekeeper, cleaners yes.

DK

What's the difference?

To me, cleaning help can be a cleaning service that comes in for with five people for 15 minutes, each with a specific job, and is out. My husband I had that for years when we both worked full time. One person vacuumed; one person dusted; etc. Nothing at all personal was done. That's why it was called a cleaning "service". One did not ask them to do extra jobs for you.

I have also hired individuals to clean for me, but the parameters of the job were clear. They were there to clean. Not to garden or to cook or to babysit or to change my beds. They came in for a set number of hours and cleaned certain rooms for a set number of hours, then left. They had other homes to clean in order to make money.

For a few years, in Virginia, I had a somewhat homier arrangement with a woman who sometimes brought her sister and sometimes brought her young daughter to my my house with her. She not only cleaned, but also changed our beds and did our laundry. (It was a huge house.) She did not cook or babysit. Sometimes I sat with and read to her daughter in Spanish and English. She only came in for part of one day every other week, so I did not consider her a housekeeper.

Now I have a woman helping me as I deal with trying to organize the mess that is my father (and was my parents') house as it undergoes construction with all kinds of things going back to 1954 stored in it. She also helps with my father's care, cleaning, and cooking as needed. She isn't here every day and has to travel to get here (which she bills me for). It is very draining financially, but I want to get through this and live in a clean, mess-free environment. I also want my father to have attention as all this is going on.
So this is as close to a housekeeper as I have ever gotten, but I do not consider her a housekeeper.

In my opinion, a housekeeper is a full-time employee who runs one's house, doing all the household chores one would usually have to do oneself. Certainly a cleaning woman is not a housekeeper (in my opinion).

 

[MarionC]

No help whatsoever.
I also do the lawn/gardening.
I don't like paid-folks in or around our house.

But dont you have guard dogs Kenny???

Ah yes.
I forgot about our viscous guard girls.

Now realizing we are desperately in need of a haircut and hat here : )

 

[OreoRosies86]

No, but one is starting soon. I work 65 hours a week at a restaurant and now that I was promoted to GM I am never home. I feel no guilt whatsoever. I was getting overwhelmed and decided to prioritize having help and not stressing housework over other indulgences.

 

[kenny]

Not a housekeeper, cleaners yes.

DK

What's the difference?

I envisage a housekeeper to do a lot more than just cleaning, like shopping, laundry/ironing, fetching, pet-sitting/walking etc. etc...

DK

Thanks.

 

[asscher_girl]

Yep, we sure do! Couldn't live without them. They come once a week. DH and I work so much, we don't want to spend any free time doing that kind of stuff, we'd rather have that extra time to spend together (not cleaning).

 

[BeekeeperBetty]

I had one once, but I found that I spent more time cleaning and it stressed me out. The house had to be 100% picked up so she could do the cleaning, so I was running around like a madwoman making sure every single room was perfect. I don't really need someone to come in and vacuum and clean bathrooms, i need someone to do the dishes and laundry, lol. I'm just about the only person in our neighborhood without a fulltime cleaning staff and yard staff (we do have a pool company for our pool and spa, though), but I just didn't find it useful. I've also got more kids than anyone in the neighborhood, so there is that. Once we're retired and the kids are gone, I might feel differently.

 

[Bonfire]

Not a housekeeper, cleaners yes.

DK

What's the difference?

I envisage a housekeeper to do a lot more than just cleaning, like shopping, laundry/ironing, fetching, pet-sitting/walking etc. etc...

DK

Thanks.

Like Alice on The Brady Bunch!

 

[stracci2000]

To those of you with the cleaning help, doesn't it bother you that someone is in your rooms, moving your personal things around?
For instance, I have lots of perfume bottles lined up in the bathroom. I would guess the cleaning lady would be moving them all to clean the shelf.
And, I have stacks of books waiting to be read, delicate glass/china items, and collectibles all over the place.
And what about my little dishes of jewelry all over the house? You know, on the nightstand, by the kitchen sink, etc, etc.
Do I need to remove all that before she comes?
As Beekeeperbetty said, that sounds stressful.

 

[dk168]

I changed cleaners 3 times in the past 4 years or so, the last two were young girls who stopped cleaning to go to college, both were recommended to me by my dog walker who used to do the cleaning for me until she decided to give it up for health reasons.

I decided to engage the services of a professional cleaning company, so that I do not have to worry about sickness and holiday cover, and continuity anymore.

The lady who owns the franchise in my area came and did an initial assessment, and we agreed a cleaning schedule and price.

Their first clean was a major/significant clean, and I worked hard to tidy the house first. 3 cleaners came in and spent a day on the house.

They were very careful with my bits and pieces, and I have a lot of crystals and ornaments. And the initial clean was very thorough and I was very impressed with the result.

Nowadays, 2 cleaners come in once very 2 weeks, and spend more time in one of the rooms at a time.

Being naturally untidy, I have to do some tidying first the day before they are due in.

Yes they do move things about, however, they do a very good job with cleaning my house, much better than what I would have done myself.

As for security? That's one of the reasons I am using a professional company, as they do the screening and vetting of their staff, have to have the relevant insurance etc. in order to operate. Therefore, I trust them.

DK

 

[Queenie60]

To those of you with the cleaning help, doesn't it bother you that someone is in your rooms, moving your personal things around?
For instance, I have lots of perfume bottles lined up in the bathroom. I would guess the cleaning lady would be moving them all to clean the shelf.
And, I have stacks of books waiting to be read, delicate glass/china items, and collectibles all over the place.
And what about my little dishes of jewelry all over the house? You know, on the nightstand, by the kitchen sink, etc, etc.
Do I need to remove all that before she comes?
As Beekeeperbetty said, that sounds stressful.

I've had the same person for 11 years or so. She knows how I like to have everything, down to the rug in my kitchen! I usually put small valuables away which I do any way as I forget where I put things if they're not tucked away. Once in a while she'll put things back a little out of place but not enough to bother me. Would rather have that than to spend my entire free time cleaning.

 

[madelise]

To those of you with the cleaning help, doesn't it bother you that someone is in your rooms, moving your personal things around?
For instance, I have lots of perfume bottles lined up in the bathroom. I would guess the cleaning lady would be moving them all to clean the shelf.
And, I have stacks of books waiting to be read, delicate glass/china items, and collectibles all over the place.
And what about my little dishes of jewelry all over the house? You know, on the nightstand, by the kitchen sink, etc, etc.
Do I need to remove all that before she comes?
As Beekeeperbetty said, that sounds stressful.

No. Because, like Yssie said, it either gets done by someone else or it doesn't get done. Our house would be disgusting if we didn't have help.

I have an in-home safe. I move all my jewels and valuables in there before she comes. She's not gonna purposely break anything, and if she accidentally does, well, it could've been accidentally broken by me too.

I've left out money FOR her and she didn't touch it, and left without it. Had to chase her out just to tip her.
The biggest thing IS trust, I guess. If you feel safe with the person, it's worth it. If you don't, you'll always stress about having that person servicing your home.

 

[Sky56]

No. I'm the maid and housekeeper here.

 

[chrono]

I'm too cheap to hire one.

 

[Resonance.Of.Life]

I want one, mostly because I work 12-13 hrs a day (only 3 days a week) but I am extremely exhausted when I get home being that my work is very physical (CVICU RN). My body is already aching at the end of the day and with my recent cardiac issues, I am constantly exhausted even on my days off. However, hubby is not too keen on it-- esp since we have 4 dogs. I think once my contract is up, and I move back home, we will get one, but only if I am at home to monitor the dogs/the housekeeper.

 

[mary poppins]

DH and I maintain the house well enough as we go along but have cleaners come maybe 3 or 4 times per year max to do deep cleaning and get the whole house clean at the same time. I don't have them do the laundry because I prefer to do it myself.

We're not really into having cleaners because we have to put in a lot of work just to get the house ready for them to come - clearing surfaces and putting away valuables.

DH works from home and I am home often so one or both of us are usually present but in a different room while the cleaners are in the house.

If we worked out of the home or longer hours, or had children, I'd probably want a housekeeper more often and on a regular basis.

 

[LaineyRod]

To those of you with the cleaning help, doesn't it bother you that someone is in your rooms, moving your personal things around?
For instance, I have lots of perfume bottles lined up in the bathroom. I would guess the cleaning lady would be moving them all to clean the shelf.
And, I have stacks of books waiting to be read, delicate glass/china items, and collectibles all over the place.
And what about my little dishes of jewelry all over the house? You know, on the nightstand, by the kitchen sink, etc, etc.
Do I need to remove all that before she comes?
As Beekeeperbetty said, that sounds stressful.

I have had a housekeeper for years. The key is to ask around your neighborhood and hope she has an opening or wait until she does, because they will always be the best and most trust worthy! I have had my current housekeeper since we moved into our house 6 years ago, and we also hire her for every party we ever have (she knows where everything is and cleans up PERFECTLY) and brings a couple of friends to help bartend, serve, prep or whatever - but she directs the whole thing. When we travel, she house sits/dog sits and we have included her family to stay as well (especially if its over the holidays or to have a pool party for her kids if a birthday lands at the time), but she never does and she says she prefers the solitude! LOL

Yes, when she comes (1 x/week) it requires some prep - picking up the clutter, making the kids get their rooms "housekeeper ready," i.e. pick up their junk! and she only FOLDS laundry, so I have the mad dash on Tuesdays to get the laundry done for Wednesdays, but it isn't a big deal for her to "touch my stuff." Having her come keeps us from letting clutter grow too big or from kids or men being disgusting - like leaving their underwear on the floor (I have 3 teenagers, a 22 year old and a hubby, one of them is bound to be a pig at some point! LOL). My hubby says I should move my jewelry, and I usually do, but the times I haven't, she just moves it to the side to clean or if I've left in a pile, she will lay it out in an orderly fashion on a tissue.

I love my housekeeper!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

amc, we hired a cleaner after C was born, when I went back to work full-time. She comes every other week for about 4 hours, and coming home to a clean house does something wonderful for my soul.

To be honest, it doesn't really help me on a day-to-day basis. Until Bo (our newf) passed away in December, I vacuumed daily. So I was still vacuuming every day (now it's every other day), plus you'll still have all the laundry, the constant kitchen cleanup, trash to take out, etc. But it has made a HUGE difference for me for the weekend. I'm no longer setting aside hours per weekend to steam the floors, to dust top to bottom, to clean the bathrooms. Plus she does a deep cleaning of our kitchen, which I love.

My point is that it's not going to take away the daily work, but it still makes a huge difference. I love that I get all of that time back on the weekends because I now spend it with the girls instead of stuck inside cleaning.

DH was definitely worried about the security issue given that he's a bit anxious by nature. But I checked references and he liked the cleaner when we interviewed, so after the first couple of cleanings he felt fine.

 

[SMC]

We have a cleaner come every other week. It is well worth the money. Both my husband and I work FT, and we don't have enough time to spend with our daughter (she's 1) as it is. It is worth it to be able to spend more time with her and not have to worry about cleaning the toilets. Also, the cleaner does a much better job (and in a short amount of time) than I would.

We have had the same guy for the past 5 years and we trust him.

 

[ame]

I've wanted a housekeeper for years. DH, being in law enforcement, was strongly against it. He's taken too many reports revolving housekeepers and theft. Well, with two little kids and another on the way, working full time, PLUS teaching a college course, I basically said I'm not cleaning anymore. Plus, we have a yard crew with is basically the same thing. The housekeepers are here right now and I'm giddy.

Who else has one?

I want one desperately. We are both total slobs, and packrats, and hoarders. I've been spending the better part of the last year off and on trying to halfass a konmari/life edit through our house. Basically unless it's mine, it doesn't get tossed because he refuses to part with any of his shit. "It has value." Then sell it.

But I digress.

I hired a lawn service to cut our grass weekly/biweekly a few years ago and I am so glad. One of our neighbors is a lawn nazi and literally measures blades of grass before determining you're "out of line" and need to mow, and if you don't mow in his specific schedule window, he will call and report you to the powers that be. He's just as bad about the shoveling. But this year, I've come outside and found that he's shoveled already. Before I can even get my snowblower out. Whatever.

Anyway...we have a battle of wills over the friggin dishes. I ask very little of DH because frankly, I know he will do very little around there. But I basically ask that he handle the loading and unloading of dishes once a week, and then handle the trash. Guess who gets stuck doing the goddamn dishes anyway? Yea, not him. He acts like I should through a f'ing parade for him when he does them once every six months after I ask him 10 times and then tell him to do them after the 10th time. So I basically want to hire someone who will come in once every couple weeks and vacuum/mop, clean up the kitchen, clean the shower, and do the dishes. At this point, I think we need to find ourselves a neatfreak polygamist wife or husband. Lol

 

[amc80]

I've wanted a housekeeper for years. DH, being in law enforcement, was strongly against it. He's taken too many reports revolving housekeepers and theft. Well, with two little kids and another on the way, working full time, PLUS teaching a college course, I basically said I'm not cleaning anymore. Plus, we have a yard crew with is basically the same thing. The housekeepers are here right now and I'm giddy.

Who else has one?

I want one desperately. We are both total slobs, and packrats, and hoarders. I've been spending the better part of the last year off and on trying to halfass a konmari/life edit through our house. Basically unless it's mine, it doesn't get tossed because he refuses to part with any of his shit. "It has value." Then sell it.

But I digress.

I hired a lawn service to cut our grass weekly/biweekly a few years ago and I am so glad. One of our neighbors is a lawn nazi and literally measures blades of grass before determining you're "out of line" and need to mow, and if you don't mow in his specific schedule window, he will call and report you to the powers that be. He's just as bad about the shoveling. But this year, I've come outside and found that he's shoveled already. Before I can even get my snowblower out. Whatever.

Anyway...we have a battle of wills over the friggin dishes. I ask very little of DH because frankly, I know he will do very little around there. But I basically ask that he handle the loading and unloading of dishes once a week, and then handle the trash. Guess who gets stuck doing the goddamn dishes anyway? Yea, not him. He acts like I should through a f'ing parade for him when he does them once every six months after I ask him 10 times and then tell him to do them after the 10th time. So I basically want to hire someone who will come in once every couple weeks and vacuum/mop, clean up the kitchen, clean the shower, and do the dishes. At this point, I think we need to find ourselves a neatfreak polygamist wife or husband. Lol

DH will rinse his dishes and then leave them in the dishwasher. AFTER I've told him that I emptied the dishwasher. It drives me crazy, but I have to let it go, otherwise it will be the end of me. One time, he was all excited and told me he did the dishes. Guess what that involved? Starting the dishwasher. He didn't actually wash anything by hand, nor did he load anything else into the dishwasher. He pushed a button.

I did take about an hour prepping the house for the cleaners. But I would have had to do that anyway in order to do a thorough clean.

 

[zoebartlett]

I've wanted a housekeeper for years. DH, being in law enforcement, was strongly against it. He's taken too many reports revolving housekeepers and theft. Well, with two little kids and another on the way, working full time, PLUS teaching a college course, I basically said I'm not cleaning anymore. Plus, we have a yard crew with is basically the same thing. The housekeepers are here right now and I'm giddy.

Who else has one?

We have a cleaning service (2 or 3 people) who clean our house every two weeks. They're great! We keep up with the day to day stuff, but we love the extra help.

 

[springerspaniel]

Thanks to DK, I now have a much better term for my organizational skills:
"Being naturally untidy"
What a great way to say it!
My husband has many other ways to say it but has never again complained about my not vacuuming after I tried without a bag in the canister...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I've wanted a housekeeper for years. DH, being in law enforcement, was strongly against it. He's taken too many reports revolving housekeepers and theft. Well, with two little kids and another on the way, working full time, PLUS teaching a college course, I basically said I'm not cleaning anymore. Plus, we have a yard crew with is basically the same thing. The housekeepers are here right now and I'm giddy.

Who else has one?

I do, and I highly support all working women having cleaning help! I am not sure where we got the idea we can do it all! If we have children and a paying job, then we should have some help doing household things so that we actually have a little time to spend with the family on the weekend rather than doing all the cleaning! Laundry and cooking throughout the week is bad enough. I got a cleaning lady when I had two little kids and went back to teaching. I have always had one every other week for a half day. Even when I stopped teaching, I still kept her! The one I have now has worked for us for at least 15+ years. I leave my jewelry right there in the little dish thing on my vanity and have never even thought about hiding anything. As someone already said, you get a cleaning person that works for someone you know, and then you have references you can trust.

I do have to do some things to get ready for her to clean, but knowing she comes those specific days makes me do what I need to do, too!

I'll tell you one thing, amc, that cleaning person would have started the day after the yard person started if that had happened here!