I am frugal in other ways, but I do choose to have a twice monthly housecleaner.
If money were tight, that would be the first to go.
But don't think I or my kids don't have to do chores! From the sounds of things, my kids age 6,8,10 have the same if not more chores than their friends.
Every morning, they make their beds and pick up their rooms. I wash laundry, I'll fold it if it's a school day, but if they are here, they fold it. They are responsible for putting it away after school.
In the morning they make their lunches together and are expected to clean up the mess behind them. They routinely help clean counters, sweep, mop, vaccuum, do dishes. The endless "kid clutter" is their responsibility to pick up after.
And on the night before the housecleaner comes, the whole family pitches in for a final sweep through the house to clean up clutter, put things away etc... Because the housecleaner does not need to spend her time washing our dishes, picking up our towels, sorting our piles of mail.
Having her come twice a month ,means I need to keep up on my clutter. I can't just leave things lying around until lord knows when. And while I am guaranteed clean floors, clean stove, clean toilet, etc... twice a month, it's not like I don't have to pick up after all of us the rest on the time. And it certainly isn't like my kids are expected to chip in, either.
Certainly I have lived life without a housecleaner. And I could again. But I tell you straight up, my house was never as picked up (clutter) and never cleaned as often. Call me lazy, but that's the truth. Having a housecleaner MAKES me declutter and focus on keeping up on the mess.
If money were tight, that would be the first to go.
But don't think I or my kids don't have to do chores! From the sounds of things, my kids age 6,8,10 have the same if not more chores than their friends.
Every morning, they make their beds and pick up their rooms. I wash laundry, I'll fold it if it's a school day, but if they are here, they fold it. They are responsible for putting it away after school.
In the morning they make their lunches together and are expected to clean up the mess behind them. They routinely help clean counters, sweep, mop, vaccuum, do dishes. The endless "kid clutter" is their responsibility to pick up after.
And on the night before the housecleaner comes, the whole family pitches in for a final sweep through the house to clean up clutter, put things away etc... Because the housecleaner does not need to spend her time washing our dishes, picking up our towels, sorting our piles of mail.
Having her come twice a month ,means I need to keep up on my clutter. I can't just leave things lying around until lord knows when. And while I am guaranteed clean floors, clean stove, clean toilet, etc... twice a month, it's not like I don't have to pick up after all of us the rest on the time. And it certainly isn't like my kids are expected to chip in, either.
Certainly I have lived life without a housecleaner. And I could again. But I tell you straight up, my house was never as picked up (clutter) and never cleaned as often. Call me lazy, but that's the truth. Having a housecleaner MAKES me declutter and focus on keeping up on the mess.