Anyone get rid of their cleaning people/person ~ was it manageable?

[sunnyday123]

No, but I did let the butler and chauffeur go.

 

[LuLuO]

We've never had a cleaning person but I am thinking about hiring a friend of my MIL's who does cleaning. MIL gave me a gift certificate to try her out. I'd love to have a cleaning person once a week. I feel like I don't spend enough time with the kids because I am cleaning and then I feel like I don't clean enough because I am spending a lot of time with the kids. I don't seem to be able to juggle it.

 

[TALB]

I got rid of our cleaning lady when she upped her fee to $20 an hour. I then hired a high school girl who isn't old enough to work yet. I pay her $10 an hour and she is awesome. I plan to hire her extra hours over the summer for some deep cleaning. You should consider this. I just asked some friends who had teenage daughters until I found one.

 

[Anjelica]

Thanks for your responses - it definetly gives me something to think about. I really am worried about not being able to have the family time we do now if we let the cleaning folks go.

Currently they come every other week - there is usually 4 ladies and it takes them a little more than 1.5 hours to do the cleaning. My husband thinks our kids (one turning 7 and one is 3) should be able to help out more, etc. I think he is convinced that since it only takes 1.5 hours for four ladies to do the cleaning - which he considers "ok" - that it won't take us much longer if we make our own schedule and each of us pitches in.

They currently don't clean every room in the house but about 75% of the rooms and the bathrooms which are HUGE for me. He says he will clean the bathrooms himself and believe it or not before we had cleaning folks he did clean the bathrooms (I don't mind the kitchen, etc.) so I know he will live up to his word on that.

Just a lot to think about - and I really do appreciate everyones views and experiences on the subject.

 

[Jeninindy]

I think he is a bit off base if he thinks that a 7 year old and a 3 year old will be able to help clean the house - while they can put their things away, there is no way they can clean like four cleaners!!!

Good Luck with whatever you decide. My vote is to keep the cleaners if you can afford it. We don't have a cleaning lady, but would love one!

 

[englishteacha]

I just don't clean my house.

No, we don't live in filth, but I probably should vacuum and dust a bit more often, and declutter more frequently. My bathroom is always clean, we always have clean clothes and dishes. I work full time, run the school drama program, and am in grad school. Something had to take the backseat, and for me it was cleaning. Getting my degree means more to me than having a dust free dining room or a perfectly vacuumed carpet!

If I could figure out how to pay a housecleaner, I would. However, since most of our trouble is clutter (we have a tiny house and every surface has "stuff"), there's not a lot a cleaner could do for me other than pick up the clutter and dust underneath it!

 

[clh2]

I used to have a fabulous cleaning lady, and then she passed away due to pancreatic cancer.

We opted to not find a new cleaning lady to come in every other week.

What we currently do - for the times that I want the house to look immaculate - I find someone on craigslist. I did this before DD's confirmation party. It was the best present I could have given myself. It cost a lot, but is was SOOO worth it.

We also had someone come in and give the house a good once over about a week before Christmas last year. Yep - the house looked fab! Worth every penny.

The hard part of no longer having a regular cleaning lady - the whole house is never clean all at one time. I just try to make sure there is a "little extra" available close to the holidays.

 

[Aisling]

Don't cancel the cleaning people. Since you both work, it's worth every dime. And tell Shannon you're helping the economy by providing employment!

 

[XYSRUS]

Have to chime in....husband is super frugal ie. Cheap. Anyway 4 years ago I started working nights and got a cleaning person. FF 4 years and we thought maybe we could cut down to every 3-4 weeks instead of every 2. Well, my frugal husband was the one who finally lost his mind and caved. We love our cleaning lady who comes every 2 weeks-wish we could afford every week!

 

[jodifla]

Thanks for your responses - it definetly gives me something to think about. I really am worried about not being able to have the family time we do now if we let the cleaning folks go.

Currently they come every other week - there is usually 4 ladies and it takes them a little more than 1.5 hours to do the cleaning. My husband thinks our kids (one turning 7 and one is 3) should be able to help out more, etc. I think he is convinced that since it only takes 1.5 hours for four ladies to do the cleaning - which he considers "ok" - that it won't take us much longer if we make our own schedule and each of us pitches in.

They currently don't clean every room in the house but about 75% of the rooms and the bathrooms which are HUGE for me. He says he will clean the bathrooms himself and believe it or not before we had cleaning folks he did clean the bathrooms (I don't mind the kitchen, etc.) so I know he will live up to his word on that.

Just a lot to think about - and I really do appreciate everyones views and experiences on the subject.

Of course, this is still more than 6 hours of nonstop cleaning for your house. So that's six hours you won't be doing fun things. It doesn't sound like much, but if you already work full time, there aren't than many other hours in a day.

And even if you have the cleaning people there is still plenty to do daily in your house: Laundry, dishes, shopping, cooking. Not to mention all the yardwork. Not to mention all the projects that pile up that don't get touched if you are scrubbing floors.

If you were struggling, sure I'd cancel. But since your not, I'd spend the money and enjoy your life!

 

[tink_lover]

I posted earlier and had to come back to let you know..... I FOUND A NEW CLEANING LADY

I sent an email to some neighbors and friends asking for recommendations and got a few back immediately. Called one of them, she came this week to look thru the house and I hired her on the spot. What did it was when she said that if she finishes early, she just looks for something else to do, like clean out the refrigerator!!!! I'm so relieved, it's really kinda sad.

 

[labdogs42]

I just don't clean my house.

No, we don't live in filth, but I probably should vacuum and dust a bit more often, and declutter more frequently. My bathroom is always clean, we always have clean clothes and dishes. I work full time, run the school drama program, and am in grad school. Something had to take the backseat, and for me it was cleaning. Getting my degree means more to me than having a dust free dining room or a perfectly vacuumed carpet!

If I could figure out how to pay a housecleaner, I would. However, since most of our trouble is clutter (we have a tiny house and every surface has "stuff"), there's not a lot a cleaner could do for me other than pick up the clutter and dust underneath it!

I used to just not clean, but now that I have a cleaning lady, I find I LOVE having a clean house! (we hired the cleaning lady when I went back to work full time in January of this year. I made DH promise I could haev a cleaning lady if I got a full time job!) I'm the cheap one in the family and while it does pain me a bit to pay her every week, I have to admit, I 'd hate to get rid of her. Just knowing that the kitchen floor and counters and bathrooms will be clean every week makes me happy. It also gives me time to do the other cleaning tasks that weren't getting done like cleaning out the fridge on a regular basis, vacuuming the couch every so often, and decluttering the whole house. It also helps that I know she's coming on Wednesday, so I run around and clean up on Tuesday nights. Otherwise, I'd just skip it!

 

[shortbun]

We're in the process of hiring one. I've been blown off twice by private cleaners and Tuesday, Merry Maids is coming. I can not keep up with the general cleaning during the week because my schedule is so crazy and the men in my house are pigs but I love them!!! They couldn't care less about clean bathrooms and kitchens or floors. There are fingerprints everywhere all the time. I am looking forward to the day when it's no longer an issue.

OP-could you cut back to twice a month instead of weekly?

 

[esk]

I've had a cleaning person for the last 14 years...not the same one, of course. DH and I are both in the military and have lived in 8 different places, but we always find one.

At first, I figured I could do it, but it created resentment because I spent each Saturday cleaning and DH didn't. Then he pitched in with bathrooms (I hate them) and I did the kitchen, but the vacuuming of the dog hair alone made me nuts. So we got a weekly cleaner and never looked back.

We love coming home to a clean house on Fridays. Since we're not here much during the week (after work, it's dinner and bed for our 2 kids) the weekends are when we are at home and it would make me crazy to have to clean....like it would be hanging over my head that I have to get it done.

Every time we move, we go through 2-3 months before I find one I'm happy with and that is no picnic. Weekends are when we do errands, and adding cleaning on top of that just makes it harder.

By contrast, my mother has never, ever, ever had one. She used to give me a can of Comet and a sponge and tell me to get moving on the 3 bathrooms in our house.....I think I was 10? Maybe 12. After dinner chores used to drive us kids nuts and cause more fights. Although I have always liked doing the laundry....

 

[mamaLori05]

If I could hire a cleaning lady, I would in a heart beat!!! I am a SAHM, with a 3 and 5 yr old and one on the way, oh and a dh who forgets where the dishwasher is and likes to read the newspaper throughout the entire house. I do keep up with the house daily by picking up after the kids (and dh), vacuuming the kitchen floor once a day to catch all the crumbs under the table, keep up on the dishes, etc..., but I find I still spend ALL DAY on Sat cleaning. Seriously, even with keeping up with everything during the week it takes me at least 6 hrs of nonstop cleaning on Sat to do all the deep cleaning like washing the floors, cleaning the bathrooms, wiping down the kitchen, dusting, vacuuming the entire house, etc...(and that doesn't include doing the windows or baseboards, those unfortunately get neglected to spring and fall cleaning). In addition to the 6 hrs I probably do another hour or two per day just keeping up with the daily stuff (the laundry, dishes, and the never ending of picking up after the kids). It is just me doing all the cleaning, so I'm sure if I had some help it wouldn't take as long, but it's still a LOT of work!!! I've already warned my dh several times that when I go back to work, I WILL be hiring a cleaning lady. I hate cleaning as it is, but I could NEVER keep up with it all if I was working full time, I can barely keep up with it as it is. So yes....keep the cleaning lady!!!!

 

[karice2]

I have been considering a cleaning person. My grandma who loves to clean recommended it on Thanksgiving. My main issue is folding the laundry, does your cleaning people do that? Do you find yourself pre-cleaning for the cleaning lady, do they change sheets. What is done?

I am single with no kids but have about a 3 hour round trip commute every day. I just don't have the time or inclination to do the cleaning that I should be doing.

If you can afford it don't get rid of the cleaning lady. I will be joining your ranks soon.

 

[wide awake]

I don't have a cleaning lady, if I could find someone that would do a good job, and if I weren't so cheap I'd think about it. For those of you that use a chain...do they really clean or is it surface ? I remember from "Nickled and Dimed" the author was appalled at how they were taught to make it look nice, but no real cleaning. Gross. Like many PP if a clean house is important to you the time is there. I loathe cleaning, but do the basics everyday and a full cleaning on Sundays...and I work approx 70 hours a week and have an autistic son. So yes, the time is there if you make it a priority.
One thing that helps me is that I am very careful about what I buy or put out. For example, if it can't be put in the dishwasher it isn't on my kitchen counters. One trash can under the kitchen sink so I'm not running around all over the house emptying various other trash cans. Leather couches and chairs for the most part. Washable bed coverings. Tile in all the bathrooms, downstairs hall, kitchen, laundryroom, and main eating area. Very few knickknacks. Throwing out most of the mail before it ever comes into the house. No shoes inside. Certain things done every day, just to stay on top...beds made, always at least one load of laundry, all dishes in the dishwasher and washed and unloaded at least once a day, all sinks scoured at least once a day, bathroom and kitchen counters wiped down, all toilets have bleach tablets to keep them ok between cleanings, trash taken out 2-3 times a day, and an everything has a place policy.
No, my house isn't cold and unwelcoming. I decorate w/ fresh flowers, have lots of books, and if I want to display something I hang it up for the most part.

 

[crisi]

I had a cleaning person when my kids were little. When they got to be young elementary school age, the woman I used decided to stop cleaning houses. And I didn't bother to replace her. In part because I wanted my kids to start to participate in the cleaning.

So that was the time we pulled out chores. Does house cleaning and chores impact the amount of time we have to do other things - a little. But it also teaches my kids that the faster they get chores done, the sooner we can get to the pool. That the house does not clean itself. They are now eleven and twelve, and can do laundry, vaccuum, dust, put a meal on the table, clean a bathroom, do the dishes. With four hands it doesn't take very long at all to get a house in order. It is something we do together as a family....so no, it doesn't cut into family time.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

No, I think it is cheaper for DH to keep ME than to get rid of ME.

 

[laurafergie]

I have been considering a cleaning person. My grandma who loves to clean recommended it on Thanksgiving. My main issue is folding the laundry, does your cleaning people do that? Do you find yourself pre-cleaning for the cleaning lady, do they change sheets. What is done?

I am single with no kids but have about a 3 hour round trip commute every day. I just don't have the time or inclination to do the cleaning that I should be doing.

If you can afford it don't get rid of the cleaning lady. I will be joining your ranks soon.

I actually am someone's cleaner. I picked up the job for extra money back in 2008 when my DH got laid off and just kept the job. I work 2 times a week/4 hours a day, (in addition to my real job) and the money I make from it goes in our vacation fund.

That being said - I used to have a cleaner myself. I wish I still did and would go back in a heartbeat. Kind of ironic in a way. I don't mind cleaning the other person's house, because it is a job - but HATE cleaning my own.

To answer PP's question. Yes - the lady I work for does make sure the house is "picked up". I am paid to clean, not move toys and clutter around. We agreed on this before hand. (I actually had to fire a family a couple of years ago because their house was so gross, cluttered and messy - all I could do was pick up their mess. But she didn't want to pay for the extra time. Not worth the stress)

I also do her family's laundry. She asked if I would when I was hired, and I don't care - it just runs as I work. I deliver to proper rooms, but I don't put away. (I don't want to invade their private dresser drawers)

I also change sheets - I will make the bed anyway - so it is not a big deal.

I deep clean one room (baseboards, inside windows, etc.but I don't move the furniture) per visit in addition to the agreed cleaning, so everything is in rotation.

Everything I do was discussed and agreed before hand. I actually modeled what I agreed to - to what MY former cleaner used to do for me - except I didn't have her do my laundry.