How much do you pay your housekeepers?

[MinnieLynnie]

If I knew someone who was trustworthy, I'd do it...in a heartbeat. I'd love to have someone do the tough stuff for a change.

For me, working full-time leaves me exhausted by the time I get home. Too tired to do anything other than laundry & general straightening. Maybe some dusting & vacuuming. My weekends are shot, trying to do the "big" cleaning, like bathrooms, moving furniture, windows, etc.

Good for you, ladies!!

 

[jmac323]

Thank you, I was thinking the same thing. Both dh and I work 50+ hours and frankly, having a cleaner come in twice a month saved us our marriage bc our biggest argument was cleaning. We pay $104 each time in upstate NY.

This is exactly what I was thinking! The landlord of our new house is covering yard maintenance which saves my DH some work hours on the weekend, so why not help myself out? LOL.

 

[beansmom]

.....oh,wait, this is a serious question on the budget board? sorry,can't help it...... wait,this is the budget board,right? ok I'm ready...flame away!

well, there WERE years when we thought being able to afford meat with our beans was a big deal. Thank goodness, my life has improved financially.

To each his own...including wiseguys...but i'd rather spend an hour taking a romantic bath with my husband than cleaning a toilet. I guess i have screwed up priorities.

 

[mefordis]

I agree! DH hates cleaning and it would not be a good bonding experience for us at ALL!

well, there WERE years when we thought being able to afford meat with our beans was a big deal. Thank goodness, my life has improved financially.

To each his own...including wiseguys...but i'd rather spend an hour taking a romantic bath with my husband than cleaning a toilet. I guess i have screwed up priorities.

 

[Tink415]

We used to have 'Merry Maids' come every other week, it was $225 for dust, vaccuum or wash floors, clean bathrooms and kitchen. 1700 sq feet. I stopped having them come, oh at least 8 years ago, because it was just too expensive, the quality of cleaning wasn't there, and my kids thought they didn't need to clean anything, ever.

 

[mrseace711]

My kids manage to mess it up between school and bedtime. And with 2 of us working full time it's for sure hard to to get it all done.

I thought I was the only one LOL

I would LOVE to have a cleaning lady come do my floors once a month!! And bathrooms. We have a 2100 sq quad level home with 2 1/2 bathrooms and ALL hardwood floors and tiles sweeping THEN moping or steaming is a PAIN.

 

[disneyofcourse]

ugh post got accidentally deleted so here are the basics! I pay my house cleaner $135 per two weeks for an average small/medium home. For once a month cleanings its more in the $200 something range. She does Laundry, cleans the floors, Bathrooms, dusts, cleans the kitchen, changes sheets, neatens and most importantly cleans the bathroom. My last housekeeper did pretty much the same for a similar amount of money but this one seems to do a better job overall (and she has less car issues). It is so worth it to come home and have everything looking nice. However, I do think if I had grown up without a housekeeper I wouldn't have one now.

 

[ccgirl]

They are not pulling out the furniture to clean! I just pulled out a chair to string lights around a window and there is DUST and dirt behind it!

My friend was having the same issue with her cleaning service. She talked to them and they agreed to move the furniture. Although, they said they would have to charge her extra. My house cleaner always did that. She even washed my garbage cans, paper towel holders and folded the toilet paper in a triangle like they do at hotels.

Funny story....the first time I had my house clean and I came home from work I said to my DH, "what is that smell?" To which he comically relied, "That is the smell of a clean house." Now, mind you my house was not what you would classify as dirty to begin with. It was just impeccable. At first he thought I was crazy for spending it but after he saw what a thorough job she did he thought it was well worth it.

I really wish I could find someone like her again but I'm not sure if she exists.

 

[SaraJayne]

well, i AM a lady of leisure so to speak. I work with my husband part-time..2-3 days a week usually and for about 4 hours per day. I have raised 3 children and cleaned house all the time they were growing up. I am now married to a doctor who makes six figures and we have a 3k sf house. I have cleaned my share of house and I darn well don't apologize for having a housekeeper now. I do enjoy a clean house but I would rather spend MY time doing other things.

To each his own....my 'own' happens to include a housekeeper and NOT cleaning toilets.

Some people that have spouses that make "six figures" still clean their own houses.

Money has nothing to do with it.

 

[Jedana]

I spend about 40-60 minutes a day cleaning my house. I'm not including dinner cooking time nor laundry, since those happen on a daily basis.

My routine is very simple:
Every night I cook dinner, do the dishes, and sweep the kitchen floor. I also do a quick "sweep" of my living room, and have DS put up anything that belongs to him, and I pick up after DH and myself. All that takes about 20-30 minutes a day.

Mondays, I vacuum the living room, hallways and bedrooms (4). I pick up the mess from DH and DS from the weekend.

Tuesdays, I clean both bathrooms, top to bottom. I mop the hall by the front door and the kitchen also. (I never have to cook or clean the kitchen this night, during the school year--Cub scout meeting night, so we go out to dinner.) Quick wipe down of any windows (inside) that need it, or the sliding glass door.

Wednesdays, I put out recycling bins, put them up after. I pick up any messes in the garage.

Thursday, put out the trash, put trash cans up when done. I dust the electronics, book shelves, etc. Change the sheets on both beds.

Friday, I vacuum the whole house. I mop the kitchen and by the front door, if it needs it.

Saturday, I just pick up as needed
Sunday, I just pick up as needed.

And I still have to rotate DH's dialysis supplies, and get him on the dialysis machine every night except Tuesdays.
When I was working full time, I still managed to do everything, splitting the work with DH. Now, being a SAHM, I can't see paying someone to do something that takes me very little time.

 

[buckirj1]

www.home-ec101.com has tutorials on the basics involved in housekeeping and housecleaning, and even has a weekly chore schedule. The site has a lot of common sense advice.

 

[Kallista]

Some people that have spouses that make "six figures" still clean their own houses.

Money has nothing to do with it.

I make six figures. I clean my own house, work full time, and have two kids. My grandma was a cleaning lady. I'd be embarrassed to have someone else clean my house for me. I'm an adult. I can keep my own stuff straight. I have good organizational skills and a good work ethic, though.

 

[angierae]

I spend about 40-60 minutes a day cleaning my house. I'm not including dinner cooking time nor laundry, since those happen on a daily basis.

If I had to spend 60 minutes a day cleaning my house I'd go crazy.

I get home from work between 5:30 and 6. We eat dinner at 7, the dishes and everything are usually done by 7:45.

If I cleaned until 8:45 that would give me a whopping hour of free time in my ENTIRE DAY to do anything else I would want to do - watch tv, hobbies, spend time with my child/spouse. There's no way. I do about 15 minutes of picking up/straightening every evening before bed but the floors and bathrooms and dusting and whatnot have to wait for the weekend because I am not giving up what little bit of free time I have in the evenings to clean.

www.home-ec101.com has tutorials on the basics involved in housekeeping and housecleaning, and even has a weekly chore schedule. The site has a lot of common sense advice.

Thanks for that link, I'm going to check it out.

 

[Juliet25]

This thread is a great ego boost. I have a demanding 3yo as well as two other kids AND I clean my own house. I didn't realize how super spectacular that was.

I kid. I would love to have someone come clean my house on a regular basis. But oh well, it's good exercise.

 

[Juliet25]

"........

 

[beansmom]

This thread is a great ego boost. I have a demanding 3yo as well as two other kids AND I clean my own house. I didn't realize how super spectacular that was.

BTDT and bravo to you who do. I just don't want to anymore and as long as we can afford it, i'm gonna have a housekeeper.

ccgirl, i want the name of the housekeeper! wow!

 

[Pembo]

My housekeepers get free room and board.

 

[herdtoDisney]

We all have different budgets. And just because a bi-monthly housekeeper IS in my budget, doesn't mean that I don't look to save money on other things when I can.

True! I agree and do the same.

Although I don't currently have a service ( I posted upthread about how I did during a crazy time last spring), when we did I could afford it-but I also drive a 14 year old used car, dh cuts my hair, I don't have air conditioning and bought this big house as a garbage-filled foreclosure. I also have a large family and was a SAHM for a time. So I am pretty familiar with budget living I would not have done it if it would take away from an obligation or my family.

It really is mostly about time, for me. My house is always cleanest on my days off!

 

[IUTBAM]

Some people that have spouses that make "six figures" still clean their own houses.

And some people have a spouse who makes six figures who wants to help with the cleaning...vacuuming, cleaning the toilet (he makes the biggest mess, so he should be the one to clean it...seems fair to me), making beds and sweeping. I shouldn't have to do it all...we've always shared cleaning even though I'm a SAHM.

 

[momto2girls]

And some people have a spouse who makes six figures who wants to help with the cleaning...vacuuming, cleaning the toilet (he makes the biggest mess, so he should be the one to clean it...seems fair to me), making beds and sweeping. I shouldn't have to do it all...we've always shared cleaning even though I'm a SAHM.

And some people have a spouse that makes six figures and is extremely helpful with household matters, but have jointly decided that they would prefer to pay someone else to clean the house so that they don't have to. Different strokes and all that.