Six Word Memoirs on Life Stories

Dragonflower says,

If it makes life easier to hire a cleaning service, why not? I haven't always felt like this. I used to think I had to do everything myself. I was making myself crazy and extremely tired. I never did hire anyone to help me, but looking back, I should have.

I am always amazed that people who live in my apt. complex hire someone to come clean the apartment before they move out, so that they will get their cleaning deposit back. They are too busy moving to do both the moving and the cleaning. This is another place I would always wear myself out to a frazzle. It never, ever occurred to me I could get help. Affordability is always an issue, but it boils down to priorities, I'd say. What would you give up to be able to afford to come home to a clean house once a week, or once a month, or anything inbetween?

Also, I've cleaned peoples houses and I can tell you, I never thought anything about the people I worked for. I just went in and cleaned. I expected it to be a little messy and felt good I could restore it to order. I know this is always on people's minds when they hire someone to clean their house--what will "she" think of me. (house cleaner people are usually shes.)

Dean6805 says,

I'd totally hire someone to help if we could afford it. Gives us a break and helps someone else earn an income.

accidentaltourist says,

My sister's husband suggested it when they first got married...they both worked full time and spent a good portion of their weekend playing catch up with household chores. He finally said their sanity was worth the cost of someone coming in once a week to dust, vacuum, scrub the toilets, etc. My sister was appalled...we were raised to do for ourselves...but after a few weeks of being able to actually enjoy her home on the weekend and not see it as a second job, she changed her mind.

canadafreeze says,

Yes - build it into your budget right from the beginning, and especially if you have children.

jl333 says,

For me personally, not at this time. I used to have somebody come clean my apartment every 3 or 4 weeks...but it was super cheap (like 20 bucks). Now they all charge an arm and a leg...and I'm not giving up either my arm or leg to have a stupid house cleaned. Now on the other hand, I work for the well-to-do families...they all have maids, housekeepers, gardeners, pool cleaners, organizers, and car washers come to their houses. Seems a bit costly to me.

Dragonflower says,

When I cleaned houses, it was of the $20 variety, like jl333 mentioned. I even left fresh flowers! I did it for extra moola, not because I was such a red hot cleaner. It was more just basics, doing dishes, vacuuming, dusting, straightening up. People were pretty easy to please. Now it seems things have changed and a house cleaner has to do a lot more. Sometimes I wish I could just have someone clean my bathroom and kitchen. And hang up all my clothes I leave all over the place.

And leave fresh flowers.

marymc says,

I had someone every other week when I was preggers and worked full time and when Sawyer was a baby. Hubby has offered it now, but I can't justify the expense (much like having a plow service). I don't work full time and there is no baby. That said, I only vacuum when company's coming. I'll admit it. The house is a sty. I have to get my shit together. He deserves better,

Mourningdove says,

I asked as I am considering it. I wondered how people feel about having strangers clean their stuff. I feel kind of weird having someone clean my mess.

Dragonflower says,

Think of it the same as when you're on vacation. Maybe that would help make it seem less intrusive.

Wench says,

If it's ever in the budget, I would hire someone in a heartbeat. Growing up, we didn't have a dishwasher, a clothes dryer, a microwave, a toaster oven, and my mom believed that elbow grease was always the preferred technique to getting a chemical that would do the same job in half the time with half the effort. So I am very good at cleaning. But I absolutely hate doing it.