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Post by Perfect Mess on Sept 13, 2008 8:49:35 GMT -5
It's been a while since I stopped in here. In my head somehow it just hasn't been the same since pigpen dissolved the forum on squalorsurvivors. But I gotta get over that because you guys have always been so supportive and I need that sometimes! So anyway, here's a little update on me. I don't know if I had mentioned that I hired a housekeeper. It was a one time deal at first. there were 2 of them and they cleaned for 4 hours straight. I also 'put things away' for the entire time. They charged by the hour and would have stayed longer had they needed to. When they left the entire house was clean and all the clutter was organized. Maybe not exactly where I would have wanted it all to go, but that didn't matter to me. After that day, I hired another housekeeper that comes every other monday. She always brings someone with her and they clean for 1 to 2 hours. Between visits tho, the house does turn into a mess again. They clean around my clutter. Making neat stacks and sorting things into containers so they can clean around it. Same with the kids rooms which are always a disaster. They clean the floor, ceiling, the surfaces, change my bedsheets, scrub my pots. and I pay them $80. I've needed to accept the fact that my time and my sanity is worth more than $160/month. So the house does get cleaned. Meaning there are no wads of dog hair sitting for weeks, no rings around the toilet bowls, no crust on the sinks, no weeks old gunk in the kitchen. But the clutter is still a problem! I think the ladies are used to working aroud clutter because they never say anything about it. They just silently go about their work and when I apologize for the piles, they just keep saying that they've seen worse and that it's no big deal. So, now that I dont' have to worry about CLEANING, I still need to do something about the clutter, the mail, the laundry, the dishes (because I really don't want them wasting time on dishes and dishes can't sit around for 2 weeks either). I dont' want them to have to work around the clutter anymore. I'll be visiting more often for motivation. So I guess the moral of the story is, cleaning service will help. And if they don't put away your clutter, they will make it look more approachable. clean, neat piles is less intimidating than mountains for crap prawn everywhere. Oh! and just knowing that they're coming is enough to get our rear in gear too! My hubby and I always jump into action when we hear them knocking on the door. He does the dishes while I declutter the kitchen table and counters.  ! And the ladies do everything else. By the time they leave it's like heaven in the house. I especially love the wide spaces of clean, shiny floors! |
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Post by brenda on Sept 13, 2008 10:41:10 GMT -5
My step sister runs a small house cleaning service. She told me she prefers cleaning a cluttered house because the expecations are hard work are far less. When a house is uncluttered she really has to get in there and scrub to make a big difference. Being a tightwad this motivated me to declutter when I had a service coming in.
Good luck,
Brenda
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Post by Perfect Mess on Sept 13, 2008 11:26:06 GMT -5
hmm.. that's a really good point. I hadn't thought of that! I know we notice their work when they're done we usually say "wow , a clean house!", but i'm sure they cut corners too being as they have to wade thru the clutter.
Thanks for giving me another reason to declutter!
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Post by crazycatlady on Sept 13, 2008 12:30:44 GMT -5
I have someone coming in every two weeks, too, Perfectness. It really is good motivation to straighten up a bit the night before, or morning of, so she can get to things to clean them up.
I heard of a perfectionist person setting a test for his cleaning lady...a piece of fuzz left somewhere, to see if she was really cleaning. He almost fired her without explaining to her, over a piece of fuzz. I know someone else (also a cleanie) who insisted her cleaning lady scrub the floors on her knees.
I would think that although us "messies" have dirtier homes, we are probably also a lot more appreciative of the work our helpers do. And maybe less picky about whether they scrub on their knees, or just get the floors clean!
Do your best to declutter for your benefit. But I am right there with you on being afraid of leaving 2 weeks worth of dishes for my helper. If I ever get that far behind again, I'm sure that she will pitch in. In the meantime, I just appreciate the clean sheets, and clean floors, and clean kitchen, and...well, you understand!
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Post by mouse on Sept 13, 2008 13:11:03 GMT -5
I don't think it's about "cutting corners," positivelypickles. It's more about expectations and visible results. After all, a cluttered and dirty home that has been de-cluttered and scrubbed looks *miles* better almost immediately, whereas it'll be "harder" to see results in a home that was already tidy but needed a bit of dusting and wiping. So people with clutter will generally be more impressed by a housekeeper's efforts because they can *see* the results right away and in a dramatic fashion.
~Mouse
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Post by mouse on Sept 13, 2008 13:43:11 GMT -5
maybe it was just their nerves, or denial, or whatever, but their expectations about what i could do just were not appropriate.
I see what you mean. It sounds like you've had some pretty bad experiences. I've only ever had a professional come in once, and I was really impressed with the place once they were done. However, that was after I'd spent *months* de-squaloring, so I know how hard they had to work.
Maybe some messies really don't get how much work it is, especially not if they haven't made the effort to clean first themselves?
~Mouse
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Post by moggyfan on Sept 13, 2008 15:19:01 GMT -5
Hallelujah! After about two years, my former cleaning lady called a couple weeks ago (she had dropped out of sight for awhile!) and asked if I were interested in having her come again. She used to come about once every 6 - 8 weeks or so.
Well, she came this morning! She was, I am pleased to say, pretty shocked at how well I'd maintained on my own, but she spent three hours anyway, most of it scrubbing every square inch of the bathroom and vacuuming like my home has never been vacuumed before.
But still...I agree with what others are saying about the transformation not being so noticeable when the place is pretty clean to begin with. Don't get me wrong, though, I'm **thrilled** to know that even the little out-of-the-way corners have been attended to (and, all my faucets are shiny).
I cannot imagine treating a house cleaner badly, especially since I know all too well how hard she works (and I pay her VERY well). She's a kick to have around and I hope we can re-establish our somewhat irregular schedule (this is not her "main" job).
Hurray for house cleaners!
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Post by razy on Sept 14, 2008 3:57:54 GMT -5
Good to see you back Perfectmess
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Post by Perfect Mess on Sept 17, 2008 8:46:50 GMT -5
hey there guys. thanks for welcoming me back, razy. the last time they came to clean, one of the ladies had to spend about 30 minutes just picking toys up and sorting them in the girls' room. I went in there and helped her. I dont' know if she rather be cleaning the room or decluttering the room. But I know I eventually want to get things in a state that they only have to worry about cleaning, not picking up my messes or my undies from the floor.  |
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Post by shabbychic on Sept 18, 2008 7:33:36 GMT -5
PositivelyPickles said
maybe it was just their nerves, or denial, or whatever, but their expectations about what i could do just were not appropriate.
I don't think this is surprising since our expectations of ourselves are often unrealistic too.
Shabby Chic
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