You only have so many hours in a day. Life, however, refuses to acknowledge this unfortunate limitation, and continues to pile on work duties, child-care needs, and biological requirements such as eating and sleeping. Household chores often end up being pushed aside in favor of making a dinner that did not begin the day as a frozen entrée or arrive in takeout containers. Enter the housekeeper. These versatile and dedicated individuals make a career out of helping overbooked and overworked people keep their homes in order. In this post, we’ll uncover five signs you may need housekeeping services, qualities you should look for when hiring a housekeeper, and how to manage a housekeeping schedule.
You’re Neglecting Necessary Cleaning Chores
You might need to hire a house cleaner if you’re wearing the same unwashed shirt for the second time in one week or if the dirty dishes are attracting pests.
Depending on the arrangements you make with your housekeeper, he or she can also perform more thorough cleaning services. A housekeeper can sweep and mop floors, vacuum or even deep clean carpets, and wax tile to help protect the finish. See your artwork in a new light after your housekeeper has cleaned the glass on pictures, and polished decorative pieces.
People who forget to dust window blinds, or loathe doing dishes, will love a housekeeper. The attention to small details makes a good housekeeper shine.
Your Sleep has been Compromised
Sometimes the laundry cycle will take a little longer than you anticipated, but if you regularly sacrifice sleep (For exercise,or preparING healthy meals), it’s time to delegate some of your duties. Cleaning up and vacuuming can be done with assistance, but no one can get you to sleep or attend your aerobics class for you.
A New Baby (or other significant change) has Arrived
If you have an infant or toddler at home, are busy taking care of an elderly parent, or got a promotion at work, you might not have time to clean. Not only will hiring a professional save you valuable time, but it will also make you feel less stressed during this transitional period.
You Have Other Priorities
If your household to-do list leaves you with little time for creativity or productivity, regardless of the project or hobby you’ve been wanting to start, hiring a house cleaner may be a wise choice. A home that’s free of clutter will enable you to indulge in hobbies and creative endeavors, as well as free up some time to tend to important matters.
You Need Time to Yourself
Reclaim some time for yourself by hiring a housekeeper. Throw parties without the stress of needing to clean up and acquire all of what you need for a successful event. Your housekeeper can help you prepare for your gathering by making sure your house looks its best.
Even if you’re not looking to throw a party, housekeeper services can give you more time for what you love to do, not just what you need to do.
When thinking about finding a housekeeper, you may also want to keep some qualities in mind. Each of them can play an important role in how well your housekeeper suits your needs!
Good Reputation
The presence of good references and a spotless reputation benefit a housekeeper in ways that little else can. Inquire with friends, co-workers, and family about housekeepers they’ve employed in the past. Don’t be afraid to check the references given by prospective housekeepers.
Adequate Training and Experience
Anyone who’s ever cleaned a house knows, it’s not necessarily as easy as it seems. The best housekeepers have training on how to do their jobs effectively.
Experience in the field is as important as good training. An experienced housekeeper has picked up tricks of the trade that make him or her more efficient and skilled at the work. Has your prospective housekeeper worked on a house like yours before?
Rates Charged
Housekeepers charge different rates depending on what duties they need to perform, how large your home is, and how often they need to work. Research common pricing structures for good housekeepers, and decide what you would like to spend.
Relevant Housekeeping Skill Set
Every home and every family have unique needs; the skills of a housekeeper should reflect this variance. High windows, hardwood floors, or other specialized features may require particular care. Hiring a housekeeper who offers all the services you want will ensure you are pleased with the job done.
Positive Attitude
Housekeepers who perform all duties as requested make valuable helpers, but the ones with a passion for the work truly shine! An enthusiastic housekeeper who takes pride in the work, and has great attention to detail, makes the best employee.
Suitable Availability
A dynamic schedule that often changes may necessitate hiring a housekeeper who can keep up with flexible needs. Be certain to ask if your prospective housekeepers can only arrive during certain hours, or if they can give you leeway to suit your schedule. If you often host social engagements, you’ll likely want a housekeeper with a flexible schedule, to ensure your home is clean for your gathering.
If your house can’t be cleaned on the schedule you need, the services of a good housekeeper mean very little. Consider when you need your housekeeper to work, and how important punctuality will be in your arrangement.
If you’ve been wondering how often you should schedule your housekeeper, then read on to learn a few housekeeping tips and schedules from the pros.
Housekeeping Schedule Options
Having a bi-weekly or monthly housekeeper is a good option for many households that only need help with deep cleaning tasks. Households with kids and pets often do well with a weekly housekeeper who can take care of the frequent messes that occur and take more cleaning burdens off of busy parents. If you have plenty of time to clean or enjoy doing household cleaning yourself, you might hire a housekeeper just once a season to expertly handle challenging tasks or even just once a year in the springtime for a big cleaning project.
Choosing the Right House Cleaning Schedule for a Housekeeper
To assess your cleaning needs, consider the amount of time that you can go between house cleanings without feeling uncomfortable. If a couple weeks pass and you don’t even notice dirt and dust collecting around the house, then you might be able to keep a more occasional professional housekeeping schedule. But if you find yourself impatiently counting down the days until your housekeeper arrives again, it might be time to adjust the housekeeping schedule for your housekeeper so that it’s more frequent.
Live-In Housekeeping Tips and Schedules
Another option to consider for your housekeeping schedule is to hire a live-in housekeeper to stay in your home so that it can stay clean 24/7. There are many benefits to hiring a live-in housekeeper, such as ease of scheduling and transportation, less exposure to outside germs, and availability to clean around your schedule on evenings and weekends. Live-in housekeepers really get to know their clients’ homes on a very detailed level, which means that they can do a superior job of cleaning and develop a strong relationship with you that’s based on trust and good communication.
If you choose to hire a live-in housekeeper, you will be expected to provide comfortable accommodations for her or him, as well as adequate privacy and meals. You might also provide your housekeeper with access to a vehicle to run household-related errands and special little perks to help your staff member feel welcome and at home. Even if your housekeeper lives in your home full-time, it is still important to stick to an agreed-upon housekeeping schedule as much as possible so that she or he knows what to expect and isn’t taken advantage of due to the convenience of always being onsite.
Using a Housekeeper Agency
As a housekeeper agency, Household Staffing International can help you find a talented individual to undertake all of the tasks that you don’t have time for. We’ll match you up with a housekeeper you can trust, and ensure the hiring process is a stress-free experience. Fill out our household application today, or contact us with any questions you may have! If you’re a housekeeper looking for work, fill out our employee application. Had a positive experience hiring through us? Share your thoughts below!