Many of my friends and colleagues have mentioned that they have hired a cleaning lady to take care of their homes for them. I think that is GREAT — for them!! They have found a way to help make their lives simpler and if it works, then who am I to say anything. To be honest, I’m not.
Sure, I could hire someone to clean my house and it might lighten my work load, but I don’t. The reason has nothing to do with spending money to have it done (as I am a believer that sometimes, it is worth spending money to make your life easier). The reason I don’t is self-satisfaction.
You see, I am someone who actually doesn’t mind cleaning my house. That doesn’t mean that I think it is fun (as it is anything but). For me, it is a feeling of accomplishment. I love how clean the house smells when I am done each week. I love to admire how the floors sparkle and the mirrors shine (even though that will change the minute my family walks through the door). Yes, I could enjoy this even if someone else does it for me, but that is only part of it.
For me, it the accomplishment that I took something that was dirty and cleaned it. I used my own two hands and made it sparkle. I put forth the effort myself so I can enjoy the rewards. I’ve had people do things for me before, but the level of satisfaction was less. Not because they didn’t do a good job (as they did), it just didn’t feel the same.
Not only does it make me feel great to take care of my house myself, I am working to teach my children how to do this too. I want them to learn how to dust and vacuum. I am teaching them the value of hard work. Part of growing up is learning how to take care of yourself, which includes your home. My kids know how to do many chores. They don’t get any instant gratification from doing this (we don’t give allowance or rewards for doing the things which are expected), however, they will benefit from the knowledge as they grow and especially when they are out on their own.
Again, I am not saying hiring someone is wrong. I don’t believe that it is. If it works for you, then that is just great and I am happy for you. However, for me, it just doesn’t work and is something I can’t do.
Do you hire someone to clean your house? Why or why not?
Need some tips on cleaning your house? Take a look at our free Weekly and Spring Cleaning Checklists.
Tracie is a stay at home mom to three young children; ages 8, 9 and 12. In November 2007, she and her husband decided to eliminate their debt and made many changes in their lifestyle to do just that.
Kristi says
I feel the same way, but mine’s also money as well 🙂
Not that it wouldn’t be worth it, but we’re still working on our debt snowball first! 🙂 I feel the same way as well that when my kitchen is cleaned, or all the laundry is done AND put away (blue moon, I know!), there is something to be felt when you did it yourself!
Megan says
I’m with you. I always tell my husband I HATE cleaning house, but I LOVE a clean house. I’m too picky to let someone else do it for me. 🙂
Mandy Tirado says
I am so with you on this, however, right now I’m in a super, super difficult phase of life (lots of illnesses, a recent death in the family (my 23 year old cousin completed suicide a week ago) and I’m homeschooling 1 child and trying to keep my very demanding other child busy and honestly – I wish I could hire help. I can’t afford it, but if I could, hired help could get me through this phase of life and allow me to actually clean my house on a regular basis. Oh, and did I mention my husband is at police academy for the next 6 weeks while I deal with all of this? AHH! Oh, how I wish I could hire help for the next 6 weeks…But normally, yes, I am soooo with you on this! 🙂
Mandi says
Not me! I love the smell of my clean house cleaned by someone else! 🙂
Kim says
I’d love to hire someone else to come clean my house! After a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is comer home and clean. Because I’m a cleaning woman.
Karen says
I’m not with you on this at all! Ever since I was a little girl we always had a cleaning woman.. To her it was a job, she taught us alot about cleaning a home, I learned a lot of tricks to cleaning through her, I am in my 40s now and she just passed away, but her memory will live on in our lives now! She made it her living to clean homes, with no education behind her she had no other means of making money! Wish she was still with us today!
Vincenza says
We have someone deep clean every 2 weeks. My boys still vacuum, dust, make beds, put away toys, do laundry, etc., in between. Like you, I love the feeling of making something clean that was once dirty. I also know that, to be involved in my kids activities to the extent that I want to, something needs to give. The money we spend on a housekeeper is well worth the time it frees up for me. Plus, I love coming home to the smell of a clean house! 🙂