The housekeeper was here today

[Urchina]

Khan, congratulations! My mom resisted getting a housecleaner for years, and finally read a book that had the title character getting a housecleaner because she could and another woman needed the work. Mom realized that having a housecleaner would make her life easier and would give someone local an income that was needed, and work that had dignity.

Next week she hired her housecleaner, who comes twice a week and watches the cat when Mom and Dad travel, to boot. Mom says it's some of the best money she's spent.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

Congrats! We employee a husband-wife team who also come every 2 weeks. The 4 hours per month I spend at my desk to pay for their services are well worth it.

There are many extravagences I'd do away with before going back to scrubbing showers and toilets.

 

[Coach]

I started with a cleaning service seven years ago. I thought it a terrible indulgence at the time, and of course planned to stop it once I retired. But it is heaven, and it's in my retirement budget now.

They come once every two weeks. I do straighten up for their visits -- but I don't mind. At least things get straightened up every two weeks this way. The do the floors, bathroom, kitchen, dusting.

They only do a fair job, but it's good enough for me.

$64 per visit.

Coach

 

[W2R]

I started with a cleaning service seven years ago. I thought it a terrible indulgence at the time, and of course planned to stop it once I retired. But it is heaven, and it's in my retirement budget now.

They come once every two weeks. I do straighten up for their visits -- but I don't mind. At least things get straightened up every two weeks this way. The do the floors, bathroom, kitchen, dusting.

They only do a fair job, but it's good enough for me.

$64 per visit.

Coach

That's not bad at all! I have never had a housekeeper, but thought I might get one after I retire. Right now I don't do all that much cleaning, but since I'm at work so much I hardly notice it. When I retire, I'll spend more time in the house so it should get dirtier faster and I'll have more time to notice it.

Do you tell them what to do, or do they pretty much have an idea already? I wouldn't know where to start. Floors, bathroom, kitchen, and dusting should cover it, I would think. I have five sets of French doors, but really the glass panes don't seem to need much cleaning.

Also, just before I put my present house on the market, I'll hire a team of people to scrub it from top to bottom. That should cost a pretty penny.

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm - I am a big fan of dirt and clutter. However I've been beaten back to just my one room housing the computer, my Drip file cabinets(a few small survivors) and tools that have not made it to the basement. Plus I like a few changes of clothes laying out so I can see them.

The current SO likes clean, cook, and gardening. I accept my 30lbs overweight(in the last yr or so) and remain silent on the rest.

Life runs good that way. .

heh heh heh - I do BBQ, cars, and manage the basement. .

And play with the dogs!

 

[FinanceDude]

I guess I could see some housekeepers for the non-FIRED folks. Doesn't being FIRED give you TIME to keep the house neat?

DW is part of the FlyLady phenomenon. The Flylady woman has a website and is supposedly a clutter and cleaning expert..........

 

[Dawg52]

Who does your housework?

No one. I just live in filth.

 

[bbbamI]

I guess I could see some housekeepers for the non-FIRED folks. Doesn't being FIRED give you TIME to keep the house neat?

Maybe, maybe not....it's still w*rk.

 

[unclemick]

No one. I just live in filth.

Man - I'm jealous - you even got me beat! Looks like my computer chair - Office Depot?

heh heh heh -

 

[Dawg52]

Man - I'm jealous - you even got me beat! Looks like my computer chair - Office Depot?

heh heh heh -

Big Lot's.

 

[W2R]

No one. I just live in filth.

And people wonder why some women prefer living alone? I'd probably catch something and die if I had to live in a place like that (assuming I didn't jump off a cliff in my desperation). Each to his/her own, and I don't care how others live.

 

[TeeRuh]

Our housekeeper also comes every two weeks. I plan a 4 hour excursion (park, mall, shopping/restaurant areas, etc.) for the days she's here. It's actually been kind of fun coming up with places to go/see. Not sure what will happen when DW joins me (retires).

t.r.

 

[FinanceDude]

Maybe, maybe not....it's still w*rk.

I guess I am too cheap to pay someone to come clean my house......

 

[bbbamI]

I guess I am too cheap to pay someone to come clean my house......

Well, there's that. Or, why pay someone to do something if you're good at it?.....

 

[NotReady4Purple]

Yup - Tuesday is the day my housecleaners come and they are here right now. We alternate a full house clean week (5 hours of work) with a more focused 3.5 hour clean (kitchen, baths, family room). This was always included in my retirement budget.


I used to make sure my son left his room ready to clean (i.e. the floor was visible ) - but with an empty nest now, my preparation is just to make sure we remember to write a check.

I have gone through numerous individuals and services over the past 20 years and have had minimal problems. We had one theft of my (then) high-school age son's wallet which didn't have much money and no credit/debit cards. (We reported it to the police and to the owner who made restitution and fired the individual.)

I still feel a bit awkward when they are cleaning near me - but I'm willing to put up with that.

And now, I can think that I am helping the economy, too.

 

[DangerMouse]

Khan, we have the same arrangement as you - someone comes in every 2nd week and I have to say I love it.

Even though I am currently not working I still have my housekeeper. When we initially employer the housekeeper DH complained miserably, but as I told him until he is prepared to pull his weight around the house he does not have a say as he is the messy one.

 

[freebird5825]

I view having a periodic full scale housecleaning vs. my daily low level cleaning maintenance in the same way as a getting a periodic haircut vs. daily hair combing.
Every day, I wash and comb my hair. It won't need trimming until it gets unmanageable (loses shape, bangs too long, edges uneven). I do some minor trimming around my face, if needed.
Once a month, I get my hair cut by a professional. The results are excellent and the cost is low.
We all know how to operate scissors, and could easily cut our hair ourselves.
However, the effort is tremendous, and the results are shaky at best.

 

[haha]

Early board memebers know the depths to which I can fall in housecleaning. It was mostly acting out in protest in finding myself alone at a time in life when that really didn't appeal to me.

Also my place seemed too big, and too full of relics. But my new place is very small, and although I have not turned into a Scandinavian housewife I do pretty well. One thing that prompts me is that I have very pretty hardwood floors and I don't want them getting messed up. My biggest challenge is keeping the dishes done as I don't have a dishwasher.

My cleanup habits except for dishes are a lot like years ago- Friday or Saturday mornings I do a blitz. If someone is coming over they won't be able to look into my grungy soul. Inside of windows I do less often, but without kids or pets they stay pretty clean.

I just don't have the room in my budget for a maid right now, and truthfully there are other things that I would rather spend money on.

Ha

 

[Khan]

I guess I could see some housekeepers for the non-FIRED folks. Doesn't being FIRED give you TIME to keep the house neat?

DW is part of the FlyLady phenomenon. The Flylady woman has a website and is supposedly a clutter and cleaning expert..........

Time yes, inclination no. I've always hated housework, I'm not good at it, and (with all the things going on with my hands) it hurts.

 

[youbet]

I just don't have the room in my budget for a maid right now, and truthfully there are other things that I would rather spend money on.

We had a housekeeper in for four hours per week years ago when we were both working. Just coming home on Friday and finding everything immaculate was well worth it.

In RE, we do it ourselves. Like you, there are just other things we'd rather spend the money on.

If the DOW was at 15k, we might have a different outlook on this!

 

[FinanceDude]

Well, there's that. Or, why pay someone to do something if you're good at it?.....

Exactly...........my stepmom made sure I knew how to do laundry, clean, and cook. She thought I would be a lifelong bachelor........

 

[bbbamI]

Exactly...........my stepmom made sure I knew how to do laundry, clean, and cook. She thought I would be a lifelong bachelor........

I wish my MIL had thought that way.....

 

[Texas Proud]

When my company sent me to London, I had a housecleaner once a week paid for by the company...

My sisters came over and one remarked on my 'beautiful French maid'... WHAT I had been there a year and had never seen her... oh well...

When I was in NY, I stayed home once and the 'maid' was actually a man and wife team.... but I became grossed out when I saw the man with a rag cleaning out the toilet and then continued onto the sink and faucet....

Telling the company about it did nothing as they did not care... also, they seemed to break a glass or two a month... and they seemed to only break MINE, not the companies....

 

[scrinch]

So what are the tax/withholding/insurance issues regarding an every-other-week independent house cleaner? Is it different if you go through a housekeeping company?

 

[Coach]

Do you tell them what to do, or do they pretty much have an idea already? I wouldn't know where to start. Floors, bathroom, kitchen, and dusting should cover it, I would think. I have five sets of French doors, but really the glass panes don't seem to need much cleaning.

Want2retire, I'm really easy -- a bachelor living alone -- so no, I don't tell them what to do. They have their standard list and just work through that. If I had any special requirements I'd expect to have to pay extra.

They come while I'm at work, so I generally don't even see them. I've run into them a few times in the last seven years. That will be a bit of a challenge in retirement. I'll need to arrange my schedule to be gone when they're working. I'd feel guilty watching them work.

Oh, I say "them" because the service always sends two workers. Not necessarily the same two each visit, either.

Coach