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Valued Contributor
Posts: 587
Registered: ‎06-30-2014

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.


@house_cat wrote:

My DH retired earlier than planned, due to a disability.  He's home most days, but can't help with housework and he feels bad about that. So, he spoke to the ladies who do the housekeeping for our neighbors and he's going to have them come here every other week.

 

They started today... 11 am, while I was at work.  They are two ladies and they've been working feverishly since then.  It's now 5:30 pm and they're still not finished.  I have a 1300 sq foot home, just a few thousand square feet short of a mansion, lol.  I don't think there's a corner they haven't cleaned.

 

Yes, I am feeling very blessed to have help after four decades of marriage, but I have to say I'm feeling very awkward about it.  I feel like I'm constantly cleaning - in fact, we had company last weekend and I cleaned like crazy leading up to that.... so the fact that these ladies are finding all this dirt in my house is more than a little disturbing.  It makes me feel like a piglet.

 

I don't know what the reason is for this post, other than the fact that I'm feeling really uncomfortable about something that is supposed to be making me happy.

 

Sigh.


@house_cat  Honey (no disrespect intended), just say thank you to that gem of a husband and enjoy the help.  No need to feel embarrassed or otherwise.  You are a very lucky woman.  May I borrow those 2 women? Why don't you schedule a spa day??

Valued Contributor
Posts: 587
Registered: ‎06-30-2014

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

[ Edited ]

@house_cat wrote:

@Foxxee 

 

Yes. They did the windows and the patio doors. We have two fireplaces, they cleaned the fireplace glass on both.  We have 2 1/2 bathrooms, so that takes time.  They're still here and it's 6:15, but they finally seem to be winding down.  Last time I went upstairs they were cleaning the plantation shutters in my bedroom. We have them throughout the house and they're time consuming to clean.  My wood floors look like new. 

 

I don't know what it's going to cost yet, my husband said it's not my concern because he's the one home all day and the housework should be his business (his sentiment, not mine). That's a new one, since for the last 40 years it's always been MY business, but I'm not going to contradict him on that.  Still, I think it's going to be expensive.  I do agree, though, that they won't spend this much time on subsequent visits.


@house_cat  Please, just take a seat and ENJOY!!!  Please.  You are sooooo lucky.  Wow!!!!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,035
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

Sounds like they did a thorough job. I am glad that he picked two ladies that did such a nice job. Please sit back and enjoy your clean house.

 

I vacuum the house at least every other day. We have a new area rug in the family room and much of the house is tile. And still I have to empty the dirt container in the vacuum twice when I vacuum. We have that much dirt just in our day to day lives.

 

So dirt happens. I spent much of my morning cleaning a bathroom. The more I cleaned the more I found needed to be done. I even cleaned the fixtures with Lime Away because they needed it. And even after working for quite awhile, I still did not scrub the tub yet.

 

Sounds like one thing you don't have to worry about getting done by yourself. And thank your husband. He probably wants to see you enjoying yourself and not spending your free time cleaning.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,473
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

@house_cat 

 

sit back & enjoy!

 

The ladies my friends use gave me estimate and told me 1st cleaning would be 5-6+ hours and $150 (very reasonable I think).

 

I asked why they needed so much time since there 2 of them.  Answer: 1st cleaning is a "complete deep" cleaning so everything is ready for the next visit.  (windows, etc.)

 

That price was great & bi-weekly charge was $65.  My home is a villa (1,950 sq. ft) & we are pretty neat.  If I really didn't enjoy cleaning🙄 and wasn't retired I'd hire them f/t.

 

I will hire them for late June-July while I am recovering from knee surgery -- I know I don't need "deep" cleaning as I just did it today.

 

Have a fun & relaxing weekend! And you have a nice hubby for taking you into consideration since you still work🙂

 

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,613
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

What a loving thing for you DH to do!  Amazing!

 

I had a cleaning lady when I was working.  Back then, even if I had the time to clean, I did not have the energy.  Now that I am retired, I do my own cleaning.  I got a lot of satisfaction from it at first, but now after a few years of retirement, I am over that.  Now it is just work.  

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,504
Registered: ‎05-22-2014

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

@homedecor1, You just sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy your sparkling clean house!  You so deserve this!  You are a very busy lady with a lot of commitments.  And who would want to make cleaning your house your #1 priority?  Nobody I know.  I am sure the next cleaning visit will be much shorter.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,473
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

 

@PamfromCT 

 

I didn't hire them as I have just "finished" (or so I say--well my 👛💸says I'm done) the last phase of my house remodel/update!

 

Today my spouse & I cleaned every inch of this house! The painters finished yesterday.  Everything is fresh & clean.

 

I'm going home next week for 2 weeks -- my niece is having her baby shower & I'll be staying to help her get nursery ready.  So excited for my great nephew to get here🙂.

 

They've been kidding me they're hiring me as "Aunt Mary Poppins" for when the baby comes.  I love to go to their home -- both of them are going to be wonderful loving parents❤️

 

I scheduled my knee surgery for the day after I get home so I'll be all healed by August when the little guy is due!  That's why I'm hiring those ladies to clean while I recover.  

 

have a a great weekend I hear the weather up North is going to be hot!  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,139
Registered: ‎04-16-2010

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.


@homedecor1 wrote:

@house_cat 

 

sit back & enjoy!

 

The ladies my friends use gave me estimate and told me 1st cleaning would be 5-6+ hours and $150 (very reasonable I think).

 

I asked why they needed so much time since there 2 of them.  Answer: 1st cleaning is a "complete deep" cleaning so everything is ready for the next visit.  (windows, etc.)

 

That price was great & bi-weekly charge was $65.  My home is a villa (1,950 sq. ft) & we are pretty neat.  If I really didn't enjoy cleaning🙄 and wasn't retired I'd hire them f/t.

 

I will hire them for late June-July while I am recovering from knee surgery -- I know I don't need "deep" cleaning as I just did it today.

 

Have a fun & relaxing weekend! And you have a nice hubby for taking you into consideration since you still work🙂

 

 


@homedecor1  $150 for 5-6 hours of cleaning?! Holy Moly, where do you live?! In my area, you're going to spend AT LEAST $1500 for that kind of deep cleaning. Merry Maids charges $350 for 2 people to do 1 hour of routine cleaning (once they've done the initial cleaning).

 

I need to move to where the COL is MUCH lower. : (

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,201
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

I think it's a natural reaction you are having by having "strangers" come into your home and going through every inch of your home!  I would feel the same way!  Although I would feel happy that the house is being cleaned within an inch of it's life, I would also feel they might think I had been lacking in my own cleaning skills!  I think this would be a natural reaction as well!  It's hard I believe when you work every day to really do a deep clean --- there's always so much to do to keep up.  But as others have said, this is what they do, and I am sure they have seen much, much worse.  Try and enjoy your very clean home and not think too much about it!  

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin
Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,163
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

Re: Housekeeping - I'm feeling awkward and embarrassed.

You mean you can't split yourself in two?  Work outside the home and inside too.  LOL  Life is short, don't sweat this part, they are helping, not for House Beautiful, and this is the only gift at this time your husband can give you.  It's an act of love, see it that way and let the rest of it fly right out the window.  You are blessed.  Hug and kiss him.