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Joined: Mar 07, 2007 Posts: 107 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:15 am Post subject: Hiring a maid
I am thinking about hiring a maid to come in every two weeks or so.
My husband does most of the day-to-day stuff like laundry, dishes and cat litter, but I'm ashamed to say things such as vacuuming, floor washing, the bathtub and the fridge will often go uncleaned for weeks or even months. I can't keep up anymore and looking at the mess just makes me feel depressed, embarrassed and inadequate. I can't even have people drop in for a spontaneous visit.
I have never hired through a service before, and I am not sure how it works. How do I know they won't steal from me? Is there some sort of certification for insurance or criminal checks? Do we have to have an interview or does some random person show up?
I'd appreciate any advice for those who've been through this.
Joined: Nov 08, 2004 Posts: 144 Location: Colorado
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:34 pm Post subject:
I agree with GWA -
Ask your neighbors, or call your church - they may know of someone looking to do housekeeping. And, yes, interview the person - let he/she know what your needs are and then they can establish a fee. The service companies are higher in cost and you never know who is coming to your door.
I live in Ireland so perhaps it's different here. I also hired a young woman who did some cleaning for my sister in law, and whose aunt had a child in my sister in law's class - so there was some connection there. She wasn't Irish and had limited English but body language and smiles meant she understood me very well. She visited with her sister before agreeing to do the cleaning, and I went through what I wanted. I had to make sure my expectations on time/tasks were realistic. I pretty much got her to do the same tasks each week, but if I needed something different done then I'd tell her to let one of the rooms go, or not hoover upstairs etc.
My husband was worried about a stranger in our house but to be honest when I met her I knew I could trust her. I found her to be a terrific worker and she was diligent and thorogh. I often paid her a bit extra and left out some snacks because I appreciated the work she did for me.
She has gone on a 2 month holiday back to her parents and my house is in a complete MESS! Although money is very tight at the moment I think we'll keep paying her when she returns because we can't put a value on the benefit to me, my MS, and fatigue that having the heavy housework done gives.
Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 350 Location: Northern Virginia
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject: not what you asked for
Here's an alternative idea that's entirely based on my experience.
Buy a new toy, make it a Roomba.
Here's what happened to us. We got it as a gift, but we thought it was a cool and intersting thing - a robotic self propelled vacuum! It has been fun and entertaining in a nutty sort of way. So it does your vacuuming, provides some entertainment and forces you to pick up the floor a good bit before you can run the Roomba.
Joined: Mar 07, 2007 Posts: 107 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:58 am Post subject:
I've heard great things about the Roomba from friends (and I would enjoy watching my cats' reaction to it, haha!) however gwa is right, I need more than just that. And even with vacuuming, because I have cats I also need the couches and the drapes vacuumed regularly because their fur gets everywhere.
I emailed the MS Society after a ridiculous internal struggle. Here in Canada you can qualify for assistance for this sort of thing, but at first I felt guilty about it because I am not very disabled and it feels like I'm cheating the system. Then I realized I DO have multiple sclerosis, and I'm doing this because the MS makes it difficult, and I have every right to it. It's hard for me because I am usually the one who takes after other people, not the one who needs help. But we all know about that, don't we?
Joined: Nov 24, 2007 Posts: 69 Location: South Germany
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:04 am Post subject:
We have always had a cleaning lady, even before MS, because we both work full time and with kids it was just too much.
The first was a local woman we found by advertising in the local paper. She disappeared without warning when she found a better job. Then another local, disappeared too.
Then we got an Italian woman, recommended by a neighbour. Since then we have been cared for by a succession of her cousins and in-laws. We pay a bit more than the standard wage and are rewarded with reliability. They are always reliable, quick, hard-working, polite ... We hardly meet, we leave notes for each other and I leave cash there every week for the previous week.
To start with it was a funny feeling, giving the key to a stranger. But we have never had a problem. When I meet the current incumbent we chat about children and the weather. I always address them formally, Fr. So-and-so, I think it is a bit patronising to call them by their first names. _________________ Bibo ergo sum
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