Hiring a maid

[Punchy]

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.

[gwa]

Personally, I do not like the services and have always chosen a person that has been recommended by someone that I know.

The maids I have had have been trustworthy and have done a good job. Also, they charge much less than the companies that have a lot of overhead.

I also like having the same person come because she knows what I expect and it doesn't take many weeks for her to get the hang of cleaning the house.

Most maids will have references that you can check out before you hire them.

gwa

[Sharon]

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.

Good luck

Sharon

[Punchy]

Maybe I will try the MS Society - I don't know my neighbours (I live in the city) and I don't do church. But thanks.

I just spontaneously decided to do this, and I already feel so relieved.

[Wonderfulworld]

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.

[notasperfectasyou]

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.

For us it's been a very cool thing and made cleaning a little more fun for us. Ken

[gwa]

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.

For us it's been a very cool thing and made cleaning a little more fun for us. Ken

Does it clean toilets bath tubs and windows?

gwa

[Punchy]

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?

[notasperfectasyou]

Does it clean toilets bath tubs and windows? gwa

now...... just because it's not a perfect solution, don't mean, it's not worth trying, hummm.........

Isn't that what most of us here at TIMS are doing for our MS?
Ken

[gwa]

Does it clean toilets bath tubs and windows? gwa

now...... just because it's not a perfect solution, don't mean, it's not worth trying, hummm.........

Isn't that what most of us here at TIMS are doing for our MS?
Ken

You are right, bad on me.

gwa

[RedSonja]

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.