My husband and half my friends think I'm crazy. One morning a week I run around like a crazy woman cleaning my house. Why? Because the housekeeper could be there any minute!
1. Access. Most housekeepers won't move a whole lot of stuff so they can dust or clean. Picking up all that clutter from my flat surfaces like countertops, tables and floors actually allows her to do a more thorough job of cleaning.
2. Expectations. I believe that if a housekeeper walks into a house that is a mess, his or her efforts in cleaning that house will be marginal. But if the housekeeper always sees a house that's in tip top shape, they know your expectations are high and will react accordingly.
3. Courtesy. No one should have to clean up someone else's nastiness. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to have to clean someone else's nasty toilet rim. For that reason, I wipe mine down before my housekeeper comes.
4. Embarrassment. I believe the condition of a person's home speaks volumes about them and their lives. I would be embarrassed to have anyone see my home a mess - even my housekeeper. I even make my bed before she comes, despite the fact that she will be changing all the bed linens.
5. Respect. Straightening my house before the housekeeper comes shows respect for her and her vocation. It lets her know I respect her as a person as well as what she does for a living.
Here are a few additional tips to help keep your housekeeper happy:
* Leave her a thank you note or call her every once in a while to tell her you appreciate the job she's doing.
* Give her a little gift from time to time. (We have chickens, so I always give my housekeeper some fresh eggs.)
* Send her a card on her birthday and always include her on your holiday card list.
* Give her a holiday bonus.
* If your housekeeper works for an agency, call them occasionally to let them know how good of a job she's doing.
* If she does a stellar job, recommend her to your friends.
* If your housekeeper works for an agency, be sure to tip for a job well done. Agency workers make a minimal hourly wage. They depend on tips for their livelihood.
Here are five reasons I clean my house before my housekeeper comes:
1. Access. Most housekeepers won't move a whole lot of stuff so they can dust or clean. Picking up all that clutter from my flat surfaces like countertops, tables and floors actually allows her to do a more thorough job of cleaning.
2. Expectations. I believe that if a housekeeper walks into a house that is a mess, his or her efforts in cleaning that house will be marginal. But if the housekeeper always sees a house that's in tip top shape, they know your expectations are high and will react accordingly.
3. Courtesy. No one should have to clean up someone else's nastiness. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to have to clean someone else's nasty toilet rim. For that reason, I wipe mine down before my housekeeper comes.
4. Embarrassment. I believe the condition of a person's home speaks volumes about them and their lives. I would be embarrassed to have anyone see my home a mess - even my housekeeper. I even make my bed before she comes, despite the fact that she will be changing all the bed linens.
5. Respect. Straightening my house before the housekeeper comes shows respect for her and her vocation. It lets her know I respect her as a person as well as what she does for a living.
Here are a few additional tips to help keep your housekeeper happy:
* Leave her a thank you note or call her every once in a while to tell her you appreciate the job she's doing.
* Give her a little gift from time to time. (We have chickens, so I always give my housekeeper some fresh eggs.)
* Send her a card on her birthday and always include her on your holiday card list.
* Give her a holiday bonus.
* If your housekeeper works for an agency, call them occasionally to let them know how good of a job she's doing.
* If she does a stellar job, recommend her to your friends.
* If your housekeeper works for an agency, be sure to tip for a job well done. Agency workers make a minimal hourly wage. They depend on tips for their livelihood.
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