A mom's guide to hiring a professional house cleaner

You’re finally doing it. Once and for all, you have decided that you deserve to have a clean house without having to constantly be the one scrubbing and wiping. You, mama, have decided it is time to hire a house cleaner. (happy dance and high fives)

Um, so, now what?

Just like hiring a babysitter to take care of your precious little ones while you pretend to go to the gym, but instead go shopping at Target for throw pillows, finding someone you trust to come into your home can be stressful, not to mention confusing. 

After owning and operating a residential cleaning business for the better part of a decade, I saw the pitfalls and confusion that came with hiring someone like me. Most clients came to be befuddled, not even sure what to ask for where to begin. Now that I spend my days helping moms with all things homemaking and home management, I thought there was no better topic to tackle than the nitty gritty of hiring a professional house cleaner.

Ask for referrals from friends. In my last 2 years of business, I did minimal marketing and advertising because almost all of my clients came from word-of-mouth referrals. We all love to brag on our favorite spots to eat, the best places to shop and the nail salons that give the best pedicures, and the same goes for house cleaners. Ask around to your friends and family, put a blast out on Facebook and be sure to ask why they love their current maid service or house cleaner. 

Check out Google and reviews online. If none of your friends have referrals for you, search your local area on Google and be sure to look at reviews as well. Does the company have a website or Facebook page? It is 2017 and as judgmental as it may sound, I don’t do business with any companies that don’t have some kind of online presence. 

Make a list of what you are looking to have done. This can be oddly difficult, like knowing you want a brand new hairstyle but not even knowing where to begin. A great place to start is to walk around your house and make a list of the things you want you to have done. It’s also important to give consideration to how often you are looking to have the cleaning done. Would once a month be enough or would you rather have it done once a week? Do you like the idea of biweekly cleaning or are you hoping to have a crew come in and do seasonal deep cleanings?
 

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Large companies versus smaller companies: A question I am asked quite frequently is, “Is it better to hire a larger cleaning company, like one of the franchises, a smaller local company or just one person?” My answer is pretty annoying, because the real answer is, it is totally up to you. Larger companies usually offer numbers in the form of more people, which usually means less time in your home. However, they tend to be more costly and the turnover can be high. That means, you never really know who is coming into your home. 

Smaller cleaning companies or single person operations offer the same services, but can take longer because they are doing the work on a smaller scale. However, having been this type of company, I know that the prices are almost always less costly and their room for flexibility is higher. Need something extra done this time? It is easier to get a hold of one person and deal with them versus trying to speak with a franchise that has rules and standards in place.

House cleaning versus housekeeping. There is a big difference between a house cleaner and a house keeper. House cleaners focus on just that; cleaning. They don’t usually do other tasks like laundry, decluttering, dishes, picking up toys, ironing, etc. They won’t let pets outs or put away clothes. A housekeeper is generally someone that will do all over the above. 

Ask if they provide free estimates. I never, ever charged to come to someone's house and provide a quote and I don't know of many companies that do, but it is a good idea to ask beforehand. I viewed that visit as a time for us to get to know one another, discuss their needs, discuss what I do, the cost, the frequency, etc. I rarely, if ever, committed to cleaning a home or property without providing an estimate first. 

Should my house cleaner be insured? I won't mix words here. Yes, they should. Under no circumstances would I allow someone into my home, especially on a regular basis and when I was not home, without knowing that they were insured. This protects everyone. As with all kinds of insurance, you hope you never need it, but on the off chance that they break your antique vase or worse, burn down the house by leaving the oven on, their insurance should cover it. Be sure to ask for a copy of their policy. You have a right to see this and shouldn't feel badly about. I always offered this to potential clients so that everyone had peace of mind.

"But how much do house cleaners charge? I don't even know how much I should be paying!"

Oh dear. The dreaded "But how much will it cost me?" question. Of all the questions I have ever been asked, including my kids asking for the three thousandth time if they can have a snack, this one is by far the most frequent. And I understand why. When you're hiring someone to do a job, it is hard to know how much the norm is when you've never done it

The answer is, it depends. Ugh. I know. I'm the worst, but it's the truth. Pricing varies greatly not only from region to region, but from company to company. It depends on what you are looking to have done, how often, the state of your home, how large your home it, and so on and so on. What is considered affordable in NYC would be outrageously priced in my neck of the woods in upstate NY. 

Another thing to take into consideration is if the cleaning company or individual charges by the job or the hour. In my business, for example, I charged by the job. Whether it took me an hour or 5, it was the price that I quoted. This was because not all cleaning jobs or hours are created equal (if you don't believe me, spend an hour lightly dusting the house and then an hour scrubbing a shower or an oven...) There is no right or wrong way to charge, but you should be away before hiring someone.

The best way to determine pricing in your area is to ask around. Get a few different quotes, ask your friends, and compare. Remember, with service based business, you usually get what you pay for. If someone is willing to come in for $5 an hour and isn't insured, you are opening yourself up to be disappointed (with no recourse if they steal or break your stuff. #truth)

Here is a list of important questions to ask someone during an interview

• Ask specifically what they do and/or don’t do

• Ask if they work alone or as a team. If they work as a team, how many people and will it be the same each time?

• How do they price? By the hour or by the job? If they charge by the hour, will they keep it within a specific budget?

• Do they bring their own supplies or will you need to provide the supplies?

• Are they insured? Can they provide proof of insurance?

• Are their employees bonded?

• Do they do background checks?

• Do they have references (I would take at least 3) ALL reputable cleaning companies, even a one-person operation, should be able to provide references for you. Be sure to check those references.

• What kind of payment do they take? When is it due? How do you pay?

• Do you have to sign a contract?

• Do they have any guarantees?

My last tip and tool of the trade: trust your gut. If someone seems sketchy, or off, or if after a few visits, things just don't seem right, move on to someone else. I did my very best in my business to make my clients feel comfortable with the fact that I was in their home and treated their belongings as if they were my own. Anyone coming into your home should afford you the same respect and fill you with warm feelings of trust. This should take the stress off of you, not create more. 

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Whether you are looking to hire someone to help on a weekly basis or just once every few months, there are always things that need to be done in between. But where do you start?

Join the Rock Your Routines audio workshop and get started immediately. No sign-up time required. It’s free and you can start listening right now!

How to stop managing your time and start owning it

Hi, my name is Kendra and I am a recovering to-do list junkie.

Boy, did that feel good to say out loud, err, in writing.

But seriously, I am. Crossing things off to-do lists gave me a high like no other and I used to get my jollies from making as many lists as possible just so I could feel that rush.

That should have meant that I was getting mad things done, yo. Right?

Wrong. Very, very wrong.

In fact, I was less productive than ever when I was in the throes of list-making madness.

I should probably say that making lists has been a hobby of mine since I was a youngster. Even as a kid, I can remember making lists of what I needed to “do” on a weekend, or what I needed to bring to a sleepover, and eventually the workflow of a school project. In hindsight, these lists helped me, but they quickly turned on me and became a dark obsession and form of procrastination.

You see, making the list became more fun than the actual doing of the list items. Raise your hand if you can relate. Lists make us feel productive. They make us feel important. They make us feel powerful. They give the illusion that we are managing our time and isn’t that the phrase of the moment, time management?

Unfortunately, it is all an illusion and the thing that brought me back from the brink of drowning in a pile of sticky notes and iPhone note reminders was giving up managing my time and instead learning how to own it.

It seems like such a small change in words, but it makes all the difference. Managing your time means to take charge or care of it, while owning your time means to take possession of your time and make it belong to you. Subtle, but crucial.

You don’t just manage your car, you own it. You don’t just manage your favorite pair of shoes, you own them. You don’t just manage your wine bottle collection, you own it, girl. It is yours to do whatever you want with it. When you stop trying to manage the time we are given and instead take ownership of it, it’s a whole lot easier to be productive and let go of the crap we don’t want to be doing.

Now, because I am so good at my job, I can already hear some of the moms out there rolling their eyes (eye rolling makes a distinct sound) and saying, “Right. Sure. I’m gonna “own” my time with 3 kids involved in activities, a husband, a job and volunteer stuff on the side.” Well, yes. Because everything you’re doing each day is a choice and while most of us live our lives thinking we have no choices, those of us that take time by the throat and lead it where we want are the ones that become fulfilled and happy, rather than constantly complaining and stressed. That’s just a hard pill for some people to swallow.

To make the pill a little easier to take down, here are some tips for taking ownership of your time and get rid of the antiquated time management thought

Stop making long lists. I was the queen of the long list. “No, no. You don’t get it. I have to get these 27 things done today or the world will implode.” There isn’t a person on earth that needs to get that many things done in a day, and if they do, they have others do it for them. You are only as productive as the things you do in a day. Long lists only waste your time on minutia, usually filler that we put on the top of our lists so we can avoid the really important things near the bottom. Which brings me to my next tip…

Start with priority one and don’t move on until it is done. If I told you that you could pick one and only one thing to get done today, how would that affect your to-do list? You’d be a lot choosier, right? The truth is, you can be that way every day. What is the most important thing that you need to accomplish on this day? It doesn’t have to be big or grand or even exciting. It could be that you need to make dentist appointments or pay that bill that’s been sitting on your desk, or perhaps you need to call a caterer for a party you’re throwing, or declutter the linen closet. Whatever the task is, own it and put it at the top. Everything else you accomplish that day is gravy. When you start with tasks that don’t matter, you fill your day with busy work and never actually accomplish the things you said you would (I speak from experience.)

“Remember that if you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will. ”

— Greg McKeown

Start saying no. If you want to become an owner of your time, say no, a lot. I think this is just a rolling tip of mine for every situation in life, especially for moms. Want more time for yourself, for your kids, for your family, for your spouse? Say no. Say no to things that people ask you to do. There is a quote that has been going around lately that is so true, it hurts. “If it’s not a hell yes, it's a no.” Has someone asked you to bake 4 dozen cupcakes for the PTA bake sale? Unless you can say hell yes, it’s a no. Has someone asked you to watch their kids after school for 2 weeks while their sitter is on vacation? If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no. The only person in control on your time is you, so own it and say a hearty no to the things you don’t want to do, so you can make room for the things you do want to do.

Keep and share your electronic calendar. I am a Google calendar freak. I put everything on it. Every appointment, every reminder, every call. Why? Because if it isn’t on that calendar, I’m not doing it. The trap I see many moms fall into is keeping only a paper calendar at home. While I have and use a large calendar at home, it is a backup for my main phone calendar. We live electronic, busy lives and when we rely only on our calendars at home, we end up over-committing ourselves and not realizing it. Also, electronic calendars can be synced with everyone in your family, so everyone knows what is going on and when. Boom.

Start delegating. The most successful people in the world do something that the rest of us need to take serious note of: they delegate. Delegation is just a way of giving away tasks to others, whether that means in your own family or someone you hire. Your kids can and should be doing chores. You spouse should be helping around the house. You should not be doing it all. Plain and simple. How you delegate is totally up to you and your lifestyle, but if you make it a point to be a mommy martyr and do it all, you will find that it is not only hard to own your time, it is actually impossible. Look into hiring a mommy’s helper for a couple hours a week so you can get work done, go shopping, take a nap, get your nails done or take a walk. Hiring a young teen is much cheaper than you’d expect and those extra hours of focused time and self-care can make all the difference.

Ready to own your house cleaning schedule so it no longer owns you? Grab your free copy of the Everything and the Kitchen Sink house cleaning list.

Go to bed later or get up earlier (or both) This is a delicate subject when I bring it up with mom clients. I will say right off the bat that if you are in the season of “my infant doesn’t sleep”, perhaps this isn’t the tip for you, but the rest of us should take note, myself included. Every time I find myself complaining about not getting things done, I ask, “Well, Kendra. What time did you get up this morning? What time did you go to bed last night?” The answer is usually embarrassing and shines a bright light on how much more time I could have had if I had woken up even 15 minutes earlier. Again, this is all about ownership. Your kids don’t control your time, you do. Your alarm doesn’t control your time, you do. If you know you need an extra 15-20 minutes in the morning to get a quick workout in, take a shower, or just drink coffee in peace, then wake up earlier. Complaining won’t fix the problem. I know, I’ve tried.

Use timers. If keeping tabs on your time just isn’t your thing and you fall into the Pinterest rabbit hole easily, use timers. If you want to clean the house, but only have 30 minutes, set a timer. If you want to research the best curtain for your living room, set a timer and don’t go over it. Timers keep you in control of your time by forcing it upon you. Most of us could easily fall down the black hole of busy work, so set a timer and only allow yourself a certain amount of time to get it done.

Make decisions fast. One of the biggest time wasters I see moms making is hemming and hawing over every single decision. Taking 5 weeks to decide on the perfect car seat for their toddler, making Pinterest board after Pinterest board for meal plans, but never actually making them. Knowing they want to declutter the toy room, but sitting on it for a month deciding which day to start. This, my friends, is called procrastination. It is wrapped in a pretty bow and sold as decision making, but the truth is, it is a waste of time if you aren’t make decisions swiftly. When you take ownership of the decision, you take ownership of your time and can move on to other things that need your attention. So do the research on that car seat, narrow it down to two and make a decision, today.

Be flexible and give yourself grace. Moms aren't nearly flexible enough and don't forgive themselves as easily as they should. Don't be a slave to the clock or the schedule. Have fun, be flexible,  show time who's boss. And every now and then, give yourself grace to write down "Keep kids alive." on your list just so you can have something to check off.

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Now that you know you've got a better handle on how to own your time like a boss, applesauce, it's time to get down to business with what you use that time for. House cleaning is usually a nagging chore for most moms, which is why I created the Everything and the Kitchen Sink cleaning list. Sign up below to join The Mother Like a Boss Vault and gain free access to home management printables, worksheets, mini courses, audio lessons and more! This vault is your key to all things #homemakerish and it's totally free.

5 Myths of Modern Homemaking

Homemaking. That word either brings up happy thoughts, a look of disgust or total apathy. I’ve been through all three in my adult life. Some people believe it is an antiquated term while others embrace and enjoy it. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t mean what you probably think it means.

The dictionary simply defines homemaking as the creation and management of a home, especially as a pleasant place to live. That’s it. No apron or heels, no need to be subservient or have all your shhtuff together. No need to be perfect. It is simply the act of creating and managing your home, which as a mom, you do every day even when you don’t mean to.

Homemaking isn’t even singular to moms, or wives. Single men and women are homemakers, too, as the “make” their homes a pleasant place to live, even if only for themselves.

So why is it that the idea of homemaking gives so many modern moms feelings of reluctance and uncertainty? Because we’ve been fed myths throughout our lives about what being a “good” homemaker is all about.

I’ve dedicated my business and life to helping moms become “homemaker-ish” and giving them permission to create and manage their homes on their terms, and part of that is dispelling the myths about homemaking that keeps us all from fully embracing our homemaker-boss status.

Myth 1: It’s only for stay-at-home moms

While stay-at-home moms are often lumped into the homemaker category and many even list this term as their occupation, they are not the only ones who make a home. Imagine a mother who works outside the home. When she comes home in the evening, she cooks, cleans, manages the finances and schedules, gets the kids ready for the next day, takes care of herself and the home. She is just as much a homemaker as the mom who spent the day at home taking care of the children and the home. Both are equally important jobs. Both are homemakers.

Myth 2: You have to be perfect all the time

Somewhere along the way in history, being a homemaker meant having a picture-perfect life, home, appearance, kids, marriage, schedule, meals, etc. Now, with the advent of Pinterest, the beast in being fed even more as we scroll through photos of crisp white linens and cream colored living rooms as we look around our multicolored homes littered with Barbie accessories and Hot Wheels. Being a homemaker isn’t at all about being perfect or keeping a perfect home. Aside from the fact that “perfection” only exists in the eye of the beholder, it is insane to think that 85 million mothers in this country are going to do things exactly the same, all the time, based on what Pinterest says. I hereby give you permission to be an imperfect homemaker.

Myth 3: It’s a religious thing

While there are many websites, businesses and organizations that are centered on being a Godly wife and homemaker, the two aren’t necessarily linked at all. I know plenty of kick-ass homemaker wives who consider themselves atheists. Religion isn’t the driving factor of being a homemaker. Much of the reason I started my business was the serve those mothers who wanted to learn to be effective homemakers and managers of their domains,  but felt intimidated by the idea of homemaking as a religious notion. Whether you feel that homemaking is a calling from God or do it because you just love the art of it, both are totally and completely wonderful and accepted.

Myth 4: Being a homemaker isn’t for modern women

Ouch. I hear this one a lot and it makes me cringe. While I am all for the women’s movement and want nothing more than to raise my daughter to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants, I also think that somewhere along the way, we gave the impression that being a homemaker wasn’t “good enough” for modern ladies. That somehow, cooking, cleaning and planning a family’s schedule was beneath them. That, in my humble opinion, is a big load of boloney. I have been a successful business owner for 11 years, had my kids in daycare of with a nanny and consider myself to be pretty modern and I also identify as my family’s homemaker. I wear that title with honor and know that making my home comfortable and as stress-free as I can means that my kids, my husband and I can all be better people. Cleaning gives me joy, planning give me joy, providing for my family gives me joy. We can be whomever we want as modern mothers, homemakers and all.

Myth 5: Homemaking is about being submissive.

Do you know that when I released my latest course, I had a “friend” who has no children tell me that the art of homemaking encourages woman to be submissive? Luckily, I have thick skin and no time for nonsensical comments, but that made my roll my eyes so hard, I gave myself a headache. I know women who make their homes and aren’t married, who have no children, who split the work with their husbands, who split the work with their wives, who work full time, who work part time, who have kids living at home, who have kids not living at home and everything in between. Submission has nothing to do with homemaking and the two have someone become intertwined through the decades. I don’t clean my bathroom because it is my wifely duty, I do it because having a clean bathroom makes me feel better. I don’t like germs, I don’t want to sit on a toilet that has pee all over it and I want to shower with a tub that doesn’t give me the willies. It’s my choice, and it’s yours too.

Now that you know all the myths around homemaking, you can get down to the business of grabbing the bull my the horns and killing it as a modern homemaker. But, uh, where do you start? Even if you are a "Cleaning doesn't suck that bad" kinda mom, keeping a running tally of all the things that need to be cleaned in the house can be a daunting task! Sign up below to join The Mother Like a Boss Vault and gain free access to home management printables, worksheets, mini courses, audio lessons and more! This vault is your key to all things #homemakerish and it's totally free.

Cleaning like a Pro: The 5 things you can learn from the professionals to make cleaning your house way easier

Cleaning and organizing your home can seem like a full time job. Seriously, every day there is a new mess, a new pile, another fire to put out. You’ve secretly dreamed of a day when you could hire an Alice, a delightfully efficient live-in maid to be at your beckon call and anticipate your every need. The house would smell delicious, the laundry always done and put away and the bathrooms gleaming. Some day…some day.

But today, you don’t have an Alice. You have a you, and maybe even a partner and some kids to help. Or perhaps you have a cleaning service once a week or month. If you do, I am sure you notice how efficiently they are able to clean the house. They seem to come in, work diligently and leave before you would even be able to vacuum the carpets. It’s like magic.

After 10 years as a professional cleaner, I can say without a doubt that the question I am asked the most by my clients is “How do you clean so well so FAST?!” My clients are amazed at the speed at which I can scrub the house from top to bottom or organize a space faster than they thought possible.

I’ll let you in on a secret. It’s not magic. Believe me, if it was, I’d use it far more often and go even quicker. The truth it, the reason I (and all other professionals) are able to clean so efficiently is because of a few finely tuned, specifically honed skills.

But behold, you can learn and USE them, too. You’re only a few strategies away from kicking the dirt and clutter to the curb in far less time.

So what are the professionals doing differently?

1.       They have a plan before they begin.

When a professional enters a client’s home, they have a clear and specified plan. Based on the agreement they have reached with the customer, they know exactly what needs to be done. Having a plan cuts down on the amount of time you sit around thinking “Sooo, what should I do now?” If you know you want to get the entire upstairs cleaned at one time, decide what tasks you’ll do. Do you want to have all rooms dusted and vacuumed? Do you want all bathrooms cleaned? Will you be cleaning the windows, the baseboards, the corners? Always start with a plan.

2.       They have all the supplies at their fingertips.

Is there anything more annoying or time consuming than starting to clean, only to realize you left the glass cleaner downstairs, and the paper towels in the kitchen and that you forgot to pick up degreaser? Having your supplies where you need them is imperative to cleaning your house quickly and effectively. Most professionals have a caddy, a bag and/or an apron to carry their supplies. They don’t need to worry about having what they need for each room because it is all right there. I highly recommend making one up for each floor of your home. Decide what necessities you need and keep it stocked. Having it all at your fingertips means less time running through the house gathering up what you need.

3.       They work top to bottom

It seems pretty silly to clean the floor before cleaning the counter tops right? I mean, the crumbs are just going to fall from the countertops to the floor anyway. But still, I see this happen all the time when people clean their own homes. They start at the bottom and work their way up or start on the lowest level and work up. This is counterproductive. I have always found it best to start at one corner in the top most part of the house and work out and down. Not only will you not have to muck up the area you just cleaned, but you won’t run the risk of missing things. Having that system in place means your house will get that professional feel without paying a professional to do it.

4.       They let the cleaners do the work for them

You just found the most amazing counter spray. It smells great, it’s all natural and you just can’t wait to spray it on all those grease and coffee stains. You give the trigger a squeeze and before the spray has had .5 milliseconds to sit, you’re wiping it up. (BUZZER SOUND) Wrong way. Cleaners need time to work. Letting them do their thing means less work for you. Professional cleaners spray the dirtiest areas first, let it sit and move on to something else. Maybe your shower is particularly soap scummy that day. Rather than tackle it first, spray your favorite shower cleaner in there and then walk away. Go clean the toilet and the sink and the mirror. Come back to the shower after it has had time to marinate a bit. You’ll find it is FAR easier to clean once you’ve let the cleaners do their job. Nobody has time for extra scrubbing.

5.       They don’t let anything distract them

Picture it. You’re right in the middle of cleaning your bathroom when the phone rings. You answer and spend 10 minutes discussing your current energy provider with a telemarketer. You finally get back to the bathroom when you pass the pile of laundry on the stairs. “I’ll just put this away quickly.” You say and march off to your son’s room. While you’re in there, you notice the sheets really could use a wash and the shelves could use a dust. You throw the sheets in the washer only to realize you never started dinner. And so off you go to do that, while your bathroom waits, uncleaned. Professionals are completely unfazed by distractions like this. They have a plan of attack, a system and a bucket of supplies. When cleaning the house, try your best to ignore distractions. Set a timer if it makes it easier. Give yourself 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour of uninterrupted cleaning time. Walk past the other piles. They are not your concern right now. Continue on and finish one task at a time.

Although cleaning and organizing can be a full time job in your house and it may seem that professionals are just better at it than you are, the truth is, it isn’t rocket science. They don’t know anything you can’t learn. Now go take your new tips and make your house to shine like the pros do. Then charge your family a premium price for all your hard work.

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Even if you are a "Cleaning doesn't suck that bad" kinda mom, keeping a running tally of all the things that need to be cleaned in the house can be a daunting task! Sign up below to join The Mother Like a Boss Vault and gain free access to home management printables, worksheets, mini courses, audio lessons and more! This vault is your key to all things #homemakerish and it's totally free.