Okay I'm super curious of all you readers of my blog.
help with house work
by jamieivey | Feb 4, 2009 | My Story | 37 comments
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Nope my husband and I do it all ourselves – BUT – we do not have any children at home yet. Even with just the two of us some weeks it’s hard to stay on top of it. That being said if you feel you can’t keep up I think it’s worth it to have someone come in once a week and help out – just think, that is a few extra hours a week you have to spend with your children and what better way to spend your time? 🙂
YES … for which I am eternally grateful!!
We have help – my husband and I both work full time and we have 3 boys – 13, 7 and 4. Someone comes once a week to dust, vacuum carpets, clean hardwood floors, will do some laundry if she sees it’s piled up and pick up stuff as needed.
Do you consider my husband help? He puts in a good amount of time in that I am very thankful for. If I could just get him to clean the bathtub I’d be SUPER happy!
no… but my kids are in school.
I don’t have anyone who helps with house work. We can’t afford it, but after my family grows a little, who knows, we might go down that road. Most everyone I know who does have a cleaning crew once a week or every other week says it’s the best money they’ve ever spent!
We are fixing to hire someone! We found a christian couple in our area who does it for FORTY DOLLARS a week…2 bathrooms, kitchen, living, and 2 bedrooms….that is CHEAP and they have good references! Brandon and I have come to the conclusion…the peace and spare time it will bring will be priceless!
EVERY once in awhile…and I ADORE IT!
no ma’am but if we had the money, that would be one of the first places I would spend :). Probably only every other week though. I break it down and try to keep a schedule…Monday’s laundry, Tuesday’s bathrooms, Wednesdays Kitchen, Thursdays Bedroom, Friday Dakota’s room and Saturdays the Office. It never works out exactly like that but it’s the goal. Keeping the house picked up just in case of surprise visitors????? ….Tough with just one 3 year old so I can’t imagine 3 little ones running around!
Yes. Every other Thursday. The greatest gift EVER given to me by my husband. 🙂
No, I don’t have anyone (other than my husband), and I can’t keep up. There’s always at least two loads of clean laundry in my bedroom waiting to be put away and dishes in the sink needing to be washed. I was able to get more done when my boys were in preschool (last year), but now that they’re all home with me it just doesn’t happen.
When I was on bedrest during my last pregnancy my mom hired someone to come in and clean and it was great, but I must admit that it felt a little strange having someone else clean my house.
When the kids were little, my house just looked like crap … all the time.
I did occasionally pay a high school girl to come by after school and take the kids for a walk or to the park for an hour or two. I could get a few things done in the house, without them underfoot.
Now they can actually help and participate. The house still looks like crap, but it’s on the upper end of crappage – as opposed to being one step away from the Health Department beating down my door.
Do the kids count? Probably not so much. But they do help. On Saturdays, they change the sheets on their own beds, clean the sinks upstairs, swiffer sweep their own rooms, swiffer sweep & spray mop the upstairs bathrooms, clean the mirrors, clean the dining room floor, empty the whole house trash & clean toilets. On a daily basis, they pick up their own rooms, straighten the living room, carry dirty laundry downstairs, load the washer, fold their own laundry & put it away, set/clear/wipe down the tables, load & empty the dishwasher, “clean up” the kitchen, & empty the kitchen trash & recycling. Also, if I *ask* you to do a job during the day, you do it, with no whining, just because we are a family. Extra chores are assigned to pay for damages if you intentionally destroy something (for example, I have a kid who just chewed the zipper off of her jacket because she “wants a new one”. No problem. Start working, girl.) Also, kids can ASK me for “money jobs” if they are trying to save up for something. And sometimes if there is a job that needs to be done that I just don’t FEEL like doing, I will ask if anyone is looking for a money job, and usually it gets snatched right up. I cannot remember the last time I scrubbed a bathtub.
Also, the kids usually do a pretty good job, because it is not “done” until Mom inspects it.
I don’t have anyone now (one 2 yr old at home), but I am definitely considering making it work in our bare-bones budget! I work P/T, and would definitely do it if I had more than one child at home. I agree that it will be a little strange, but I think I can get over myself to have some help!
Nope – but I sure wish I did!
In fact it is exactly opposite, I occasionally work with my MIL and clean other people’s homes 🙂
It would be nice to come home from work and have my place cleaned too! Oh well!
hey jamie – we’ve 6 kiddos [4 of them being little] & i admit that in the last year or so, we hired my sister in law [vickie] to come clean every other wednesday for 4 hours each time – it’s not a ton, but it does help out & with all the younger ones, any helps’ good help
Yes- we have a work crew of children that help clean the house daily. 🙂
We do clean the house daily- each child has a room each week they are in charge of keeping clean on top of the bedroom they share. On Saturdays we do super clean and Sunday chores change so we pass on the chore super clean and looking its best. Mom and Dad do the laundry and pick up the slack. And I must say- the kids do a pretty good job helping out. (Many years of getting to this point of course!)
I have often dreamt of hiring someone once a month to deep clean the bathrooms- but so far- no luck.
Hugs
Sarah
We have someone that comes every other week for cleaning and I do have a personal assistant that travels with us when we are on the road (I think you met her at Student Life). She is a huge blessing when we are home as she works for us four days a week or more if I need her. If you can find a young high school homeschooling student, that will work for you, help clean, run errands, get groceries, help cook, whatever, it is a huge blessing and when they are young they don’t cost as much. We pay our girl really well, but she’s been with me for a while and she is gold! Hope this helps.
When I had five kids and lived in the USA, I did it myself and managed to keep up… not sure how.
Now with seven in Haiti, there is NO NO NO way I could keep up long term without help. Dust, lack of dishwasher, no hot water, electricity issues, water issues … needing to sweep every single day and mop every other … there is just no way. I am very blessed to be able to pay someone well in this economy yet still be able to afford the help. I obviously could not afford it in the states. If my friend/helper/aide ever quits … I will lay down and die.
Not now but did when I was reuperating from surgery and was such a MAJOR blessing and stress reliever to not have to worry about the house. Now…well, I do what I can. 🙂
no hired help, my husband does most of it… 🙂
Jamie-I think Tara should have mentioned that she used to be a crazy lady bordering on obsessive about cleaning and it was just with each child that she was worn down and beaten into submission when it came to keeping her house spotless. Sooo, yeah, no one who started from “normal” could have kept up like she did. Tara, just so you know, I say this in Christian love. 🙂
I forgot to add that I would so love to have help cleaning my house. As a gift for one of my baby showers, I was given money to have someone clean my house one time, but I haven’t done it because the stress of preparing my house to have someone clean it seems like too much.
ABSOLUTELY! We have hired help!!!! The best thing we ever, ever did. I always felt guilty about wanting to pay someone for what I can do and the money could always be used for something more important. We then realized my husband is much happier with a clean house and my sanity IS something IMPORTANT! We have someone come in twice a month just to do the floors and the three bathrooms. Just that much makes a huge difference. I can keep up with the rest and the best part is that when she has time she organizes my cupboards and closets. I am much more motivated to KEEP things organized once the initial work is done. My extra time is spent on my children, with my hubby and working for church so I think the money is going to excellent causes!
Just to let you know…..I clean bc I am not married nor kids….but I would love someone…JKJK! Anyway, growing up my mom had someone clean the house and then we always went out to do something fun! It was the BEST family time ever! So, I say go for it!
no help, the kids help with chores but even then I find I am behind a lot. I just claim it as job security and keep on working at it. somedays I don’t even do laundry (insert evil laugh here)
No help (not even from the hubby). That’s our division of labor, and it’s fine with me because he does all our outside work and takes out the trash. I SO wish I had someone. My parents hired someone for me after each baby for a while, but I’m on my own now. DH hired someone for a one-time cleaning for Christmas, and I loved it!!! I’m pretty much always behind and struggle with being overwhelmed.
Yes, I have help!!! I don’t feel one bit guilty about it either. I have an AMAZING friend that I used to babysit for her kids when I was in High School. After Luca was born, I could not keep up, and Ryan likes to come home to a picked up/clean house. I said, “okay, then we need to get someone, because I cannot meet your expectations!!!” I prayed about it, and God sent Yvette. The coolest thing about our arrangement, is that I bardor with her. She cleans and keeps me organized every other week, and I make jewelry for her and do any photography for her that she wants. I still pay her some too, and if I am in the plus with my services, she pays me.
I could not survive without her, and I tell her that every time that I see her! She could not come this week and my house and my husbands attitude shows!!! I told him that he has wayyyyyyyy to high of expectations since I still have 2 little ones at home. I figure, if it bothers him that much, then get off your but and do your own load of laundry. Until then, don’t complain!!! 😉 He helps out A LOT…just venting a little…
What I can not keep up with is laundry. One reason is, our laundry is in our basement and our house is nearing 90 yrs old. So, the basement is not the best place for kids, it is more of a cellar. So, I can’t spend much time down there when luca is awake, or I come up to AMAZING messes!!! 🙁
I don’t know how I did it without Yvette and I will cry the day that she can not help anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is the best investment of money that I could make right now! I would much rather be playing/helping one of my kids than dusting any day!!! I don’t know how to be a great housekeeper and mom at the same time…something has to give and it is not going to be the kids!
no, but i am seriously considering it. it is impossible to keep it all together…i feel like i am drowning in house work.
No. I do most of it since John works and I’m at home most of the day. Once we’re both working, we’ll both be part-time keepers of our home as well. 🙂
no, but i always want one and for some reason wont bring myself to do it. i spend a ridiculous amount of time cleaning though, and i dont even have kids. oh Lord.
i’ve never heard anyone ever regret getting a helper….if guilt stops you, don’t let it, you are contributing to someone’s livelyhood! here is a video that i loved that made me want to get a helper more. http://www.iamsecond.com/#/seconds/Stephen_Baldwin/
no…i wish 🙂
Nope, I wish! When hubby isn’t working two jobs he helps tremendously….the only thing that has saved my sanity is my almost 3 year old has finally started helping pick up her own toys!
I use slave labour. I get help from my kids. I get them to help with wiping dishes, swiping the floor, some times vaccuming. Mostly they take their dirty clothes to the laundry room and help sort them into piles. They need some practice with the sorting thing. They are getting really good at making beds. My daughter loves to surpirise me and make my bed. Every little thing they do helps and what doesn’t get done I try not to sweat over.
Oh how I miss living in Haiti! I can not afford anyone here but had someone there. Jody hates messes (slightly OCD) and with 6 kids in a very smal space, I just can not keep up. The kids do help. Shane (14) the most, but the other ones also do their share. I use a ton of bribes to get them to help me but what the heck, anything to get it done! If I had the money I’d totally hire someone.
I’ll admit to having a lady come clean my apt once-a-month. Seems like enough since there’s me & the 4-legged child here. I love having my girl come. She’s great and it’s well worth the money not to have to do it myself. Yes, I do the in-between stuff like wiping the counters and toilet and the occasional vacuuming (I LOVE me some vacuuming…I do…really!)
YES…I have help. I’m over 50 🙂 five children 21 on down to 5 all keep me running in different directions from college highschool elementary school and preschool:) yet, that is NOT the reason for the help if I had NO help I could NOT be reading your blog!!!!!!!