Hello.
I'm trying to decide whether it's sensible for me to get a cleaner once a fortnight or if there are alternatives. DH says keeping the house clean is our responsibility and we should be able to manage ourselves. I agree that it's our responsibility but I think paying someone to help for 2 hours or so a fortnight would save us so so much time and hassle.
We have two children, one 1 year old and one 3.5 year old with ASD who can be quite challenging and needs a lot of attention and patience. I'm a SAHM. Eldest can't cope with more than 2 mornings a week at preschool at the moment despite being funded for 15 hours a week.
We've got a reasonable sized four bedroom family house. I keep on top of all downstairs cleaning (hoover, dust, tidy, clean kitchen and downstairs toilet) daily as well as all cooking, washing, shopping, appointments etc. I get the hoover round upstairs and clean the bathrooms once a week. Also look after the children of course!
DH is out of the house working from 7am-7pm Monday to Friday so he spends only a hour a day in the mornings with the children meaning weekend time with them is precious. As well as work he covers all
bill paying and related admin (sorting insurances, MOT-ing cars etc) and the garden.
We are finding we're having conflict at the weekends because he gets driven mad at the outstanding jobs that I just don't get around to in the week. I'm getting frustrated because I'm being left to entertain the children - who want him, not me - while he does some of those things. He's then feeling bad because he actually wants to be being with the children but doesn't want me to feel like he is just having a jolly with them while I get on with more housework.
To me, the simple answer is to get a cleaner to come in once a fortnight and do a thorough clean upstairs thus removing the need for anyone to do more than the normal daily basics at the weekend.
Thoughts? WWYD?
Also can anyone let me know a reasonable cost per hour? We're in the Home Counties area. House is tidy so no tidying required i'd literally be looking for someone to dust and hoover four bedrooms and the landing, maybe change the beds and clean two bathrooms (one small en suite with just a shower). None excessive sized. Is two hours per fortnight sensible?