to NOT want a cleaner?

[OrkaLiely]

it seems to be very common on MN; paying another person to clean your house. Why can't the adults in the house do it between them? And once the kids are old enough to hold a duste,r teach them to help out as well.

I'd hate someone else in our house cleaning up our mess. It sends a bad message to children too. And no-one in this age of dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners is too busy to do it themselves.

I can do a lot of things I choose not to.

If you don't want a cleaner, don't get one, easy.

Is it not ok for a woman person to earn a living as a cleaner?

Good god OP.

Doing your own cleaning doesn't make you a better person you know.

Just because people have cleaners doesn't mean they don't clean up after themselves or expect their kids to Orka - most cleaners probably come once a week for a few hours, they aren't live in housekeepers trailing family members around and mopping up 24/7 - if only . Why would paying someone else, male or female to clean bathrooms and floors send a message to kids any different to them seeing their mum...because let's face it, it would most often be mum, doing it ?

I think maybe you need to get a hobby or something else to get worked up about, mind your own business about what other people's domestic arrangements are.

With you on this Orka.
Would hate someone else coming into our home and also agree with you that most people could make time if they wanted or had to.

But if you choose to spend you money on a cleaner, then I have no problem with it - just couldn't do it myself.

????

After a full day's work plus commutes who in their right mind would want to do housework, if they didn't have to? Can you really not think of something better/more fun/ more relaxing/more worthwhile to do?

I've been a cleaner, I've had a cleaner and now I'm at home and do do it all myself, I look forward to the time I don't have to.

By the way, unless you have a full staff (as a pose to someone who comes in once or twice a week) there is still plenty left to be done.

I don't want to do the cleaning but I like having a clean house. Rather than argue with my husband or live in squalor I choose to create employment for someone else.

You can do what you like.

YABU. We love having a cleaner, best thing we ever did.

(We also use plumbers, electricians, panelbeaters, and buy bread from the supermarket instead of making it ourselves. Is this setting a bad example to our kids?)

So between times I'm... cleaning the loos (once a week aint enough)

Um.. Yeah.. Um.... Me too.....

Oh FFS.
Why do you care?

I have a nanny, a cleaner and I'm shortly to employ a gardener.

My house is clean, my garden is beautiful and on the days I'm off work, in addition to the stuff I have to catch up on from the days I've been at work, I also get to spend quality time with my kids, cooking, playing music, reading, board games etc... and just generally enjoying life.

Lucky me eh?

oh, I have the time to clean, I just don't want to. I work 3 days a week, I'm knackered in the evenings, the other two 'working days' are for DS, I'd rather go out to toddler groups, go to the park etc basically, focus on him than clean. So I pay someone to come in 3 hours a week when I'm out to clean and I only have to do bare minimum to keep it up in between.

Don't know why anyone who can afford it would rather ignore their little one and scrub the bath themselves. But hey, each to their own, if you like scrubbing shower doors in your free time, great, I can think of a million more fun things to do.

Agree totally with LeQueen 20:10 post.

Like hoovering whole house once a week, cleaning the bathrooms and toilets and scrubbing the kitchen once is all needs doing in a week!

I've got a gardener too. Shall we all post a list of the domestic assistance we use to oil the wheels? It's to annoy the op.

I'll start.

Childminder
Cleaner x 2 weekly
Gardener weekly
Oven cleaning bloke x 3 per year

My cleaner does the following:

Hoovers all rooms
Dusts all rooms
Wipes everything down, including the odd skirting board
Polishes everything that needs polishing
Mops the floor
Cleans all bathrooms, including shower trays and loos
Cleans the kitchen
Cleans the fridge and oven
Mops floors
Changes all beds
Washes the bedlinen
Does all the ironing

It takes her approximately 8 hours per week to do all that. I would be hard pressed to find the time. We both WOHM full time. Full time plus in my case. Frankly, if outsourcing my cleaning makes my life easier, I don't see why it causes you a problem.

I don't want a cleaner either, cleaning takes 20mins a day max, what I would like someone to put away all the children's toys properly and sort out the cupboard of lidded plastic containers that fall out every time i open the door! NOw that is worth paying for!

Each to their own. I got a cleaner when it became apparent that after zero sleep with a newborn I would have to do the cleaning while DH took the kids to the park on a Saturday morning or vice-versa. When I can afford to pay a cleaner instead why wouldn't I? oh yes, and DD1 is 3 and already helps get breakfast ready and lay the table, and is a dab-hand with a dustpan and brush.

What LeQueen said. In fact are you me?

Here's the thing, if you're happy to clean your house do it.

I won't judge you. Extend the same courtesy to me please.

There are numerous household tasks that don't get outsourced and now this thread has got me thinking.

I have a gardener already, but I think I need a cook.

Yes definitely, a cook. I cook around 6 meals a week. I think I could make this work.

Am vair jealous of those who can afford a cleaner. Indeed the OP has more than a hint of sour grapes about it.

I hate cleaning. I can't wait until I earn enough (currently on mat leave) to employ someone to do it for me.

It's up to the individual how they choose to spend their money - they might buy expensive equipment for hobbies, have a penchant for designer clothes, bags and shoes, or choose to spend their money on travel... Or a cleaner. Different strokes for different folks and all that.

At the end of the day, when I'm face to face with St Peter and going through my life's regrets, one of them WON'T be that I wish I'd spent more time cleaning my house!

In fact, I also pay someone to do my groceries and have them delivered to my door (thank you Ocado).

How many people do this but should be doing it themselves OP?

I work a long week, being home for bedtime means working in the evenings once DD is asleep. By the time I've been for a run, had a shower, eaten dinner (thank you DH), and done a little extra work there is no bloody way I am cleaning when thanks to the work I do I can afford to employ my lovely cleaner who does the same work as Quattro's.

DD is taught to tidy her toys and frankly I would rather show her that working life can be rewarding than demonstrate how to do the ironing.

grocery shopping that should be

Ooh chubfuddler, a gardener