To want to find a cleaner that tidies too?

[Whatdowehaveherethen]

I'm exhausted. My house is a mess. I've been working from home since May with 2 young boys. They're finally back at school now after having a cough.

I just want somebody to come and sort out my kitchen and the boys room. I keep them clean but they're just disorganised.

I want a fresh start so I can keep on top of it all.

I know a lot of people are out of work at the moment and I thought by advertising on Gumtree I'd easily find somebody that would accept £12-£15ph for 3 hours work during school hours every now and again. I've had no luck.

I know I should and can do it myself but I'd rather pay somebody.

I work from home so I don't know if that will put people off?

I don't know how to go about it. Word of mouth is great and all that but I don't have any friends to pass the message on.

I know Coronavirus might be an issue but surely I can find SOMEBODY!

I feel like I'm missing something. Hence the AIBU.

Try your local face book page, someone will respond. Just say general tidying and house work.

This surprises me that you’ve had no interest! I’m a cleaner but I often get clients asking if I will do a big decluttering/organising session with/for them. I really enjoy those jobs. Much job satisfaction.

I think what you’re after is probably a professional organising service, which would cost a lot more than that hourly rate if done properly.

If you just employ any old person, how would they know what to throw away and what to keep? And create storage solutions for you?

Maybe you need to offer more money? I thought those prices were the usual for just cleaning, but you're asking for double the work, still in 3 hours and only now and again, not every week. People may not be interested due to that.

There are people out there called professional organisers I think. They might not be that cheap though...

It might depend on where you are, but I've found that cleaners around where I live in the Midlands do not tidy, and most are not thrilled at the idea of you being home. I had my previous place cleaned a few times during busy projects, and then when I was moving, and on all occasions, they wouldn't tidy and twice they asked if I could go out while they were cleaning.

I'd second finding a local Facebook page or group and asking for someone to declutter, be specific about the current state of the rooms (are they grubby? Do things need to be thrown away, or just tidied?) and that you can be out of the way although you'll be home, if that's true... hopefully you'll find someone that way.

www.apdo.co.uk/find-an-organiser/

Hi. I'm not surprised you e had no luck, I'm afraid. A decluttering service is different to a cleaner.
When my cleaner comes, there isn't so much as a hair bobble on the floor! I just wouldn't expect them to tidy up after us. I teach my kids the same, as it's a respect thing.
However, you sound overwhelmed, and that's different It sounds like you need some help to restore order in your home, before actual cleaning sessions can commence.

My friend hired a "life laundry lady" who came to re-organise things in the whole house and then my friend spent a fortune on all this Ikea stuff the lady suggested for each room and everything is now super organised and looks great but it was expensive as this woman is a "consultant"!
but this is a totally different service than a cleaner would generally offer to be honest.

can you stick it on taskrabbitt?

What area are you in?

my cleaner came today 3 hours earlier than I thought (my fault - I forgot) so I was still ironing and hadn't "prepared" for her. she casually put stuff in the dishwasher while I finished up and went to work. but wouldn't expect her to do full on tidying! I have her to do a full stop in the house but its a way to make us as a family tidy together, kids do their rooms, i do ours and dp all the other bits we've left lying around the last week, this week was rugby bags, clean washing piles and shoes. I know I'm not answering your question op but could a cleaner be a catalyst for a mass tidy up? your cleaner won't know where stuff goes or who it belongs to surely?

But how can they tidy OP? You'd never find anything afterwards.....you need to tidy and they clean.

Nothing needs throwing away.

It might help if I'm more specific.

My boys room has clothes scattered around. They need to be either put in the washing basket or drawers/wardrobe if clean.
Toys chucked in their toy boxes.
Lego put in the Lego bucket.
Beds made
Room hoovered.

In my kitchen I'd like;
my cleaning cupboard organised.
Empty crap chucked. No food cupboard as I magically keep them up to date.

I honestly don't think I need a professional organiser. I just need somebody to come and do what I should be able to do myself. Does that make sense?

I work from home so there's no chance of me leaving.

My cleaner is brilliant at tidying as well as cleaning. So for example if my son had left some books on the floor she would put them back on the bookshelf or she’d put toys back in the toy box or whatever. She’s wonderful and I love her. But she wouldn’t reorganise a whole room - I think as others have said that’s a different service.

Also if you do want a cleaner I don’t think the ‘every now and again’ bit will help you find a good one. Really good cleaners tend to be in high demand and they don’t want or need to take work on an ad hoc basis.

Actually having read your update I think most of those things are things my cleaner would do.

Taskrabbit has cleaners that will do a big tidy & declutter or a big Spring clean . Huge range of prices for all budgets.

You need a housekeeper. So it's housekeeping services not cleaning. I'm surprised you couldn't find someone. Some cleaners do both but obviously you pay more.

You should look for more of a housekeeping service. My cleaner/housekeeper tidies up and arranges things as well as cleans and changes beds, irons etc.

Maybe your boys should tidy up after themselves too

My cleaner does some light tidying too. I'm surprised you can't find anyone.

You're not offering enough money for what you're asking for OP.

I think you need to offer to pay more then, and advertise for housekeeping, rather than cleaning. I’ve never known anybody’s cleanser to do that sort of stuff.

Written down, it actually doesn’t look like that massive of a task! Why aren’t your boys tidying their own toys away, and putting their dirty laundry in the laundry basket/clean clothes away into their drawers? And assuming they’re tall enough to handle it, they could put the hoover round themselves for pocket money? Unless they are physically unable to, of course.

Cleaner, not cleanser! If your daily cleanser can tidy for you, then Caroline Hirons is probably out of a job.

I love doing this kind of job and have done for several of the families I've worked for. Its a tricky one though and if you're advertising I would definitely offer more than you would for a regular cleaner.
In my experience a declutter and organise is usually followed by a large number of text messages asking where things are!!
Its very hard to organise and declutter any part of a home you're not familiar with.

I don’t have a cleaner now but when I did, he or she (we once had a married couple who alternated) would tidy as part of the clean. I don’t have the time to prepare for a cleaner’s visit, so I just explain to any new cleaner that this will be the case, so they can adjust their hours etc.