To wonder what people do when their cleaner is in?

[SoloWanderer]

Do you stay in the house and just move to another room, or do you head out while they work? I find it a bit awkward either way and am curious what others do. What’s the norm?

I was once a home cleaner and preferred an empty home so we could crack on.

Usually I just shut myself in my study as I am working from home! But if I need to go to the office I do and she lets herself in.

If i wasn’t working I’d go out somewhere

Alas, I'm in there now (hiding from the cleaners) and the most exciting thing in here is a drawer full of HDMI cables and his boxed collectors' edition game guides.

I need a wfh job. What do you all do??

Mine alternates, one week upstairs the next down, so i work on the floor she's not doing.

If I am working I go to work. If i am not I go and do my shopping. Our cleaner has been with us since 1997 and she prefers it if we are not around so she can crack on.

Mine doesn't do my bedroom so I take my dogs in there & we all stay out of the way.

I stay in my office working for the majority of the time. I might pop out to get a drink and to check all is ok but otherwise I leave her to it.

If I'm working then I just close the door to my office and leave her to it.

If I'm not working then I'll shut myself in the lounge for most of the time, then just move out of the way for her to do it. If I need to do a top up shop or anything like that then I'll time it for when she's here so I can stay out of her way.

That's like one cleaner for 8 hours!

Ideally she comes when we are not home, it's easier for everyone (she has a key).
If we are WFH, my husband prefers to stay in the study and that room isn't cleaned.
I work from the living room, and move to the kitchen for the 30-45 min she needs to clean it.

If the kids are home, we cancel!

Thanks for starting this thread OP! MUST get a cleaner...

Question for everyone who leaves the house. What do you do with important/confidential paperwork? I'm thinking my banking folder with magic online key device, plus password/PIN/etc printed out should be in a locked metal box file or something... Car?

I’m usually in my office working, we have a few chit chats as she goes up and down the stairs but other than that I stay in my office.
If I’m out at the office she has a key.
When I didn’t work school holidays I used to take the dc out because there were 3 of them so we were all under her feet!

Work downstairs while she does up and swap when she moves downstairs

@MasterShardlake, yes, like having one cleaner for eight hours - which is what it takes to do the entire house, top to bottom (and this is just cleaning, not tidying or extras like reorganizing cupboards or ironing, which some cleaners do). It's so much better than having one cleaner here the whole day or two cleaners for the whole afternoon. They only come once a fortnight.

I'm almost always out at work, on the odd occasion I'm home, we have a bit of a chat and I pootle about folding washing or something similar. If DS (16) is home in the holidays, he hides in whatever room she isn't in (weirdo).
DH is in his study if he's WFH and will say hello and v limited small talk.

We do exactly that. Can't imagine leaving a complete stranger in my house on their own.

But most of us aren't talking about a complete stranger.

Some people have had their cleaner work for them for years.
Some people found their cleaner through personal recommendation.
Personally, I knew my cleaner for several years personally before she became my cleaner.

I'm a cleaner and ever since covid people seem to be at home working more.
I enjoy seeing my clients and having a catch up..most make me a cup of tea and we have a little chat.
Thiugh to be honest I much prefer them to be out.
I can get on better,do things my own way(not having to put off hoovering because they are on a call, or start something only then to have to switch to something else because they come into the room etc etc....)
Some go out once we have had a chat, some do outdoor jobs whilst I'm there, some move from room to room,some are always out at work and I hardly see.
I always always prefer the first option

I don't have my passwords or PIN printed out anywhere. But yes, get a locked box and all the normal security I guess.

I go out!

It seems Ike a terrible idea to have your passwords and PIN printed out just generally TBH

If you really can't remember them, I would email them to yourself

Mine is my friend so we have a chat if I’m home and I move rooms (I’ll be working at home). I do try and go to the office on the days she comes though

What is the hourly rate for a cleaner?

I tidy and organise - do the stuff she can’t do. E.g. sorting laundry, returning random
objects back to the correct kid’s bedroom, chucking out of date food (or digging out stuff that needs using up), flea treating the cat, throwing out paper waste, sorting bags for the charity shop.

Generally I use the time to do errands out of the house or work - but it’s not awkward to work alongside her if I’m in.

I don't have a cleaner but if I did I think, when they were in the house, I would hide in the loft with a pillow over my head.

(As I try to avoid small talk, whenever possible.)