need a cleaner to help sort my home, but its a mess, what do i need to do myself...

[PavlovtheCat]

I just cannot keep on top of it all for various reasons. there are clothes strewn everywhere, toys all over the place, things not where they should be. By the time I get get on top of those things to hoover/dust etc I am so worn out I don't get to do it!

I need a cleaner to help me, at least to come and give the house one big blitz before the MIL arrives in two weeks.

What do I need to have sorted before a cleaner will touch the house? What can I ask her to do/what is expected for me to do? I expect it needs to be tidy when s/he comes to clean, no washing up/putting away/bins done type of thing.

but, if I wanted it done/paid for it, will s/he:
fold up clean clothes and put them in a basket?
clean down walls of sticky hand prints?
remove toys from under the sofa and hoover under the sofa?
pick up toys from the floor?
Clean the white (were white) painted kitchen chairs?
clean cupboard doors/front of washing mashing/dishwasher/fridge in kitchen?
clean the cooker, inside and out?
Put any random crap found lying around into a designated basket for me to sort at a later date?
change the bedding if clean bedding is left out (thinking of the kids, not mine and DHs).
wash the windows

Maybe you can put down yes/no next to each one, and if yes, if its likely to be additional to normal cleaning duties.

thanks!

I have been where you are but never done the cleaner thaing as everyone always says you have to tidy everything first.

Tbh it is the tiding that kills me, once all that is done I find cleaning fairly easy.

Do you have any good friends you could enlist to help? This is what I have ended up doing twice now. I have always hated the idea but when it comes down to doing it rather enjoyed it.

gobblers not right this second, everyones got their own shit going on, or are worried about getting chicken pox from dd who does not even have it, but might get it at some point because DS had it recently. And the house is a state because DS has had chicken pox and I have been unable to do a thing as DS wont let me be for a second, DH is working lots, and no-one has been near us due him having chicken pox. Well, its probably not quite like that but its how it feels. I feel overwhelmed and on my own with it all, or rather DH and I feel on our own, firefighting.

If I can just get the house looking nice, I can get back on track with things and feel happier. And if i got to pay, i got to pay.

and the picking up toys from under the sofa...prolapsed disc which is mostly ok but I can do that kind of bending/lifting the sofa, DH never thinks of it. But, we need to just get on with it.

Have you considered using a home organiser first? They don't clean but will help you organise systems/places for everything so it's easier to keep on top of. Then you could get a cleaner in to blitz. Once that's done, it's just keeping on top of it all. No idea if this is appropriate in your case but thought I'd mention it just in case. I love tidying. That would be my dream job actually...

you can come around here...