coping without a cleaner

[calmlychaotic]

So fired the cleaner today, she was stealing from us, we suspected for a little while but have proof now. Anyway, not ready to get another, this has happened before. She did once a week big thorough clean, everything, laundry Hoover mop etc, I am a cm so am at home. Work with assistant so my plan is to take half hour ish per day and do it myself. Can anyone give some handy hints or advice or routines even to help me keep on top of it. been ages since I had to factor whole house Hoover or changing beds into routine.

If you are able to do a little bit each day then break it down into sections. Ages ago I had a routine like thus:

Monday. Hoover whole house, bathroom and kitchen
Tuesday dust and polish upstairs
Wednesday change beds
Thursday dust and polish downstairs
Friday Hoover whole house, bathroom and kitchen

Surely as a childminder you are doing most of downstairs every day anyway? I know when I was childminding there was never a day I could have got away with not mopping and hoovering throughout, and cleaning downstairs toilet/sink/changing towels.

Upstairs should only take you an hour a coupe of times a week at most.

Do laundry every day.

I'm really sorry to hear that you have been taken advantage of by a cleaner, and that it's happened more than once.

When you say you work with assistant so you are going to do it half an hour per day, please tell me youmea you will do your house cleaning AFTER all the mindees have gone and not while you are being paid to look after children?

I am being paid to look after children however I work 7-6 most days and at lunch time while the children are having their nap I run round cleaning after the morning activity and preparing for the afternoon. I'll also maybe hang a wash up up something then. That's my lunch break! Every other profession is allowed a lunch break so I don't see why childminders are any different. My assistant takes half an hour to have her lunch and a little break and I do the same. that said if the children don't nap or struggle getting to sleep I don't get a break at all and she often doesn't either. That line of please tell me you didn't do anything for yourself or your home has been used on me several times and I find it very unfair. Does you not get breaks at work?
I tidy and clean constantly throughout the day 2 year olds are a messy lot! I involve them where possible so they learn to set and clear the table they wipe spills they make but that's more a learning experience they are not exactly efficient.
Having 2 cleaners steal has really put me off and I don't want to do it again.
I clean bathrooms and Hoover and mop after they have gone. I then start on my paperwork. I just started this post to look for quick ideas and routines I can incorporate into my daily routines to keep on top of it.

I very loosely try to follow this routine:

Mon - kitchen/empty bins/recycling/main clothes washes
Tue - dust/Hoover upstairs/change beds /wash bedding
Wed - bathrooms/ wash towels
Thurs - dust/Hoover downstairs/wash delicates
Fri - clean hall/stairs/landing floors/wash uniform

Hth!

Calmly, I think you obviously should be cleaning as you go along and the idea that you should sit with your eyes never leaving the kids is ridiculous.

I've got three young children and whilst I am a cleaner, I can't give advice on how to keep tidy with kids underfoot... my house is not representative of my services!

It really upsets me to hear that you have had TWO cleaners steal from you. Obviously, as a cleaner, it upsets me to think that others give us all a bad name. But, I can't blame you at all for feeling as you do. Can I ask you a couple of questions about your experience? How did you find the cleaners - were they self-employed or from an agency or a company? And did they have any paperwork like police checks or insurance?

I wouldn't mind a childminder cleaning while looking after my kids- I'd actively like it if s/he were able to involve them in the housework. I've used a CM before, picked a CM for the home-from-home experience: that included running errands, shopping, visiting the CM's friends/family - I wanted that. Don't most parents who choose CMs want that? I'm surprised you've had comments.

I too, as a cleaner, am upset of hearing that your cleaner stole. I never in a million years would contemplate this!

Why do some of you have a problem with CMs doing their cleaning whilst minding children? Surely the reason why you choose a CM and not a nursery in hte first place is because you want the continuity of family life for your dcs?
Both my dcs went to a CM who did her cleaning and - shock horror - even involved them in it, by giving them a clean duster and letting them follow her around. They loved it, she was happy, they even still dust their own rooms now. She took them to the supermarket too.
If you were a SAHM would you only do all your cleaning when they were asleep? I think not. How is the CM scenario different?

I think it's fine to do some cleaning with the involvement ofyour mindees so long as you aren't dealing with sprays and cleaning products.

My only tip is to tackle a bit of something right at the end of your working day rather than having a sit down first - just see it as a part of the working hours IYSWIM.

Some good tips thanks. I like the idea of set things on different days, I'll try and work out a routine.

Hope I haven't upset any cleaners, I asked round for someone to recommend but all the good ones are totally booked up. I got the first one from shop window advert. References promised never received. I should have known better. 2nd one through an agency. After a few months she said she had left the agency but still wanted to work for us. We had grown to like and trust her so agreed, she took money, just little bits, and I almost sympathise I know she was short of money. It was awful because she had been with up so long I didn't want to believe it was her but we caught her red handed. I know we have been unlucky and a bit stupid, should have got references and insisted on staying with agency. I know of plenty of lovely trustworthy cleaners just wish they weren't booked up!