Not a cleaner but not a housekeeper either …

[Chipsriceandgravy]

Does anyone have a person like this to help them around the house?

We are DROWNING. Drowning.

I need someone to come and help me for a few hours every week. Basically be the me that I should be. A bit of laundry, ironing, sorting out. I really am not sure yet specifically.

It’s definitely not a cleaner that we need because that would imply that the house was kept tidy enough for this person to come in and clean. I need ongoing, regular assistance rather than someone to come and shine the sinks and floors once a week.

Please tell me about the help that you have that isn’t just your average cleaner.

4.50 From Paddington. Lucy Eylesbarrow

Excellent! 😁 Thanks, Tlolljs.

When I was a child my parents found cleaners / gardeners / etc by word of mouth. As an adult I’ve always used an agency. I can’t imagine picking a random person ‘off the internet’ to work inside the house without having an agency to vouch for them. Am wondering how this works out for people who’ve done it.

An organiser/declutterer? They wouldn't do ironing but would sort out your 'stuff' making it more manageable for you.

Is Mary Poppins available? 🌂

My cleaner basically does this. I asked her to do more hours and said we needed help with tidying and some laundry, so now she does a mix of actual cleaning and also tidying up, sorting clothes etc.
She comes twice a week for three hours each time.

Usually the cleaning agencies send you a sheet of paper so you can tick off what you want done and give it to the cleaner when she arrives.

You could speak to the agency and arrange this but an ongoing private arrangement with say, a mature lady looking for some extra work might work well.

Don't be embarrassed. The amount of pressure on us working mums is immense, just think of how tidy and organised your home will be soon.

I had an amazing lady for a while. She was just called a cleaner but she was fabulous. I think the trick is booking them for enough hours. I had 2 slots of 4 hours a week so she was expensive. She put washing on folded it up, changed beds, took bins out and helped me tidy too. Skirting and wibdows and oven cleaned every week. Fridge cleaned out My house literally sparkled. She was so proactive she was amazing.

For it to work you need to set some time aside to help them declutter though othwrwise they are just moving your shit around. She even went to the tip for me.

what happens for me is "so I have to declutter first?" which is ongoing "I'll have to do that instead of regular cleaning or making meals? with the children around? how will that work?" so I just feel frustrated and struck forever
I really wanted someone when youngest was little, but ⬆️ happened 🥺

I know a cleaner like this,she cleans but will tidy, organise, support decluttering, help you keep on top of everything the house hold needs to run smoothly. She is golden.

Here for the team spirit too. Hooked at drowning. Solidarity 🙌🏻

Loving these answers.

@JustSneezed YOU ARE EXACTLY WHO I NEED! I just need someone to do what I should do if I was a proper grown up. I’d be happy not to see big changes but more gradual improvement, absolutely!

Cleaners here all seem to be chockablock - I think posting asking for a Home Help type person may work out better as whenever anyone asks about cleaners on my local Facebook group it’s always the same agencies recommended. I want a person.

When I am out later I will pop into the local shops to see if any of them have a notice board. I can’t think if any do.

Is it too much to ask for the person to be DBS checked do we think?

I think for this kind of help it’s best to find someone through word of mouth, self employed rather than an agency. Agency cleaners don’t get paid well and are likely to be less flexible.

I used to have someone like this and really miss it. There is just so much stuff to do to keep a house ticking over.

I second getting a self employed cleaner on recommendation if possible.

I offer ironing, laundry, making up beds, tidying, emptying bins etc. I think most self employed cleaners are very flexible. £15 per hour, although I’m completely booked up with a waiting list at the moment. Cleaners seem to be in high demand in my area

I’d suggest posting on your local fb or the Nextdoor app. Good references are a must.

As for my own house; with all this work, I’m drowning too. 😂

Also with you. Drowning.

My husband is meant to be swimming just as hard as me, but he's not, he's drifting along on a cruise ship and I'm slipping beneath the waves. Not that he will recognise that. The slightest hint of a choppy sea and he acts like his life has become the final hour of the Titanic's above sea life. Everything is always SO. MUCH. WORSE for him.

If he picked his clutter up, tidied up after himself and ran the hoover and a mop around a few times a week (less than the bare minimum) I would be so grateful. But no. He will snipe about what everyone else isn't doing, as if he's the household manager.

Drowning and fuming

Self employed cleaner here. Also have a Jane role. School runs. Ddogs walking. Ironing. And cleaning. 5 times a week. Love it!!

I'm a declutterer. If you live in Sussex I might be the answer to your problem

I have a self employed cleaner/housekeeper 7 hours a week, and this is what she does. She does do a full clean, but also sorts out the kitchen cupboards, folds the laundry and pairs socks etc, irons, puts the sheets onto wash when changing the beds, pegs washing out or puts it in the drier, tackles the utility room (or wherever needs attention) and more. Basically she is the one that looks at the house and sees what needs doing then does it.
I just put an honest description of our needs in an advert on our local FB noticeboard thing, we interviewed a few people to see if they fitted in, and she's been brilliant

Still wondering what the expected pay is for a cleaner who sorts stuff as well, any ideas? Thanks.

@EmmaH2022 we pay £15/hr, but obviously it varies hugely by area

I’m DBS checked and do everything. One client refers to me as Mary Poppins!

MN should offer a home life raft service where like minded local MNers can help one another keep their lives in order.

MNer1 hates doing the big shop so she goes round to MNer2 house and does the ironing which she loves while MNer2 goes round aldi for the both of them.

Oh wow, you are living my life!

I love the life raft idea!!

Am also wondering how much to expect to pay. Cleaners here seem to charge anything from £12/13ph up to £20!

I really need to work on an actual list of jobs. Laundry is a big issue in our house - so I think I’ll centre it around that. I know there laundrettes and ironing services out there but it’s almost a task in itself arranging that and having it ready to go etc. I’d rather someone did it in my house.

I have a lady in her 60's through a family friend who comes for 2.5 hrs every week for £30. She generally keeps the downstairs of the house in shape - but she will do anything I ask if I have extra jobs or need something specific doing.

She's cleans, tidies, irons, organises. She'd prune the roses if I asked her too as well.

And she loves it - loves being involved in a family house.

I think this is the start of your ad

"Home help / mothers help / fairy godmother required'

Then explain what you've said here - you're a busy family drowning in day to day life and you need a Fairy Godmother / Godfather to help it run more smoothly.

That is a great idea.

CMOT thank you. I got a quote from a professional organiser and it was £50 an hour, though apparently it included practical help.

I have reached a new low today - in all the muddle I forgot one of mum's medical appointments and set up a meeting that clashes. I literally wasn't listening to her on the phone, hence didn't write it down.