Sweeping Away Stress :: Hiring A Housekeeper

Sweeping Away Stress :: Hiring A Housekeeper

I am a married mother of two. My husband and I both work full time and our kids are in several extracurricular activities. I typically keep things organized but household chores always seem to get away from me. When you work full time and have kids that are always on the go, it’s hard and exhausting trying to keep the house tidy.

For years, even before we had kids, my husband suggested hiring a housekeeper. I always rejected the idea because it was just us two, so I didn’t see the need to hire help. Back then it was a lot of work keeping the house clean while both of us worked. We’d both be exhausted but I’d muster up the energy to clean, and I somehow believed I didn’t need to hire help (silly girl).

Once the kids were born my husband suggested hiring a housekeeper again, and again I rejected the idea. I felt as though I could and should be able to manage it. After all, my mom raised four kids, was a single parent, worked full time and she handled it all. I should have been able to handle it too. Right? It took some time for me to acknowledge that I was exhausted and stressed! I was exhausted because I was trying to mimic what I’d witnessed growing up. Finally, my husband sat me down and explained that because my mom did all of that, it didn’t mean I had to.

Just because I could take care of it all did not mean that I should.

One day I caved in and hired her. At first, I felt as though I was failing a little, admitting that I couldn’t accomplish all the tasks that were required of me. I had to ask myself who I was trying to prove something to. Surely not my husband or my children because they could care less if the house is clean or dirty.

The day the housekeeper arrived we left for the afternoon giving her uninterrupted time to clean. When we returned home I instantly felt this huge weight lifted off my shoulders. This amazing woman cleaned my home from top to bottom, which allowed me to enjoy the afternoon with my family. I was able to be fully present, not thinking about the messy home we’d be returning to.

After that amazing experience, we hired a lawn man too. Since we were lifting one burden, why not lift another one?!

You may be under the impression that you cannot afford this luxury, or that it’s a waste of money. I had the same thoughts floating around my head. I did some girl math to help me out there. I decided that the money I was spending on Amazon and at Target to buy random things could be allocated towards paying the housekeeper. Gotta love some girl math! You can also discuss with your house cleaner how often you’d like her/him to clean your house. They can clean your home as much as once or twice a week, or once a month. If you’re considering hiring some help, give it a try. I promise it’ll help save your time and sanity! If you’re considering hiring a lawn man, get one of those too. If your husband is like mine, he won’t miss this task either.