Changing housework style!

My cleaner is a dervish - I have never known anyone move so fast or be so thorough. Yes, she does the skirting boards, glass doors, paintwork etc as it needs doing, then cleans sitting room, conservatory, kitchen, our bedroom (moving firniture) and both bathrooms. No oven cleaning - don't cook that much if I can help it!

I too, realise how lucky I am.

Bags, yes that's what I he was getting at - I'd really want a cleaner to do the heavy duty cleaning that I know should be done, but haven't the energy or inclination to do myself (DH hasn't any spare breath for moving furniture etc.).

Surface dusting and a quick hoover-round is not what I'd be willing to pay for - I can certainly do that myself as and when...

When I retired from my proper job I did cleaning. I love cleaning so it suited me. When I interviewed people ( yes, I interviewed them) I would ask: what exactly do you want cleaning. Most people haven't a clue. So I would say to them " do you want skirting boards done, under beds, how often do you want the cooker/fridge/freezer cleaned etc.
Don't be afraid to say exactly what you want. It saves for a lot of confusion.
The reason cleaners get a lot done in the time is, they are not distracted, it's a job.
For two of my people I did everything apart from cooking. Washing, ironing, putting it away, empty dishwasher. Even having the dogs when they went on holiday. And with most of them I took my own Hoover. I love my Oreck.

I've got an Oreck [described, jokingly by a friend of my daughters years ago as 'that's a very modern looking cleaner you've got there']; recommended by a farmer friend who said it was the only vacuum that really got pet hairs off the carpet. I'm on my second.

We are in the same situation Ana. My DH doesn't have the spare breath either now and I don't have the energy I did have so I am now on the look out for someone to do these jobs. Windows, skirtings, under beds etc. I am thinking once a month for the heavy cleaning, the rest I can do myself.

Reading this thread inspired me to wash down all the interior doors yesterday and next week I will do all the paintwork around the doors. Today I have cleaned all the kitchen units, taken out all the glassware, handwashed some, and dish-washed the rest, and put it back in the cupboards all sparkly.This afternoon I shall tackle the ironing pile.Although I dust the skirting boards, I think they could do with a Flash cleaning at some point.If I needed a cleaner, I would get one, but so far so good and DH lends a hand now and then and is a dab hand with the Dyson. The house has stayed a lot cleaner since we don't have a pet, the cat hairs used to get everywhere[but I would still like another one at some point.]I have bursts of energy regards house cleaning, but generally just keep things ticking over.

I was ill when expecting my third child and had a home help for a while. I asked her to wipe the finger prints off the door (the knee high ones that grubby 5 year olds specialize in) She drew herself up and said "That's spring cleaning madam, we're not allowed to do spring cleaning." I used to do it every day.
Now I do it in fits and starts. We have a cleaner before and after paying guests. She is very good and if I'm away without DH, I encourage him to ask her to come in before I get back. That way I know that under the heavy furniture etc. gets done once in a while.

Where do you go to when you have a cleaner in the house? Alright, our house is small but I never know what to do with myself when there is someone else doing my cleaning. A bit like having workmen in the house.

Dustyangel. Another problem that people are afraid/ embaressed to talk about.
If it's a general clean, ie Hoover, dust. Just say to them: would you do the lounge / bedroom/ conservatory (whichever one you want sit in ) first, then I can get out of your way.

I go to Sainsbury's (Claire comes on Thursday) and Claire does the kitchen first so I can put stuff away when I get back. DH hides works in his study or arranges to be out working!

One thing that I have given up asking Claire to do is to leave my ornaments where I put them, not arranged as she thinks fit. If all I have to do is rearrange some Worcester birds and silver teaspoons, I think I can manage![lazycowemoticon]

rosesarered I washed my kitchen cupboard fronts today (inspired by kittyl's list.) But I haven't done all the other things you have.

I did use my new Karcher window vac on the outside of the kitchen window.

it's a start

I've lost track of this thread - but going on to having a cleaning lady:
When I was working fulltime with 4 teenage kids too we had a cleaning lady once a week, mostly she did the ironing (before I made them do their own.)
She was a lovely lass, well endowed upfront, and one week I asked her to clean the woodstrip floors in the dining room.
I came home unexpectedly and found she'd brought her husband to help. He was using her as a buffer to polish the floor (holding her feet - imagine!)
No doubt the feminists won't approve.

I'm assuming that was a 'joke'?

I loved the feeling of coming in on a Friday after work to a cleaned house. Sadly when Mr P had his first stroke, he decided that he would be the cleaner and would not be disagreed with. He did it beautifully. Once. The notion that it had to be done frequently was not one he shared sadly. As a result it became my job again. It was that or put up with sticky floors and mountains of dust. [domestic martyr emoticon]

I think if someone comes in and cleans your house for a couple of hours it looks clean whereas if you do it yourself you're always spotting bits that you've missed. I quite like going into someones house, cleaning and walking away from spotless floors and dusted tables [I've done it a few times in the past]; you also don't have the misery of watching all your good work undone over the course of the week until you turn up the following week. I've also employed a cleaner a couple of times but didn't know what to ask them to do [one spent the time cleaning a new carpet that was constantly shedding wool which it still is years later];which was a waste of time really.

I think I ought to change my housework style too, and start doing some!

Oh dear!" all this talk of house work is driving me back into the garden. I am so glad so many other Gnrs admit to not being domestic goddesses.