Finding and keeping a good housekeeper is usually an overwhelming task if you do not know how to go about it. There are many things to consider when you hire a housekeeper such as reliability, trustworthiness, ability, personality, and many other attributes which define a good housekeeper. When you hire a housekeeper it makes the well being of your home and possessions vulnerable not to mention your privacy.
The housekeeping industry is still relatively new which means there are not always guidelines and certifications in place not to mention insurance. Anyone can hang out their shingle and call themselves a housekeeper so you have to be very careful with whom you are allowing into your home. You can choose to go with a reputable housekeeping company or you can choose an individual. Either way you still have to do your homework when it comes to finding and keeping a good housekeeper so here are a few pointers to get you started.
1Become Familiar with Your Needs
You know you need help with keeping your home clean but what exactly do you need to have accomplished? Before you hire a housekeeper you should have a good idea of what you need. How often do you want the housekeeper to clean your home? Some people request once a month while others want it done on a weekly basis.
What are the specific areas of your home that you need cleaned? Perhaps it is the entire house or just a few designated rooms. You have to decide because this will affect the cost and the time it will take to accomplish the cleaning.
What about insurance coverage for the person working in your home? What is the coverage if they get injured? Do they carry their own insurance or is it up to you?
It is questions like these that you must ask yourself and then write everything down so you can see on paper exactly what you are looking for in a housekeeper and what you need to have accomplished.
2Ask for Referrals
If you are looking for an independent housekeeper, start asking around for referrals. Most people find reliable and trustworthy housekeepers through the word of others they trust. When you ask a friend for a referral find out how long they have used the service and if they are happy with it. Is the housekeeper reliable and trustworthy? How is the quality of the work? Is the service worth the price you are paying? Who supplies the cleaning products? How do you handle liability? If the word comes from someone you trust then you will most likely have a good experience with your housekeeper.
3Hiring from a Housekeeping Services
If you are thinking about using a housekeeping service many of these agencies screen their employees to ensure they are competent and trustworthy. They also do criminal background checks and the higher quality housekeeping services do a check in more than one state. A housekeeping service likely carries its own liability insurance and it also supplies the cleaning products.
Professional housekeeping services also try to provide a good match by doing an assessment of your needs and then matching a housekeeper to your needs. For example, if you have pets they will match someone that likes animals. If you are an elderly person they will match you with someone that relates well to elderly people.
It is also important to note that if you use a professional housekeeping service you may not get the same housekeeper every time. This means the service is less personal and it is likely your expectations will have to be communicated every time you need your house cleaned.
4Make Your Expectations Clear
Lack of communication leads to misunderstandings and volatile relationships so when you find a housekeeper you must make your expectations perfectly clear when it comes to exactly what you want done and how you want it accomplished. If you only want certain areas cleaned then discuss it and write down the details. If there are certain parts of the house that you would like off limits to the housekeeping service then specify exactly what areas they are not allowed to access.
Establish a working agreement with the individual or housekeeping service as to how often you would like the cleaning done, safety concerns, types of chemicals being used, the time of day you would like the cleaning to be done, how long you expect it to take, and other details you should spell out in writing.
When it comes to payment this will depend upon whether you choose an individual or a cleaning service. Professional housekeeping services cost more than independent contractors since the company takes a cut of the salary for finding you a reliable and competent housekeeper. Housekeeping services can range anywhere from $20 per hour to $200 for an entire cleaning job and maybe higher depending upon the location where you live.
As a general rule, if you make a habit of picking up after yourself the housekeeper will be able to do a better job of cleaning your house if they do not have to pick up after you before they start cleaning. You will also save money as well because the cleaning time will be shorter.
5How to Keep a Housekeeper
Most people prefer to develop a long term professional relationship with their housekeeper. If you want to keep your housekeeper there are a few rules of thumb:
- Do not treat them like they are inferior to you.
- Treat them like a human being.
- Don’t be too picky. If you have gone through a lot of housekeepers it is time to look in the mirror.
- Do something nice like awarding them a Christmas bonus to show your appreciation.
- Don’t be a slob. If your house is too gross this shows disrespect. If you show respect toward your housekeeper you will find that they will do nice things in return which are unexpected and they will be more likely to respect your property as well.
