https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:12:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769984 Sat, 26 Aug 2017 12:59:39 +0000 MaryM 2769984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: I was offended the first time DH suggested a house cleaner. I thought I was failing (I was also depressed at the time)</p> <p>But it's been so awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769972 Sat, 26 Aug 2017 11:13:46 +0000 808love 2769972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ajsmommy: I think three weeks is ideal. Maybe I can work if out with the company. @Shree1990: Love the snacks idea.<br /> @HappyBaker: We are used to being dirty so maybe one month would be ok? There are 3 of us with two bathrooms so we will see. @MaryM: DH was the one I had to slowly work on for years to be ok with this and he really likes it. He has taken on a big part of the cleaning in the past but recently hurt his back so he conceded. He really is embarrassed by the stigma of having a housecleaner (probably cultural) but I can tell it has really improved DHs general mood and it<br /> is making a huge emotional impact on both of<br /> us because of less stress and quality of<br /> life improved in just<br /> two days. I'm super excited about this change and that DH finally agreed!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769952 Sat, 26 Aug 2017 06:56:18 +0000 Shree1990 2769952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tidy up and prepare the things he may need. Some beverage and snack so she feels welcomed may be a good step. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769854 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 13:06:11 +0000 HappyBaker 2769854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: So glad you got to experience the amazing-ness of housecleaners! We have them come every other week and what's nice about that schedule is it means I literally never clean a toilet or a floor! It's pretty gross by the end of 2 weeks so I'm sure if it was a full month I'd have to actually clean stuff! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769852 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 13:03:16 +0000 Littlebit7 2769852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our cleaner is the best thing that has ever happened to our house, our family, my sanity, and our marriage. I'll spend that money over and over until the day I die. Actually I'd spend more if I had to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769847 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 12:37:42 +0000 MaryM 2769847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: We don't have kids yet, but we have our cleaner come once a month. It works for us! And it's definitely been worth the money. I think DH and I used to secretly harbor feelings of the other not doing enough of X chore...so having someone to lighten the load has done a lot of good! and helped us to have time to do more than just clean on the weekends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769763 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 09:02:13 +0000 ShootingStar 2769763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: We get ours done every other week and practically every time DH is like, "this is the best thing we spend our money on." For us monthly is probably too infrequent, especially in the winter months. We have a dog and the floors just get really dirty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769759 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 08:28:09 +0000 Ajsmommy 2769759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: we do every three weeks and it works for us. Our cleaners actually suggested that to us as we were planning to do every 2 weeks. They actually said our house didn't need it so often. </p> <p>Maybe ask the cleaners what they think </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769715 Fri, 25 Aug 2017 02:07:28 +0000 808love 2769715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsLonghorn: Thanks for your input on more regular cleaning. I love what they did today. I learned that there were 3 and they stayed for 2 1/2 hrs for initial. They did everything I could have hoped for. I would love to have this for the rest of my life and trying to figure out how I could make it work longer than a year. I might just take it our of our fun money budget and just have more at home fun! It is only a total<br /> of $100 more to go twice a month rather than once a month so it is so tempting to increase cleanings. But then again what else could I do with<br /> that money?! Let's see how long we can keep our house clean. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769661 Thu, 24 Aug 2017 16:52:52 +0000 MrsLonghorn 2769661@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: totally understand about the $! I just felt that when we switched from 1/4 weeks to 1/2 weeks, we got more than twice the value for twice the price. </p> <p>I can't remember how much our initial cleaning is. Right now, I have 2 ladies that come together and clean ~3,000 sq ft (actually less, since some rooms alternate visits) and it definitely takes more than 2 hours. Maybe closer to 4?</p> <p>I hope you love it tonight!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769660 Thu, 24 Aug 2017 16:49:19 +0000 808love 2769660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsLonghorn: I don't think I can swing more than once a month but we will see. They will come 3 weeks from now due to scheduling and then the following month we will be on vacation for a week so that will be shorter. Then right before Thanksgiving and before and after Christmas. We'll see how it pans out before I commit to forking out $. I just called DH and he said they have been there for 2 hours and still going. How long was your initial cleaning? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769659 Thu, 24 Aug 2017 16:43:32 +0000 MrsLonghorn 2769659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@808love: haha, yes I had to explain to DH that "cleaning" = scrubbing with chemicals. "Picking up" is what we do before she arrives, so the surfaces are empty and she can actually clean them!</p> <p>We did once a month pre-kids. Honestly, the house got so cluttered in between visits that the pre-visit pick up was always a big ordeal and my house was always messy. I found that every-other-week is a nice middle ground, if you can afford it.</p> <p>ETA: If there are projects or things in DD's room that you don't want moved/cleaned/touched (in our house, that is DS in-progress magnatile tower), then definitely tell your cleaner! A </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2769560 Thu, 24 Aug 2017 11:01:00 +0000 808love 2769560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm finally feeling this excitement now. Today is the day we get our house cleaned. As I was pre cleaning DH was like wow, you cleaned up quick! I was like- no, I didn't clean! It is still filthy!! To which he revised, Thanks for straightening.<br /> I'm doing just once a month for now. Has anyone tried doing it on that schedule? HOw did it go? Also I'm concerned with lots of random stufff and projects in DDs room. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487809 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 16:24:08 +0000 HappyBaker 2487809@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just got home, OMG GUYS MY HOUSE IS SO CLEAN! Ha. I seriously did not expect such an amazing job, and I can't believe it's going to be this clean every 2 weeks! So so worth it and I wish we'd done this years ago! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487614 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 14:01:18 +0000 Mommy Finger 2487614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I joke that I hired a cleaning service to force us to be cleaner!!! We get so cluttered all of the time so it's nice to have something that forces us to declutter every two weeks. True, we tend to shove things into drawers most of the time but it looks nice! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487298 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 10:37:52 +0000 MaryM 2487298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I clean off all surfaces so she can clean more easily. And pick up my bathroom and make sure all the laundry is in hampers so she doesn't have to move around it. </p> <p>At first, I felt weird about her being in our master and closed the door so she didn't have to clean it. But after she cleaned it once, I felt SO much better about just having it clean so I make sure all clothes are put away so I'm not embarrassed of our room so much!</p> <p>We also usually get out the cleaning supplies for her so she doesn't have to dig through cabinets (if you're supplying the supplies) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487147 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 08:49:36 +0000 Periwinkle 2487147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband makes fun of me for this constantly! I do a ton of "pre cleaning" which he doesn't understand but I like to put away our laundry if it's in baskets, make piles and clean off surfaces, and just do a general organization of my house the night before. In my mind, it's all part of he bigger reason of why we have the cleaning lady come and it prompts me to put things away which have been sitting out since her last visit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487118 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 08:28:58 +0000 looch 2487118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like to make the surfaces are free of clutter and that there are no toys on the floor (with the exception of some train tracks set up on the playroom floor). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487088 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 08:04:33 +0000 HappyBaker 2487088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone! I sort of can't wait to come home from work and see how clean it is! </p> <p>Also - I know most of you will appreciate this, after tidying up / putting clutter away only, DH came downstairs and said "Wow, why'd you clean so much if the cleaners are coming tomorrow" to which I told him THIS is why we need cleaners, just because the house is tidy doesn't mean it's not disgusting! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487044 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 06:35:05 +0000 Modern Daisy 2487044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh ours doesn't do laundry FYI - I know some people have cleaners who do laundry and make beds. We did this in nuclear and found it wasn't worth the $ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487043 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 06:34:39 +0000 winniebee 2487043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tidy up but no actual cleaning (unless it's cleaning up from a meal or something) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487042 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 06:33:29 +0000 Modern Daisy 2487042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just straighten up since they really aren't supposed to be picking up toys or making beds (although ours actually remakes our beds which I find a little odd) and if you contracted to provide cleaning supplies make sure they are all accessible in an obvious spot. Also leave out a note pad and pen as ours typically leaves us notes about what we need, etc. you definitely don't need to pre-clean or empty trash! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487040 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 05:48:32 +0000 hellobeeboston 2487040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, another tidy up. I get everything off the floors so they can be cleaned. I don't have her do sheets so I sometimes just out extra stuff in the beds. She usually takes out trash so I leave that. Get dishes out of sink, just basic stuff. </p> <p>Exciting! You will LOVE it I'm sure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2487035 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 04:11:23 +0000 lamariniere 2487035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are pretty tidy, but I make sure all the toys are put away and that the house is picked up. I don't want the cleaner to waste time putting away toys/clutter. Other than that, I don't do much. Our lady comes once per week and I usually vacuum 2-3 times between visits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2486989 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 23:22:01 +0000 kodybear 2486989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just tidy up, put all the toys away, make sure there isn't anything scattered on the ground. I clear the countertops. I put all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. Dh also makes fun of me for cleaning before the cleaners but they still seem to have plenty to do </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2486986 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 23:07:46 +0000 youboots 2486986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only put away clothes, pick up clutter. She does everything else.</p> <p>I also toss clean sheets on the bed and leave special requests (like wiping out the fridge) on a sticky with the check. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2486985 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 23:04:21 +0000 SweetiePie 2486985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All I do is tidy up. I put things away that I know I'm particular about, or that I wouldn't want her to handle (I like to wash sip cups myself, for example).<br /> Leave a set of sheets on the bed(s) that need to be changed.<br /> Empty the diaper pail (no one but us should have to deal with that, haha).<br /> Leave a small list of any extra things I'd like her to do (she will charge me extra as needed).<br /> The only way I'd CLEAN clean before she came was if something like my toilet was really gross.<br /> I only empty garbage in bathrooms and bedrooms if its really full. That embarrasses me for some reason. But she does empty the garbage if needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2486983 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 22:55:19 +0000 LatteLove 2486983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't pre-clean or empty trash. They should do that for you!<br /> All I do is remove crap from surfaces I want cleaned (which usually means shoving it into drawers and closets). Our cleaning lady does any leftover dishes, organizes toys and anything else she finds and tidies beds m. It's SO worth it! (We only have her once a month) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2486968 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 22:29:10 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2486968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do a major tidy up, so that all the surfaces are cleared. Our tidy up produces a lot of trash (mail/ drycleaner hangers etc), so much so that we usually empty the trash before they come. We also make sure the bed linens are clean and put them in the correct rooms. Sometimes I wash &amp; put away all the dishes and sometimes I don't. I used to leave dishes in the sink for them to wash, but couldn't figure out why they always came out with a chalky white finish. This last time they came I hid the handsoap by the sink, which forced them to use the dishsoap dispenser attached to the sink. Voila cleaner dishes! Just make sure whatever you want them to use is obvious and readily available.</p> <p>Sometimes I remind them about our floors- like not putting too much wet solution down because it strips the sign from the engineered hardwood. Or I point out specific areas, usually behind furniture that I want them to make sure they clean. I try to let them do there thing, however, when I feel their routine clean is not a sparkling clean I just remind them the next time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-do-to-prepare-for-your-housecleaner#post-2486960 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 22:22:56 +0000 mamabolt 2486960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pick up clutter from most surfaces before she comes so she's not moving our stuff to clean around it. </p>