Is it Bonkers to Hire Someone to Clean Your House?

Is it Bonkers to Hire Someone to Clean Your House?

Have you ever considered using a home cleaning service? I used to think the idea was absolutely ludicrous, but then something changed my mind.

A year or so ago TLC’s wellbeing writer Jess told me that she and her flatmate were considering using a home cleaning service; someone to come in once a week and tidy up the place.

Jess worked a full time job, blogged after hours and also had a personal training service that kept her busy a few nights a week. Despite knowing about her hectic routine (and her flatmate’s was equally jam-packed), at the time I recall throwing my head back and scoffing at this concept. Paying a cleaner to come into your apartment because you don’t want to do it yourself; pure insanity, I thought.

And then December last year happened.

December is Always a Little Cray-Cray

The first week of December is usually when you’ll find me blissfully strolling through shopping centres with several bags in tow; finding pressies for my nearest and dearest and feeding my obsession with all things festive (read more on my Xmas obsession here).

It’s one of the perks of working for yourself as a small business/blogger/stylist/presenter; being able to decide when you’ll work and when you’ll take time out to shop.

But the December just gone was different.

The first week of December I was still writing content for the blog each day, which takes up a lot more time than you think. I was also still doing my MC work for Metricon a few days a week, and I had a day of filming locked in with them to record three decorating videos.

On top of that, I was sourcing products for – and styling – two photoshoots for different clients back-to-back; each with specific requirements and each in different locations across Melbourne.

But it didn’t stop there. I was also working on a major interior design job with a client of mine; specifying product, sourcing it, attending meetings and everything else that’s involved in the process.

It was also my partner’s 30th birthday celebration that week, and we had six family members flying down for the party, four of which were staying with us.

It was at this point I realised a few things:

1. I was actually going a bit insane
2. I wanted and needed 75 interns to help me out ASAP (sadly none came)
3. TLC Interiors only has two workload settings: dead silence with crickets chirping in the background, and KAPOW workload explosion. I was experiencing the latter.
4. I had absolutely no time to think about my house or how filthy it was becomingIt was at that very moment I remembered my conversation with my friend Jess, and I finally got it. Wanting someone to come in and clean your house actually had nothing to do with money. It also had nothing to do with laziness on the part of the person living in the house.

It was simply, for her (and now me), a matter of cleaning being so far down on the priority list, yet something you couldn’t not do out of fear a family of rats and roaches would take over your bathroom.

Seeing all that Mess…

So now, while work may have simmered down for a brief moment (slightly less KAPOW), I’m still wondering if a home cleaning service is a good idea. Working from home, as I do a lot of the time, I’m constantly surrounded by the burden of seeing dishes, watching the laundry pile up and hoping that weird smell coming from the fridge will sort itself out.

My partner works full time, so for the both of us, life is pretty full of responsibility. And although I’m rather fond of my Dyson vacuum, and although I do enjoy the occasional spring clean of the house to get it feeling fresh again, the daily grind of cleaning the place all feels a bit too much sometimes.

So tell me, is cleaning a burden I should rid myself of… or am I bonkers for wanting to hire a cleaner?