Why I Clean Houses / It's O.K. To Hire A House Keeper Part 1

Hello Dear Friends

I think of hearts and flowers when I think of you.  So I wanted to begin my post with a cute little heart/flower banner.  

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 I am having a great week.  I hope you are too!  

  

Tonight  (Wednesday)  my chores consist of cleaning the kitchen from a huge meal on  Tuesday lunch.  

I see your Gasp.

But I have an excuse. This time (I really didn't say that did  I?) 

Our son and his family arrived Sunday night at 9:00 pm for a short stay.  So it is  a crazy couple of days they will early on Friday morning.  

Have you ever had one of those weeks and then you were burdened and labored with chores to do?  

I know your nodding.  We've all had those weeks! Whether your semi retired and working again or your a young mom. 

 I know you can relate. 

 Today on my list was of course the kitchen, laundry, vacuuming the floors and then mopping.  It is 12:45 and I am almost done.  I don't have a tiny house but it is small enough that chores only take a fraction of the time that they once did.  

Plus I've gotten pretty fast because I clean houses for a living.  

I know I see it another 

Gasp

I know call me crazy but I do.  And I love it.  I love setting my own hours.  I realize I actually enjoy cleaning.  Now.  

But back in the day. Not so much!

Now walking into a mess isn't anything like walking into my own mess.  A few short hours later that mess is all sparkly.

Waaay back in the day when I was a stay at home mom I had the chance to have a house keeper.  I know another . . . 

Gasp

 I really didn't need it but I could so I did.  The Cowboy traveled alot and so it was somewhat of a single mom household most weeks.  The Cowboy wasn't able to be around for afternoon activities etc.  

 Basically I/we realized that with someone helping with the deep clean then it freed me up to do more fun things with the kids. 

My kitchen never looked like this.  We didn't have a cool faucet back then. We always as a family on the night before the cleaner came made sure dinner was cleaned up.   I planned my menus for a simple meal that was super easy to clean.  Or we ate out.  

The kids rooms did Not look like this.  And frankly as a house keeper I wouldn't touch this.  I did have a house early on that started out similar.  Dawng I wish I could remember to take before and after photos!

The big rule in our home was nothing on the floor everything put away.  

The cleaners job was to vacuum and change sheets and dust.  My kids had plenty of storage and knew how to use it.  Many times as pre-schooler's they had to 'buy their toys back'.  I was a 'mean' mom

I inspected in the morning on cleaning day. Actually every day.

(That's the key...and a post for another day)

If the rooms didn't meet my inspection they didn't get cleaned. 

I wish I had the forethought to photo/document all this for you and me and my grown children. The guilty party had to clean their own room that afternoon even if it meant not getting to do something they wanted.  They knew the night before the cleaner was coming.  

There were really no excuses but there were a few times my son rebelled. Actually I can't say he rebelled he just got distracted. 

For the most part the houses that I clean now are easy to clean. Just big!  I've arranged my portfolio (that sounds fancy. HeHe) 

I've learned teenage boys don't make messes all they do is play electronic homes.  

Teen age girls that's another story.  None of my clients have girls. 

(I pick and choose my clients)

My clients are all professional working couples and have plenty of money to spend on a house keeper.  

There is no way we were anywhere near their income level back in the day but we managed easily.  I didn't pay alot for a cleaner. 

I was cheap.  I paid the cleaner from my 'play' money and well honestly I didn't want to share too much.  

Today you can get a professional cleaner for anywhere from 

$10.00 to $25.00 an hour.  Care.com is a super easy, simple and safe way to find a cleaner.  Word of mouth is even better!  

Are you wondering do you need a housekeeper?  Are you wondering can you afford a housekeeper or cleaner?

The answer is yes for a couple of reasons.  

You/your family deserves it

The cleaner you choose needs a good gig!

There are a couple of things you shouldn't do . . . 

Don't feel guilty.  Don't wait.  

And one thing you should do.  Pray about hiring a housekeeper.

 

Back in the day I didn't look like this when I cleaned our home.

It was the '80's maybe I looked a little more like this.

For us it was a good thing to do.    I'd love to hear your thoughts or questions about hiring a housekeeper. 

  Maybe it's right for your family. 

Linking with a few fun parties.

The list is on my parties page

I Was The Wife Of A Hunter-Part 1-Tips on Tuesday

Yes before it was popular my house no my gameroom was filled with dead things . . . 
 and mine weren't the Faux ones.  Yes Bambi's daddy
graced our walls.  

At least one room that Cowboy was allowed to decorate in his style.   And actually he did a fairly decent job.  Now don't get me wrong he didn't have complete free rein.  Actually he was only allowed to hang a few trophies.  I mean hello... I think you'll agree men just don't have it in them to decorate completely alone . . . 


I mean seriously look at how they dress. And what is up with that chair? 


And I mean look at the conveniences they are willing to leave behind for a few hours of sheer happiness.  Seriously my Cowboy would get giddy when it was deer season.  

I never really begrudged him the whole experience.  Mainly because when he really got into hunting after we were married it didn't hinder any of my own activities.  

Givin' the Cowboy some credit he didn't hunt (after we were married) until we were in a position financially that we could afford it easily.  

So finances didn't enter into it.  He would leave and spend a few days in the woods and come back happy.  I would spend those few days . . .

. . .shopping and eating out or sewing.  

And he would come home on Sunday night all happy and giddy and stinky.  But the stinky didn't last long.  Let me warn you friends . . . showering isn't part of the hunting experience.  

But when they come home . . . 

                                           Found on Google Images (link didn't work)

You could leave this suggestion.

  
I really didn't realize it at the time.  And it really wasn't until he had to sell his trophies a few months ago that I really, really began to realize the significance in this small little sacrifice that I made.  

The sacrifice of allowing  him to go hunting.  Allowing him to decorate the game room.   And cooking his kill.  I know women that don't 'let' their men hunt. 

Little did I know at the time it spoke Love to him. 

You may be struggling with the idea of your man going off on a hunting trip.  If you 
'allow' him to go . . . 

  I promise you even if he doesn't show it he will feel loved.  

So if your man is planning on going off into the woods.  Take a few tips from the Wife of a Deer Hunter . . . 

Tip 1. . . Smile and kiss him goodbye
Tip 2. . . Make your own plans.  If there isn't a budget for a lot think of fun things you can do that don't take a lot of cash. 
Tip 3. . . Call and visit your mom.  She'll love it.
Tip 4. . . Paint the bedroom red! (I did...in my defense everyone loved it.  It was a Ralph Lauren red)

and last but the most important tip
                                                            Cook his kill

Linking today with some of my favorites
Make It Pretty Monday

The Art Of Homemaking, Share Your Cup, Create With Joy,

Grammy's Grid, Party In Your P.J.'s, Tuesday w/ A Twist, Raven Would Wednesday
Dagmar's Home Link Party, Moon Light & Mason Jars Party, Inspire Me Wednesday
Saturday Sparks

and a few more.  

For the list check out my parties page.

Joyfully

The Birthday Guest That . . .

. . . cooked 

I really didn't intend for her to cook.   We planned her favorite meal Fettuccine Alfredo for her birthday dinner.

I planned a simple table around the bowls I intended to serve the salad and pasta in.  The table was set. . .

I selected vintage Corelle.  I bought at a yard sale just because I 

love vintage.  The table was simple with inexpensive flatware,

the Corella and stemmed glasses from Dollar Tree.  I think stemmed glassware always makes a table look elegant even if it is Ala Cheap!

  Our favorite Alfredo recipe is from this cookbook.  This is her copy she bought when she got married.  My tattered copy is in a box in the garage.  

She also brought the cookie cake.  

She is much loved.  She brought one of 3 cookie cakes.  She had 6 cupcakes at home and flowers and a few other gifts from students. 

I was super organized.  I bought iceberg mix salad like Olive Garden.  I had black olives in the fridge and I had picked romaine and swiss chard from the garden washed and it was chilling.  I added red onions while she was cooking the sauce.

So when it was time to eat all I had to do was boil pasta and make sauce.  I actually don't like making Alfredo.  For some reason it's hard for me.  I just can't seem to remember the recipe and I am constantly going from recipe to sauce and back.   So I recruited her to read me the recipe.  That didn't last long.  So moved me over and began her magic . . . 

 

Good thing it was a pony tail day! 

My original plan was to serve the sauce and noodle from large 

plain white new Corelle bowls.  We decided the pot worked 

better.  So the bowls we used for the bread . . .

The waiting table.  I added clear cut glass plates.  There were my mothers they are old.   The salad is served from the large bowl from a container store nesting bowl set.  Love it! .

Not so nice for a salad bowl but it worked!  

Did you notice my lovely table runner.   Just a plain 'ole black towel I grabbed at the last minute.  One of the stemmed glasses got replaced by a plastic glass for our grandson.  My daughter was nervous about him handling the glass.  

Everything was lovely.  It was a Blessing to celebrate our daughters 35 birthday.  Oh my word!  I can't believe it!  

The entertainment began right after the meal.  X box.  Always fun for a boy and his Pa.

Note to self....

• shop for large glass bowl for salad
• shop for appropriate vessel to serve bread in
• make a table runner 
• Next class at GiGi's drinking from stemware

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

I'll be planning a birthday celebration for the 8 year old soon

What fun!

Frugal Friday

Good afternoon my dear friends.

I've been awoke everyday this week to the sound of birds singing.

What a pleasant way to start your day I think!  I hope you've had pleasant days this week.  

We've had a great week being frugal.  As I am eating my left over lunch I am thinking how humbly proud I am to be saving money by being frugal and eating my leftovers.

As usual we got some real bargains at the grocery store . . . 

 Look at this big 'ole pork chops the 

Cowboy grilled they were just over $3.00 for two.  The fire wouldn't stay lite so we had to finish in an iron skillet. He marinated them in 'whatever was in the fridge'. His answer when I asked.  He actually used ...

    

Regularly well over $2.00.  Suggested use is for beef.  I love that is says 'Junk free" beef marinade.  It was great on pork. 

Looks like a bargain doesn't it?  There was a $1.00 coupon on each package.  Yep.  I paid .49 each!  I didn't look at the regular price.  The Cowboy went back the next day.  No more marked down but the regular price was $6.89!   I over head the meat market worker telling the manager that he was almost done with his pallet.  I asked him and he told me that corporate orders for them.  They end up with way more stock they need.   

Crazy.  But works for me.  Here's a couple other finds . . . 

The week before these were $2.00 each.  Last week $1.00

I paid $1.00 each last week.  This week they are on sale at 
Sprouts for .88.  I've seen Sprouts put them on sale for as little as .49.  I rush to grab a few.  I love blackberries!

   

I think I mentioned before that I bought seeds at our favorite resale store.  I paid .10 for tomatoes and cucumber little seed pots.  I have 3 of each growing already too big for the little pots! 

I am always on the look out for a bargain.  Are you? Bargain hunting and finding ways to be frugal make me a really Happy Homemaker everyday of the week.  

I apologize for writing this post so late and not having it up early for my early rising friends.   I have had so much trouble the last few weeks with the internet.  I am writing at 2:33.  Yesterday from 1:00 in the afternoon until about 10:00p.m I could barely get any website to open much less get a post written.   

I hope your day and your weekend is

Blessed 

Thanks for coming by!