Housekeeper = Best. Decision. EVER!!

For what seems like forever now, I've been trying to get around to cleaning my whole house...all 2,000 sqare feet of it.  Three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, big dining room, big kitchen, huge formal living room, and SUPER huge family room/den in the back.  Over time, I realized this was just a fantasy.  That no matter how hard I tried, how long I busted ass, how devoted I was to getting the job done....it just wouldn't get done.  Because of my already busy schedule, cleaning house could only be done in my free time (which SUCKS, by the way).  I always made sure the important spots were cleaned, like the bathrooms, kitchen, living rooms.  But I could never get the whole house done at the same time.  Therefore, adios free-time!!  I would decline invitations because "I need to get my house cleaned" or I would stay home all weekend and clean and work around the house trying to get it done, instead of enjoying my time off from work playing with Claudia, or watching movies, or hanging out with friends. 

Want to know what it's like to have no life?  Come to my house!  I'll show you how it's done! 

Naw...seriously, though...it seemed like this was all I did, all the time.  Then I started thinking...."Wait a minute.  I make enough money to hire someone to come do this!  Duh!!  Why hadn't I thought of this before?!" 

So the hunt began. 

Now, finding someone to clean your house isn't as easy as you might believe.  I did not want to hire a cleaning company, like Merry Maids or any chain-type cleaning corporation.  Nope.  I wanted a woman who wanted to make some extra money, someone I could trust to be in my home alone, someone who knew what they were doing and weren't afraid to dig in and get a little dirty. 

 **FYI...these types of people do NOT grow on trees, nor do they have a significant advertising campaign, which means that YOU have to dig dig dig to find them.** 

After a couple months of trying to find someone, I asked my massage therapist if she knew anyone who might be interested.  I gave her my number and told her if she found anyone looking for a little bit of work, to have them call me.  Only 4 days later I got a call from a woman named Sharla that I knew since I was a tiny girl from our church.  I never really knew her as a person.  I just knew who she was and we would occasionally talk a little but nothing more than that.  Anyway, she called and said she was looking for a house cleaning job to help pay for food to feed her grandson, whom she is supporting. 

I was so relieved to hear from her...FINALLY!!!

A few days later, on a Friday afternoon, she was at my house to begin her new "job".  When I got home later that evening, I walked in the front door and was so happy to see that everything was spic-n-span.  Clean clean clean!!  I loved it!  I loved knowing that I wouldn't have to worry about any house work for the entire weekend.  It was heavenly!!  I've hired her to come every Friday afternoon.  The only things I do during the week are wash any dishes we use, clean cat boxes, or do laundry.  How easy is THAT?!  It's the most intelligent move I've made in many, many moons. 

Now I have time to go through each room and start organizing and purging everything I don't need so that my life is more "together" and not so scattered and jostled.  I would always think, "Once I finish cleaning the house, THEN I'll start organizing the closets, drawers, shelves, etc."  But as I said before, that never happened, which meant all the organizing goals I had were just sitting there gathering just as much dust as the rest of my clutter. 

So...if any of you can afford to hire a cleaning person to come shine your house every week, or every other week, or even once a month, it is SOOOOO worth it.  Trust me. 

So there you have the winner of my "I'm so thankful"-Award for this month. 

Now...if only I could find someone to do my ironing...