@tcokeefe my husband is 72 (turning 73 in a month) and I am 78. We both have health issues and cannot manage to do major cleaning so recently we have hired a cleaning service. They (a husband and wife team) come in once a month to do the major dusting which includes floorboards, vacuuming, washing floors and cleaning the two bathrooms and kitchen. We do the laundry, change our sheets, wash our dishes and cook basic meals. The cleaning service costs us $175 each month which puts a dent in our budget but it’s worth it. Life is short, why waste it on major cleaning when you could be doing something you enjoy more?
I came across a wall plaque 45 years ago that said “My Home is Clean Enough To Be Healthy And Dirty Enough To Be Happy” and I decided to adopt that attitude! A little dust and clutter won’t kill anyone - obsessing over trying to keep up with others’ idea of cleanliness can. More power to those who are still able to do all the work on their own and I admire them for doing so, but feel no shame in getting help if I can’t manage on my own. 🤷🏼♀️
@tcokeefe my husband is 72 (turning 73 in a month) and I am 78. We both have health issues and cannot manage to do major cleaning so recently we have hired a cleaning service. They (a husband and wife team) come in once a month to do the major dusting which includes floorboards, vacuuming, washing floors and cleaning the two bathrooms and kitchen. We do the laundry, change our sheets, wash our dishes and cook basic meals. The cleaning service costs us $175 each month which puts a dent in our budget but it’s worth it. Life is short, why waste it on major cleaning when you could be doing something you enjoy more?
I came across a wall plaque 45 years ago that said “My Home is Clean Enough To Be Healthy And Dirty Enough To Be Happy” and I decided to adopt that attitude! A little dust and clutter won’t kill anyone - obsessing over trying to keep up with others’ idea of cleanliness can. More power to those who are still able to do all the work on their own and I admire them for doing so, but feel no shame in getting help if I can’t manage on my own. 🤷🏼♀️
"I came across a wall plaque 45 years ago that said “My Home is Clean Enough To Be Healthy And Dirty Enough To Be Happy” and I decided to adopt that attitude! A little dust and clutter won’t kill anyone - obsessing over trying to keep up with others’ idea of cleanliness can. "
@shelbyjazz I asked around. I never hire anyone for any job unless I know someone who has used the particular service. Always gone for “word of mouth” recommendations . This cleaning service came highly recommended by someone my son knew. Very happy with the cleaning team!
I think this is a real concern. I have talked to most of my friends about their cleaning people whether it's an individual or a team and they all say, prepare yourself to have your furniture, legs, dented, and a few have had things stolen. Of course I think there are a few that have had people long-term and are happy with them even though everything's not perfect. But even when I clean, everything is not perfect! When I interviewed Cleaners one woman who was an individual, who, for various reasons, I could not hire because she couldn't work the days I wanted, did give me a word of advice. She said to avoid "teams" that they often are the most likely to steal. Several of them, sort of scope things out and act as a diversion while one of them will take stuff. I don't know. Personally, I hate having strangers in my house.
What do they do, mostly floors? That is where I think I need to hire help. I don't mind dusting at all and since we live in a very dusty old house, I do it pretty regularly. But we have wooden floors with lots of area rugs, both large and small, and it is getting harder and harder to clean the wooden part. You basically have to get on your hands and knees to dust it first and then to wash it with vinegar and water.
I'm 72 and clean my wood floors all the time, but I gave up long ago on doing it on my hands and knees (arthritis). Sweep first, and use a wet mop with a container on the handle for the liquid and an integrated sprayer, so I can do it all standing up.
Hi pml, I'm 70 and do my own housework as you do, and I work two days a week. I hope I can manage as well as you do after another 8 years! You're an inspiration. I know I'm lucky to be as healthy and strong as I am at this stage of life. I'm grateful and hope the good times continue. Housework is not fun, but it certainly gets you moving and bending and lifting, etc! Every little bit helps. I used to wish I could afford a housekeeper, but now I'm glad I can still do the work, It's a perspective change.
Totally on board with your perspective. I dislike housework, but I'd rather do that than go to the gym -- building movement into your daily life allows you to keep being capable of doing it for a lot longer. We're heading into single-floor living, and I know part of me is going to regret not being forced to climb stairs.
I think this is a real concern. I have talked to most of my friends about their cleaning people whether it's an individual or a team and they all say, prepare yourself to have your furniture, legs, dented, and a few have had things stolen. Of course I think there are a few that have had people long-term and are happy with them even though everything's not perfect. But even when I clean, everything is not perfect! When I interviewed Cleaners one woman who was an individual, who, for various reasons, I could not hire because she couldn't work the days I wanted, did give me a word of advice. She said to avoid "teams" that they often are the most likely to steal. Several of them, sort of scope things out and act as a diversion while one of them will take stuff. I don't know. Personally, I hate having strangers in my house.
@tcokeefe yes, those have always been my concerns but this is where “word of mouth” comes in. I make sure I don’t have any valuables lying around to tempt them!
The single cleaning person you interviewed could have had a vested interest. You also have to go with your gut feelings.
We're planning to move into an independent living community that wraps in twice-a-month housekeeping, and I've been looking into lockable cabinets for sensitive financial papers, medicine, jewelry, etc. I'm not fussed about damage -- it's not as if I've never damaged something while cleaning. But I am concerned about privacy and the potential temptations created by leaving small valuable objects or medications easily accessible.
Having a friend refer someone is one way to make it more likely the person is trustworthy. If you hire someone from a service, ask about how they go about vetting their staff, and make sure they carry appropriate insurance. It's also possible to pay a firm to vet a potential employee if you want to hire directly.
While I'm at it, if you haven't looked at your homeowner's insurance to see if you are covered if an individual you have directly hired gets hurt while working for you, you should do that. And think about how you will pay them and how you and they will handle income taxes, etc. If you pay a service, they will handle all that, of course. Once upon a time, someone working on our house stepped in a gopher hole in the back yard and broke an ankle -- it really caused me to pay more attention to this sort of thing.
Kathy, I hope you won't mind my orientation to your question...I'm not trying to pry or to get 'under your skin' and to be an irritant. You have asked the question because one or more of the possible answers is objectionable to you. It makes you feel bad about your circumstances, or your progression rate as you age, or the loss of function, or....you just feel a bit guilty and hope others will 'bail you out' and say come on over to the dark side...pay someone to do it for you if you can't or if you won't...after all these years of doing it for yourself.
I remember Dirty Harry's words in that movie so long ago, 'It's a wise (woman) who knows (her) limits. If you sense you are nearing your limits, now is precisely the time to get this sorted out so that you can spend time dwelling on other matters so much more in your control. If this is where you find yourself, good for you!
My wife and I are still in our late sixties, me in my early seventies, and we still do much of what we can. I am very careful getting up on our roof to do maintenance such as to clear the gutters of all the detritus that fills them each summer and fall. It's a 'must' job, and in fact I must do it several times each fall and winter due to high winds and rain here in the PNW of Canada where I live. We do all our yard maintenance, and so on. But, my dad is soon to be 95. He abandoned his property (my wife and I purchased it and have lived here ever since) when he was 85. His hip needed replacing, and he still pushed an electric mower. He did his own weeding, planting, relocating, pruning, etc...but he realized the time had come to move into a condo. And he did!
Maybe my long-winded response is a lot more than you were looking for, sorry, but I wanted you to know that you are in great company (me and my wife excluded....still)...for now), and that if this would be a welcome relief for you, I urge you to do it, with or without the approval of others. 😀
I love your answer- do what you can, but don’t feel guilty if you decide to off-load some tasks.
I had to have spinal surgery and have lower leg neuropathy, so I hired a guy who does the bathrooms and floors, yard work as needed, and I do the rest.
Walking balance and stamina is difficult so I signed up for grocery curbside pick-up and do delivery when ice/snow are on the ground.
My husband needed to go into AL, so I have a guy who does snow removal and the mowing.
I used to work in health care. I regularly had patients with bone fractures from falling off ladders, so even when my husband was able, I arranged for a company that does gutter clean-outs.
If there is anything I could convince you to do- stay off ladders. Please check the statistics for outcomes for seniors with fractures.
Saw lots of ladder-to-roof- for whatever falls with various fractures and combinations of fractures (spinal/femoral/hip (s)/humeral/wrist (s)/) but only saw one caused by fell-asleep-in-a-tree stand and down he went.
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@tcokeefe my husband is 72 (turning 73 in a month) and I am 78. We both have health issues and cannot manage to do major cleaning so recently we have hired a cleaning service. They (a husband and wife team) come in once a month to do the major dusting which includes floorboards, vacuuming, washing floors and cleaning the two bathrooms and kitchen. We do the laundry, change our sheets, wash our dishes and cook basic meals. The cleaning service costs us $175 each month which puts a dent in our budget but it’s worth it. Life is short, why waste it on major cleaning when you could be doing something you enjoy more?
I came across a wall plaque 45 years ago that said “My Home is Clean Enough To Be Healthy And Dirty Enough To Be Happy” and I decided to adopt that attitude! A little dust and clutter won’t kill anyone - obsessing over trying to keep up with others’ idea of cleanliness can. More power to those who are still able to do all the work on their own and I admire them for doing so, but feel no shame in getting help if I can’t manage on my own. 🤷🏼♀️
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7 ReactionsRashida, you gave my morning a big smile!
"I came across a wall plaque 45 years ago that said “My Home is Clean Enough To Be Healthy And Dirty Enough To Be Happy” and I decided to adopt that attitude! A little dust and clutter won’t kill anyone - obsessing over trying to keep up with others’ idea of cleanliness can. "
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4 ReactionsHow do you trust someone coming in??
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2 Reactions@shelbyjazz I asked around. I never hire anyone for any job unless I know someone who has used the particular service. Always gone for “word of mouth” recommendations . This cleaning service came highly recommended by someone my son knew. Very happy with the cleaning team!
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3 ReactionsI think this is a real concern. I have talked to most of my friends about their cleaning people whether it's an individual or a team and they all say, prepare yourself to have your furniture, legs, dented, and a few have had things stolen. Of course I think there are a few that have had people long-term and are happy with them even though everything's not perfect. But even when I clean, everything is not perfect! When I interviewed Cleaners one woman who was an individual, who, for various reasons, I could not hire because she couldn't work the days I wanted, did give me a word of advice. She said to avoid "teams" that they often are the most likely to steal. Several of them, sort of scope things out and act as a diversion while one of them will take stuff. I don't know. Personally, I hate having strangers in my house.
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Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsI'm 72 and clean my wood floors all the time, but I gave up long ago on doing it on my hands and knees (arthritis). Sweep first, and use a wet mop with a container on the handle for the liquid and an integrated sprayer, so I can do it all standing up.
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Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsTotally on board with your perspective. I dislike housework, but I'd rather do that than go to the gym -- building movement into your daily life allows you to keep being capable of doing it for a lot longer. We're heading into single-floor living, and I know part of me is going to regret not being forced to climb stairs.
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1 Reaction@tcokeefe yes, those have always been my concerns but this is where “word of mouth” comes in. I make sure I don’t have any valuables lying around to tempt them!
The single cleaning person you interviewed could have had a vested interest. You also have to go with your gut feelings.
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Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsWe're planning to move into an independent living community that wraps in twice-a-month housekeeping, and I've been looking into lockable cabinets for sensitive financial papers, medicine, jewelry, etc. I'm not fussed about damage -- it's not as if I've never damaged something while cleaning. But I am concerned about privacy and the potential temptations created by leaving small valuable objects or medications easily accessible.
Having a friend refer someone is one way to make it more likely the person is trustworthy. If you hire someone from a service, ask about how they go about vetting their staff, and make sure they carry appropriate insurance. It's also possible to pay a firm to vet a potential employee if you want to hire directly.
While I'm at it, if you haven't looked at your homeowner's insurance to see if you are covered if an individual you have directly hired gets hurt while working for you, you should do that. And think about how you will pay them and how you and they will handle income taxes, etc. If you pay a service, they will handle all that, of course. Once upon a time, someone working on our house stepped in a gopher hole in the back yard and broke an ankle -- it really caused me to pay more attention to this sort of thing.
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Helpful -
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2 ReactionsI love your answer- do what you can, but don’t feel guilty if you decide to off-load some tasks.
I had to have spinal surgery and have lower leg neuropathy, so I hired a guy who does the bathrooms and floors, yard work as needed, and I do the rest.
Walking balance and stamina is difficult so I signed up for grocery curbside pick-up and do delivery when ice/snow are on the ground.
My husband needed to go into AL, so I have a guy who does snow removal and the mowing.
I used to work in health care. I regularly had patients with bone fractures from falling off ladders, so even when my husband was able, I arranged for a company that does gutter clean-outs.
If there is anything I could convince you to do- stay off ladders. Please check the statistics for outcomes for seniors with fractures.
Saw lots of ladder-to-roof- for whatever falls with various fractures and combinations of fractures (spinal/femoral/hip (s)/humeral/wrist (s)/) but only saw one caused by fell-asleep-in-a-tree stand and down he went.
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