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When I was a teenager, my bedroom was always a mess. Everything is everywhere, but I carve out a beautiful trail to my closet, my desk, and my bed. And, like most teens who don’t want to clean their house, I tell my parents it’s “organized chaos.” certainly I know where my math book is! It’s under the pile of socks, newspapers and magazines.
But honestly – I don’t really know where anything is. It took me at least 10 minutes to find anything in my messy bedroom. I’m also hesitant to invite friends over lest they see how messed up I am.
When I move out on my own, I don’t want that mess to follow me. So I’ve created a very organized life where everything has its place and is easy for me to find. It’s super easy to do, and I’m just happy to be able to grab them right when I need them.
According to reports, this is not an uncommon phenomenon Gail SaltzMD, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, “Can I help?” podcast.
“Staying at home is a step backwards, you’re still a kid and your mom cleans up after you, even if you don’t realize the feeling,” she said. “When you’re on your own, you feel more independent and feel like you’re personally responsible for your stuff. It unclutters a lot of formerly scruffy people and reflects what it takes to be a successful adult.”
But soon enough, my cleaning methods started to fail. My bathroom counters are starting to get rough because although I wiped them down, I didn’t move things from the top to the bottom. I sweep, but never mop. I never dusted it off. Also added to the question? My new husband. Clutter doesn’t bother him as much as it does me, so I spend a lot of time decluttering for both of us. On top of that, we all work full time and generally despise deep cleaning, so we don’t make it a priority.
About the 20th time I looked around and said, “This house sucks. We should probably dust it,” but then I never had time to clean it again, and I decided to hire a house cleaner. She comes in once a month and does the deep cleaning that we don’t. Hiring a cleaner once a month is my best cleaning tip — not to mention it’s been great medicine for my mental health and our marriage.
Letting a Pro Deep Clean Cleans My Mind
Since I moved out myself, I’ve adopted the phrase “physical chaos leads to mental chaos” as a personal mantra (go ahead, ask my husband; he hears it all the time). If I look around and things are chaotic or disorganized, I have a hard time concentrating. Not only because I would be constantly reminded that I needed to clean, but also because I was starting to feel out of control. I was overwhelmed by the clutter around me and the deeper chaos. It’s not just my thing.
“For some, it’s really a reflection of ‘my life feels chaotic, my life has endless to-do lists, my life feels disorganized,'” Saltz said. “Having a clean, organized environment can be a relief for a lot of people.”
This is also a vicious cycle. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, things like cleaning up clutter, dusting and mopping can be put on hold, Saltz says. But when all the dirt and clutter piles up, it can stress you out even more.
‘If it’s dirty and needs to be done, but it’s on a long list and stays on the list, you’ll never feel’Finish’, says Saltz. “It’s a reflection of being overwhelmed, and unfortunately, it often makes you feel even more overwhelmed because you’re just living it and watching it. “
Enter house cleaners. I can attest to the relief you feel when you are able to look around and take a deep breath of fresh, clean air. It’s also good for your physical health. Regular cleaning can improve the air quality in your home and help reduce allergy symptoms related to dust and dander, According to Harvard Medical School.
A clean house also helps our relationship
In a completely unscientific poll I conducted before writing this article, I asked my husband which cleaning task I said to him most often. His top two didn’t throw away their dirty socks or wipe down the counters. Well, guess what? We clean before the cleaners come so the socks can be taken care of. The cleaners then clean up the mess on the counters so that no gunk builds up under our olive oil bottles and toasters. This results in me having fewer “reminders” and fewer arguments about chores.
“Let’s face it, no one feels sexy or amorous when they clean up their partner’s mess, scold their partner for needing more cleaning, or deep-clean the house themselves,” says the relationship expert Nicole Moore. “If a person starts to feel like a parent scolding their partner for chores, that’s a sure sign that hiring a cleaner can help.”
This also saves time. Instead of arguing over who should clean that messy counter, you can use the time the cleaners are there to spend some quality time. (which certainly Shouldn’t it be you? )
“Time is so precious, it’s important to allocate it to the things that matter most to you, like investing and taking care of your relationships,” says Raina B. Patel, psychologist and certified behavior analyst. “You can buy time with money. Specifically, you can buy free time with money, including hiring a professional household cleaner that gives you time to clean.”
Agreeing to hire a cleaner is just another way for you and your spouse to take care of each other. Of course, this is only possible if you can afford to pay. I pay the cleaners $100 each time – one person, it takes about two hours. This is on the low end of average. angela brownCEO smart cleaner Training for house cleaners and maids, says the average cost per cleaner is $50 to $75 an hour.President and Co-CEO aspen cleaningAlicia Sokolowski agrees, but both point out that costs can vary greatly depending on where you live, how many people are in your household, the size of your home, and the specific type of cleaning you need. big difference.
“Obviously some people can’t afford it,” Saltz said. “If you’re lucky enough to be in that privileged position, a lot of people do find that it actually removes a source of contention and unhappiness in the family dynamic.”
If you can afford a cleaner, it’s worth seeing if you can help others who can’t. Perhaps you can pay extra and have your cleaners go there for a week, or, for an affordable alternative, consider throwing a cleaning party – have one or more friends come and clean your place, and then everyone cleans The same goes for each of their homes. Spread the wealth of stress relief!
How to Find the Right Cleaner for You
First, decide how often you want them to come. Once a month is fine for me and my husband, but for some households it might be better to have someone clean it once a week or every other week. This will be one of the first questions you will be asked when talking to a potential cleaner.
Brown and Sokolowski recommend scheduling a walkthrough with a cleaning company that can tell you how often you’ll need a cleaner. It depends on a lot of factors, including how many people are going to create a mess, and how clean you want your home to be at the end of your visit (and how long to keep it that way).
- Seek advice. If you have friends or family members who use cleaners, ask them if they like theirs and if they can share their contact information. You can also ask questions in nearby social media groups, which is how I found mine.
- Ask about prices and processes — and keep your budget in mind. Budget around $150 per visit, depending on where you live; cities can be more expensive, while rural areas can be less expensive. Also, ask about any potentially unusual specific items that you may need to clean, such as a dog’s potty pad area or a cat’s litter box, back deck or dishes, and ask if there is anything they won’t clean.
- Double-check potential cleaners for allergies. We have a dog and a cat, so obviously, cleaners that are allergic to dogs or cats are not for us.
- Narrow down your shortlist and ask the finalists for references. Make sure you can find someone to vouch for the stranger you are about to let into your home. Talk to the reference staff and find out what they think of the cleaner’s performance. Both Brown and Sokolowski point out that be wary of cleaners who don’t provide testimonials or give poor reviews—a big red flag that someone might not be trustworthy.
- Choose your cleaner – but remember you can change your mind. If you don’t like the work they do, or you don’t feel safe at home with them, go to the next person on your shortlist and try them. It is very important to feel comfortable with the people who clean your house because they are in your space. “Typically, professional cleaning services have a thorough employee vetting process in place to ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of their employees,” Sokolowski said. “This process may include background checks, background checks, and interviews to Assess the applicant’s qualifications and character. Some cleaning companies may also verify previous employment history. If you are still concerned about someone visiting your home, it is best to ask about the vetting process when contacting the cleaning service to gain confidence in their hiring practices. “
Jennifer Birock is an award-winning author, best-selling author and editor of The Kitchen Witch Newsletter. She currently dreams of traveling the world with her Boston terriers. Visit her website at jenniferbillock.com.
