Last week’s reader’s polling question was:
If you could hire only one staffer to help around the house, who would it be?
Here’s how the answers broke down:
Chef: 8%
Cleaning Lady: 79%
Driver: 0%
Personal Trainer: 8%
Hair/Makeup Stylist: 4%
Apparently none of us like to clean! Or maybe we used to get enjoyment from making our house presentable and tidy, but since we’ve had kids, we’ve realized that it’s a joke. That no matter how often you clean, inevitably, five minutes after you finish, it will look as if you never even cleaned.
I am actually lucky enough to have a cleaning lady. But before you start muttering bad words about me under your breath and click off this blog, swearing never to return, let me tell you that it was a present from my parents when I had my youngest son. I’m pretty sure they got me this gift because they realized I would lose my sanity if I tried to keep the house clean on my own. After all, with my postpartum, I was having a hard time managing much, including my own emotions. I joke that I am still on maternity leave from cleaning, but I know that I will have to take that job back on sometime soon. The funny thing is that I usually spend a half hour or so cleaning BEFORE the cleaning lady comes to clean! It’s hard for her to clean with all the clutter out and about.
Second place was a tie between a chef and a personal trainer. Don’t worry, I don’t have either of those people helping me. If I had a cleaning lady, chef, and personal trainer, I’d give you all permission to hate me! So I am guessing this means we all wish we had enough time and energy to cook healthier and workout 4-5 times a week in order to stay in shape. Or, if you’re like me, you don’t even like to cook and would rather have someone barking exercise orders at you than have to think about the excercises yourself.
I’ll leave you with some funny quote about moms and housework:
“There is no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn’t get any worse.” (Quentin Crisp)
“My husband and I have figured out a really good system about the housework: neither one of us does it.” (Dottie Archibald)
“Housework is what a woman does that nobody notices unless she hasn’t done it.” (Evan Esar)
“I’m not going to vacuum ’til Sears makes one you can ride on.” (Roseanne Barr)
Be sure to vote in this week’s poll in the right-hand column.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
"Housework is what a woman does that nobody notices unless she hasn't done it.” (Evan Esar)
Isn't that the truth!!!
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Ride-on vacuum?! LOL!
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I always thought I was a good housekeeper until I got a place bigger than a one bedroom apartment. Turns out I suck at it if it takes more than 30 minutes to clean the whole thing! Adding the two kids didn't help….
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I just told the hus last night, that I think he'd be a whole lot haappier if we had a cleaning lady..so..maybe, just maybe..we'll get one..
Just to do the deep cleaning stuff that I don't want to do..
How often does yours come?
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I would have to agree with the results. I'd rather be spending time with the kids than clean so that usually ends up winning. Good thing I don't have a job and only one kid during the day or nothing would get done!
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There is a great poem…Song for a Fith Child that covers this very thing. I like to look at my lack of cleaning from that perspective.
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My parents also gave us the services of a cleaning lady after my second son was born! She has been an absolute life saver. Every year I'm like, I think I still need her for another year! I wonder how long I can get away with that???
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I HATE to clean… but I gotta get down to BIZness tonight & tomorrow morning since I'm having folks over tomorrow night. I only have people over like once a year, which is nice, it means I can live in my cluttered mess as much as I want
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Tamara, so funny my parent's also gave me the gift of a cleaning lady every other week. It is the best feeling when the entire house is completely cleaned and not by me. I'm amazed it only takes you 30 minutes before she comes to straighten, that is awesome! It takes me the night before to get everything in order. Then I ask myself is it worth having her come and then I think to myself absolutely the house needs a deep cleaning!!!
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If men can have lawnmowers you can ride on, why on earth isn't there a vacuum like that?!! I mean, really!
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One of the best things I did for myself was in our old house was to hire a housekeeper. It was the best money I ever spent. Sadly when we moved to our new house there was no extra funds. Once our second arrives in March I might hire another one.
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The house was okay before the babe came…but now it is impossible to keep up with everything that needs to get done. Alas…we're doomed to be dirty!
~WM
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