Why (and how) we ditched the professional cleaners
About once a quarter we take a look at our collective budget. Brian and I actually keep our finances separate which works really well for us but it’s useful to pull them together occasionally to get a sense of the big picture. When we do this, we almost always find something we’re paying for that we likely shouldn’t be…a subscription we forgot about, a luxury we decided we can do without, etc. The recent cut we made was getting rid of our professional cleaning service.
They came twice a month and it would take 3 of them a few hours to deep clean our entire home. We initially hired them because I’m busy. We’re all busy. And Brian just isn’t a cleaner. He’s not messy and is super respectful of keeping things neat, but he won’t be seizing a Sunday morning with a mop or a vacuum anytime soon. I however, am a cleaner - to a fault. I can’t relax unless everything is immaculate. So this meant I was spending a few hours a weekend deep cleaning and getting more stressed than I should about daily cleaning. Enter professional cleaners and everything was great. I could let things go more easily and we still had a beautifully clean house.
However, we have a decent sized house and when we finished the attic, we were paying in total ~$800/month for the cleaning service. At this same time, we decided we wanted to get a larger car (downgrade to one car but upgrade to something much nicer). That $800/month would plug into our new car payment and it help made that decision much easier for us.
I’ll be honest - the first week was rough. I spent a full Sunday deep cleaning the entire house and I was frustrated, annoyed, and tired. And ready to call my cleaners back. But then, I built a system and it has been working really well. I’m a planner and a project manager at heart - so without a plan I can’t do anything. When I feel stressed - the easiest way to relieve that stress for me is a plan. So here it is.
The System
Break up the work - rather than one big day of cleaning, break this up over time. Mentally, it really helps to feel like I’m not “wasting” an entire day off cleaning.
2. Create a calendar
I actually have my calendar built into my google calendar as a daily to do, but the printable one is a very helpful reminder. You can download mine exactly which will take you through two weeks of rooms, or you can click on the editable template and create your own!
3. Build a checklist
I love a checklist. It helps keep me on track and the feeling of checking that little box is better than most things. Click below for an editable template or to download mine as it is!
4. Automation. I’m a huge automation fan in and out of work. Here are some of my favorite cleaning products that take work off my plate!
Eufy Vacuum
I’m a huge fan of Eufy - especially over more expensive ones. We have one on each floor of the house.
iRobot Braava Mop
I’m telling you, I haven’t mopped in years.
Pura Home Fragrance Device
I am obsessed with my Puras and I have one in every room of my home.
Ultrasonic Cleaner
This is AMAZING for small items - toothbrush heads, watch bands, jewelry, glasses, etc.
Happy Cleaning!