A Reply to IM

 

A reader said...

I so enjoy your sharing, Terri. I am always checking your blog to see if you have new insights for us!Today, I have a question for you. If you had someone to help with your housekeeping what chores would you assign them? I have been blessed with two workers for two hours every two weeks, and to be frank? I have no idea how to direct them! (We live simply by choice, so there not a lot to declutter. All the time can be spent cleaning!) 

 I keep a fairly clean home myself and periodically go through and do some deeper cleaning and decluttering...But there are always tasks I can't tackle right away or which are simply too big for me to handle on my own.  If I had been given the blessing you have, I'd definitely be looking at those tasks on my 'wish list'.  If it were a big enough task to warrant help I'd be happy to work alongside someone who had volunteered time to help to accomplish it. Soooo  I'd consider asking for help with washing windows or cleaning kitchen cabinets or  clearing out a closet or an area I kept meaning to work in but felt overwhelmed by. 

 Another possibility, if you're up on all those things, is to simply let them do the daily tasks you'd normally do and free up that time for you to work on crafts or sewing.  It's a gift of four hours of 'spare' time each week! It would be nice if you could use it for yourself and most routine chores can be handled by even those new to homemaking.  You might have them vacuum, freshen a room with duster and straightening, mop floors, sweep the sidewalk, patio and porch. In about 2 hours of time at Mama's, I used to empty trash cans, vacuum a 3 bedroom house, sweep kitchen, utility and 2 baths, then mop, clean 2 bathrooms and dust half the rooms (the other rooms got dusted the next time I visited. Now personally I think Mama could have done these tasks all throughout the week and the two hours I spent there each week would have been better used to clean the fronts of the kitchen cabinets, clean ceiling fans, dust walls, etc. I hope this is helpful to you.