HOW TO FIND, MANAGE AND KEEP HOUSEHOLD HELP.

by Tim Rosshirt, submitted for The Advocate

If you’re struggling to maintain the inside or outside of your home, it may be time to find a helping hand. This is not always an easy task. Finding and keeping thorough, honest and reliable help can at times seem like more work than performing the chores yourself – but it can be done. Whether your goal is to never again have to dust or mop, or cut the grass, or if you’re just looking for someone to help pick up the slack, the following tips will help you hire and keep the kind of household help that meets your needs.

Finding the right household help …While you can find good household help through local advertisements and the yellow pages, your best help may be found by word of mouth. Ask co-workers, family, or friends for names of people who have provided satisfactory service for them. If you consider hiring a company or individual you are not familiar with, ask for references. If written references are not available, ask for names and telephone numbers of previous clients. When checking references, be specific about what kind of services were performed. Someone may have done an excellent job caring for a “1,500 square foot home,” but this doesn’t mean he or she will be good for your “8,000 square foot luxury abode.” The same rule applies for the outside of your home. Make sure your lawn service has experience caring for your type of flora. I am a firm believer that you often get what you pay for, so do not have unrealistic expectations from someone whose prices seems too good to be true.

What to look for …Always bring potential help to your home for an informal interview, asking for a written estimate for the services to be performed. When talking with potential household help, look for someone with initiative. A good worker will think of things you may overlook. If the individual asks you when you last flipped your mattress, cleaned your gutters, or wiped out the kitchen cupboards, this person shows signs of promise. Good household help will anticipate what needs to be done, rather than waiting to be told. While you cannot always judge a book by its cover, a person’s appearance may say a lot about the kind of work he or she will perform. A person who is meticulously groomed is likely to be a “detail-oriented worker.” Always ask a potential hire what he or she expects of you. If the cleaner wants the dishwasher unloaded before he or she arrives, or the yard help wants all of the sticks removed before mowing, make sure you are ready to meet those demands.

Once you have found your match …After you have hired the “right” person, be very specific about your needs. Most housekeepers have a set routine for each scheduled cleaning. Do not assume that a housekeeper will clean the ceiling fan or dust under the bed. If you want your ceiling fan to be cleaned once a month, ask the housekeeper to do so, but expect to pay extra for the service, if it is not part of the standard package. Communication is the key to successfully managing your household help. Pay particular attention after the first few times a service has been performed. Work quickly to correct any mistakes or problem spots, and you should be able to sail smoothly in the future.

Keeping the help …If you discover you have found truly competent help, allow the person to do his or her job with little interference. Do not give the person so much control that you feel like a stranger in your own home, but do allow for creativity. verbal and written compliments will go a long way in keeping your help motivated and efficient. Remember that as the client, you are the only person who can praise the work performed. Be sure that your help does not find your demands to be unreasonable. While it is a routine procedure for my cleaning service to clean floors on our hands and knees, some cleaners might find this degrading or too physically demanding. While tipping is always appreciated, holiday tipping is standard practice. A weeks’ pay is considered an appropriate gift. Be clear from the beginning about how the employee wants to be paid and always stand by that method.

Tim is owner of General Cleaning Service, With more than 24 years providing cleaning and home care services to some of the finest homes in central Ohio (and beyond). Services are meticulous, highly professional and unparalleled by none in the area.