When you first hire a cleaning lady, it feels like an amazing luxury. Gone are the dust and dirty fingerprints, and suddenly everything has its place. You lose yourself in the neat pattern of fresh vacuum lines in your carpet, and you can see your reflection in your dining room table for the first time in ages.
With eager anticipation, you find yourself straightening before her arrival, expecting that initial magical feeling to be re-created again and again.
But slowly, after a few weeks or months, things start to change. You notice a difference. Whether you can no longer find where she stashed your trusty planner or you could make a weave out of the cobwebs draping your chandelier, you start to feel like maybe your cleaning lady just isn't getting the job done anymore.
Here are 5 signs it may be time to dispose of your cleaning lady:
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1. She Spends Less and Less Time Cleaning. When you first hired her, she stayed for hours and took the time to do those jobs nobody enjoys, like cleaning the fridge, oven, and windows. But as time passes, you start to notice she's skipping those chores and no longer changing the sheets — not to mention the fact that the sticky puddle of pancake syrup is still on your countertop after she and her supplies have left you literally in the dust.
2. She Makes Her Own Schedule. You're expecting her to arrive at 3 p.m. In fact, you've arranged your whole day around her schedule. Yet, there she is, on your doorstep, mop in hand at 8 a.m. just as you're about to take the kids to school. Or, you've left your home unlocked all day but she never showed up and you're hosting your book club and were hoping your friends wouldn't see how you really live.
3. She's Hiding Your Belongings Under the Guise of Cleaning. Sure your house looks well-organized, but you can't find a thing. Have you blamed your husband and kids for losing those library books, only to find them months later buried in someone's underpants drawer? If so, it's probably time to part ways.
4. She's Destroying More Things Than Your Toddler. Accidents happen, we all have them, but repeatedly discovering broken picture frames and shirts freckled with bleach stains is definitely cause for giving her the heave-ho.
5. She Just Isn't Doing Her Job. If you're still finding pine needles from your Christmas tree under your couch in June, it's time for her to go. 'Nuff said.
Have you ever had to fire your cleaning lady? How did it go and what was your dealbreaker?
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