Is a Housekeeper Worth the Money?

Today, as I stumbled through the maze of clothes and toys and various other items belonging to me and my daughter, I became completely exasperated by what a mess the house is. A messy house is gross. Kids are taken from their parents because of messy houses. Messiness completely mutilates my psyche. I cannot focus nor concentrate if dirty dishes or mounds of laundry are in my peripheral vision. (If I can’t see them that’s fine. Why I hide in my bedroom when I work.)

I am broke and I work a lot. I am a single mother that is trying to pay down bills and make a decent life for myself and my daughter. Who am I to even contemplate hiring a housekeeper?

I’m exhausted. That’s who I am. And besides not consciously making time to clean, I will freely admit that I don’t entirely adore cleaning anyway. How much more productive could I be if I didn’t have to clean or do laundry (or at least had some help)? How much more time would I have to spend with my daughter if I hired a housekeeper a couple times a week or even a couple times a month?

I hear you. Aha, you say. This is your justification…

Yes. Or my excuses. According to a 1999 Whirlpool Foundation study, the national average of time spent on housework for women with children was 35 hours. This was in 1999 and I don’t have enough hours in the week to be putting in 35 on housework, so I’ll go ahead and admit that I’m far from what the national average was in 1999. By the looks of my house you could possibly think I don’t spend any time on housework. I’ll admit that too. Sometimes I don’t.

What is the Cost of a Housekeeper?

According to this article, housekeepers can cost from $16-$35 per hour and this is in large metro areas like San Francisco and New York. The idea is though to calculate how much  your time is worth and whether it is worth paying someone else to free up that time. I definitely think it would be worth it. I’m considering asking around to friends and family to see if anyone would be interested, as that may be cheaper than hiring professionals.

What to Hire the Housekeeper For

It’s a good idea to know exactly what you’re looking for and the specific duties you need assistance with. Ask yourself a few questions as I have asked my own other personality.

What do you hate doing the most?

Self: I hate folding and putting away laundry. This is an easy job that I could pay someone for.

How many times a week do you need help with housekeeping?

Self:  Maybe 2 or 3 times a week. Maybe less. It’s just my daughter and myself and if we need housekeeping more than 3 times a week, we may have a bigger problem than I think.

What are you willing to pay a housekeeper?

Self: I’m guessing here, but I think it would be a steal at $10-$15 an hour. A lot of housekeepers bill by the job though, which in my case may be more cost efficient as I’m not expecting any heavy duty scouring.

Do I Really Need a Housekeeper?

These are some things that I think I’ll mull over this week and I’ll let you know what happens. What do you think? Is it uppity to have a housekeeper? And does this type of expense fit into frugalness?

Or do I just need to schedule some time for cleaning my own house myself? Thanks in advance for any comments or suggestions.