Finding the chase and cutting to it

Whether it is nobler…

What is this actually about, please?

In 2012, my role at work required a great deal of travel, as did my husband’s. Which meant the weekends were spent having some fun but mostly recovering from the pace. We weren’t even that old!

After coming home to a tip one evening, I decided to broach the subject of getting “someone in” once a week to do the cleaning. It transformed our lives.

Lockdown, of course, meant that was no longer the case, and of course, I was avoiding getting the bug at all costs. We stopped having the cleaner. Without the daily commute and often much further, pottering about the house during the weekend was much more doable. The house had never looked better – plus, that and the “not going out” allowed us to pay off the mortgage much, much quicker. When our kid moved back in, he took on his share of the duties and we’re pocketing £250 a month.

Except our monthly outgoings have suddenly dropped – no mortgage. So, do we make the case and bring someone in?

Pros.

• Less time doing the cleaning, allowing more time during the weekend for some of the “extra chores” that have dropped off the radar. The internal window cleaning, the dusting, the upholstery cleaning, the gardening.
• Less muss during the weekend, no avoiding the area currently being cleaned, a more relaxed area.
• Time to get some decorating done over the weekend. We used to gut and do a room. I can’t imagine being in that position at the moment – while I write this, I’m waiting for the vacuum to become available so I can do my bit this weekend.
• More time to go out. Get to the gym – I used to do that twice a week and walk miles! I used to go for a 20 mile cycle ride on a Sunday morning.
• Helping someone with a job.

Cons.

• We should talk about the money. The five years since we stopped getting a cleaner have meant £15,000 to us. It’s bound to have gone up.
• Cleaning is physical activity. Vacuuming is about 100 calories an hour. Cleaning the bathrooms is about 250 calories an hour – that the same as cycling for an hour. We’ll be losing that.
• We’ll need to make sure the space is tidy for the cleaner – this is the majority of the work, in my humble opinion. It’s their schedule, not ours.
• We’ll have less connection to the house – while I’m cleaning, I notice things, like a leaking tap or worn bit of carpet. And the cleaning equipment.
• Initially, a stranger in the house.
• The work of employing someone. Never easy to be a manager.

As you can see, we’re weighing this up. We’re planning on getting the windows done soon, the heat pump is next month, and the family bathroom and kitchen are being considered over the next three years. All things that could make use of that money too – and the fact there will be times when some rooms are not available for cleaning.

Isn’t it just easier to make do, and carry on?