November is gratitude month for many of us. I'm not going to go on and on every day about all the things I'm grateful for but I can't help writing a bit about someone who has made my life so much better. My housekeeper, Angie.
I hired her about a year and a half ago. It was an anxiety causing decision. I'm sure, as a woman, she probably knows that. Who invites another woman into their home to see all their dirty laundry? And pay them for it? Yeah. I could hear my mother's voice. What's wrong with you? Can't you clean your own house? Nobody is ever going to marry you. Why would you pay someone to do what you "should" be doing? I've annihilated that voice in the last 18 months with the help of Angie.
Angie visits my home every other Tuesday. I'm a better person for having her come and do the things I am terrible at doing. She leaves my wood floors so soft that the first thing I do on the day she comes is take my shoes and socks off and just walk on the floors. She's not here to hear me giggle about that. My bathroom sparkles which is something I've never accomplished, not even once, in my lifetime. I try to always send her a text to let her know how much I value her but I feel it's never enough.
She's also given me some good ideas. One idea early on in our working relationship, she asked me to find a place to hang my ironing board to get it up off the floor and out of the way. Simple idea that never occurred to me. She arranges my pillows so sweetly that I'm a better bed maker because of her. Last month, she suggested I find a book shelf so I could have a place for the few books I intend to read someday and a place for my plants in my home office. I finally found what I was looking for last weekend.
I'm still a terrible housekeeper butI'm not afraid to admit that any longer because of Angie. She's an expert at what she does. I'd rather spend my time doing something else that I'm good at. It's a relationship I hope lasts a lifetime. Angie, thank you!
Who are you grateful for?
love, susan
Thank you so much for sharing this. I suck at dusting and cleaning too, would rather play outside or build jewelry. Been somewhat over taken by "mummy dearests rattlings in my head too". Today I will call around and get into the solution. 🌱
ReplyDeleteI'm super happy to hear that something I've let out of the bag has helped someone else. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteWish I could hire Angie, too! How did you go about finding her? I've thought of hiring someone to come do some deep cleaning, but that's as far as it gets...I don't get past the thinking about it because I'm not sure whether to go through an agency or what. I don't know anyone (in this area) who has a "cleaning lady" at the moment, so I'm not sure how to get referrals. Any suggestion?
ReplyDeleteI've heard that voice, too, but it's my own voice, not my mother's. It comes from my own distorted view of what I "should' be doing. And I tell myself that because I don't work outside the home (and the work I do at home doesn't bring in any income), I have no "right" to pay for help... I "should" be able to take care of it.
Wow, Susan, thanks for posting on this topic. I need to examine some internal issues that surround this.
Angie is a friend who I met through other friends. She had mentioned when I first met her that she was getting her organizing/cleaning business off the ground and I tucked that information in the back of my mind for about a year. When I got really serious about asking for help, I called her and talked it over with her. The first time she came to my house, she spent 6 hours just getting it under control and figuring out what she could do for me with the dollar amount I had budgeted. From there, we've developed a great working relationship. If I were you, I'd ask people in your neighborhood. I'll bet you know people who have help. It's truly the best gift I've ever given myself.
DeleteAlso, I should mention that when I was a teen, I used to earn money by cleaning ovens and fridges for people I babysat for. I wonder if you have any mature teens in your church or circles who are interested. It's a great way for them to earn money and if they've been taught well, it is a WIN WIN deal!
Delete