Let’s be honest.  It’s pretty easy to let our house cleaning chores go by the wayside when we are busy.  When there are reports to prepare, meetings to be had, and children to be fed, there sometimes aren’t enough hours in a day.  It’s not hard to believe that mopping, dusting, vacuuming, and window washing are last on our list of things to do.

You can, however, have the best of both worlds.  Hire a cleaner!  When you make the decision to hire cleaner for your home, you aren’t wasting money or being lazy.  You are devoting whatever free time you have to enhancing your life.  When you have to choose between time and money, more times than not, time wins.  This is especially true if you have children or pets that you’d like to spend more time with.

It’s pretty easy to hire a cleaner.  Follow these 4 steps and you’ll have a cleaner house and more free time very soon.

1.Go for it!
Don’t waste a lot of time debating whether or not you should hire a cleaner.  You already know you need cleaner.  Many people, especially women, feel inadequate once they recognize they aren’t keeping their homes as clean as they’d like.  There are things far more important than house cleaning that you have prioritized.  Let someone help with the menial task of home maintenance so that you can build relationships, advance at work, or simply relax a little bit more.

2. Find a local company.
There are cleaning companies headquartered all over the world.  Since you’re busy, it’s best to use a cleaner that is based right in your neighborhood.  This way you won’t have to hunt down telephone numbers or call toll-free directories if you need to talk to management about a complaint or service issue.

3. Interview at least three candidates.
This is the most time consuming part of hiring a cleaner.  It is also the most important part.  Etching out a few hours to interview your cleaner candidates is important because you want to make sure that they are going to be able to work around your schedule, meet your expectations, and fit within your budget.  It can be tempting to forgo a detailed interview.  However, it’s not recommended.  Learning more about the person that is going to be in your home is always advisable.  Make sure to ask about the flexibility of the workload and whether or not she or her company is bonded and insured.

4.Get it in writing.
You’ve made the decision to hire a cleaner.  You’ve found a great local company and conducted interviews.  You’ve even found the perfect person.  Great!  Now is the time to get your agreement in writing.  Do they need to arrive at the same time every week or have they agreed to a flexible cleaning routine.  All of these things should be detailed in your contract.  Don’t leave specifics to chance.

Once you hire a cleaner, you probably won’t be able to figure out how you survived without her.  Keep these four steps in mind during the process and you’ll end up with a cleaner house and more time to devote to the people and activities you love.

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No matter whom you want to hire, nothing beats recommendations from happy customers.  If your neighbor had work done last year, and you are thinking about doing some remodeling yourself, this is the best place to start when you begin getting estimates.

Hire-a-contractor-now.com was specifically designed to provide an easy, user friendly methodology for consumers who need work done, and estimates prepared.

Find a general contractor at online job sites can save hours and hours of valuable time.  No playing telephone tag, no waiting to talk with references, no guessing, and it’s virtually mistake proof.  These job boards help manage your time, the job, the fees, and there is a paper trail to rely on in case of misunderstandings or further clarification.

Only the good quality contractors will register on sites like this simply because they are now visible to the world.  The quality of their work and customer comments will be available for everyone to see.  Contractors who know they have things to hide, or don’t have the correct licensing to be in business, or even those with a poor history of customer satisfaction and perhaps a few lawsuits, are typically smart enough to stay away from online job sites just to reduce their chances of being found out.

If, perhaps, you live in an obscure locale that isn’t serviced by this type of job site, you may need to resort to online searches or the phone book.   If you do use the phone book, find ads that are at least an eighth of a page – telephone book advertising is quite expensive, and only very successful businesses – of any type – can afford these ads.

One way to not only get a contractor but to see them in action and even get a reference is to drop by a new condo or housing development going up.  The name of the contractor will usually be displayed on a banner or huge sign.  Then, find any of the workers on site and ask what they like about working for that contractor.  Next, call the developer and ask for a reference.  Remember – even though he’s a general contractor working on a huge project, he’s still a residential contractor who may be able to handle multiple job sites at a time and would be very interested in hearing about your proposed second story addition, or new guest house plans.

The last thing you want to do is hire someone without at least seeing his work, getting references, or having a rapport.

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Four simple ways to find a reputable local cleaner

Finding a reputable local cleaner can be a big task.  Of course you can open the yellow pages; but, do you really want to take a shot in the dark when you’re looking for someone to work in your home?  I didn’t think so.  If you have a little bit of time to invest, you can find a cleaner that has stellar references and the necessary experience to meet your domestic needs.

Using a local cleaner is always preferred over a company headquartered far away.  When you use a local company, they are right in your neighborhood and you have easy access to them if need be.  A local company will also have more references from your neighborhood.  This can be especially important if you live in a historic area where your cleaning needs areas distinct.

When you need to find a local cleaner, the following four options will provide you with the most viable candidates.

1. Ask friends and family.
2. Ask local business owners.
3. Use an online freelance network.
4. Place a classifieds ad.

Ask Friends and Family

The best way to find a local cleaner is to ask your friends and family.  They know you best.  They will be able to assist you with determining if a candidate in question is going to be a good fit with your personality, attitude, and expectations.  None of the other options will provide such a personal perspective.  However, make sure that the friend or family member offering the referral has actually been satisfied with the cleaning service of the referred cleaner.  Knowing a cleaner is much different than having had her work in your home.  If you don’t have any trusted friends or family offering experienced referrals, try a couple of the other options.

Ask Local Business Owners

Many business owners use local cleaners to keep their shops and office space clean and inviting.  They will be able to give you specifics about the cleaner’s performance and professional conduct.  Business owners are usually very aware of their reputation in their community.  When asked for a referral, a local business owner will normally only refer a top-notch cleaner.  The place to start is with local businesses that you already frequent.

Use an Online Freelance Network

Online freelance networks are the next-generation of job boards.  Online freelance networks connect local cleaners with property owners looking to have work done.  By posting a job on one of these networks, you’ll receive the contact information and maybe even an actual bid on your proposed work from cleaners in your area.  Though you don’t get an actual referral from these networks, most allow for past users to leave comments and ratings on the services of the cleaner.  Besides feedback from past users, online freelance networks also give you access to a plethora of information about the cleaner without you having to pick up the phone or set up a meeting.  From the comfort of your home you can browse local cleaners interested in working for you.

Place a Classifieds Ad

If you have a bit of time before you need your cleaner to get started, consider running a classifieds ad.  Classifieds ads are inexpensive and will more than likely generate a sufficient number of candidates from which to choose.  If you use this option make sure to ask detailed questions once you contact the cleaner.  You may have to splurge for a background check to ensure that the selected cleaner doesn’t have a questionable history.

Once you have made a decision to hire a Professional cleaner, it shouldn’t take long to find one if you use one of these simple options.

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