@Tory – glad to have been of service! Lower your standards! Way down low, sweet chariot low…

Yes, the point of outsourcing cleaning is to save you time. I suspect the way most people do it they have cleaner houses, but don’t actually save time. I could see that very clearly on the I Know How She Does It logs.

What a great idea! I have been contemplating this too, and would love to find someone to do that. I’ve also started to make a detailed list of “extra” tasks for our regular cleaner in case she has extra time at the end, which she often does. I’ve added super simple stuff that I absolutely hate doing, like emptying the dryer lint (irrational hatred), wiping down the front door, and making sure all the garbage cans have bags in them.

The tip you had about having a housekeeper instead of a cleaning service was a lightbulb moment for me, I’ve had cleaners before but you have to clean the house up first before they come and I’m terrible at that! Of course, I cannot afford to have someone come every day and do my dishes, but I have thought creatively about a middle ground. I’ve found someone on care.com to come spend 4 hours today for $50 cleaning my house – she doesn’t get everything done, just works through a list I provide (which can include things like tidying up, doing dishes, cat boxes, that regular cleaning companies won’t touch.) I might be able to afford that again next month, I might not. But since I have very low standards (thanks for your permission in that area!) it’s going to be a while before the dust starts to bother me again.

I thought of you yesterday when I got up early to make pumpkin crepes for breakfast. It was definitely well-received by all, and unusual for all 4 of us to sit down together before school/work! I’ll do it again, for sure.