I have a secret. A secret cleaner. She comes in like a fairy and cleans the house while I take the children out with these ladies - its a Wednesday thing.
Today, she arrived a little earlier than usual with a bouquet of blooms from her protea tree, as if I didn't love her enough already. Every time I apologise about the toys on the floor, the toddler pee around the toilet seat or the dishes in the sink she replies with 'oooh, don't worry darlin' (I LOVE being called darlin') and quickly carries on with business. She is a marvel.
On Wednesdays (once a month) we arrive home to a sparkling house that looks and smells oh so fresh. The beds are made, counter tops polished and every single surface is dust free. The dishes are neatly stacked, the bathroom is spotless* and the toys are in their appropriate places.
It's pretty much the only day of the month that Dave comes home to a clean and tidy house. I usually like to ensure that dinner is also on the go for his majesty's arrival, just to complete that picture perfect package. Tonight I offered him a bacon and egg roll. I'm just that kind of woman, ever prepared to meet her husbands needs.
Surprisingly, he opted to cook an alternative?!
tell me, do you have a cleaning fairy?
If not, do you struggle to keep on top of the vacuuming and mopping like I do?
Does your toddlers wee end up ALL OVER the bathroom house?
also, i blogged earlier today if you're interested.
* p.s I am not a princess, i totally scrub my own dunny.
I've never had a cleaner but would love to come through the door to that magic transformation. Good on you.
ReplyDeleteChris
I have a cleaner too - a 20 year old Columbian chap comes every Thursday! It has totally changed my life - worth every penny! x
ReplyDeletewhat!!!!! Now that's 3 of you! FFS! I need to re-assess my life. HUMPF!! (as I sit here in the unvaccumed house with stains on the rug) god I am a domestic slut! x
DeleteA cleaner? Dreams are made of such stuff - seriously I was dreaming I was vacuuming the other day, how sad is that? Yes - my wee one (no pun intended) likes to take her potty on location.....so I always have good stocks of carpet cleaner on hand. And yes, I love a clean house but there always seems more important things to do. The bathroom is at crisis point though (where you have to clean the dust out of the bath before you have a bath), so maybe tomorrow, or maybe I'll get a cleaner.
ReplyDeleteNo cleaner here but feeling better about my house not being as tidy as yours!
ReplyDeleteI often tell my other half that he can sack our cleaner ( me) and get a other one any day he wants
ReplyDeleteI look around my grubby house and just sigh. If I had a cleaning fairy I'm pretty sure he/she'd need to visit e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y...
ReplyDeleteOh to have a cleaning fairy! I had one for a little while when my daughter was just a wee bub (kind of hard to go back to no cleaning fairy though, once you get used to it). I definatley struggle to keep up with the housework, only manage to get the bare essentials done most days. We've had quite a few wee mishaps around here lately too,(driving me nuts, I really wish we didn't have carpet), waiting a few more months though before we get the carpets cleaned (just in case):)
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a cleaner! It's such a struggle to keep on top of the housework with two young kids.
ReplyDeleteI was given a lovely cleaning fairy as a gift from my mother-in-law, just before the birth of bub two. It was supposed to be a once of, but I became hooked! I love her. Every second Wednesday is now my absolute favourite day.
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ReplyDeleteJust look at that pretty, sparkling home. Gorgeous photos Em.
ReplyDeleteAnd unfortunately there is no cleaning fairy around these parts. I am the closest thing to that... and I'm no fairy, haha. It's bare necessities for me, kitchen cleaned down each day, bit o' vacuuming here and there, bathroom gets the once over every few days. It's damn near impossible to have the place looking how I'd like.
xo
see above.. I am seriously grumpy - I need a cleaner! x
ReplyDeleteWhen my twins were 8 months old (I also have a daughter that's 4 years older than them), I went off to visit a friend for a long weekend in San Francisco. When I got back, my husband told me he had hired a cleaner. She now comes once a month as well. And I love it - although I'd love it even more if she brought me flowers.;) Good for you!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think I ought to go get a job, so I can hire a cleaning fairy. If I land a good enough job, I'll hire a cooking fairy too. :-)
ReplyDelete~FringeGirl
Just got one and she is saving our marriage!!! She comes just every two weeks, but seriously, its my fav day when the kids and I can escape to a great playdate and VIOLA, when we get home- SPOTLESS. Its a dream come true really, and SO worth every penny! But the flowers...so sweet! xo
ReplyDeletethe sight of the house looking like that makes me happy. and it isn't even my house. i would, if i could! :)sarah
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful, you lucky thing, I'm massively envious!
ReplyDeleteHer name & number please. Serious.
ReplyDeleteI have a secret cleaner and her name is mummy, i always aim to get it done before she comes but that never happens...she always manages to find something to clean/organize/fold/wash/dust/scrub. Im thankful for my mummy bringing up the fact that i 'need to stay ontop of things'...but as i tell mum, i would rather she just come and sit and drink coffee with me...two edged sword..because i love the tidiness once she's left her touch but i don't like her rushing round trying to sort my crap.
ReplyDeleteAlso..the poos and wees are thick and fast round here...*trying to potty train Jasper who just turned two is proving raw on my patience, this morning Jasper did a huge mushy poo in the potty..while I was putting the clothes back on Jasper, George, crawling round, found the potty...ended up with poo-smeared hands, thankfully he hadn't yet put his poo-smeared hands on the lovely carpet...Raawwwwww, enough to make me explode, I managed to whip him off and clean him before it got over the bedroom decor. Fleulf!!!
x
Okay lady, fess up, who is this cleaning fairy and what's her phone number? My house is tidy, but it ain't clean!
ReplyDeletei dont have a cleaner and that makes me "not happy jan" ....
ReplyDeleteVERY NICE!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved to our new house 3 months ago, I was overwhelmed with the amount of cleaning it needed, whilst juggling a newborn & a 4yr old...and a home office. So we got a cleaner in once a week & it is BLISS. I still have to do the daily jobs like the kitchen, beds, toys, washing etc & I still vacuum once a week. But it truly is heaven to come home to a CLEAN house that you didn't have to sweat over to get clean. LUCKY!
x
Getting and keeping the house clean is the worst. I might spend a whole weekend cleaning it and be thrilled but then ... Wednesday hits and it's like a bomb site again. I don't even have kids!!! I think when I have kids I'll stop saying no to my mum coming to clean every now and then ...
ReplyDeleteAck!!! No cleaning fairy for me. Oh how I would love my house to be so tidy. I just keep blaming the toys for the appearance of clutter. But I am just embracing the fact that the cleaning is never complete. There will always be something to do and I just do the best I can manage on any given day. Why try to get it all done hey? I am totally envious of your beautiful clean house. Enjoy away!
ReplyDeleteSigh.
ReplyDeleteBack in the day before Baby C we used to have a cleaner and I LOVED her. In retrospect why we needed a cleaner before Baby C I don't know.
Now it is up to me. Although I must admit my husband does help out...every Saturday I take Baby C and the dog and we go for a walk with my good friend while Daddy R stays home and does the vacuum. When we come home Baby C is usually ready for a nap and while he is asleep I mop and scrub the kitchen and the bathroom.
The house is never as clean as I would like it...this has been one of my most major adjustments to motherhood.
Anyway, clean or dirty your house is lovely...although I am sure you prefer it clean!
NO, but I really, really want one!! x
ReplyDeletei have a cleaning fairy. and i love her. she makes my sink shinier than i ever knew sinks could be. she comes once a fortnight and i pay her 100 clams. more than she quoted me but i think she deserves it. i arrive home on that tuesday after work and i sigh. with the loveliness that is my clean home. she comes in whilst i am working and sprinkles that clean fairy dust all over my home. bless her.
ReplyDeleteits funny though - i run around like a crazy woman the morning before her arrival, madly folding and putting away washing, making the beds and picking up stuff - cleaning for the cleaner (well tidying anyway) and its stressful to do it all before we walk out the door at 710am, but man, its worth it.
Been talking (wishing) about it for years now... and CONFESSION: I have a 13year old and a Hubby who DO actually help with the chores... so imagine my reluctance (shame) at desiring a "cleaning fairy" ... but honestly... that (magazine perfect) image of your kitchen ... my desire-o-meter has just blown a fuse..... sigh.
ReplyDeleteWe have a cleaning fairy, and it is grand! Once a week the place is transformed! Wrangling children is hard enough, trying to get the house clean as well used to just about kill me and my darling man. Worth every red cent!
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit jealous, but even when it's clean my house isn't pretty,yet. Maybe when renovatings done we'll have a cleaning fairy.
ReplyDeleteOne day.. one fine day but alas no I do not and I so need one.. I am OCD and kill myself with order, sad but true.
ReplyDeleteDo you think cos I work from home I could claim as business, office cleaning?
ooooh sneaky secret! What a lovely little home tour, beyond precious space, sometimes I wonder how I go so long not finding blogs this lovely!
ReplyDeleteShe brought you flowers?! What a wonderful woman you have there!
ReplyDeleteI've often dreamed of getting a cleaning fairy of my own. I work full time & spend 10 hours on top of that commuting each week & the last thing i feel like doing when i get home is cleaning. Also i'm 5 months pregnant & i really want a nice clean nest to bring my baby home to.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if i will ever have a clean home. It is always dusty. I don't know where it all comes from but it drives me nuts. Having 2 inside dogs doesn't help. One day.
PS I loooooooove your kitchen!
I have a wonderful cleaner who comes once a fortnight. I LOVE her.
ReplyDeleteRonnie xo
p.s. Gorgeous home you have, lady!
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ReplyDeleteOh, so jealous! I want a cleaning faerie. Your house looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI don't have kids yet and I already struggle with keeping on top of the cleaning. I definitely want one when we have kids! x
ReplyDeleteReminds me of my mums friend who was having a very difficult time keeping a tidy house without the support of her family and so they hired a cleaning fairy called Mrs Brown. Every week before Mrs Browns arrival her sons and husband would clean the house from top to bottom because they felt so guilty about the thought of poor Mrs Brown cleaning up all their mess. There was in fact no Mrs Brown and my mums friend enjoyed finally having a clean house and few extra dollars in her pocket xo
ReplyDeleteWe had a cleaner and are about to invest again - we are thinking once a month and get all the big stuff done- I.e a thorough windows/skirting boards/ etc. not staying on top of it at all with little one....getting buried under the loads of baby washing....nobody told me new motherhood turns you into a washer woman!!
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