Pondering Over the Timing: Pre- or Post-Holiday Hire for Home Cleaning Services?
Preparing for the festive season can be both delightful and overwhelming. The enchantment is undeniable, but it also brings an endless to-do list. Alongside decorating the Christmas tree, there's shopping, wrapping gifts, and baking cookies. If you're hosting guests, that adds even more pressure to ensure your home is warm and inviting.
Considering hiring a domestic helper is one method to absolve yourself of the cleaning responsibilities, allowing you to focus on the enjoyable tasks ahead of the holidays. Alternatively, you might appreciate the break after the guests leave and the festivities end. The choice depends on your preferences, schedule, and finances. To aid you in making an informed decision for your home, we've weighed the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a domestic helper before or after the holiday season.
Obviously, you can combine both methods if it suits your schedule and budget. Contemplate hiring a domestic helper for a light clean before the holidays and a thorough clean after, or vice versa. Your cleaning service may even offer a discounted pre- and post-holiday cleaning package. Whatever you decide, keep the following in mind:
- Have the cleaners prioritize the spaces and rooms that guests will spend the most time in or were most affected during the holidays.
- Attend to spills immediately, preventing potential damage while waiting for a cleaning service to arrive.
- Encourage all household members to keep their belongings tidy, so cleaners won't need to navigate around clutter.
Hiring a Domestic Helper Before the Holidays
Passing off your cleaning duties before the busy holiday season can lessen a substantial burden, hopefully allowing you to appreciate the season even more. Instead of returning home from a tiring day (or braving crowded stores) to clean, you can devote your time to relaxing with a loved one, watching a beloved Christmas movie, and sipping homemade hot chocolate. If you time it right, you won't need to worry about preparing for guests—but if you outsource the service too early, your home may become untidy once again before the festivities begin.
Pros of Hiring Out Pre-Holiday Cleaning
It can alleviate holiday stress: Outsourcing house cleaning allows you to focus on other tasks that require or appeal to you, thereby reducing holiday-related pressure. Professional cleaners are equipped to manage the intricate details (such as cleaning baseboards or scrubbing the toilet's base) that you might overlook (or choose to skip) in the chaos of the festive season.
It will ready your home for the holidays: A clean home is an inviting home, allowing family, friends, and neighbors to visit without prior notice, as they'll be greeted by gleaming surfaces and fresh-smelling spaces. This comfort and relaxation will also benefit you as you prepare for the holiday season, reducing the need for last-minute cleaning frenzies. Instead of cleaning every inch before hanging decorations or setting up a tablescape, simply embellish your home shortly after the cleaners finish their work.
Cons of Hiring a Cleaner Before the Holidays
Your home may become untidy again: If your intention is to maintain a pristine home before guests arrive, the timing can be challenging because of either their or your schedules. Unscheduled visits make planning difficult, and preparing for a drop-in visit can be impractical, even if the guests have a scheduled visit. With a cleaner arriving shortly before the festivities, inevitably, messes will occur between their service and the party. The kitchen, in particular, will bear the brunt of the preparations, such as cooking appetizers, meals, and drinks. If you decide to hire a cleaner, adjust your expectations based on their availability.
Be prepared to pay more: Apart from requiring a tight schedule (as cleaners will be highly sought-after during this period), they may also charge a premium rate. Some professionals hike up their prices during the holiday season, so it's essential to inquire about costs when booking and make your decision based on the value.
Hiring a Domestic Helper After the Holidays
A cleaner can dislodge pine needles and glitter from floors and surfaces before they annoy you.
Pros of Hiring Out Post-Holiday Cleaning
They'll eliminate holiday messes: Wave goodbye to the baked-on oven grime from all the delicious holiday casseroles you cooked, and don't worry about the mound of dirty linens and sheets left behind by overnight guests, as some cleaning services offer laundry and bed turnover services. (Keep in mind that this might incur an additional charge.) A house cleaner visiting right after the holidays can make it seem like those messes never occurred.
Start the new year with a clean slate: Many like to hit the restart button as the new year begins, and hiring a cleaner is an excellent method to do so for your home. Once the decorations are taken down, it's easier to clean thoroughly, addressing any neglected areas during the autumn's bustle. If you're dealing with clutter and aim for your home to be more organized, you might also consider engaging a professional organizer.
Speed is key for certain messes: Spills and stains that occur during festive gatherings can harden and become trickier to eliminate as time passes. Despite the skills of cleaning services, they might struggle to eliminate a wine stain on the sofa if it's been left untreated for an extended period. In the meantime, expect to pitch in with some DIY cleaning before the specialists arrive.
Post-holiday blues might hit you hard: As is common after any major event or seasonal change, a sense of letdown usually follows. While the new year might be exhilarating for some, January still brings short, chilly days and, with the holiday decor gone, it seems to lack the cheerfulness that once filled the house. If you find yourself wanting to extend the Christmas tree display longer than usual, perhaps consider doing so if the extra festivity brings more joy to you than a clean home.
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After the festive season, hiring a domestic helper can be beneficial as they can eliminate holiday messes, such as tackling baked-on oven grime and dealing with dirty linens and sheets left by guests. This service can help start the new year with a clean slate, allowing you to organize your home and begin the year on a fresh note. Additionally, dealing with winter's chill and the absence of holiday decorations might make you want to extend the Christmas tree display longer; if this brings more joy, consider keeping it up for a while longer.
