This week we’re finishing our discussion about how to reduce the mental load of home maintenance, repair, and upkeep. One option is to eliminate some of these tasks altogether if you can afford it.
For example, thanks to where my husband works, we installed covered gutters years ago. No more cleaning the gutters out every year! But you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars, however, to bring some relief in this area.
Do you have any teenagers in your neighborhood who might be willing to do some outside chores for a little cash? Maybe they can rake leaves for you every fall or help with your spring cleaning.
Perhaps it’s time to use the wonderful concept I mentioned a few weeks back that is (mostly!) free – delegation. If you have older children, they can pitch in and take care of tasks like checking the smoke detectors, washing windows, and putting down mulch.
If you are married or have a partner, this area might be a great opportunity to sit down with the other person to see what tasks can be done together, or what they may not mind taking over.
With a good checklist in hand, a little outsourcing, and some delegation, you can cut the mental labor involved with the upkeep, maintenance, and repair of your home by at least half.
Another area of mental labor in the home is house cleaning – one of the most controversial topics! I admit, I have not done well in the past on relieving my own mental load in this area. But things have changed in my household, and I hope to help you do the same.
If there’s room in your budget, you can help bring relief by hiring someone to clean your home. I realize this isn’t for everyone, and some may think you must be rich or lazy to pick this option. I am neither one of these. I hired someone years ago to come and clean my home once a month. Why?
- It freed up my time to volunteer in my community and to help with my sons’ activities. It’s wonderful to spend those five to six hours a month volunteering versus deep cleaning my house. I couldn’t give of my time as easily when I had to clean our house every two or three weeks.
- My friend does a better job than me! I still do a spring cleaning every year where I literally tear apart the house and put it back together. But no one gets my kitchen or bathrooms cleaner than Alyssa. In fact, when I go to deep clean something in the spring, I’m often surprised to see it’s already done thanks to her thorough actions.
- It feels good to help the local economy. I’ve referred Alyssa to numerous people who have been thrilled with her services. I love to help others succeed, and I figure in this situation it’s a win-win!
- The house doesn’t fall apart when I get sick. I don’t get sick very often anymore, but I remember what used to happen when I became ill. I think it took me a whole weekend to get the house back to normal after battling the flu years ago.
- It’s a huge relief for anyone who works full-time. To come home after back-to-back meetings on a “Cleaning Wednesday,” as I call it, and look around at my nice, neat, clean house is almost euphoric. I swear I hear angels singing. It’s awesome to realize that I didn’t have to give up a Saturday, with is typically my errand day, to clean.
Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.