1. Find the right help for your budget. Whether you hire an individual or a service, keep in mind that household help can be tailored to meet your needs, lifestyle, and budget. You may only need a cleaning service once a month to clean floors and surfaces. Or you may need the service every other week and require extra help before the holidays or family visits.
2. Plan for occasional cleaning chores. It's a good idea to keep a notebook or file of monthly or occasional chores, such as cleaning the refrigerator, dusting and cleaning blinds, or changing shelf paper. Before you hire a housekeeper or cleaning service, discuss how to handle such occasional chores on a rotating basis.
3. Schedule extra help in advance. If you plan to schedule extra services, particularly before major holidays, schedule the services at least two months in advance. Likewise if you need extra help for a limited period, such as a new baby in the household, schedule well in advance.
4. Declutter your home before cleaning day. Before hiring a professional housekeeper, make a list of specific household tasks that need to be accomplished. Housekeepers generally expect the homeowner to declutter the home prior to cleaning.
5. Don't use your housekeeper as a babysitter. Never assume that the housekeeper can take on extra tasks. It's unfair to expect a housekeeper to watch children and do housework while you run errands unless you have made arrangement in advance.
6. Hire out special jobs to someone else. Likewise, never ask a housekeeper to care for pets or do heavy lifting. For special jobs, such as walking dogs or washing the outside of windows, hire a service or a neighborhood teenager. If you hire a professional cleaning service, they may have set fees for services.
7. Find help through recommendations. The most effective way to locate and hire a reliable housekeeper or cleaning service is through recommendations from family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers. Even with good references, keep in mind that what you want and need from a cleaning service may be different from what your friends want.
8. Try a local cleaning service. Another alternative is to contact a franchise or local cleaning service. These housekeepers generally work in teams of two to four. With the team approach, if one person is sick or has an emergency, the rest of the crew can still get the job done.

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