I pay $75 and she is here for 3 - 4 hours and she does an awesome job. She was recommended by a friend. I won't use anyone without knowing someone who has used them. Just too creepy to have strangers in the house.

Personally, I would never hire someone using an ad on CL.

I hate to step in and sound so negative here but please please please be very careful of who you let in your home - regardless if you stay there all day with them. I have had several friends that had housekeepers steal right under their noses. Sadly, in this day and age, with our economy, etc... You really need to know the person and have good references. Craig's list scares me altogether.
When my sweet blind Grandmother was too old to stay alone, yet didn't want to go to the nursing home, we had a lady that opened the church doors daily " to pray" before coming to sit with and cook for my Grandmother. She forged several $1000.00's of checks on my Grandmother, opened a credit card in my Grandmothers name thanks to having access to her mail, cleaned out her attic (literally) and took anything she could load in her car - such as my grandmothers Singer sewing machine!!?? ( I'm still sad over that!) My Father was a wonderful kind man and could not bring himself to press charges against her - so he made a deal with her that she would no longer work for my Grandmother or take care of any other older vulnerable people - he told her he had turned over all the evidence we had on her to the local Sherriff's office and the minute he ever heard she was working in someone's home (it was a small town) he was watching and ready to press charges.... When my Grandmother died and then a few years later my Sweet Father passed away she had the nerve to come to both funerals....? Weird...? My point in telling this long story is that you really have to be careful. There are a lot of wolves in sheeps clothing among us. Forgive me for sounding so negative - but you really can't trust people that just show up or email you, no matter how good they sound or look on paper. We paid a big financial price in the end when combining the forged checks, the credit card and all the items stolen. What we paid hourly became a mute point!
I have someone that helps me a few times a week in the afternoon - I pay her $50 - for 4-5 hours a day. I found her thru a friend that had used her and her sister for 10 years b4 I met her. So, I was able to check her background thru people I knew.
I hope I haven't rained on your parade/stressed you out with fear and worry - a housekeeper is a fabulous thing to have but you really have to know who you are trusting with your belongings, your home and pets - it's worth the effort to play Nancy Drew on the front end!
I wish you lived close to me I could help you find someone!
Good luck
Janice

I also think that it's better to go with someone a friend has recommended...or even an agency. I went through an agency that a friend recommended. They run criminal background checks...they're also licensed, bonded & insured. I have a friend who had a housekeeper that "injured" herself while she was cleaning the bathroom. She ended up having to pay for all of the medical expenses. You don't have worry about stuff like that when you go through an agency.

Indeed there are too many nuts in this world to chance it.

I agree. I used to own a cleaning business (In Michigan, Donna....) and I charged $30/hr and was busy all day 5 days a week ;)

thanks for all the good advice, seems like some pay allot and others not so much, the age thing can go either way depending what shape they are in, LOL right now my knees are giving me trouble so sometimes kneeling down to clean baseboards and other low stuff is a challenge but other days I am fine. I only have a few small pieces of real jewelry so I always tuck that away, I am more concerned with someone breaking my expensive crystal pieces than stealing them, some of these house cleaners move so fast, I had to keep reminding my last one to slow down that I was paying her by the hour not the job. I would rather a worker that is a little slower but had a steady hand, I am not someone that expects them to go like crazy around my house I would rather pay for another hour and let them work at a pace that is safe. I also work with them a bit, like when they dust I like to take all the stuff off the tables and then put it back or I move some pieces of furniture. I found in the past with the pay by the job people they were cleaning around things and not moving them. I wash the sheets ahead of time and then we make the beds together so I am active around the house when they are here, but I don't run around giving them a hard time. Two people just vouched for the woman that I am trying today, so my fingers are crossed she works out. I hope she turns out to be like Jadabug's Mom, someone that is retired but wants to keep busy and I will actually be paying her a little more than the other cleaning job she has now. again thanks for all the things you gave me to think about, believe me they are all in the back of my head to be watchful for.

Great point. I won't let anyone do any work around my house without insurance. Too risky.

Sounds like a good business, I am curious was it a franchise. With a cleaning business I am assuming then that the workers were insured, so if something broke or was stolen was it covered or if a worker got hurt was that covered as well. Plus I know some of the larger companies like Molly Maids have their own cars. I am sure that cost you so much per hour per worker so it would have to be figured into the hourly rate you charged your customer. But the workers must have been paid less. I think for some people especially those that are not home or are elderly that peace of mind is worth a lot.

I know some people that use services and some have been very happy and some so so, the biggest reason if they were not happy is because often the people cleaning their house would change sometimes as often as we each cleaning, some only once in a while. I used to sell advertising years ago and had several cleaning companies as clients, they spent as much money advertising for cleaners as they did for workers. They always complained to me that the hardest part of their business was keeping workers, it was harder than keeping clients.

It was LLC and not a franchise and I was the only employee. Yes I was bonded and insured.

I see, then your customers got the owner each time, that had to be the best, I can see why you were so busy.

Hi Donna, I know how hard it is to find a good housekeeper. I have had a few when I was working full time. I found and fell in love with one young woman who eventually became a personal friend. I paid her $15/hour which I thought was very reasonable. When she took on a partner, they could clean twice as much in the same amount of time so I paid $30/hour. It was a bargain as they did exactly what I wanted. I guess it's all in what you want done. My housekeeper, even though she no longer cleans for me, keeps a key to our house and pet sits when we go on vacation and cannot take the pets with us. She's a good friend and one I wouldn't trade for anything. I also understand that the area you live in is reflected in the price you pay. I live in a small town in a rural area so I believe the prices here are lower than if I lived in a city. Good luck, I know the right person is out there for you. Sometimes you have to meet a few frogs to find a prince. No I'm not telling you to kiss everyone who comes to the door. LOL

Cindy you are so right for a reasonable price you can often find someone very good, after each cleaning I often give a little more, if I think they were good, like if they leave on the half hour I pay the whole hour and sometimes a bit more.

So the gal is here, LOL old??? she is 3 years younger than me and very fit (wish I was as fit) Ha Ha since I have not had any kids I seem to forget how old I really am:eek:. Turns out she goes to church with my next door neighbor and is good friends with one of my best friends sister. My town is sort of like a small big town, the lake communities (and we have a ton of them in my town) are very connected and if you are involved with the community which I try to be it is amazing how many people you know that know people that you know, it's like the Kevin Bacon Game:D Because of the lakes people tend not move away, in fact she lives in the house where she grew up as does my neighbor next door and my close friend a few doors away. That's why I put down on Craig's list they must live in my town or the two boarding towns. Anyway she is cleaning very good, and seems to be very accommodating. Of course time will tell, but right now I am very happy:thumbup:

awesome!! ;*(()) glad it all has worked out thus far.

opps meant Diane, not Cindy, LOL I can't get those sweaters off my mind that Cindy made for your Princess Sophie

I know, we just love them. LOL