No matter how old my siblings and I get, we always end up going back to our parents’ house for everything. All the get-togethers, holidays, and celebrations still happen in that house.
But now that our family has grown with partners and kids, there are a lot more people coming in and out of my parent’s house. And now that my parents are getting older, I feel bad for them having to host us all the time. I don’t want them to stop – Every memory we have together is wrapped up in those walls and it’s where we all feel most comfortable.
We all bring a dish to make cooking easier on Mom, but when we try to help her with the cleaning up, she doesn’t let us help. She is very fussy when it comes to the cleanliness of her house.
My dad’s birthday was coming up, and I knew after dinner at his favorite restaurant, we’d all end up going back to their house. It was a great night of eating, drinking, and reminiscing about our dad’s questionable haircuts and fashion choices from the ’80s.
I knew the party would end up in my parent’s house, and I felt bad for my mom having to clean up the next day. So this time I was prepared – I’d heard of Handy, an app that connects you with local professional cleaners, and I wanted to try it. On their website, you can easily book a cleaning service at a time that works for you. A work friend told me about the amazing job the cleaners she booked through Handy did on her house, so I decided to check it out. Within a few clicks, I arranged for my parents to get a full clean of the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the living area for the morning after my dad’s party.
They also have so many add-ons you can get like laundry service, fridge cleaning, window cleaning, and even a deep clean option. As a treat, my brother and I signed my parents up for a biweekly cleaning plan for 6 months. It was great because it was completely flexible – they could pick a time that best suits them, adjusts the cleaning schedule, leave notes and checklists so their home is cleaned how they like, and if they aren’t home they can still watch the cleaning progress on their phone.
The next morning, I told my mom there was no need for her to clean because there was a cleaner booked through Handy on the way. She wasn’t very happy! She worried that she was the only one that knew how to clean her house and that the cleaner wouldn’t do as good a job as she would.
I told her I had already paid and that she would have to accept it. I sent her and dad out to get brunch while I waited for the cleaner to arrive. By the time they got home, the Handycleaner was just finishing up. I couldn’t wait to see my mom’s reaction. The house was so clean, it looked great!
She came in a bit reluctant, but then once she saw how everything had been cleaned and tidied up, she started to smile. See mom, you don’t have to clean up after us anymore! She laughed and thanked me.
She was so happy with how it looked, she was delighted when I told her they will be coming every second week. I was so happy she liked it and was finally letting someone help her.
Handy has helped me and my family enjoy our parties together even more now. And it looks like my mom is going to be a very regular customer of theirs.
Update: The awesome folks at Handy are extending a Limited Time Offer to our readers. For a limited time follow this link to get a special offer on a cleaning plan!