Ready to Show Ready to Sell

One of the biggest pain points when it comes to selling your home is trying to keep it clean enough for showings while still living there. And, chances are, if you are trying to sell your home, you have other expenses that need to be taken care of besides paying for constant housekeeping.

Hire A Housewife wants to make the whole process easier with Ready to Show Ready to Sell

Clients of our Ready to Show Ready to Sell package will enjoy our guilt-free, high-quality, personalized service, packaged in a way to help them sell their home more quickly, with less stress.

HOW IT WORKS

Phase one of our Ready to Show Ready to Sell program is the Initial Deep Clean.

This is a complete clean of your home to ready it for listing.

When possible, we make this combine your preferences with your realtor's input for maximum effectiveness.

The cleaning includes everything from ceiling fans to baseboards.* If something is found that we missed in the first 24 hours after the cleaning, we will come back and fix it.

Phase two is the fun part! We take all the worry out making sure your home is ready for each showing. When you call, we will come in and perform a customized "Show Clean" with as little as 20 hours notice.**

There will be a pre-approved plan that the housewife we send out follows to ensure that everything is cleaned and picked up the way you want it done, without you lifting a finger.

Sound good? It gets BETTER...

The best part of this service is that after the first payment, you don't have to pay us each time we come out. In fact, if your house sells in the first six months of using our service, the amount not prepaid isn't due until you close on the sale of your house.

We're not just helping keep your house clean, we are helping you invest in a faster, more profitable sale!

We can also schedule someone to come in between you moving out and someone new moving in, so there is no more worry about how you are leaving the house for the new owner.

Our services could actually be a selling point on your home... potential buyers know that you are keeping the home maintained and that they will be able to move in without needing to do cleaning.

Below is our pricing schedule. The different categories make our program flexible to fix your needs.

Pricing:

Deep Clean: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.20/sq ft

Show Clean: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.09/sq ft

Show Clean (unoccupied): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.07/sq ft

Show Clean (less than 20 hrs notice) . . . . . . . . . $25 add'l

Show Clean (high demand days) . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50 add'l***

Post Move Out Clean (add-on) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.10/sq ft

Post Move Out Clean (separately) . . . . . . . . . . . $0.18/sq ft

Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $25-50 add'l each

Square footage is typically determined by the listed number of livable sq ft in the house's reality listing. Changes may be made if additional areas need to be cleaned or if there are areas that do not need service.

We are unable to clean areas or fixtures that are not temperature controlled in extreme weather. This may include garages, outbuildings, passages between buildings, and windows.

Terms:

Deep Clean costs + 40% due at time of Deep Clean service. No other payments until closing or for 6 months, whichever comes first. After 6 months, an additional deep clean and a payment towards the balance due may be required.

Contract required.


*This excludes walls that need more than dusting and/or spot scrubbing and carpet that needs more than a vacuum.

**Cleaning with less notice may be available for an additional charge, but we cannot guarantee availability.

***High demand days outlined in contract. Usually 2-3 days before and after major holidays.

If you are interested in this program, please fill out this form and we will contact you soon!
Ready to Show Ready to Sell

What is your "why"?

Have you ever done something that you thought was going to be great that didn't go as planned? The end result wasn't what you had hoped for. Or, maybe you just realized you just didn't like doing it. There is a good chance that it is just something that doesn't support your "why" ... your purpose.

As the owner of a small business, others often suggest services we could or should offer in addition to what we do currently. Some of the ideas are great and I do consider them. But, what always makes my decision for me is the answer to this question...

Does this service support our "why"?

Hire A Housewife exists to make a positive difference in people's lives through both our services and our personal connections in ways that other companies can not.

I knew from the beginning that we could do that through cleaning, organizing, running errands, and taking care of other things for clients in order for them to spend their time the way they want to spend it.

Along the way I've shared my story and other encouragement with our clients and really anyone who
would listen, hoping to continue to make that difference.

Late last year I realized that we could also make a positive impact on lives by giving others lessons on cleaning and organizing. This is why I started the "Love Where You Live" program.

This past month I took on a new project. It was something we had never done before. But I was more than willing to try because I knew it would help a good friend. So, Hire A Housewife sorted through several generations of items, decided what should be donated, what should be sold, and what the family might want to keep. Then we ran our first estate sale.

We learned a lot from that sale. The number one thing we learned? Hire A Housewife doesn't run estate sales. Setting up tables, researching, determining monetary value, pricing, and holding a sale... just didn't go well for us.

If you ask the client, she will say nothing but good things about what we did. We made a huge impact for her family. And yet, by the time we were done, I knew it was something I wouldn't do again. The answer why was quickly obvious to me. There are many estate sale companies in the area. That isn't the part of it that made the impact.

Estate sales don't support our "why," but a part of what we did for them does... 

Photo taken by Clifford Braden during WWII What treasure might be hiding in your family's home?

It was the careful sorting through boxes that would have likely ended up in the trash, pulling out things of value, sentimental as well as monetary.

It was saving WWII memorabilia from a grandfather and uncle so that they could be treasured by family.

It was contacting a friend with the Peoria Historical Society and, with the family's permission, taking all the snapshots from that family member's time at war to be digitally archived and preserved before returning them to the family.

It was hugging my friend through her tears as she saw the progress and realized what they might have lost had we not sorted through everything in the house.

A positive impact, on an entire family, that will be felt for generations. 

That is definitely part of our why.

So in addition to asking you what your "why" is today, I want to let you know that if you have a project that you don't have the time or energy for (emotional or physical either one!) give us a call and let us help you out.

You get the best results from someone when the service they are performing supports their why.

So, here's the question... we've told you ours. What is YOUR why?

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. 

Use them well to serve one another.

~1 Peter 4:10

Three steps to more housework help and less stress

I'm going to share a secret with you today.

I don't know why it is a secret... but it seems to be.

Are you tired of never having anyone want to help you with the housework?

Are you frustrated with the lack of attention to detail your family members have when they do help?

I know all too well that feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I see a child of mine folding towels. It seems very similar to the feeling a friend of mine gets when she sees her husband loading the dishwasher.

We've told them how time and again, and yet they still won't do it right! WHY!?!

There is a solution to this. It's a simple one, although it is more difficult than it sounds.

Are you ready? Here it is...

Step ONE... Stop it.

No, really. That's all. Stop it.

Stop caring how your kids fold the towels. Stop caring how the dishes get loaded into the dishwasher.
Stop griping and mumbling and complaining about how you are the only one who ever does anything the right way at this house.

You have a life, and a busy one at that. There will be time for perfectly folded towels and hand washed dishes when you don't have kids around anymore. Whatever gets done now, however wrong you think it is... is still a blessing to your family!

I Corinthians 13:1 says "If you have all these things, but you have not love, you are only a clanging cymbal."  When you complain, nobody says, "I need to learn how to do this better." They say, "She is so picky. There is no pleasing her, so I'm going to try half as hard next time."

Learning not to care is easier said than done, but it does work. Nobody at my house complains about folding towels anymore... and as they've done it more, they've gotten better at it!

Step TWO... Be appreciative.

Yes, I know it is their house too and they are contributing as part of the team... but appreciation is one of the best forms of encouragement. Whether it be your husband, your child, or a helpful extended family member or friend, say "Thank you!" and mean it!

There are lots of ways to be appreciative. Have you told your husband lately how sexy he looks running the vacuum cleaner? Have you finished a round of chores as a family, looked at the kids and said, "You know what? I think we all deserve some ice cream!" even though they fought you all the way through? Stick to the positive reinforcement. It makes a difference!

Step THREE... Call us.

Oh, come on... you had to know that one was coming, right? If the first two don't work for you, the last one will absolutely do the trick. Hire A Housewife is here to do all the things you want done and want done correctly. That might mean dusting and vacuuming or it might mean laundry or dishes. Maybe you'll want someone to sweep out the garage or get dinner started one night a week. Or, maybe, you crave streak-free windows... Whatever it is, we'll handle it.

If we don't hear from you, we'll assume the first two worked. :-)

Stop believing the lies

I wrote a very long comment on WCIC's blog post about decluttering and then realized that I should turn it into a post of my own. Here it is, slightly edited.

Every week I meet new overwhelmed clients who have hired me to walk through their home with them and teach them how to conquer their clutter. I break everything down for them into baby steps and teach them how to get through it themselves.

Every time, I learn the build-up has much less to do with the stuff... and much more to do with
what's going on inside the person I'm there to help. 

Decluttering is amazingly freeing, but you will need to do it all again and again if you don't figure out your whys. In business, your "why" is the reason you do what you do. In clutter, your whys are the lies you tell yourself to make you think keeping the stuff is worth it.

Have you heard some of these before?

I should get rid of this but...
... it was so expensive it would be wasteful to get rid of it.
... someone else might be able to use it.
... I might need it again someday.
... my friend who gave it to me would be upset if she knew I didn't keep it.

And those are just the little lies.

Underlying those are much bigger lies... many of which we don't even realize we believe.

God isn't really my provider.
         (If He was, why would you save so much for "just in case?")
This is how I've always lived. I can't change.
          (How many times a week do you say that to yourself?)
We can't have nice things.
          (If you believe that, you'll make sure it's true.)

I could do a whole book on the lies we tell ourselves if I got started!

The power of life and death is in the tongue and faith comes by hearing. Put those verses together and it tells you that faith is voice activated! What you hear yourself say, you will believe. Say these things to yourself out loud today any time you think about any of those lies:

     I can learn to be organized. I don't need so much stuff.

     I deserve to live with the peace of mind that comes from a clean and organized house.

     God is my provider and I don't need to fret about what I may or may not need in the future.

     God is going to use my decluttering to bless others!

Not sure how that last one is possible? Read on...

As I was helping a client a few months ago through our "Love Where You Live" program, we came across a stack of pants. Brand new, with tags, in a size that the client never intends to wear again and is not a common size to begin with.

There were a lot of lies she could have told herself to make herself keep them. "They were expensive, maybe it isn't too late to return them." or "I might come across someone who can use them." or any number of others.

Instead she chose to donate them, along with a lot of other clothes. As I was driving the bags to Redeemer Lutheran to donate to Single Mom's Morning Out, I remembered the pants and started to tear up. It just hit me.

I don't know what single mom out there needed nice work slacks in a size 18 Tall, but God had already provided them and she had no idea that they were waiting for her that morning. Because one person didn't believe the lies, another person received a blessing.

Stop believing the lies that are holding you back!

You CAN Love Where You Live!

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
~Proverbs 23:7

Love Where You Live Updates and Giveaway!

Since the Love Where You Live program was introduced earlier this year, some changes and updates have been implemented. Here is a rundown of how it works, followed by a giveaway offer!

Love Where You Live helps you get your home more organized and keep it that way! We are already helping people in the area make progress with their homes!

With Love Where You Live, Hire A Housewife owner, Kindall Nelson, helps you learn how to break down organizing your house into manageable steps.

Here is her description of how the program works:

When I come for your first 90-minute appointment, I'll be ready for a complete walk-through of the house to determine what needs to be done and how the work should be prioritized. As we walk through, I take both notes and "before" pictures. If there is enough time left, I will help you tackle a project while I am there. We will discuss goals and strategies for the week, and I will give you homework to complete before our next appointment.

When I return the second week, it will be with a binder that has been created with your home's plan in mind. We will discuss wins and losses for the week and also tackle a project together to help give your motivation a boost into the next week.

If there is a specific project that you need done but don't want to do yourself, we can discuss having my staff or I do that separately from our regularly scheduled appointments.

I will also haul away, or arrange to have hauled away, anything you have marked for donation during the week.

There is a minimum commitment of 4 weeks, which comes to $240.
($60 per 90 minute appointment)

Please know that while Hire A Housewife is always dedicated to guilt-free, judgement-free cleaning and organizing, this does take a commitment on your part to participate. I work hard to give you strategies that fit your life. But if you don't follow those strategies, things will not change.

I want to make a difference for you!

Now for the giveaway...

Are you ready to make some changes in your home?

Do you need someone to give you strategies and hold you accountable for those changes?

Tell me in 300 words or less why you would benefit from our Love Where You Live program and send  a couple of photos (they will not be shared) of some example areas where you would like help.
I also need your name, address, and phone number.

I will be choosing someone I believe will be committed to the program to receive 4 (FOUR) Love Where You Live appointments with me, and will announce the winner on May 16th!

Send to [email protected]

with the Subject: Love Where You Live Giveaway

New feedback forms

One of the first positive changes for Hire A Housewife this year is the introduction of our feedback form!

Ready to leave feedback about your last appointment?

1. Simply click the link below.
2. Fill out the simple form. 
3. Click Submit. 

It's that easy!

And, not only are you helping us make your experience better, but you are also being entered into a special monthly drawing. As an incentive for you to share your thoughts with us after each appointment, each completed feedback form will enter you in a monthly drawing for THREE (3) free hours of service (one per appointment).

We take your thoughts and feelings about our service seriously and want to make sure you have a good way to express them. In addition, we want to be able to take care of anything you aren't completely happy with. This isn't just a job for us. We are here to serve you!

Click HERE to go to our Feedback Form

More exciting changes are coming soon. Check back the last week of January to learn about new program to help you overcome the clutter and chaos on your own, with a little help from us!

Good people know good people

To me, the most important aspect of our service, is that customers enjoy a consistent, high-quality experience. We strive to provide consistent, high-quality work, by the same housewife at each visit.

Unfortunately, finding high-quality employees who are able to provide that experience is not easy!

In the past, as one employee has gone, I've used a variety of sources to quickly find, hire, and train someone else to try to avoid an interruption in service to any client. This has led to problems with quality as well as longevity of employment. When I put someone in the field who just isn't ready, they often don't last more than two months.

At this time, all of our housewives are fantastic. We just don't have enough of them to cover our current list of clients. I have been working to fix this problem, trying to avoid issues I've had in the past.

While brainstorming with fellow business owners recently, we were discussing the best ways to find good employees when someone said, "Good people know good people." 

She was totally right! And, when I think of good people, who are some of the first ones that come to mind? You! Our clients are undoubtedly some of the best people I've ever met! Besides that, you know exactly what kind of people we are looking for... because you know who you would trust in your home.

How can you make this knowledge work for you? 

Keep reading!

I would like to propose an incentive for those of you who think you know someone who would be a great fit for Hire A Housewife...

Anyone who submits the name of a person who applies and is hired by Hire A Housewife, will be be credited with 10 hours of free housekeeping when the employee reaches their 6 month anniversary. 

*Just a side note: It is against our policy to have friends and family members clean each other's homes. So the person you refer would not provide you services.

In the mean time, while I am working to find, hire, and train the right good people for Hire A Housewife, new clients and some current clients will be placed on our waiting list. 

We would rather ask you to wait for service and risk losing you, than providing you with sub-par service and lose you for sure, with good reason.

I am posting our current employment ad below. 

CLICK HERE

To submit someone for referral!

Hire A Housewife is hiring again for the Greater Peoria Area!

You must:
Have general knowledge of how to clean prior to training
Have a good attitude 
Have a clean criminal record
Have your own vehicle
Have the ability to check your email regularly
Have the ability to follow directions
Pay attention to details
Intend to stay for an extended period of time.

We offer:
15 to 35 hours per week
Monday - Friday, between 7am and 5pm
Flexible scheduling
$10 per hour to start, before tips and incentive programs
Performance-based raises
You choose your own service area

Learn more about us at our website before you apply or interview: www.hireahousewifepeoria.com

To apply: Send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]

No phone calls please.

Why Choose Us?

There are a lot of cleaning services out there these days who want to help you out! 

Why should you choose ours?

Many people have started using Hire A Housewife because they heard the story of how we got started and they were moved by it. I so appreciate that and I look forward to continuing to share my story and everything else that God has done since!

However, I want you to STAY because you love the service!

(And if you don't love it, let us know right away so we can fix it!)

Hire A Housewife Benefits:

• No judgement or guilt! We just want to help!
• You NEVER have to worry that we will judge you based on what we see. We appreciate that you trust us enough to let us into your home to help.
• We value you as a person. You aren’t just another client to us. We care about your family and how we can help you!

• The same “housewife” each visit
• One of the ways we make sure you are satisfied with our work is sending out the same employee each time. As she gets to know you and what you need, it will be a continually improving experience.
• Flexible scheduling without a contract.
• While we do have a standard cancellation policy, we never lock anyone into a contract. We want you to keep us coming back because you love the service!
• Insured and Bonded
• The risks of hiring someone who is uninsured are huge to you. Our employees are covered by a workman’s comp policy in case they are injured on the job. Anyone not covered by such a policy can sure your homeowner’s insurance if they are injured while working at your house.
• Our liability policy covers items that are damaged by an employee’s carelessness. We hope to never have to use the policy, but isn’t it good to know it is there if something were to get broken?

• Wide range of services
• We don’t just clean, we will organize, do laundry, run errands, wash windows, walk the dog, clean the fridge… you name it!
• You provide needed supplies and we do the work!
• We do not give you a list of things we WON'T do! Just give us your list and let us get to work!
• Great staff who care about YOU!
• Everyone who works for Hire A Housewife undergoes a background check to ensure your safety and to let you know that we are trustworthy!
• All housewives receive complete training. We want all of our employees to be able to give the same great service that was being given when it was just a company of one.

Thanks for taking the time to read! Please share it with your friends who are considering hiring help!

Have a blessed day!

(P.S. And YES! an update on the girls' room is coming!)

Tackling the girls' room (Days 1 & 2)

When the girls came home from their dad's house, I put them to work cleaning the floor and warned them not to touch anything else... They complied. Everything was sorted into bags and boxes like I asked.

The next step was cleaning out their dressers and shelves. They got part way through on the first night, but I soon discovered the drawers on the short dresser were full of junk. Ella's answer, "I don't want to keep clothes in my dresser." (Nice try.)

By late afternoon on Day 2 (after school Tuesday) they had almost finished cleaning out the dressers and shelves.

However, I had a meeting from 6:30-8:30 on Tuesday evening and I came home to find they had jumped ahead a few steps in the process. They were going through all of the boxes that I told them not to touch without my permission.

They put most of it back, but the stacks themselves are much less organized now.

I also found a Build-A-Bear rescue had been initiated, their newest stuffed animals pulled from the garbage bags, now laying on the bed.

So what is the next step?

One bag/box/tote at a time everything from their floor is being washed, dried and put in the living room on the couch. I don't want any mass decisions made about anything. We will touch each piece of clothing and decide if it is a keep, donate, or trash item... as well as who it belongs to. You wouldn't believe how many times I said to myself when I was picking up the clothes originally, "Hey! I wondered were that shirt went..."

We probably have 4 or 5 loads to go today... and there is household laundry mixed up in this... but before I let them touch anything else on the broken bunk bed, we will decide where every piece of clothing goes. I have a feeling that will be a battle in itself. I have yard waste bags waiting to be filled to be dropped off at Mission Mart.

Even for 5 people, we have a lot of clothes to go through.

This might take awhile... 

Tackling the girls' room

Anyone who has heard my testimony knows that I am not usually afraid to tell it like it is. It's important that people know me, my household, and my family are far from perfect. When I come into yours, and give you ideas or help you clean something up, I am not judging you... I have no right to! I say that whatever mess you have, we have already seen it and cleaned it up before, and it was probably in our own house.

Well, if you don't believe me after this post, I don't think I'll ever be able to convince you.

My three girls, ages 17, 11, and 9, share a bedroom. I am constantly telling them to clean it up, pick it up, put laundry in the bathroom, throw away the water bottles, etc. When the bottom bunk of the bunk bed broke a couple of weeks ago, I realized that even if I found a replacement, I couldn't get into their room to change anything out.

If you read regularly, you have no doubt seen my posts about how you can de-clutter anything in 15 minutes a day. I have to say, that doesn't include a child's bedroom if they are still living in it and not picking up after themselves. Today I decided I was fed up the less than enthusiastic efforts of my children, and took it on myself to get them started.

Here are the steps I have taken so far to move us forward in this process...

1. I took pictures of everything.

2. I started bagging things up while they were gone today.
 
     *All stuffed animals and pillows in garbage bags.
       EVEN FAVORITES (Motivation for later.)
     *Anything else washable from the floor into totes and garbage bags.
       ESPECIALLY FAVORITES (Motivation for later.)
     *Books, movies, etc. went into boxes.
     *Shoes went into a box

3. I didn't pick up any trash.

4. As I worked, I swept everything to the center of the room. EVERYTHING. And I stacked the stuff that had been bagged and boxed (all will be gone through one at a time.)

5. I worked until I was tired and had other things to do.   
     Then I wrote this note for when they came home.

I also added that they were not allowed to put anything "away" ... because all of the "aways" still needed to be cleaned out as well.

Next step: To have them clean off their dressers and bookshelves so there is a place to put whatever they decide to keep.


This is honestly a risky blog post to put out on my business blog... I mean, what if we don't get it done? What if it turns out that I'm too busy or too exhausted to stay on them and three months from now my 17yr old is still sleeping on her mattress on the floor because I didn't stick to this or make them stick to it either!?!

Well, that will be just another reminder that I am human as well. Hopefully, though, instead of that, over the next week I will be able to show you that even though sometimes things get out of control at my house too, it is possible to take back control.

When I said I "other things to do" and stopped cleaning and wrote that note... I didn't just mean writing this blog post...

Today I'm going to take down the Christmas tree.

I've Decided

How often do we decide to start something, make a positive change in our lives and then fall flat after a few months, weeks, days…? If we’re talking about a diet, for me, it could be just hours!

There is a new organization in Peoria called “I’ve Decided” that was created to help people not only choose to make their lives better, but also to link them up with motivation and support partners who can keep them on track. While I thought that this was a fabulous idea from the first time I heard about it, there was a moment when I knew that there was definitely a place for Hire A Housewife within I’ve Decided.

With I’ve Decided, people who have decided to run their first 5k can link up with Running Central and not only receive information about training and running, but also actually run their first 5k this summer… in a race that is ONLY for first time runners!

Have you decided to take control of your finances? I’ve Decided not only provides motivation and support, but they can connect you with professionals like Vickie Streitmatter from Empowered Financial Living, who can help you create a budget you can live with.

Those who have decided to take control of your home, through cleaning, decluttering, and organizing can be partnered with Hire A Housewife to not only help keep you motivated, but also to help give you the skills and/or extra hands you need to make it happen. We want you to succeed!

CEO, Kim Martin and I were talking about partnering a couple of weeks ago when she asked me if I would be willing to speak to people about my story. Of course I said yes! We started talking about motivation and why we do what we do and she mentioned using “I’ve decided…” when I spoke at her event. She said, “Something like, I decided to start my own business…” and I my heart jumped a little.

I like Kim so much and was excited about the opportunity, but I had to make sure we were on the same page. I told her that I have to give credit where credit is due and that I never really decided to start a business. I decided to do my best to live a life that honors God, and He has taken care of everything else. I waited for almost no time at all, although it seemed like forever before she spoke.

Her reaction was a huge smile and a “That’s perfect!” That’s when I was sure I was supposed to be part of I’ve Decided!

Starting Monday you will begin seeing commercials on TV for I’ve Decided and their motivational conference being held at the Civic Center in January. Check out the website www.IveDecided.org for more information. It is going to be a great experience for all involved!

So, tell me… what changes are you wanting to make in your life? What do you want to be able to stand up and say “I’ve decided” about? Want to get in better shape? Want to spend more time with your children? Want to rejuvenate your marriage? Want to organize your home?

New Year’s resolution time is coming… and the conference is right after! But, you don’t have to wait until the first of the year! Tell me, what will you decide?

Giveaway Instructions (Ends 10/30!)

Good Afternoon!

I'm incredibly excited by the response we've received for this giveaway so far. Thank you for your enthusiasm!

There has been some confusion on HOW to enter the giveaway for one month of free housekeeping. I wanted to write a quick post and make sure everyone had the chance to get in on the drawing!

To make sure you are entered for the grand prize:

     Click on this link... Win One Month of Free Housekeeping!

That link will take you to a form that looks like this:

Fill it out and hit SUBMIT at the bottom!

That's it! You're in!

To make sure you are entered for second prize:

     Share that link with your friends and ask them to enter your name in the box that asks how       they heard about the contest!

That box will look like this:

It's that easy!

Ways to share...

     *Share a post from Hire A Housewife on your wall
     *Invite your friends to the Facebook Event : CLICK HERE

     *Email the link to your friends who might want to join. 

          They do not have to be on Facebook!

     

Note: Sharing does NOT enter you in the giveaway. You MUST fill out the form!

Thank you and have a blessed day!

The words don't matter

I do some of my best praying while I'm scrubbing a floor on my hands and knees. Prayer doesn't just make the time go faster, it gives me an even more precise sense of purpose for the task at hand. I'm not just scrubbing a floor, I'm asking God to be present, however He is needed, in that home.

I encourage all of my employees to pray for each of the families they serve. My hope is that, if and when they do so, they will be blessed by what happens in their lives as well as the lives of the families they serve.

If I have cleaned your house, I have prayed for you.

One day this week though, my prayers for one client didn't go as usual...

She greeted me with a teary smile. She had a scary newly diagnosed health problem with no answers yet. Just waiting. A little teary myself, I gave her a hug and told her I would be praying for her... and went about my routine.

As I scrubbed the kitchen floor and started praying, I knew I hadn't quite said what I was supposed to. I wasn't supposed to pray for her. She needed someone to pray WITH her. I continued to clean and pray, all the while thinking, maybe I could come up with something else. Surely I can't just come out and ask her if I can pray for her... and do it... right there in the living room. What if she says no? Maybe I'll send her a card... or just give her an extra hug on the way out.

To be honest, I wasn't worried that she would be offended. I knew she wouldn't say no. Which means I would have to pray for her, out loud, where I could be heard, and where she might hear me stumble over my words, misquote a Biblical reference, say the wrong thing, mostly just mess it up...

As I was getting ready to leave she again brought up her fear of what might happen... and I knew I had to.

The prayer wasn't long. I asked for peace and healing for her and knowledge for the doctors and thanked Him for being in control of the situation even when it seems like nobody is. Then I gave her one more hug, and I left for my next house.

I always have two worries when it comes to praying out loud. First of all is the fear that if someone hears me pray they will hear the mistakes and the stumbles and the way my mind works faster than my mouth and how I confuse myself, forgetting to say things I should and repeating things I've already said. The second fear is just that general fear of unworthiness... who am I to be praying for others?

But as I was driving away, a thought occurred to me. The prayer that had just been said in that house had very little to do with my words... it had very little to do with me at all.

God used me to remind her that she is loved and He is in control.

When it comes to prayer, the way the words came out aren't important. The words themselves are not important. The people are important, those who are willing to do as He asks and those they are ministering to. The obedience is important. The love is important. The faith is important.

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these.” ~Mark 12:30-31

I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. ~Galatians 3:5

~Mark Batterson

Bring joy to your home in just 15 minutes a day

What horrible, nasty, exhausting, awful things might you be willing to endure if you thought that the end result would bring something good into your life? REALLY... Think about this!


I don't know about you, but I didn't think childbirth was that fun. At least none of mine were! But, you know, I kinda liked that ending part where they handed me a baby!

What about exercise? Well, if I could quit the second I felt too tired and still get the benefits... but I can't... so that goes in the "not fun" category as well. Now, 70lbs lighter than when I started, I'm pretty happy with the benefits.

Today my pastor posted a picture of himself in our church dumpster after he had to go in to look for something thrown away by accident! Unplanned dumpster diving? Yuck! But what was lost has been recovered. :-)

(Thanks for some inspiration Pastor Chuck!)

But what if I told you that if you were willing to endure something that is likely not as bad as any of those things for a small amount of time... it could drastically improve your home? I'm serious.

You have one of those in your home, right? Just about everyone does. If not, you likely have something similar. Microwave timer, cell phone timer, neighborhood dog that barks every five minutes? Surely everyone has something...

What if I told you that this timer could solve a large portion of your clutter problems?

It can.

And it doesn't have to be difficult either. Are you ready for this amazing, mind-blowing plan?

Pick a spot in your home that has been overwhelmed with clutter. Maybe it is a bookshelf. Maybe it is a closet. Maybe you have an entire guest room full of stuff that you have been intending to deal with "later."

Set your timer for 15 minutes.

Get to work.

What!?! There is no magic involved? There is no secret trick?

No. You actually have to go through it and decide to trash, recycle, donate, or keep everything you touch. But don't get discouraged, because while thinking about that mess, you might have forgotten something.

You only set the timer for 15 minutes.

So what are you supposed to do when it goes off? Whatever you want. Drop what you are cleaning/organizing/sorting and walk away. Don't touch it again today.

I know that your initial reaction is going to be, "But Kindall, how is that going to help?" I know you are already rolling your eyes about this plan. I know that the amount of work that needs to be done in the space you were thinking about is enormous compared to the amount of time I told you to spend there. Think about it like this... at the end of a week, at 15 minutes a day, how much time have you spent on your problem?

Almost two full hours.

Before you put this plan into place, how much time had you spent on that problem in the last month?

Imagine, tackling project after project in just 15 minutes a day until your house is clutter-free?

Now, is it likely that you can keep your entire home clean with just 15 minutes of work a day? Probably not. But so often, it isn't the daily housework that gets us bogged down. It is the clutter that has built up over time, or the boxes that were all moved in at once and never opened again that make us sign when we catch a glimpse of them.

So, if I am running a business that specializes in organizing and cleaning, among other things, why would I tell you this instead of just telling you to hire us and let us handle it for you?

I shared this because what I care about most is bringing JOY into your home. Of course we will come in and clean and organize and do anything you'd like done! But I want you to know that, even if hiring help is out of budget for you right now, there is hope! 

Given the right tools, you can do this!

Today, the right tool is this...

 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

 Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34

 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

None of this belongs to me...

Have you checked our prices recently? Compared them with others? Wondered what we are doing differently that we can afford to charge $16 an hour to clean houses? I have an answer for you!

Yes, I do know that many local companies charge as much as double our current $16 an hour rate.... and still pay their employees the same or worse than Hire A Housewife. So if I could make more money doing the same job, why wouldn't I try?

Honestly, this isn't about the money.

Yes, I definitely want to be able to support myself and my children, and I love that I can employ women who need the work and help them support their families... but what I really love is dealing on a day-to-day basis with people that Jesus loves. (Yes, you.)

He did not give me this company so that I could get as rich as possible as quickly as possible.

He did not give me this company so it could be just another cleaning company.

He gave me this company so that we could serve you... 

I know that there are families that we serve who could not afford more than the $16 an hour that we charge right now... And even at that, some who can't afford a visit more than once a month. We are perfectly okay with that... we understand where you are and we want to serve you.

I also know that their families that we serve who could afford more than $16 an hour... and I think that's great. I always want to encourage those people that if they feel like an excellent job is being done at their home to go ahead and tip the housewife who has come out... that money goes directly to her family not to the company... which is another reason I keep prices low... so that you can feel free to tip if you want to and KNOW exactly where that money is going.

Hire A Housewife is about serving people in a friendly and loving way that honors Jesus and brings joy into your home... and I know that cringing when you write a check does not bring anyone joy... even if you're appreciative of the work done.

I may be new to the art of being a business owner, I can say with confidence that God would not have given me a business if I couldn't run it and honor Him at the same time.

Every payment is on the books. Taxes are being paid. I'm even tithing off of our profits. Do I tell you that so that you can give me a pat on the back? Absolutely not... I am telling you all of that because it is important to me that you know that my goal is to honor God with all that He has given me.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.                                                                          Colossians 3:23

Praying About Housework?

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God... 

1 Thessalonians 5:16

I was having a conversation with a friend who was encouraging me about prayer. He reminded me that there is nothing too small to talk to God about. Should I make this appointment for this day? Should I wear this outfit? Should I reply to this email?

I thought about that for awhile because I really do have conversations with God all day. (I'm even learning to listen every once in awhile! Ha!) But there are some things that I hadn't really thought to pray about... the friend's examples were all "Should I" questions... but I started thinking about "Please help me" prayers. How often had I asked for help on big things. If God can do that, He can probably help with other stuff too, right?

As a single mom of four busy kiddos who runs a business, as well as a million other things... you can imagine that I can get pretty exhausted.

So this week I asked God to help me get my house in order. Help me cook a good dinner for the kids. Help me get up when the alarm goes off at 5:01am instead of "snoozing" every 5 minutes until 6:15... and as other little things have come up, I have asked God for help with those as well.

Monday evening, as I was preparing for the kids to come from their Labor Day activities, I looked at the unused "Chore Chart" on the wall and went over and erased the old chores and wrote in new. Only this time, instead of writing particular chores, I divided the apartment into sections and gave them each one. I showed them how, if their section happened to already be clean on a particular day, they could organize a shelf or straighten a cabinet.

The kids came home AND WERE EXCITED about having their own sections. They liked not having to ask every day what their chore was. Really? That was way easier than I thought it would be... then I remembered... I prayed about this.

Tonight, for the second night in a row, I had dinner ready at dinner time... without exhaustion, without wondering how much they will whine if I declare it "cereal night", and without running through a drive-thru. Is it particularly because I prayed for help with dinner? That would be a hard question to answer. But I do know that as I have started this week praying about everything... so many things have fallen into place. Including dinner.

Now, did that keep my two youngest from missing the bus this morning after I was already gone to work? Nope. This is still life and life isn't perfect or fair or easy... but when I pray about something as simple as housework and realize that the new plan I came up with is an answer to my prayers, it makes it pretty impossible to argue with praying through everything.

There is ALWAYS someone will to pray for you if you are in need of anything. You can email me here at [email protected] if you would like me and/or the other housewives to keep and your situation in our prayers. You can also visit a place that I love to go when I want to pray for others or when I have a prayer request myself... WCIC PRAYER CENTER