The EASIEST way to donate

Most people know how the event Single Mom's Morning Out was a huge turning point in my life. (If you don't, check out the video at the bottom of our web page.)

 As a single mom, I still participate every year and encourage others to as well...

Register Here:

Single Mom's Morning Out

May 6th 2017 9am-Noon

One of the great things about where I am now is that even though I still participate, I also get to help out by donating things for the other single moms who will be there! Every year Hire A Housewife provides coupons and gift certificates for the moms, as well as items for the Blessings Room.

The Blessings Room is one of the most popular places to visit at SMMO. Here single moms find clothes, shoes, and accessories for themselves and their children a price they can all afford... FREE!
All of it has been donated by people from the local communities and it really lives up to it's name of being a Blessing Room!

I love being able to donate to this every year. In fact, my enclosed front porch often looks like a wreck because it is a convenient staging area for me to sort donated items that are going to people in need... but especially this time of year.

So, I wanted to extend the opportunity to be a blessing to these single moms to you as well!

During the week of April 24-28th, I will pick up (In the Greater Peoria Area) any gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories that you would like to donate to Single Mom's Morning Out and make sure they get to where they need to go!

To let me know you have things that need picked up, email me at [email protected] with the subject "SMMO Donation" and I'll be in touch!

Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.”
Psalms 41:1-3

I Believe in Peoria

As the area received news this week that Caterpillar is moving their corporate headquarters out of Peoria, the anger and frustration was palpable. I'll admit, even I groaned at the thought of Peoria losing 300 of it's most highly paid workers. 

Then I remembered... so what?
CAT isn't my provider. It isn't yours either (and never was).

God doesn't need CAT to prosper us... just because that's one of the resources He's used so far, that doesn't mean we can't live without it. Peoria doesn't have to be the next Detroit.

This morning I represented Hire A Housewife in a room filled with 30 successful small business owners as part of I've Decided (IveDecided.org). We sat in a huge circle and talked about who we are and what we do before discussing what we are doing to be community difference makers. And that's when I realized what people in Peoria and surrounding areas need to see. Part of the reason Peoria will succeed is sitting right here in this room with me! We are Peoria.

Individually, we are the small business owners who pour our blood, sweat, and tears into our ventures, often putting our core values ahead of our bottom line because we want to make a difference. We have vision, passion, and are constantly striving for excellence in what we do... not just to be the best small business, but in order to be here for our clients and our community for a very long time.

Together, we are the small business community, a tightly woven network of dedicated entrepreneurs and business owners who work together, building each other up and holding each other accountable, as well as teaching and learning from one another, creating an unbreakable foundation of support for this area.

The astounding thing is that these 30 people from I've Decided are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the amazing framework of business and leadership we have in Peoria. There are so many other great individuals, businesses, and networks intent on improving and sustaining Peoria for the future.

Remember, I said they are part of the reason that Peoria will thrive. Peoria is more than just them. And, while it is true that we also have our government, our leaders, and our other corporate entities, they are not all that make up Peoria either. I'm talking about you.

You are Peoria. 

It doesn't matter where you live in the Greater Peoria Area. It doesn't matter what you do for a living. It doesn't matter what your political or religious beliefs are.

You are Peoria.

I know what you are thinking...

"But I'm just one person. How can I help keep Peoria alive?"

First, when someone says something about the death of Peoria to you... you can speak life! Know that it doesn't have to be that way. Know that there is a foundation of entrepreneurship and small business in Peoria that is still strong. Remind them of that. We have the power of life and death in our tongues! Choose your words wisely.

Second, support Peoria purposefully. If you believe in Peoria and the surrounding communities, spend your money here! Amazon may be quick and easy, but it doesn't employ your next door neighbor. Netflix doesn't send volunteers to your child's school. VistaPrint didn't donate to your friend's fundraiser last year.

Third, refuse to be a victim. Stop focusing on what has been done to you and what might happen in the future. Focus on what you can do today to make life better... for you and for the rest of Peoria. When you accept that you have the ability to create change, you open up a whole new world to yourself.

We have the ability to dust ourselves off and keep moving forward, despite the naysayers.

So, what am I saying when I say that I believe in Peoria?

I'm saying you are Peoria.

I'm saying I believe in YOU.

Peoria, you can do this.

#IBelieveInPeoria

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Proverbs 18:21

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

Love Where You Live

How long has it been since you've had someone in your home?
Do your friends feel welcome to stop by whenever they want?
Does the thought of someone doing that cause a little bit of panic to set in...
      maybe more than a little bit of panic?

I'm sure you've probably had these thoughts before...

When its warmer outside...

When we get a bigger house...

When the kids are old enough to help pick up...

When my oldest leaves for college...

THEN I'll get this place organized.

The good news I have for you is this... You can do it NOW and I want to help.

I've said many times that I am perfectly happy if I can help others get the home they want without ever using our service. That is true. I will give you tips and tricks all day long if they will help, but what most of us need is a plan of action and some accountability. That's what I am presenting here today.

With Hire A Housewife's new LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE service, I will help you decide what needs to be done, break it down into small steps, and walk you through the process, holding you accountable each step of the way.

You've heard of a life-coach before? Think of this as life-coaching for your home. The end goal is not for you to continue to use our services, it is for you to be able to keep up with your home yourself!

How does it work?

At your initial appointment, I come in and do a walk-through of your home.
(Don't panic! I am coming to help, not judge!)

I will take a look at each room in the house and make a detailed list of things that need to be taken care of at some point. I will also take "before" photos that will not be shared with anyone but you without your written permission.

Lastly, I will give you a small amount of homework to get done before I come back.

At your second appointment, I will present you with a personalized binder to help guide you through the steps. We'll talk about your strategies and then tackle a project together.

I will return weekly or bi-weekly for one-two hours to help you continue to move towards your goal.

Additional options: 

     * Scheduled text messages and/or email reminders.
     * Phone consultation between appointments for encouragement or advice.

     * Hire A Housewife services to help you reach your goals more quickly.

Why you need this:

     

     I am not going to pull any punches.    

     I am not afraid to ask you the tough questions. 

     I am not afraid to tell you that it is time to throw something away.

     I have no problem loading up the things you decide to donate 

          and driving them to Mission Mart (or your preferred donation center) for donation.

     If you follow the plans laid out for you, you will regain control of your home and
          it will become a place that you love.

Charges:

First, 90-minute appointment 

& binder creation:                                        $ 100

Following Appointments:                            $ 40 per hour, 90 minute minimum

Text and/or email reminders:                       $ 5 per week

Phone consultations:                                    $ 10 (approximately 15 minutes)

Minimum charge to start this service is $280. 

This includes the first session and three follow-up sessions. 

Payment can be made via check or cash at the time of the first appointment with Kindall, or via PayPal to [email protected]

Hire A Housewife owner, Kindall Nelson, is the only Love Where You Live specialist at this time. Space is limited, so to avoid being put on a waiting list, contact us now! There is current availability on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.

Feel free to leave questions in the comments here or on Facebook page link. 

I look forward to helping you Love Where You Live!

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

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.

Learning Experience

People often ask, "How long have you been in business?"

My standard answer is May, 2012. I'm also quick to point out that I didn't know I was starting a business at that point. I was almost an entire year in before I realized what God had created. In these last 26 months, I have learned more than I ever imagined and I am so thankful for all that God has done. As with any learning experience, knowledge brings some changes. While there are many in the future, here are a few that are happening right now.

HaH Rates
I'm going to be honest here (as I always am!) and share that I have now learned how expensive it is to have employees! Besides the cost of their salaries and the employer taxes associated with them, my employees are covered with General Liability insurance, Bonding insurance, Unemployment insurance, and Workers' Comp insurance.

Because of these things, new customers will be charged $18per hour beginning August 1st, 2014. If you are already a regular customer at that point, we will continue to serve you at our current rate for now, and that won't change in the future without 30 days' written notice.

Employees and Training
Another thing I've learned about having employees is that I can't make all of them care about the business as much as I do. I tell them all at interviews that if they are only in this for the paycheck, they will probably not last very long at this job. You have to love serving others.

I have made several personnel changes and am in the midst of revamping our training processes yet again. It is important to me that all of our customers are more than satisfied with the service they receive from Hire A Housewife.

Answering Your Questions
What else have I learned? Personally, I have learned how much I love connecting with people. I love being able to help others on many levels. One way I'd like to be able to do more of that is through the Hire A Housewife blog posts. 

As I've said before, like any good housewife I have an opinion on just about everything.... I'd like to share it with you if you are interested in hearing it.

So, I want to know what you want to know! Give me something to post about! Have a question about gardening, cleaning, or organizing? Just ask! Maybe you want a recommendation for a good Bible study or have a question about raising children, or even owning a business... Send your question through the "CONTACT US" form on our website or through Facebook. 

If you are wondering something, then there is a pretty good chance that someone else is wondering too!

Have a blessed day and I look forward to hearing from you!

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

Run Your Own Business? 5 Reasons You Should Call Hire A Housewife!

While it goes without saying that everyone would love to have a little more JOY in their lives... 

Organization
     You can never be too organized. Whether you are completely neat and tidy right down to the last labeled tote or you have an "I know where it is, I just have to find it" kind of system... having an outside eye come in and show you what you could be doing better it always going to be helpful. Sometimes letting someone else deal with it for you for a couple of hours gives you the break you need to re-energize!

We Can Be Tax Deductible
     That's right. Having someone come in and clean your home before your Mary Kay or Tupperware party or reorganize your office can be written off at the end of the year as a business expense. Who couldn't use a bit of a tax break coupled with the calm and focus that come with a clean and organized workspace!
     This doesn't just apply to an actual office either. We organize inventory, run errands, or... if you are really just too dedicated to your work to get to it yourself, we will even organize your Pinterest boards... I don't think that one is tax deductible though. ;-)

Small Businesses Help Each Other
     Hire A Housewife's growth over the last few months has completely surprised me... but it hasn't surprised God a bit. He knew how excited people would be about a company who wants to bring JOY into the lives of people every day! One of the things we will have very soon (Hopefully in August) is a company newsletter. Full of positive, uplifting information and tips, there will also be some space for advertising. I am excited to be able to offer these spaces to those who also support Hire A Housewife through using our services first!
     Small business promotion is a side project of mine. Sometimes I just donate my services to failing businesses in an effort to help get them on the right track. I have a lot of great ideas for small business promotion and cross promotion between businesses. Even if you aren't a current customer, stay connected with us to make sure you know when opportunities arise... they will!

Connections
     In business and in life, it is often said that success is "all about who you know." The more connections you have, the more potential you have to reach future customers. For me, I know that the most important "Who I know" is Jesus... and the ways that God has constantly and consistently put all of us in the lives of others at just the right time for one reason or another has been mind-blowing. Whether you are a Christian business owner who is relying on God to make those connections for you, or you would like to know some business owners who are... this is a connection you need! 

You Need Us!
     We know better than anyone how difficult running your own business can be! Never-ending to-do lists, long hours, meals on the go... give us a chance to bring JOY into your daily life and your business! This isn't just about the physical work that needs done, but it's also the positive attitude and and extension of grace that we bring with us.

Give us a try... you won't be disappointed!