I totally miss...

You know what I never thought I would miss? Cleaning! Yes, I still have my cleaning company, (So if you need any cleaning...CALL ME!) lol. But since I only do it occasionally on the side now (Which means more like rarely) because of my day job I miss it. I miss the enjoyment of the freedom you get while working, the satisfaction you feel from knowing you will bring so much joy to the hearts of the people when you are done. If you really do a good job at it, it is a very gratifying job, because you know you are doing a job that everyone hates to have to do for themselves - Heck I hate cleaning my own house! And you can choose what to clean first, next, last. You control what to do and when. No bosses over your shoulder. You have mindless work, so you can spend the whole time you're working enjoying listening to music, or talks, or even just thinking and contemplating things. I used to bring a talk on disc to my regular Friday clean every week and I would listen to it over and over all day (since I would miss parts here and there while working) and I would really soak in the messages, and ponder them. It would be a great way to add more revitalization to my week.

I also enjoyed getting to know my clients. Its funny, you hardly ever meet the people you are cleaning for but I think if you are a good cleaner you get to know them quite well.  Not in a creepy way, but in a good way, that makes you strive to want to do well for them because you feel like they're family. You learn things about their habits, you can tell when someone is sick, you know when someone had guests stay with them, or if they do things out of routine. You can tell what books and movies and music they like. You see pictures of their family on their walls. You know if they're tidy or messy. It truly feels amazing more like you've become a help rather than an employee when you think of them as family. I think a good cleaner should notice these things, and feel this way, because we would always work hard for our family and never let our standards slide. We would cherish and respect their home, and their privacy, and most of all we would always work with love in our hearts. At least I do. I had terrific clients though. All of them were/are fantastic people.

I also clean a lot of empty houses too actually I probably do more of that than regular client houses, and I do enjoy them. Post Construction Cleans are my Fav's too. There's something about it, it's like you get double gratification. You get to perfect the contractors work to shine, you get to see him walk in, and marvel in his workmanship for the first time, seeing the home just glow because you made it sparkle! And you also get to know you're making it just right for that new family to come home to soon, so they can enjoy. If I don't know who's moving in I always imagine the families that might be waiting for it, and how excited they will be to move in. Some times I am still there and they come to see it, and I get to see their faces. Its amazing how happy they are, I never used to think it had anything to do with the cleaning - but it does, they tell me things like wow, what a difference, you should have seen it yesterday, or last week! There was dust everywhere. Or then there is the nit picky one's who test your cleaning by running their hands on top of cabinets or door ledges. Not a speck! Such a gratifying feeling.

OK, I really never thought I would like cleaning when I started the business I just thought it was an easy, low start up cost business to get into, but I really do miss it. Unfortunately I just can't do that full time right now, because its too irratic and irregular for being a single mom, plus I do enjoy my job I have now. (one day hopefully it will be financially rewarding enough to get by!) So I guess for now I will just settle for cleaner by night, Accounting Clerk by Day!