What is that like?

If I thought COVID was the worst thing that could happen in the past 10 months, I was wrong.

Let me be clear: I feel extremely lucky that I have not been infected with the virus. My brother-in-law, one of my employees, and a few friends were not so lucky, so I am counting my blessings. How about you? 

Let’s get back to the issue I want to discuss with you today. Eight years ago I got into janitorial cleaning with a bit of luck, but mostly because of my work ethic and personality trait.

I won a huge bid and started my janitorial journey, armed with lots of enthusiasm and brushes of all sizes!

I started out with a scope of work (SOW). An SOW tells you what area to clean and how often, and some have more details than others. But how you really clean is up to your company’s standards.

It’s all up to you to decide how you want your team to clean the washrooms, the offices, the lunchrooms, the shops, the warehouse work spaces and hallways. The SOW mentions the areas, the general duties, ie. dust mopping and washing floors, as well as how often they expect the work done.

When I joined the commercial rank of the cleaning world, I had no idea what I was getting into. But wow! did I learn firsthand AND fast! 

At age 52, I got my butt in gear each evening and drove to site to clean with my team - all night! I was determined to learn and serve my new client - and serve I did!

I always strive to provide the best cleaning possible, but let’s be honest, I cannot be everywhere, every night! So other people on my team have to be in charge of the cleaning facilities.

Considering that it takes a team (more like a village) to clean large commercial buildings, and our company standards are high, we do our very best every time. For my clients and my team, I am only a call away, ready to comply, fix any shortcomings, and basically help when needed.

This January, head office informed me that the luxury service I provide has to come to an end. In the midst of a pandemic and in the name of money, my contract is being slashed in half.

Do you know what that means? 

Well, it means that what I stand for in cleaning is undermined and has very little value to them. It means that my client has to survive without our exceptional cleaning service, and in order to make their numbers add up, they want only the very basic cleaning.  

I am sure they care about COVID or the potential outbreak that could arise from these cut-backs, but they say they have little choice in the matter. They will put some responsibilities in the hands of their capable employees - meaning, everyone is to keep safe from COVID by cleaning their own hands and desks and wearing a mask. It’s not that hard and - by now - we all know what to do to keep safe.

In this challenging Pandemic and oil crisis, we all have to adjust.

But I am really upset for the first time in a long time, I feel distraught. I am determined to find a way to keep my team working, so I will accept the new financial cutback and scope of work (SOW).

Unfortunately, I will have to lay off many people on our team. Some of them have other jobs which means they can feed themselves and pay rent. But a few of them are going to have to be on EI (employment insurance) and that means no more health benefits.

I know there is some good to come out of this situation. I just don’t know what that is just yet. 

My team is resilient and those who will stay to “hold down the fort” will come up on top. I can say for sure it will be a learning experience for all of us at Domestic Goddess Housekeeping.

Who wants to miss out on such an opportunity of growing and learning? Not me! Not us!

From France’s desk

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Comments in French

Je suis désolé d'apprendre les coupures budgétaires imposée à ta compagnie de nettoyage. Cela semble ironique.  Être infliger des coupures à l'entretien ménagé. Au  moment où partout dans le monde en nous demande d'augmenté et pratiquer l'hygiène et le nettoyage à tous les niveaux.

Je suis d'accord avec ton énoncé France. Il nous faut toutefois être réalise. Cette pandémie affecte tout le monde sans exception et les entreprises  ne sont pas épargnées. Comme bien des gens de notre société cette pandémie Covid 19 est la plus grande expérience vécue par ses effets dévastateurs.

Cela dit lorsque j'étais très jeune plus de soixante ans passé. Je me souviens vaguement de la pandémie de la polio. Ceci est demeuré dans ma mémoire car les membres de la famille de mon père ont été atteints de cette terrible maladie. En plus de mes cousines et les enfants de certaines connaissances.

Qui ont aussi demeuré paralysé par cette pandémie appeler polio toujours vivant aujourd’hui. Ils continuent de vivre avec ce terrible handicap soient des membres supérieur ou inférieurs de leurs corps paralysé ou encore les deux extrémités. Je suis d’accord lorsque tu dis il y probablement du bon qui va sortir de ce défi à relever qui sont les problèmes causé par la Covid 19. 

Pour avoir personnellement relevé différent défi dans ma vie. Comme bien d’autre gens d’ailleurs Je peux dire que nous devons vivre aux dessus de ces défi qui se présent à nous. Première étape quelle attitude je vais prendre face à ce nouveaux défi de perdre mon emplois, perdre mes contrats ou encore perdre mes collèques de travail ce qui peux être aussi très déstabilisons pour certaine personnes. 

En temps qu’entrepreneurs nous avons souvent tendances à nous  soucier de la mise à pied de nos fidèles employés. Je ne dis pas que cela et une mauvaise chose d’avoir de l’empathie.  Par contre dans de telle situation sans exception nous sommes tous et toutes responsable de notre propre comportement et attitude à relever ce  défi. Seulement ceux et celle qui garde une attitude gagnante vont y trouver les solutions espéré.

Ne pas voir la solution toute prête immédiatement  devons-nous peux nous pousser vers le désespoir et le plus souvent dans cette émotions de peur de l’inconnu. C’est en général à cet endroit que les gens se tournent. Croyez-moi le plus vite tu acceptes cette réalité à laquelle tu es confronté. Si tu  choisi de nager avec le courant. Le mieux tu vas te sentir et le plus vite les solutions vont se présenter à toi. 

-Angélina Gionet
I'm sorry to hear about the budget cuts imposed on your cleaning company. It sounds ironic - being inflicted by cuts on housekeeping at a time when all over the world is asking us to increase and practice hygiene and cleaning at all levels.

I agree with your statement France. However, we must be realistic. This pandemic affects everyone without exception and companies are not spared. Like many people in our society, this Covid 19 pandemic is the greatest experience lived by its devastating effects.

Having said that when I was very young, over sixty years ago, I vaguely remember the polio pandemic. This stuck in my memory as my father's family members suffered from this terrible disease, in addition to my cousins ​​and children of certain acquaintances. Who also remained paralyzed by this pandemic called polio is still alive today? They continue to live with this terrible handicap whether of the upper or lower limbs of their bodies paralyzed or even both extremities.

I agree when you say there is probably good that will come out of this challenge which are the problems caused by Covid 19.

For having personally taken on different challenges in my life. Like many other people I can say that we must live on top of these challenges that are before us. First step, what attitude I will take in the face of this new challenge of losing my job, losing my contracts, or even losing my work colleagues - which can also be very destabilizing for some people. As entrepreneurs we often tend to worry about the layoff of our loyal employees.

I'm not saying that it's a bad thing to have empathy. On the other hand in such a situation without exception we are all responsible for our own behaviour and attitude to take up this challenge. Only those and the one who keeps a winning attitude will find the hoped-for solutions.

Not seeing the ready-made solution immediately we can push ourselves into despair and more often than not into this fearful emotions of the unknown. This is usually where people turn. Believe me, the faster you accept this reality you are facing - if you choose to swim with the current - the better you will feel and the faster the solutions will present themselves to you.

-Angélina Gionet

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Comments in Filipino

Yung pandemya na nagsimula noong unang mga buwan ng 2020 ay isang malaking dagok sa lahat ng bagay na nagpapatuloy hanggang ngayon. Ito ay parang isang ‘food chain’ na nagsimula sa pagsarado ng madaming Negosyo upang maiwasan ang paglaganap ng ‘corona virus’ na nagresulta sa kawalan ng trabaho ng madaming empleyado. Dahil din sa pansamantalang paghinto ng eksport at import ng mga produkto sa madaming bansa, ito ay nagresulta sa pagbagsak ng ekonomiya. 

Marami mang negatibong naidulot ang pandemyang ito, huwag sana mawalan ng pag-asa ang ibang mga kumpanya. Bagkus ay gawin sana itong lakas para magpatuloy sa kinabukasan--upang itaguyod ang kanilang negosyo, pati na rin ang kanilang mga empleyado. Ito ay pansamantalang trahedya lamang na malulunasan din sa lalo’t madaling panahon.

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally From The Philippines

The pandemic that began in the first months of 2020 took a toll to everything that continues to this day. It is like a food chain that started with the closure of many businesses to prevent the spread of the corona virus which resulted in the unemployment of many employees. Also due to the temporary cessation of exports and imports of products in many countries, this has resulted in economic collapse.

Although this pandemic has caused a lot of negative things, I hope other companies do not lose hope. Instead, make it a force to be reckoned with in the future - to promote their business, as well as their employees. This is only a temporary tragedy that will be solved as soon as possible.

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally From The Philippines

comments in spanish:

My friend, I would say that Covid is one of the growing pain of humanity!

Just facing challenging times like this, our sense of common unity is growing and our resilience will show up stronger.

It is not that particularly that cleaning is “undermined”; many projects, contracts and programs are on hold or cancelled. At this very moment in the world uncountable professionals in every area are unemployed and many not even able to get EI.

I am confident that you and your company will overcome this phase and adjust to the SOW with courage because you just do not give up!

-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia

Mi querida amiga, diría que Covid es uno de los dolores de crecimiento de la humanidad.

Simplemente enfrentando tiempos desafiantes como este, nuestro sentido de común-unidad crecera y nuestra resiliencia se desarrollará más fuerte.

No es que la limpieza esté “menospreciada”; muchos proyectos, contratos y programas están suspendidos o cancelados. En este mismo momento en el mundo, innumerables profesionales en todas las áreas están desempleados y muchos ni siquiera pueden obtener la IE.

Estoy segura de que tu y tu empresa superarán esta fase y se ajustarán a las nuevas condiciones con valentía.Por que tu eres fuerte y muy capaz.

-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia

If I am paying for a service, I expect way more. Don’t you?

I did not use a professional housekeeper for most of my life. But at some point I hit a wall when I was in the middle of a big move and I had a very short time to get it done. Most people dealing with moving don’t drop everything else. They still have to work, and look after their family. So the level of stress is heightened in a big way.

If you have to hire a professional cleaner/housekeeper for a move, a yearly deep cleaning, or for regular housekeeping in your home, what do you really expect?

Well, I personally expect them to take the load off my back and do the job I need help with. They should perform in the very best of their ability and care, as agreed, usually only verbally, so GET it in WRITING!

A check list could be a basic list but for best results and the least frustrations, write as much details as you can come up with. A detailed plan for your home’s regular cleaning can go a long way, but talking and walking around your home discussing your expectations and writing the list at the same time, will go a long way in eliminating misunderstandings.

These days, and for a while now, the process of hiring a housekeeper or cleaner for your home is so different. Now, there are some systems to help small cleaning companies in eliminating meeting your clients face-to-face in order to save time and keep money in the bank. These systems might work out for a while, but might also lead to more misunderstandings.

When I was working as the housekeeper, I was wild with excitement and gave much more than was expected of me and my team - each time we showed up. I say “WE” as I don’t like the idea of professional cleaners working alone: for two reasons - 1st, SAFETY, and 2nd, EFFICIENCY.

Now, let’s get back to money talk $$$$$

If I am your girlfriend, your life partner, or a family member (mother, sister, brother) then, of course you expect the help on a different level. But if you hire a “professional”, be it an electrician, a plumber, a realtor, house builder, land surveyor, a dental hygienist, then, you expect a very different level of service. AND YOU SHOULD.

Having said that, if YOU are coming to clean MY house, or render any other professional services, I will expect skill and efficiency, not complacency. Just to be clear, I don’t expect perfectionism, just expertise in your field.

If you ask for pay, you should be prepared to deliver the best effort and skills in your field of work.

My “motto” was always for my clients to GET their MONEY’S WORTH!

My advice to all service provider professionals out there: make sure your clients “GET THEIR MONEY’S WORTH” so we all win at the end of the day.

Now what if you or I mess up? How can that be? Well, it’s easy to mess up once in a while. Why? 

Because you DON’t work alone. AND no one is perfect! Misunderstandings are often the first culprit. But then the very next is inexperience, or poor values and work ethic. Let me repeat, “poor values and poor work ethic,” from professional businesses.

When it comes to skills, there are no excuses. Depending on your field of expertise you can learn hands-on in schools, and/or from the internet. 

Here in Canada, the schools for housekeeping and cleaning are not many. Even Learning to clean “hands-on” properly anywhere in Canada is a bit of a stretch. LOL!

Stay tuned, that’s for another discussion!

-France, Owner of Domestic Goddess Housekeeping

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Comments in French:

Ma réflexion sur la situation lorsque je fais appelle à un service de professionnel. À mon avis la base ce situe dans la communication.

Je vous partage ma dernière expérience avec un professionnel en réparation et ramonage de cheminée. Lorsque j’ai fait appel à ses services en plus d’avoir fait une recherche sur cette compagnie. Je me sentais assez rassurer pour réserver ses services.

Au niveau de réparation et du nettoyage de la cheminée tout a été à ma grande satisfaction. Là où j’ai fait face à un problème ça a été le dégât de cendre qui c’est déposé à la grandeur de mon sous-sol sans exception. Lors de notre entretien concernant le travail è être effectué. 

Il a mentionné que tout serait ramassé sans dégât. J’ai assumé que tout étais terminé. Si au moment de réserver ses services j’avais eu plus grande expérience dans le domaine.

J’aurais certainement demandé s’il allait installer un abri afin de prévenir la cendre de ce répondre à la grandeur de mon sous-sol. Du moins fermer les portes des chambres et autres. Souvent c’est après les fais que nous réalisons notre propre manque de clarification sur nos attentent.

J’ai vécu quelque chose semblable avec le service d’une peintre. J’ai fait repeindre entièrement ma maison. Par contre je n’avais pas mentionné  les garde-robes. Et bien j’ai dû payer à nouveaux pour ce qu’il nomme un extra. 

Ça serait bien si le professionnel nous pose la question. Voulez-vous seulement les murs de peinturer ou autre. La même chose pour le ramoneur. Il aurait pu me dire que sont travaillé allait me causer un énorme dégât de cendre. À mon avis nous ne sommes jamais assez clairs sur nos attentes. 

My reflection on the situation when I call for a professional service is based on communication. I share with you my last experience with a professional in chimney repair and sweeping.

When I used his services in addition to researching the company, I felt reassured enough to book his services. Regarding the repair and cleaning of the chimney, everything was to my great satisfaction.

Where I encountered a problem was the ash damage that was deposited all over my basement. When in conversation he mentioned that everything would be picked up. I never assumed at the time of booking his services the mess I will have to face after.

If I had more experience in the field, I certainly would have asked if he was going to put up a shelter to prevent the ash from dusting all of my basement. At least close the doors of the rooms. Often it is after the fact that we realize our own lack of clarity about our expectations or which questions to ask.

I have experienced something similar with the service of a painter. I had my whole house repainted. However, I had not mentioned the wardrobes. Well I had to pay again for what he calls an “extra”.

It would be nice if the professional asked us the question. Do you only want the walls to be painted or whatever? The same goes for the chimney sweep. He could have told me that his work was going to cause me enormous ash damage. I could prepared some plastic wall or else.

In my opinion, we are never quite clear about our expectations in the services we are sinking.

-Angélina Gionet

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Comments in Spanish:

Estoy de acuerdo, lo ideal es tener una lista de chequeo ligado a tiempos definidos, para cualquier negocio. Así, desde el principio sebes que se espera de ti y que puede esperar del profesional contratado. Independientemente de si existen los títulos, muchas veces la experiencia y el compromiso funcionan mejor!

I agree the best is to have checklist and time frame for any agreement, so from the beginning you know what is expected from you and what to expect from your appointed professional. Regardless if the credentials are there, many times experience and commitment do better than many titles!

-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia

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Comments in Filipino:

Ako ay sumasang-ayon sa lahat ng iyong sinabi. Marapat lamang na magkaroon ng mataas na pagtingin para sa mga taong iyong itinalaga at binabayaran upang gawin ang isang bagay. Marahil ay ‘common sense’ na gawin nila ang dapat nilang gawin base sa propesyon nila ngunit mas maiging magkaroon ng cheklist upang maiwasan ang di pagkakaintindihan sa mga bagay na gusto mong ipagawa sa kanila. 

Sa kabilang dako, hindi maiiwasan ang ibang mga taong hindi ginagawa ng maayos ang kanilang trabaho dahil sa iba’t ibang rason. Gayunpaman, walang sapat na rason upang hindi pag-igihan ang trabahong itinalaga sa kanila dahil kung ganoon lang din naman ang nangyayari ng paulit-ulit ay marapat lamang na magtalaga na lang ng bagong trabahador na pwedeng pumalit sa kanila. Hindi sa pagiging masama ngunit sa mundong ito sa tingin ko ay kailangan mo laging gawin ang mga bagay, maliit man o malaki, sa lahat ng iyong makakaya upang maiwasan ang panghihinayang sa hinaharap.

Sa madaling salita ay normal lang na magkaroon ng mataas na ekspektasyon sa mga taong iyong itinalaga upang gawin ang isang bagay dahil ito ay may kapalit na makatarungang sahod. Marapat lamang na gawin nila ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya sa pag gawa lahat ng mga bagay na ipinapagawa sa kanila dahil ito ang tamang gawain.

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally from the Philippines

I agree with everything you said. It is only right to have a high expectation for the people you appoint and are paid to do something. It may be ‘common sense’ for them to do what they should do based on their profession but it is better to have a checklist to avoid misunderstandings of the things you want them to do.

On the other hand, it is inevitable that other people will not do their job well for various reasons. However, there is no reason not to refrain from the job assigned to them because if the same thing happens over and over again, it is only right to appoint a new worker who can replace them. Not to be bad, but in this world I think you should always do things, small or large, to the best of your ability to avoid regret in the future.

In conclusion, it is normal to have high expectations of the people you appoint to do something because it has a fair wage replacement. They should only do all they can to do all the things they are asked to do because this is the right thing to do.

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally from the Philippines

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What great advice! Thank you so much. Many times I have hired cleaning companies and many times I have been disappointed, unfortunately. After reading this I'm now thinking that I am not properly conveying to them exactly what I want done, and I should do that in writing.

Like you said, I expect a certain level of service if I am paying. Anyone who knows me knows that I am cheap so when I decide to pay for something, I expect the best. I realize that I'm probably not getting the best because there is a misunderstanding between myself and the companies I am hiring to clean my home. My bad! I'm putting it in writing from now on!

-Krystal Smith

WELL, I am! And that comes with a lot of expectations!

I have been there so many times. I have bought and sold so many houses in the past 3 decades.

I love Real Estate and it is one of my passions.

I bought many houses for our family and sold just as many. I was involved in all the decision-making. After the first one, it was a given, I became in charge of all our family’s real estate transactions.

I also flipped 3 houses between 2007-2009. Loved every minute of it, no word of a lie… I also managed a lot of renovation projects in our family homes. 

The first big project was in Calgary. And my husband was entirely in charge of this one. 

We bought a nice old house (640 sq ft) in the trendy Kensington area NW Calgary. My husband built a full basement. Everyone knows that a home needs a solid foundation. It was an incredible project and our house was actually on stilts for about 4 weeks. I was 7 months pregnant with my 3rd child. What a ride that was!

Sold it 8 years later. By then I had been involved in a few real estate transactions. 

Moving years ahead and many projects behind, I am selling another home, a favourite one, for sure. 

With my heart and soul into it, I am going to turn a page, and close another door.

So what is my first expectation?

Sell the house as quickly as possible before I change my mind, and I mean, before “we” change our minds!

what does it take?

• A good market evaluation is the first step to help you make the right decision and figured out the listing price. DONE!

• Get the numbers on the table, decide if you can live with it and take the next step. DONE!

If you decide to go ahead with the sale of your home, I would recommend opening a favourite bottle of wine, but that’s just me. AND that’s exactly what I did, this time around.

Then next day, I had a good look around my home and figure out what can go and what can stay.

I made a list.

Then again, few days later, I went through the house again. This time, had a good look at what should stay and what should go.

HOW DO YOU KNOW  what needs to stay and what needs to go?

Well, the best place to start might be to ask your realtor for an honest opinion. Don’t get all worked up if he or she suggests things that you don’t agree with - painting, cleaning, decluttering, whatever. Just take one day at a time, consider what he or she said. You might be wise to follow some of his/her advice.

Having said that, you may need to open another favourite bottle of wine because by now you can probably see the “mountain” of work ahead of you. So wine it is! LOL!

Most realtors have a really good idea what potential buyers are looking for. They know because their business depends on it. Realtors spend most of their days in and out of houses with their clients. That’s how they develop that sense of knowing what usually turns people on or off.

I am not going to tell you that I know for sure where to start and what would be the most important thing on the list. I think it depends on what’s really important to you, in particular.

For me, you might have guessed already, it has to scream CLEAN… the moment I open the front door!

And that’s the first C; the second C is for CLUTTER, and I don’t mean 40 boxes nicely organized in a specific room or lined up on a back wall. That shows organization, nothing wrong with that in my book. Nope!

YOU all know what I mean by “clutter”. We‘ve all been there!

Before or after a move, during a pregnancy, during emotional times, break ups, sickness, working outside the family home, having to look after an extended family member, the list goes on and on, I’ve been there and every year I find myself there again. But that’s for another blog (hehehe)!

Now, after the first 2 minutes walking into a home, (not far from the front door), most people would already be paying attention to the colours, the condition of the walls, the baseboards, the doors, the windows, the trims and let’s hope there is no foul smell.

Smell is a big deal and can be such a turn off for me. Animals can ruin it sometimes (well, mainly their owners). So pay attention to the smell in your home - even plugged in air freshener can be a turn off!

The rest is history. We like it or we don’t, we get nosy, we check everything, opening, closing, pulling, prying and the list goes to what happens next. Everything gets exposed, there are NO secrets anymore!

So, I got my personal stuff out of the way and hidden. It’s the name of the game, I call it “Get Real in my Estate”.

-France, Owner of Domestic Goddess Housekeeping

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Comments in French:

J'ai parcouru ton blog#4 sur la vente de ta maison et de tes expériences du domaine. J'ai apprécié te lire cela m'a fait voir que tu as mis par écrit les étapes à suivre afin de bien réussir la vente d'une maison. Pour ma part j'ai aussi vendu plusieurs maisons. En te lissant j'ai compris toutes les étapes à franchir afin de bien réussir la vente de maison que j'avais pour la plupart utiliser sans vraiment le réaliser. Ce qui m'a le plus accroché c'est lorsque tu parles des services de l'agent immobilier. J'ai souvent croisé des gens qui font l'erreur de négliger cet aspect. Tout le temps que cela nous fait économiser en organisons les rencontres avec les clients et faire les visites, répondre aux questions et j'en passe. En plus comme tu as mentionné leur expertisent avec la clientèle n'est pas à négliger.

-Ton amie Angélina  

I read your blog # 4 on the sale of your house and your experiences in the field.  Reading that made me realize that you have written down the steps to follow in order to successfully sell your house. Something we do without realizing the step to be taken.

For my part I also sold several houses of my own. What hooked me the most is when you talk about real estate agent services. I have often come across people who neglect this aspect. All the time that this saves us by organizing meeting with clients and visits also answer questions and so on. In addition, as you mentioned , their customer expertise should not be neglected.

-Ton amie Angélina  

Comments in Filipino:

Mahilig akong magbasa ng mga istoryang naglalahad ng mga impormasyon tungkol sa Negosyo. Ako ay naaliw sa iyong pahayag at matinding sumasang-ayon rito. Mayroon akong napanuod na propesyunal na nagbebenta ng bahay at isiniwalat niya na mas magandang bumili ng lumang bahay dahil ito ay malaki at mas mura. Pagkatapos ay tsaka na lamang ito pagandahin upang matirhan o para ibenta.

Ang pagbebenta ng sariling bahay at lupa ay isa sa mga pinaka mahirap na desisyon para sa akin dahil marami ka ng mga nagawang magagandang memorya dito. Higit pa roon, madami ka na din naipundar na mga bagay upang mapaganda ito. Sa kabilang banda, may mga hindi mo inaasahang pangyayari sa hinaharap na pwedeng maging rason sa pagbenta ng iyong tahanan.

Ang pagbili at pagbenta ng bahay at lupa ay dapat pag isipan ng mabuti dahil kapag ikaw ay nakapag desisyon na ng panghuli, mahirap na itong baguhin. Isa din ito sa magiging mahabang usapan ng iyong pamilya kung dapat ba itong gawin o hindi. Marapat lamang na timbangin lahat ng opinion ng bawat isang miyembro ng pamilya.

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally from the Philippines

I like to read stories that present information about business. I am pleased with your statement and strongly agree with it. I have seen a professional selling a house and he revealed that it is better to buy an old house because it is bigger and cheaper. Then just beautify it to live in or to sell.

Selling your own home and land is one of the most difficult decisions for me because you have a lot of good memories made here. More than that, you have also invested a lot of things to make it better. On the other hand, there are unexpected events in the future that could be the reason for selling your home.

Buying and selling a home and land should be carefully considered because once you have made the final decision, it will be difficult to change it. It will also be one of the longest discussions of your family whether it should be done or not. It is only right to weigh all the opinions of each family member.

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally from the Philippines

Comments in Spanish:

Waaah! France, your house is so beautiful! I love the scenery…on the front the sunrise and in the back the sunset…it is dreamy. How many memories in those walls!!

I love the phrase move on…” give a lovely kiss, thank you and goodbye” and then open the door to new adventures.

Thank you for your “C’s” - Clean & Clutter, that and the smell are most important for me. I am sure your house will be a home for a happy family pretty soon.

France, tu casa es muy bella, me encanta el paisaje amanecer al frente y atardecen en el patio....es un sueño.

Esa etapa de cambio me fascina..." dale un besito tierno, unas gracias sinceras y un adios" y luego abres las puertas a nuevas oportunidades. Gracias por los consejos super-claves: limpio, descongestionado y sin olores.

Estoy segura de que tu casa se va a vender pronto y una familia será muy feliz en ese bello hogar.

-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia

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More comments in English:

Sounds like you are a pro already. As a realtor who has been in the industry since 2006 I have to say that you made some great points. A market evaluation is critical because the general public does not realize how important it is to look at all the statistics in coming up with the price you should sell your home for.

All a seller sees is how much the guy down the road is asking. They don't take into account that he hasn't sold yet. You can ask whatever you want but if it isn't selling then it isn't doing you much good! You also mentioned getting your home ready for sale. That is so critical.

Declutter, declutter, declutter! Staging and painting are also a great investment because it will make the difference in how fast you sell and help buyers see the value in your home.

But you are absolutely right, even after doing all this, if your house smells it will turn people off! Get rid of the smells, and if you can't then ask your realtor what you should do. There are ways to get rid of all sorts of smells and they will point you in the right direction.

-Krystal Smith, eXP Realty, Edmonton, Alberta

Well, of course they did? Right?

The truth is the outcome may depend on the type of couch you have in your home.

• Is it a recliner sofa?

• Is it a sectional?

• Is it a hide-a-bed? 

  To clean under some heavy furniture can be challenging for most of us.

Some people opt to just slide them back and forth but that’s not going to remove all the stuff underneath.

I shriek at the thought of paying someone to clean my living room space and find out hours later that they did NOT move the couch, or even clean between the cushions.

Worse yet,

They may have moved the couch, sliding it backwards thinking that that is an acceptable way to clean under the couch. 

Truth is, if it’s a recliner sofa, it probably has a steel frame.

In a busy household with children, you are likely to find most of the cookie crumbs, bits of chips, lego pieces and hardened play-dough right there - underneath and between the cushions. 

As a professional housekeeper (meaning you are getting paid for your cleaning services), you should know how to properly clean the furniture… AND be willing to do so.

One big issue here, working alone would make it difficult - and sometimes impossible - to complete this task successfully. 

why, you ask??? 

You need to tip a recliner sofa, or regular sofa, slightly backward to clean under.

[NOTE: for a sectional, it’s easier. You can separate the unit at the corner and tip it forward.]

For recliners, someone has to support it from the back. It’s not usually a really heavy task, just awkward for one person. 

If you are a professional cleaner, do you work alone?

If so, Why?

To not know how to actually clean a recliner sofa can be a problem - assuming your client would probably expect you to clean under ALL the furniture - including the couches.

I don’t like misunderstandings!

And I don’t like excuses when it comes to cleaning!

When it comes to expectations, a conversation including a CHECK LIST can minimize the frustrations after the fact. BE clear from the start.

-France, Owner, Domestic Goddess Housekeeping, Ft, McMurray, AB

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COMMENTS in Spanish:

Ha... El sofá fue nuestro agujero negro durante muchos años. Cuando se perdía algo, después de mucha suerte y trabajo lo encontrabas allí ... y limpiarlo era un verdadero desafío... estoy muy feliz de que nos salimos de él.

Teníamos que reconocer que ésta era una operación de dos personas que requería planificación, por que teníamos que sincronizar nuestros movimientos y tirar o empujar de manera segura. ¡Fue una buena oportunidad para aplicar nuestras habilidades de buena comunicación!

Ha…The sofa was our black hole. If you lost something it was there… during many years of cleaning, it was a real challenge at my home for many years, I am so happy that we get rid of it.

We need to recognize this was a two-person operation with proper planning so we synchronize our movements and pull/push safely. It was a good opportunity to apply our communication skills!!

-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia

COMMENTS IN FRENCH:

J'ai encore des fauteuils inclinables aujourd'hui et quand je veux nettoyer en profondeur, j'ai besoin de l'aide d'une autre personne, car les meubles sont plus lourds.

Quand j'utilisais les services d'entretien ménager, les employés déplaçaient les meubles lors du nettoyage, car j'avais des fauteuils inclinables, ce qui rendait leur tâche plus difficile.

Pour le professionnel, dans ce cas-là, c'est important de discuter avec son client, car cela implique qu'il doit y avoir 2 personnes.

Avec des fauteuils réguliers, ce problème ne se pose pas. Une bonne discussion évite toujours des frustrations.

-Denise Lavoie, Quebec City

Well it’s not always easy to tell…

You may have to bend down closer to the floor to actually see what the original colour of the grout is (if there hasn’t been years of neglect). 

Any areas darker than the original colour would indicate that there is scum, grit or food stuck in between the tiles. 

Dirty grout can make your beautiful tile floors look dingy, if you ask me.

The thing with tiles is that they can look clean on the surface and not really be clean. Some tiles are really colourful, some tiles have textures. The darker tiles seem to show everything on the surface and the lighter coloured ones hide more. BUT at the end of the day, dirt is dirt!

Do you really care if there is dirt in between the tiles? We don’t eat off the floors, right? 

Well for some of us, it’s about cleanliness and I certainly like it when the dirt that sticks in between the tiles is removed once in a while.

I am not prepared or willing to brush my grout each time I have to wash my floors. But I need to do it regularly.

It feels as good as a glass of wine, when I look back after cleaning the grout. I just feels so good when it’s clean!!

How about you?

Most people would wash with a mop (cloth or microfiber) but not usually with a brush. It’s definitely a pain to be on your knees to clean the grout. You can buy a grout brush and use it where it gets the most traffic and food spills - like near the kitchen counters or entrances.

BE AWARE: A sponge mop pushes dirty water into the grout and soils it!

One important thing in knowing HOW to clean tile floors is keeping the grout clean. Grout is porous and easily absorbs dirt, grease and other materials. 

Would you expect your housekeepers or cleaners to clean the grout each time they clean your tile floors?

Well, when I cleaned my client’s homes on a weekly or bI-weekly basis,  I would make a schedule for cleaning the grout. 

The reality of it all is that it takes a lot longer to clean the grout!

If you are a professional housecleaner, do you think your clients would want to pay you extra $$ to clean/brush the grout on your knees each time you clean their floors? Most of them would not. 

So let’s get real!!

You and your housekeeper or cleaner, should get really clear about your EXPECTATIONS.

Discuss it and figure out a way to feel good about the cleaning you want.  Make a plan and create a cleaning schedule. If your housekeeper [or cleaner] knows clearly what you want, and the money you can spend, you’ll both win!

AND THAT’S WHAT WE WANT, DON’T WE? A WIN-WIN for BOTH OF US!

-France, Owner, Domestic Goddess Housekeeping, Ft, McMurray, AB

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comments in Filipino:

Ang paglilinis ng ‘ceramic tiles’ ay isa sa pinakamasarap na pakiramdam lalo na kung masyadong madumi ang mga espasyo na nagbabahagi sa mga ito. Mangyayari lamang ito kung tama ang mga panglinis na gagamitin na sabon at materyales. Sa. kabilang dako, kahit marunong ka maglinis nito ngunit hindi tama ang mga materyales na iyong ginamit, magkakaroon ka ng problema. Mag aaksaya ka lamang ng lakas at panahon.

Sa pagkakaalam ko, kailanman ay hindi pa kami naghanap ng maglilinis sa aming ‘ceramic tiles’ sapagkat halos lahat kami ay marunong maglinis nito. Tinuruan kami ng aming lola, na siyang nag alaga samin simula pagkabata—kaming magpipinsan. Katwiran niya ay masaya siyang gawin ito dahil is ana ito sa kanyang mga ehersisyo, ang paglilinis. At ang dahilan niya pa ay is ana din itong paghahanda sa aming pagtanda kung saan ay magkakaroon kami ng sari-sariling mga pamilya.

Kung ikaw naman ay walang oras sa paglilinis ng iyong ‘ceramic tiles’ dahil sa dami ng ginagawa ay dapat lamang na maghanap ng tagalinis nito para maiwasan ang maduming kapaligiran at anumang bakterya. Hindi naman siguro maiiwasan na dumating tayo sa ganitong sitwasyon lalo na kung sandamakmak ang iyong gawain na dapat ayusin. Kailangan lamang na maging mabusisi sa pagkilatis ng iyong mahahanap at tiyakin na ginagawa nila ng maayos ang kanilang trabaho.

Ang paglilinis ng ‘ceramic tiles’ ay hindi dapat maging isa sa iyong mga problema. Matutong gawin ito o kung wala kang ora ay maghanap ka ng taong gagawa nito upang maging maaliwalas.

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally from the Philippines

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Comments in French:

Pendant des années, j'ai eu recours à des services d'entretien ménager. Les employés qui venaient chez moi, n'ont jamais nettoyé les joints des tuiles. Ce n'était pas dans le contrat.

Maintenant, j'utilise un kit Swiffer, avec des lingettes humidifiées, qui est assez efficace, quand il n'y a pas une grande surface à nettoyer. 

Quelques fois dans l'année, mon mari lave les tuiles avec une brosse. Il ne veut pas que je le fasse, car c'est difficile pour les genoux.

Dépendamment du nombre de personnes  qui vivent dans la maison, ce nettoyage peut être fait à chaque saison, pour un couple, ou plus souvent, pour une famille plus nombreuse.

C'est tout à fait normal que le nettoyage des tuiles occasionne un montant supplémentaire.

Il suffit de bien expliquer ce que l'on veut et de s'entendre sur le montant qui est acceptable pour vous. 

Tout le monde va être gagnant.

-Denise Lavoie, Quebec City

COMMENTS in spanish:

Querida France,

Te cuento que el moho que puede estar inadvertido entre las baldosas puede ser peligroso para la familia, por que aumenta el riesgo de alergias, rinitis, infecciones cutáneas y empeoran transtornos como el asma y la migraña. Esto se agrava si hay ventilación pobre o si la persona tiene preexistencias. Ahora en tiempos de Covid tenemos que ser cuidadosos con la limpieza.

Dear France,

I tell you that the mold that can be unnoticed between the tiles - which can be dangerous for the family; it increases the risk of allergies, rhinitis, skin infections and worsens disorders such as asthma and migraine. This is aggravated if there is poor ventilation or if the person has medical conditions. Now in times of Covid we have to be careful with cleaning!

-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia

We are building a blog about “Great Expectations”

With the hopes of creating a go-to conversation hub for all things related to housekeeping and cleaning in residential and commercial settings.

Have you ever been over-the-moon that your housekeeper or contractor has gone BEYOND expectations and fixed, cleaned or organized something that was beyond even YOUR expectations?

Have you had great expectations, only to be really disappointed?

Were the expectations TOO great? Did you communicate your expectations?

Did your housekeeper come to your house to talk about your needs?

How can we close this communication gap?

Learn some tips from Dishing the Dirt Expert, France, on how to communicate and have your EXPECTATIONS met every time!

Check out Our weekly Blog to discuss what excites me and what makes me cringe! Believe me, i have a lOT to share!

I did this year for the first time and the experience left me really upset for a few days, then I moved on with my life…

The job I hired this painter for was in two parts: 1) Second floor - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining area; 2) then the main floor apartment would be a week or so later. 

I felt really upset as they left my house filled with drywall dust! I was not in the upstairs part of the house for the week-long job, so when I got back in, there was dust covering everything. I have dark wood floors, dark granite counter, black light fixture, black ceiling fans, it was even noticeable on the white window sills.

I expected them to remove most, if not ALL the dust.

So before the second part of the job started I met the painter about my concern and dislike about the dust upstairs.  He got defensive right away, and told me that’s a reno clean up.  He told me I was free to go ahead and hire someone else for the main floor job. Well I needed that done ASAP and felt I had no choice but to get off my high horse and suck it up.

That was my first upset! The second one was after they finished the main floor and left, I realized that they did not paint a closet in the only bedroom on the main floor. When I called the painter about it he said I never pointed out that I wanted the closet in that room to be painted. He told me that a closet is a big job and costs an extra $150-200. He would have added that amount in his quote if I had mentioned it. 

OMG is this for real?

Talk about “Expectations”!

Wouldn’t you expect the closet painted if someone is going to paint a bedroom?

I did point out the closet in the living room because it was in bad shape but would I have had to tell him I wanted the closet in the bedroom painted. 

That is expected, is it not?

I was shocked and mad. He said he would send someone back to paint the closet for free IF I did not call him about anything else!

So I took it upon myself and painted the closet myself so I would not have to deal with him again. I did a poor job of it because I am not a professional painter.

Third upset was when I moved the fridge and stove upstairs to clean the dust I assumed was left behind. That’s when I saw that they did not paint behind the appliances!

Is it just me??

Would you expect these things done as well without mentioning it?

As a professional cleaner, if you ask me to clean your bathroom, you would not have to mention to me to clean the toilet pedestal and clean the floor behind it. NEVER! 

Would you EXPECT me to do it as part of the room?

So there, I guess when you don’t have a freaking check list, then it’s all up in the air. You are at the mercy of your professional painter [or cleaner]! And good luck if you pick one who doesn’t provide you with a check list!

Click here for a free checklist if you ever have to hire a painter. Then you’ll know what to expect.

-France

Owner of Domestic Goddess Housekeeping

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Comment in spanish:

“Definitivamente estoy de acuerdo, es esencial la lista de lo que esperamos cuando contratamos un trabajo. Para mí es lógico que pinten el cuarto de escobas, el cuarto de ropa y detrás de la nevera!...

Pero para el pintor es un costo adicional. Yo prefiero q me digan desde el principio si lo que yo asumo y lo que ellos planean hacer, están alineados.

¡Gracias, por este comentario lo tendré en cuenta cuando contrate algún trabajo de pintura en mi casa!”

-Lily Beltran, Ft. McMurray, Originally from Colombia

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Comment in french:

Quand je lis ta mésaventure avec le peintre, je me dis que tu as fait affaire avec quelqu’un qui n’est pas consciencieux dans son travail.

Premièrement, il ne s’est pas soucié de faire attention à la poussière qui résulte d’une job de peinture.

Deuxièmement, quand tu l’as appelé, il a dit que tu étais libre d’embaucher un autre peintre, plutôt que de t’écouter. Quelle honte de te demander près de 200,$ pour peinturer un garde-robe, après avoir eu un si beau contrat.

La personne qui t’as recommandé ce peintre, n’avait pas de hauts critères, concernant « un tel travail ».

La morale de cette histoire est que nous devons toujours faire une liste de ce que nous désirons avoir comme résultat et de bien le faire comprendre à l’entrepreneur, pour éviter les déceptions et les frustrations que tu as eues.

-Denise Lavoie, Quebec City

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Comment in filipino:

“Sa pagkakatanda ko, ang mga lalaki sa aming tahanan ang laging nagpipintura ng mga gamit o parte sa aming bahay kaya hindi pa kami nakapag-talaga ng taga-pintura.

“Ngunit base sa iyong pahayag, binayaran mo ang taga-pintura kaya dapat lamang na gawin nya ng tama ang ang kanyang trabaho. Hindi na kailangan ng ‘checklist’ para pinturahan ang aparador. Ito ay ‘common sense’ sapagkat ang dahilan ng pagpintura ng bahay ay upang ito ay maibenta. 

“Alam kong hindi ganon kadali ang magpintura, lalo na kung buong parte ng bahay ngunit kung ito ang iyong trabaho at binayaran ka sa magandang presyo, mararapat lamang na gawin mo ng tama ang iyong trabaho.

“Lalo ngayong may ‘pandemic’, madaming apektado at walang trabaho kaya maswerte ka kung may trabaho ka pa. Dapat ay pag-igihan mo ito para magkaroon ng magandang ‘feedback’ na makakatulong na magpadagdag sa iyong trabaho. At isa pa, hindi ba masarap sa pakiramdam na purihin ka sa trabahong pinaghirapan mo dahil ginawa mo ito ng tama?

“Sa madaling salita, sana ay matutong magkusa ang mga trabahador na binayaran mo dahil iyon ang dapat nilang gawin. Nakakalungkot na naranasan mo ang ganyang sitwasyon magmula sa kanila. Sana ay hindi na nila gawin iyan sa susunod pa nilang mga paglilingkuran.”

-Sheara De La Cruz, Ft McMurray, Originally from the Philippines

Our contest is temporarily suspended but we will let you know when we’re back in full swing!

Our contest is temporarily suspended but we will let you know when we’re back in full swing!

Cleaning Tip #5 - Don't Leave the Lights for Last

Most of us tend to focus on the dirt on the ground but often neglect the dust up above. If you have light fixtures or lamps, be sure to give them a good clean too as dirt and grime can pile up on them quickly.

The more time they're left uncleaned, the harder they'll be to clean when you get around to it. So don't forget to clean your lights!

✨

20 Easy Cleaning Tips You Need to Know - Check daily through March 16th.

✨

YOU could be the WINNER of a FREE Cleaning Caddy. WINNER announced March 16!

HERE'S HOW:

1. Comment/Like at least 5 of these 20 posts.

2. Share or Repost to your IG feed about 3 tips that you find most helpful. TAG US SO WE CAN SEE YOUR POST.

3. Tag a friend who you think might enjoy these cleaning tips.

PLUS Upload an image and SHARE your own tips on 5 of these instagram posts and you could WIN even MORE cleaning supplies! ✨

Cleaning Tip #4: Use a Grid Pattern

If you've ever looked at a room and had no idea where to start, you're not alone. By adopting a grid pattern for cleaning, you can work your way through specific sections of a room one by one to ensure no spots are missed.

To do this, mentally divide each room up into easy-to-manage sections and clean through each in sequential order. Using a cleaning grid can also help you remember where you left off if you didn't get to everything the first time around.

✨

20 Easy Cleaning Tips You Need to Know - Check daily through March 16th.

✨

YOU could be the WINNER of a FREE Cleaning Caddy. WINNER announced March 16!

HERE'S HOW:

1. Comment/Like at least 5 of these 20 Cleaning Tips posts.

2. Share or Repost to your IG feed about 3 tips that you find most helpful. TAG US SO WE CAN SEE YOUR POST.

3. Tag a friend who you think might enjoy these cleaning tips.

PLUS Upload an image and SHARE your own tips on 5 of these instagram posts and you could WIN even MORE cleaning supplies! ✨

#housekeeping #professionalcleaning #professionalhousekeeping