10/10/2022
So I figured I should try and sell myself a little on my business page so you can know who you are hiring to clean your home, when you schedule an appt with me. (For those of you who don't know me personally)
I have been cleaning professionally since about 2007/2008. When I became a mother, I went back to school during the day and I needed a job I could do in the evenings that was flexible enough still to spend time at home. I applied for a cleaning job I found in the newspaper (back in the day before EVERYTHING was done online) and I got hired in as a "crew member" for K.A.L.'s Cleaning based out of Grand Haven at the time. This company was ran as "team cleans". On an average night, we could have up to 10 commercial businesses to clean, depending on the schedule. The owner would have one employee vacuum, one employee clean the bathrooms, one employee empty garbage, etc. And that is how this company cleaned. We would drive from one business to the next as a team and clean them top to bottom. Eventually the owner promoted me to supervisor position, which meant I handled the scheduling, time off, and I was in charge of inventory (supplies needed at each building) and I also held onto the keys for each account. It was a huge responsibility, but I enjoyed the fast pace and the variety that it brought me in a job. I'm not one to stand in one place and do the same thing over and over and over again or I get bored and burn out quickly!
Eventually I had to leave K.A.Ls to focus on my education and my daughter's at home. I took about a year off to focus on my family and graduating from school for medical administration and billing and coding. I tried finding a job in that field for quite a few years, but every place I applied wanted to hire me as medical assistant or aide in nursing homes and that was not what I wanted. I worked 3rd shift at a nursing home for awhile and although I absolutely loved my job and the connections I made with the residents, my emotions got the best of me. And when a resident would pass away, I took it way too emotionally hard. I connect to others to easily, and I could not handle the heartbreak anymore, so I left.
One of my close friends was working for another cleaning company at the time, and mentioned to me that they needed a 1rst shift, Monday thru Friday cleaning person. I was going to take a huge pay cut, but the hours were perfect to stay home with my family in the evenings and weekends so I took a leap of faith, applied and got the job.
I started out cleaning at Hackley Hospital on the 2nd and 3rd floors which were the "wound patients". Now mind you, I don't do gross stuff very well, and I'm still surprised I did what I did, but I learned to sort of gloss over things if they were going to get to me. Alot of the patients were long term, and needed therapy of some kind while their wounds were healing and I was able to build relationships with almost every patient over the 6 months I was there. Even though it was just a cleaning position, it was rewarding when you would enter a patients room and their face would light up because they'd been waiting to see and talk to you all day. Not all of them had visitors and sometimes we were the only people that would stop in and talk while we cleaned their rooms.
After about 6 months, I was called to the office and was offered a promotion to supervisor over the Holland/ Grand Haven and Spring Lake accounts for this cleaning company. That was around December/Jan I believe of 2013. And I have been a supervisor for this current company ever since.
Now how I got into cleaning homes on the side......
One day we were out as a family and just finding random things to do. Well there was an estate sale we had stopped at. And it happened to be a customer of mine from when I worked at Wesco (the gas station) back in the day. We got to talking and he had mentioned his elderly mother and father in law needed someone to help clean their house. He said his mother was a crabby old lady and she didn't like anyone but thought she might like me and asked me if I would be willing to meet her about cleaning. Needless to say, I was quite worried, but figured what the heck, I'll give it a go. Well I met her and just adored her. She was a retired school teacher and very very stern about things, everything had to be in its place and even the fitted sheets had to be folded just perfectly out of the dryer or she would pull them out and I'd have to re do them. I mean corner to corner, crease to crease perfectly. I'd help with laundry, dishes, glass, bathrooms, vacuuming, sweeping and mopping, shaking rugs outside, dusting and would even help make her bed, which also had to be absolutely perfect. Corner to corner, seam to seam. I absolutely adored her and her husband but as she got older she needed more help and one of her sons moved in with her to be there daily to assist her. I became more of a caregiver to her than a cleaning lady. I'd still vacuum, and dust, but I'd also help her to the bathroom, get showered and dressed for the day, her hair, etx. Eventually she passed away, but in the mean time of me cleaning for them, others started finding out I was cleaning on the side and started to reach out to see if I wanted more jobs. I've cleaned a few small businesses over the years and quite afew residential (I've honestly lost count) most were bi weekly cleans, some weekly, some just as needed, if I can fit them in my schedule.
During covid, or at the beginning of covid I should say, I had around 6 clients that I had on schedule but when covid hit, and everyone was working from home, I lost quite afew 😓 alot of them cleaned since they were stuck at home anyways, some never went back to work, some had babies and just didn't want to take the risk of bringing outsiders into their homes at the time. Which I completely respected and understood 110%! As I felt the same at that point. It was scary and noone knew what to expect when it all first started.
Anyways, currently I'm at about 3 clients. One bi weekly and 2 clients just as needed, but I'd love to expand and get more on my schedule.
I am still working full time at night as a supervisor, so I usually clean during the day or on the weekends if I don't have plans or don't have my daughter's. In the last year, I've moved out to Coopersville and would love to establish some clients out this way. Closer to home as the gas prices can hurt the pockets right now
But I'm willing to clean just about anywhere within reason. I've had my fingerprints ran numerous times and background checks countless times, being a supervisor and working in the school systems and banks, etx, I need to have a clean background, which I do and don't plan on changing that!!! 😅
I have numerous references if you would like, and we can always schedule a time to meet and chat, so you feel comfortable with who you are hiring to clean for you! It's a very humbling experience to be trusted into someone's home, especially if they are away at work or on vacation, and I take that responsibility very very seriously as I would only expect the same for myself.
If you've read this far, and are interested in meeting me and scheduling a time to clean, please feel free to reach out! You can message me on this page or my phone number is also listed above and you may call or txt me also!
Hope to hear from you soon and thank you!
