How Handy’s Cleaning Service Helps Me Stay Organized

I’m a happier person when my house is clean and tidy. The problem is, I’m not exactly the best at keeping my house that way. And my house just keeps getting worse and worse with all of the extra time we’re spending at home.

Having someone come to clean on a monthly basis is something I’ve done for a long time. It’s an investment that’s good for both my mental health (oh, the shame spiral I send myself down when I look around and my house is messy) and, frankly, my marriage.

There are a few challenges I’ve faced in this — and, after talking to friends, I’ve realized it’s not just me. First up is finding someone who’s background checked, vetted, and available. Then, once I’ve got someone reliable who I like, it can be harder than you might think to schedule them on a regular basis. And, if I want to book a cleaning on demand without a ton of lead time — that’s a whole other story. All of this was made even harder by the pandemic, but now that I’ve somewhat adjusted to this new normal, I’m determined to get my house in order.

I’ve finally found the solution! It’s called Handy, and it’s kind of like the Uber of home cleaning, allowing you to book vetted, background-checked pros via the Handy app and website to come to your house, sometimes as soon as the very next day (or as far in advance as you’d like).

I was a little unsure about having a Pro come into my home right now, but luckily, Handy Handy has gone above and beyond to help promote the safety of the Pros and customers by rolling out their Handy Safety Standard.

First off, Handy requires Pros to wear PPE (masks and gloves) during bookings and also complete a daily in-app check up to validate they are in good health before they can claim a booking. But in addition to that – they are also actively providing customers and professionals with the latest CDC guidelines.I love that.

The website is also extremely easy to navigate — in fact, I think I probably had an account set up and an appointment requested in just a minute or two. The price is given upfront, and you can specify whether you want a basic cleaning or something more specific and involved. If you like the pro who completes your booking, it’s easy to have the same one come back in the future. (Or, if you don’t love them, you can have someone different sent out the next time at no additional charge.)

Now, I know people often joke about having to clean the house in order to have their house cleaned, so, I thought I’d share a few tips based on my experience.

• Be clear about what you want — and make sure that lines up with what your appointment provides. Handy offers a list of what you can expect from an appointment but suggests you also talk to your pro to ensure you’re on the same page.

• Add extras when you book if you want them. Things like cleaning the inside of your fridge or a laundry wash and dry are available for an additional charge when you sign up, and that’s the time to request them. Once your pro has arrived, you’ve only got them for a specific amount of time.
• Be consistent. One-Time cleaning is nice and all, but having someone come on the reg doesn’t just mean your home is being cleaned more often — it’ll also help you stay a little more accountable if you’re anything like me.

Another cool thing to note is that, yes, you can book your pros to come whenever it’s convenient, but Handy offers recurring cleaning plans, so you can decide upfront whether you want someone to come weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Imagine how great it would be to know that someone is coming on the reg to help you keep your ship in order!

I can live happily without lots of things — lattes, pedicures, nice purses — but man, knowing what a difference it makes to have someone help with a chore I find so onerous makes it hard to imagine going without.

Do you feel the same way about keeping house? If not, is there a task that, if you could find an affordable way to do it, you’d outsource in a second?