There comes a point in life where no matter who you are, what you do, where you live or what your circumstances are, you should pamper yourself once in awhile.

I’m not big on the mani/pedi thing, and massages are ok but not really my thing. But for a long time, I’ve wanted to have a housecleaner. It’s not that I can’t do it because I can and I do and I have for my whole life. But really, who wouldn’t like someone to come in and do it all for you? My problem is (was!) finding someone who was responsible, reasonably priced and most of all, was trustworthy to be in my home. Quite a list to fulfill!

I have a habit of investigating and reviewing and researching things so deeply that I end up not ever being able to make a decision. So I do nothing and continue to clean. But then something happened….

My friend T was walking along a busy street when a woman approached her and handed her a business card. They had a conversation. It went well. They went on their way. And then T told me about it and so we decided to dig a little and see what we could find out about this woman….we will call her S. Suffice it to say we were able to find that S was actually quite impressive and seemed to be the real deal. So I took a chance…and emailed her with my information and a little about what I was looking for. She called me the next day and all I can say is WOW. She was so impressive just over the phone! We agreed to meet at my house so she could give me a quote on a deep clean of my apartment. We spent over half an hour just chatting (mostly her) and I learned that S was a very motivated young woman. She came from an immigrant family and was sent on scholarship to a very swanky girls school in the “burbs. She went on to college, receiving 7 full scholarships and ultimately graduated with 3 degrees. This girl is no slouch! So why is she cleaning homes and businesses? Because it’s the family business and she wants to show her parents how she can grow the business. And mostly, it’s what makes her happy. So a young woman who could write her own ticket to any corporate job chose her family and her happiness over a life in an office. That impresses me.

So we agreed on a price and a day and I put my trust in this young woman to be in my home, the place that means the most to me and is my sanctuary. S and her worker A arrived as scheduled and I went to work, excited about what my house would look like when they were done. I was absolutely not disappointed! I walked into my home and the first thing I noticed was the GLEAMING hard wood floors. Every surface was clean and shiny. Furniture was moved, cleaned under, polished and put back. The oven….appears brand new! The bathroom shined. And the cute fold on the towels and the Kleenex roses were an added touch! S and A surpassed my wildest dreams about how cool it would be to have someone come and deep clean my house.

I have since recommended S to several friends and co-workers. I hope they take her on as I know they will not be disappointed. And I am glad I took that leap of faith and allowed a stranger into my home for the sole purpose of pampering myself. Sometimes you just have to take that leap….