How do you let go of a cleaning lady?

Are you lucky enough to have a cleaning lady? Finding a good cleaning lady, one that makes your life easier, happier, and more convenient is so special that when we do we can’t help but wish our bond will last forever.

After all, having a great cleaning lady can be one of the greatest pleasures in life.

So it can be devastating for us to have to let her go.

Saying goodbye to a cleaning lady can be tough especially if you’ve grown close to her. But trying to maintain a professional relationship that is not meant to last does more harm than good.

If we truly want to move forward in life, we have to be honest with her even when it can be hard. 

Hopefully, this blog can help shed some light on how you can let go of your cleaning lady.

When you’re thinking about letting go of your cleaning lady consider what is best for you, your home, and your family

Many people describe letting go of their cleaning lady as a stress-induced experience.

Their heart palpitates, stomach flutters, palms get sweaty, knees become weak because they’re nervous to have a conversation with their cleaning lady about the beginning of the end.

They feel like this generally for two reasons. For one, they feel very sad about lessening their cleaning lady’s income. Secondly, since they have had the same cleaning lady for many years they do not want it to end. We as humans don’t like endings.

One should not feel like this though regardless of what the reason may be.

You are in control of the situation and you should not feel bad about deciding what to do what's best for you, your home, and your family.

How should I wave goodbye to my cleaning lady?

Try to be as polite and transparent as possible.

It would be ideal not to lie to your cleaning lady and make up a crazy story in regards to why you’re letting her go. Just be straightforward with her and tell her things won’t work out between you two. 

Maintain eye contact, be positive, and be articulate when you’re expressing your thoughts to your cleaning lady.

If the reason behind why you’re letting her go is due to her performance, explain to her where she falls short in a kind and loving manner so that she can take the constructive criticism and better herself. As a result, she will fix her flaws with future clients and change the way she focuses her energy on her work.

You should try to avoid firing your cleaning lady without an explanation. This will leave them wondering why they were fired and they will never get closure. They deserve to know why the professional relationship is ending, even if it means hearing what their flaws are.

It would be helpful to give her a good-bye tip. It will soften the situation. Consequently, it will reduce the probability of your cleaning lady acting hostile.

Do not worry about your cleaning lady doing something out of the ordinary to get back at you because the majority of house cleaners are people of moral character that strive to have a good reputation.

If the reason behind letting go of your cleaning lady is due to your finances

When the reason behind the split is due to money, your cleaning lady will most likely understand given the difficult times we are living in.

Any reasonable human being will understand why you want to save money since the world is a hectic place right now, and things are about to get worse. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the unemployment rate in the U.S. could reach 32.1% in the second quarter. That would be the highest unemployment rate in U.S history even surpassing the 25% unemployment rate during the Great Depression.

In a world where COVID-19 is continuing to drive down the economy, financial literacy is supreme.

You can try saying this to your cleaning lady:

“Unfortunately we are no longer in a position to pay for your cleaning service. We are very sorry, but we have to let you go. Thank you so much for your amazing service. If our situation ever changes, we will contact you back.”

Be sensitive to your cleaning lady’s feelings

In case you think you’ll feel bad about hurting your cleaning lady’s emotions, remember this:

Letting go can create the best of change for each of you.

I acknowledge it sounds a little counterintuitive to say cutting off a relationship, which is typically sad, can be such a good experience. But if we look at the research that supports the idea of cutting off relationships could be a good thing for people, you’ll be surprised.

Researchers at Northwestern University conducted a study where they asked individuals who are currently in happy relationships, “if your relationship were to end, how bad would you feel about it?” So they took note of what their predictions were. Granted, the only way to find out how bad those individuals who are in happy, happy relationships actually felt after a break up was to wait for them to break up with their partner. That is what the researchers did, they waited for those people to break up. Once they did break up, the researchers asked them, “How do you feel now?” They compared what their predictions were to their actual experience. What they found was the individuals were wrong. Their breakup was not as devastating as they thought it would be. They felt the opposite quite frankly.

Why did those individuals feel that way? Well, according to Eli Finkel, assistant professor of psychology at Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and co-author of the study, they felt that way because

“Our research shows that a breakup is not nearly as bad as people imagine, and the more you are in love with your partner, the more wrong you are about how upset you are going to be when the dreaded loss actually occurs.”

They felt that way because they’re doing better because they got out of a relationship. Ending a relationship helps you become a better person because it allows for personal growth.

It is true that breaking up with a partner is different than breaking up with your cleaning lady, but in a much larger sense, they are very much alike. Some homeowners have become very attached to their cleaning lady that they consider her their best friend. Throughout the time the cleaning lady invested into their home, they got to know the homeowner at a personal level, their family, their pets, and so one can argue the cleaning lady can be considered a close partner.

Sure, ending your professional relationship might leave you with a few cracks, but those cracks are sources of self-growth.

Parting ways with your cleaning lady does not have to leave you broken because you’re stronger than you know.

Dear cleaning lady: see you again soon

No matter how you look at it, letting go of a cleaning lady can be a difficult thing to do. You may experience emotions like denial, anger, and sadness. In the end, you will understand deep down inside of you that you made the right choice. Generally speaking, people are meant to change and mature. To move forward in life means you have to let go of people and things that hold you back.

References:

Bullard, James. “Assessing Second-Quarter Unemployment amid the Pandemic.” St. Louis Fed, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 1 June 2020, www.stlouisfed.org/publications/regional-economist/second-quarter-2020/bullard-assessing-second-quarter-unemployment-pandemic.

Tremmel, Pat Vaughan. “News.” Breaking Up May Not Be as Hard as the Song Says: Northwestern University News, Northwestern University, 21 Aug. 2007, www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2007/08/breakup.html.

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