Life has been a lot lately. A lot. I had my knee replaced eight days before I moved my youngest child to CSU for his freshman year (yes, I maneuvered my way around hundreds of parents and kids carrying heavy objects into a high-rise with no AC on day eight. But I digress).
Needless to say, cleaning my house hasn’t been a priority lately as I’ve been focused on recovering and adjusting to everything else this season has brought.
So when I was offered the opportunity to experience a professional house cleaning by Blue Spruce Maids, I jumped at it. (Not literally, of course. Because, the knee. Ouch.)
I’ve never hired a cleaning service before. After I agreed to the cleaning, anxiety started creeping in. Was my house too messy? Would the cleaning staff judge me? What was I supposed to do with my stuff? And, perhaps most importantly, I’ve heard people clean before cleaners arrive—was I supposed to do that?! Oh, please, no!
Thankfully, Alexandria Jerome, General Manager of Blue Spruce Maids, had a simple answer: “Please don’t clean before we come. That’s our job!”
OK, whew.
And my stuff? Alexandria recommended putting away personal items, particularly things on floors and bathroom and kitchen counters. That made sense. I could do that.
Oh wait! What about my remaining “child”—Mocha, my solid cuddle bug of a dog?
Alexandria came to my rescue again. “Your pup is absolutely welcome!” Pets are free, although Alexandria recommends securing dogs who are fearful of new people or likely to be a distraction.
Cool. Mocha’s contribution to the experience would be a little less direct: dog fur, particularly on the stairs, where it gathers with remarkable determination.
I also wondered whether the team would clean the whole house or if I could ask them to focus on certain areas. Alexandria explained that Blue Spruce Maids can customize its services to what each client needs, whether that means focusing on specific rooms or adding help with laundry or organization.
Wonderful! We could prioritize the spaces where I wanted to see the biggest difference.
OK, let’s do this!
I received a text the day before confirming the appointment. The morning of, another shared an estimated arrival time. Nice!
When Danielle, Sage and Lexi arrived, we walked through the house together, prioritizing the spaces that needed the most attention. Then they got to work.
At one point, I asked Danielle where I should be while they worked.
“Sit down and relax,” she told me.
I wasn't entirely sure what to do with that suggestion. I'm used to being the one who takes care of things, even when I probably shouldn't be.
But I sat down. For a few minutes, anyway.
As I watched and talked, something unexpected happened: I started seeing my house differently. When you live in the same place with the same things day after day, you can become blind to the beauty around you. But suddenly, spaces I had stopped noticing were catching my attention again.
My kitchen sink? I couldn’t stop staring at it.
The stove? Glistening. (Maybe I shouldn’t cook anymore.)
My favorite transformation? The large bathtub in the primary bathroom. When we moved into our house, I was so excited about that tub and the space around it. I imagined lazy afternoons soaking in bubbles. Yet with two kids, busy schedules, work and life, the candles and bubble bath collected dust and the tub sadly sat unused.
But now, bring on the colder weather so I can take long baths again in that clean, peaceful space (OK, fine, maybe I don’t need quite so many candles). I had forgotten how much I loved it and how good it feels to have a space that I look forward to using again!
Apparently, I’m not the only one who reacts this way. Danielle told me some clients have cried with relief at seeing their homes clean.
Blue Spruce Maids serves all kinds of clients, from busy families and older adults to people recovering from surgery, navigating cancer treatment or living with dementia. Some simply don’t enjoy cleaning; others need help because life has become overwhelming.
Danielle shared the story of a client living with dementia who initially felt guilty having someone else clean, so she cleaned alongside Danielle. Over time, she became comfortable sitting down and letting Danielle take care of it.
Sometimes, accepting help isn't difficult because we don't need it—it's difficult because we're so accustomed to being the ones doing the work.
I asked Sage what she would say to someone who feels guilty about hiring someone else to clean their home.
“That’s what we’re here for,” she said. “We’re here to help.”
“This is an experience for them—not just a cleaning,” Danielle added.
Of course, I also learned a few things about the actual practice of cleaning. There’s a carpet rake for dog fur (Mocha, this is your moment!). Polishing stainless steel appliances makes a surprisingly big difference. And apparently, polishing the outside of an oven is a thing—which had never crossed my mind (hey - no judging!).
As I watched the team work, it was evident they genuinely enjoyed what they were doing. “Cleaning is therapeutic,” Danielle told me. “It relieves my stress. It washes my worries away.”
For Sage, the satisfying part comes at the end. She loves mopping and seeing the finished room—the transformation from before to after.
So Sage mopped the team out of my house.
“Be careful—it’s wet!” she called as she closed the door behind them.
Good advice. With my newly replaced knee, I wasn't about to ruin this experience with a slip and fall.
Here’s what surprised me the most: I came into this experience thinking I was getting a clean house. What I didn’t expect was a reinvigorated love of my home.
With knee surgery, an empty nest and all the other changes this season has brought, I’ve had plenty to adjust to. Having someone else take care of something as routine as cleaning reminded me that I don’t have to do everything myself.
I also didn’t realize how much a little help with the physical things around me could ease some of the mental weight. I felt lighter. Relieved. Grateful. I had tears in my eyes as I thanked the cleaning team.
Knee surgery and an empty nest have forced me to slow down and rethink some things. Maybe accepting a little help is one of them.