Friday night was cold and misty with low temperatures and a promise of snow. The few gallery opening didn’t seem promising. I stayed home and cleaned my living room and dining room. I was tempted to text the detective but I chose not seek temptation. Another chapter in the life of an urban gay man. Doesn’t that sound like a fun time for a single guy on Friday night?
Saturday was cold again. I managed to clean the kitchen and family room, put up a few holiday decorations, hit the gym and fix a nice dinner. After dinner, I was once again thinking about the detective but managed to avoid texting him. It was best he stay on his side of town. It was to be another Saturday night of Netflix. At least I had a clean house with some holiday cheer even if I was to only one to enjoy it.
This morning, my neighbor, Sheila, dropped off an extra copy of the New York Times that had been delivered to her house. Sheila told me she decided to splurge on a housekeeper in the coming year. She was disappointed to find out the cheapest service was $500 a week, which covered the cost of four maids for two hours. When did housekeepers’ salaried rise to over $60 per hour? Sheila has a three bedroom house with three bathrooms just at 3,000 square feet. It seems to be another case of price gouging. People assume if you live in a neighborhood where all the new homes come with seven figure price tags, you have the same income as those building expensive homes. Granted most of the existing residents are sitting on a pile of equity as a result of a relentless rise in house prices in the central city neighborhoods. I’m guessing few can afford to pay $2,000 a month to have a house cleaned.
Sheila decided not to hire the housekeeper. She will continue to clean her house as I do. Instead, she’ll splurge at Nordstrom.
The Corporate Slave 
$500/week? WTeverlovinF? do it yourself (if you are so inclined). me, I’mma secret slob; I ain’t no martha stewart.
Maybe I should move to Denver when I retire and become a maid.
AM – I hear ya.
MC54 – I used to pay $50 a week to have my house cleaned. There’s no way I’d pay $500 a week.
$500 a week is crazy. Most people I know are paying $75-100. 3000 sf not a mansion.
Rob – I thought it was excessive too.
I doubt any of the maids are getting $60 per hour. Probably the service company is taking half the price, if not more.
OL – That is probably true.
I want a maid, I’d have to pay her with eggs and tomatoes.
At least you can pay her.
Please! I will hire them in a heartbeat !
I’m in Littleton and I’m paying 100 a week for 3 beds, a bath and a half and so on…
Barb – I think because most of the new houses are in the $3 -$5m range the prices are hacked up.