-Love unconditionally.

-Stay in the moment.

-Treat yourself.

-Forgive.

-Help others.

-Sometimes, it is ok to break the rules. Life is short.

-Go potty when you have the opportunity.

-Grandparents are just cooler parents.

-Take walks.

-Enjoy nature. Go to a park.

-Snuggle when you can.

-Celebrate diversity.

-Get dirty. It’ll wash off.

-Play. 🙂

-The mail can be kind of scary.

-Protect what matters to you.

-Go to the doctor at least once a year.

-Take your meds (even if you have to put them in cheese).

-New people aren’t all bad.

-Age doesn’t change spirit. Only you can do that.

As a professional cleaner and organizer, I admit it–I can be a little anal. I’ve started to realize that everyone sees organization differently and just because they do, doesn’t mean they are wrong.

My husband has enough t-shirts to clothe all of America. Trying my best to live minimally, as well as save space in our smaller house, it annoys me to death. He loves his t-shirts, but I don’t see them as useful since he doesn’t wear all of them frequently. To him, it is less about function and more about sentiment.

My husband organizes his closet by color. The celebrity organizers on Netflix’s “The Home Edit” would be proud, since they organize similarly. I organize mine by function: short sleeve, long sleeve, dressier shirts, etc. Our systems both work for us.

If you want to become more organized, find out what best works for you. It might not be what best works for me, but I am more than willing to provide my suggestions. It is your home and your things, not mine. I do think that everyone could probably benefit from donating or throwing out some of their things, but it is not ultimately up to me. To quote Marie Kondo, if it “sparks joy” for you, then it isn’t my place (or anyone else’s) to say it doesn’t. The goal is to get your things to a level where you 1) know where they are 2) it doesn’t provide you or visitors with anxiety and 3) you can utilize your space the most efficiently.

Ladies, I am mainly looking at you. 😉

If I had a dime for every time a new client apologized for the state of their home or warned me or gave me tons and tons of explanations as to why their house is in disarray or is dirty, I would be very wealthy. lol

You do not owe me an explanation or a warning. I am not here to judge you. I am not going to go home and giggle and talk shit. I am here to HELP. Yes, I get paid to help, but that is because there is value in my assistance. That doesn’t mean I care any less about you as a person or think any differently of you.

There are so many reasons for why a home is cluttered or requires a good cleaning. My own house is cluttered and requires a good cleaning. Truly, I don’t care if there is a reason or not. You requested my help. I am here to provide that for you.

Stop the guilt and let’s get to work.

I am a HUGE people-pleaser and do poorly with confrontation. This had gotten worse at the start of my business. I tried so hard to make my clients happy that I sacrificed my own comfort, time, and happiness. Luckily, I realized this was a problem and am actively working on it.

I don’t take on clients that call me late at night. I don’t take on clients that tell me they have gone through several housekeepers–this says more about the client’s ability to communicate and their expectations than it does the previous housekeepers. I (try) not to overbook myself. I get tired. Cleaning is strenuous, physically. The more I try to overload my schedule, the less I enjoy my work and provide quality service to my clients. Many of you know that I donate to charities weekly, as part of the core of my business. I want to give back. I take suggestions from clients, but it is not guaranteed that I will donate to the suggested charities. For example, if a charity is suggested that doesn’t align with my values, I won’t do it. It is my business, with my vision for the future, and I won’t compromise my values to make a client happy.

At some of the big businesses I have worked for, I have been told the old adage that “the customer is always right”. There is some truth to respecting others’ perceptions and providing excellent customer service, but sometimes, people can be wrong. It is part of being human. It is okay to tell someone that they are wrong, as long as you can explain why and show proof. With this being said, I make a point of always assuming positive intent. That is something I learned after years of being a veterinary technician. Assume positive intent. If you do this, you are less likely to be so angry, disappointed, and resentful to others. Try to see things from all positive viewpoints before assuming the worst, but set boundaries or else you will burn out quickly.

The world has become more progressive, but ladies, we still have work to do.

When I started Auntie Liz, LLC, I received these questions: 1) Is your husband okay with this? 2) Won’t you get tired of doing this? 3) Won’t this affect your time that you could be spending with your husband? 4) Will this interfere with when you start a family?

Big oof. I can almost guarantee that these are not questions new, male business owners have to encounter. On the outside, maybe these questions seem harmless. I assure you, they are not. The following are my responses. They are undoubtedly salty, but ladies, we can’t get anywhere by catering conversations like these to the comfort of others anymore.

1. I am not beholden to my husband. We discuss big decisions together, as equals, and I decide what I will do from there. His opinion matters greatly to me, but he does not decide what I will do (and he knows and respects this). Ladies, you are NOT beholden to men. You are beholden to yourself.
2. I have cleaned houses since I started college. Why would owning a business suddenly cause me to develop a distaste for the work? Do you ask men this question?
3. My husband and I admittedly have a unique relationship. We both have varying interests that we pursue individually. We both enjoy autonomy. There are things we do together, but we don’t expect one another to spend all of our free time dedicated to each other. We grow side-by-side, not mutually dependent.
4. WHEN? Since I have a uterus, I am expected to have children? Big mistake. First of all, a woman’s plan for their future in regard to procreating is none of anybody’s business and I am tired of people thinking it is. For the record, both my husband and I do not wish to have children. Even if we did, I repeat my question from above, would you ask a man this question? What is it about being a woman that makes people think we can’t handle multiple responsibilities? Historically, we can and we do it with greater ease than men. I am in no way saying women are superior to men, but I find it particularly aggravating that there seems to be the thought that women just can’t deal.

How do we change conversations? This is not an easy question to answer. I think the best way to start is simply to question our thought processes. Ask yourself why you want to ask certain questions or why you expect an individual to fail. Is it based off of fact or perception or bias? Another way to incite change is to be the change. Make a conscious effort to support businesses that stand for things you care about; green alternatives, women-owned, black-owned, inclusive businesses, etc. I’ve found that, more often than not, the businesses in the following categories are usually small businesses. If you need recommendations for businesses in one or more of these categories, contact me. I will set you up. This is important. Be the change!

I have earned my MBA and completed a small amount of coursework for my doctorate in business administration. I own a small business. I have worked for an (embarrassingly) large amount of companies (big and small). Let me tell you some secrets. 1) It is NOT unprofessional to talk about your salary with other people. Learn where you stand, if there are any discrepancies, and demand more if necessary. Stand up for yourself. 2) This is especially accurate for big businesses, but if your company tells you that they can’t afford to pay you a living wage or provide you with benefits, they are lying or shouldn’t be in business. They 100% can and should. 3) One of the staples that they teach in college for business majors, especially future entrepreneurs, is that if you take care of your employees, your business will thrive. If you are at a company that doesn’t take care of you (in any way you consider necessary), leave. Now. Starting over or starting somewhere new causes all sorts of anxiety and feelings of instability, but my goodness, chances are you will not regret it. I have always been particularly risk-averse, so when I started my own business, I literally felt nauseous. My money, my time, my reputation was all on the line. I wouldn’t change this decision for the world. It has opened my eyes to a whole new world and made me such a happier person. After watching my dad work for a company he was miserable at for 40 YEARS of his life, only to have them lay him off after he suffered from heart problems, I am determined to never ever let that happen to me. Remember folks, family and your own health comes first. A good company to work for won’t question that.

Hear me out. I tell this to my clients all the time. Think about the way you do your laundry. Is it the same way your significant other or parent does their laundry? Chances are, probably not. Just as we are all unique individuals, we all think of cleanliness differently.

It is nearly impossible to hire a housekeeper and have them understand your cleaning preferences and style from their first visit. It takes time, just like with dating, to become accustomed to one another. And it may not be the right fit! The key to successful relationships, including with your housekeeper, is open communication. I tell my folks that if they aren’t comfortable telling me areas they wish me to improve upon, leave me a note or send me a text. I will never be angry or upset about this. If anything, open communication helps me better understand how I can improve and grow in my business. What makes my relationship with my husband successful is basically based off of the same principle. Give your housekeeper a chance and grow together.

Anyone that knows me, knows I love Pinesol. The Lavender-scented Pinesol is my favorite multi-purpose cleaning agent of all time. I hear repeated compliments from my clients on how great their home looks and smells after I mop with my violet-colored cleaner.

Grove or Mrs. Meyer’s products. I love sustainably-sourced products that are environmentally-conscious. It isn’t always easy to find these kind of products that WORK, however, which used to be a source of frustration for me. These two companies fit my needs.

Bleach. Sometimes, you need the hard stuff. I tend to use harsher chemicals like bleach only when necessity dictates. Bathrooms and stubborn stains are my main locales for using bleach. With COVID, many people prefer the hard stuff. Nothing wrong with that. Non-splash, scented bleach is my go-to. Very hard to get it on your clothing or surfaces you weren’t trying to get it on, as well as leaving your home not smelling like a pool.

Hope you enjoyed my first blog post. Make sure to follow me!