Leave these tasks in the hands of professionals for the sake of your wallet, well-being and sanity. To keep your home running efficiently, you need a clear household chore list. That much is a given. You may likely complete the basics, for instance cooking and cleaning, yourself, providing you have the time, inclination and wherewithal (but be sure to place a price on your time).
It’s also possible to manage the household budget in the event you set your mind to it, and prepare your individual taxes, with the help of a tax software program like TurboTax, as long as they’re not too complex. However, there are numerous other chores – daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal – that you may want to think about outsourcing, for just about any number of reasons.
You should hire a pro for the following chores and tasks:
Did the fridge die? Is the dryer no longer working? Toilet out of order? Sure, if you’re handy you could attempt to figure out things on your own (especially if you’re fairly certain what went wrong), however this is one area where if you mess things up, you could possibly end up owing a whole lot more than if you’d hired a pro initially.
Walking the dog
Why: Frequency of walks
Dogs typically need to go outside many times a day. What are you going to do – race home from work and do it yourself? Unless you’re working from your home or have a super-flexible schedule, consider hiring a professional dog walker. To find one in your area, try DogWalker.com; hourly rates vary from $15 to $30. With this chore handled it will assist you to be a little more productive in the office and alleviate feelings of guilt when you have to work late. Plus, your dog will be happy!
Dry cleaning
Why: Success rate
Yes, there are inexpensive dry-cleaning kits on the market, but the effectiveness and amount of treatments vary by brand. Moreover, success rates seems to be questionable by many accounts. Leave it to the pros! However, check out the label on your garment to determine whether dry cleaning is even required.
Yard work/landscaping
Why: Safety reasons
This is something you should outsource, in particular, for those who don’t have the knowledge to take care of everything how the professional would. And, as an FYI, it’s also a good option to engage someone to clean the gutters, power-wash the house or do anything that will require a ladder. Safety first.