What to give cleaning lady for Christmas?
The holiday season is a time when we’re able to all show our appreciation for loved ones, friends, colleagues, and staff. But for many, the question of what to buy service staff who help care for your home or family can be a difficult one. What’s appropriate? Is something expected? We’re here to help as always! We decided to do a survey to hear from our housekeeping staff, and the following are our findings.
Gift cards
This is a great way to help your housekeeper or cleaning lady feel appreciated. All of our team members brought this up, especially as it is more safe to carry than cash. This was the most popular gift idea, as it was more personal for the team, and gave them the option to buy for themselves or their loved ones. Audy, house cleaner from our San Francisco team said, “When it comes to Christmas gifts, I always prefer a gift card. It feels so special to receive, and then I get to go shopping with it, and buy something I love! I’m always thankful for it.”
Popular suggestions: Amazon, Target, Lululemon, Visa Gift Card, Lush. Starbucks, Walmart.
Cash
A monetary gift is often appropriate, and highly appreciated. Many of our longtime customers give an extra tip for the holidays -- often 50-100% of the cost of a normal appointment. This is for their cleaning teams that have been with them throughout the year, and it makes the teams feel appreciated. They are often able to do more with it, and when combined with a thoughtful note, can mean a lot during their holiday season. But it was just as popular as it was unpopular with our teams, a bit of a mixed bag, as some found it a bit impersonal. Ana, house cleaner from our Peninsula team in San Carlos said, “Cash is always welcome, we appreciate everything we are given. We love our jobs, and knowing it’s appreciated really gives a good feeling.”
Flowers
This was an idea from our San Francisco cleaning team. Giving a house cleaner flowers and a thoughtful note is a wonderfully kind and meaningful gesture, especially around the holiday season. The act of presenting your housekeeper with a small bouquet (or leaving it on the table for them), whether it's a vibrant bundle of poinsettias, a classic arrangement of pink roses, or a cheerful mix of seasonal flowers, it conveys your appreciation for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. The personal touch of including a heartfelt note, expressing your gratitude lets them know that their efforts do not go unnoticed. This was also a mixed bag for our team, as they found it very thoughtful and sweet, more-so with the nice note attached. They were asked which flowers they found the nicest, for this, and sunflowers, lilies, daisies, and other “friendly flowers” topped the list!
Small thoughtful gifts
This was a suggestion from Guillermina, house cleaner from Peninsula team in San Carlos. Getting smaller, thoughtful gifts can also be a great way to show your appreciation. It can be as simple as a handwritten note on nice paper (bonus if they are ESL, and you use their mother language!). It can be delightful to read something so kind about what they do. Other suggestions were:
- Spa candles from Yankee Candle, etc
- A bath set with bath bombs
- Scented soaps or lotions, the team is a big fan of Lush!
- A foot bath, which can help them relax after a long day
- A kitschy mug, we love funny mugs to use at the office!
- Avoid home baked goods where you can due to allergies, or food intolerances- buying wrapped food with ingredients lists is the most helpful!
"Something to do with work"
This was a suggestion put forth by Angela, house cleaner from East Bay team, in Oakland! We have some great gift ideas that will help them at their job, and show them that you truly do see them and what they do. "There are many small items that our teams use daily on the job, and getting some of these is really helpful for us!" said Angela. We asked the team for some more suggestions, and this was what they thought:
- A Stanley cup or water bottle with a straw can be very helpful as a gift giving idea, especially during their first year in your employ.
- A pair of bluetooth headphones to help them get work done whilst listening to their tunes or a podcast, and to answer calls hands free.
- If you’re able to, barefoot sneakers are a godsend to people who work in the service industry.
- Know their pant size, or are able to guess it? Get them some heavy duty sports leggings. A lot of housekeepers prefer to wear them to clean.
- A kitschy bag to help carry their supplies - bonus if it has something cute like “Dust Whisperer”, or “Best Housekeeper”.
Please remember, these are just ideas! No matter what you get, the teams are thankful to be thought of during this time of year. BerryClean cleaning teams love what we do, and love working with each of our clients in order to care for their homes and families. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you, and we wish you all a Happy Holiday Season, and a wonderful New Year.