Would you pay $40 towards home services to feel happier? And what if that $40 did not go
toward buying stuff but by offloading a dreaded household task, like cleaning your bathrooms?
You’d have a double bonus: shining sinks and a shot of serotonin.
Surprisingly, research backs up this scenario and even goes one step further by putting a dollar
value on happiness, something we’ve been told is impossible. One study shows that hiring
someone to take on household tasks like cleaning, laundry, yard work, and painting can give
you as much happiness as an $18,000 raise.[1] Why? Because most of us are so crunched for time
we neglect life-affirming activities (like spending time with loved ones or engaging in a
hobby), which means reclaiming even small pockets of time yields big emotional results.
But where should you start? The answer depends on you. What chores do you enjoy doing, and
what tasks do you procrastinate on? If being out in the sun with your hands in the soil makes
you feel connected to the earth, then keep on gardening. But if mountains of laundry send you
into avoidance mode until a clothing crisis hits, then you’ve found where you need to
outsource.
Here Are Other Ideas to Consider
1. Meal Prep and Grocery Delivery.
Do you hate cooking, or do you actually hate grocery shopping and food prep? If it’s the latter,
order your groceries online for curbside pickup and delivery, or go further with a meal prep
service like Blue Apron, Home Chef, HelloFresh, or others. These services deliver the recipe, the
ingredients (often pre-measured and prepared), and nutritional information, making it easy to
get a high-quality meal on the table in less time than it would take to order a pizza.
2. Yard Work.
If tending to your landscape sparks despair rather than joy, or if you have a black thumb instead
of a green thumb, hire professionals to do the (literal) dirty work. Your yard is a huge part of
your home’s curb appeal, so consider it an investment in your home’s value as well as a way to
buy back some time. And if there are only parts of yard work you’d rather avoid, like mowing
the lawn or raking leaves, there may be an enterprising young person in your neighborhood
who would do the work at a fraction of the cost of a landscaping company.
3. Housework
With the holidays coming up, you have meals to plan, decorations to put up, and gifts to
purchase, and more importantly, you may want to spend more time connecting with your
family and celebrating the joy of the season. With all that going on, does it matter who scrubs
the floors and washes the dishes? A housecleaning service can leave your home disinfected,
smelling fresh, and looking its best, leaving you relaxed and ready for guests. Note: Since
housecleaners will be in your house, perform due diligence before hiring a service. Make sure
they are reputable and highly rated by customers.
4. Professional Home Organizer
You probably can’t afford Marie Kondo, but if you struggle to find a place for everything (much
less get everything in its place), a home organizer can help you sort trash from treasure,
categorize items in a way that makes it easy to find what you need, and help you create more
storage, regardless of your home’s size.
5. Errands and Miscellaneous Tasks.
The gig economy has created a whole new labor force to handle even the smallest (but time-consuming) details of everyday life. Companies like TaskRabbit, Thumbtack, Angi, and more can
repair home appliances, install ceiling fans, assemble or move furniture, or even wait in line for
you at the DMV or for the latest hot merchandise drop. Basically, if it’s a task that takes time to
complete, there’s someone who will do it for you for a fee.
So, the next time you find yourself dreading a chore, flip the adage “time is money” to “money
is time,” and consider spending a little money to get time for the things you love.
Looking for home financing solutions in Omaha? You don’t need to pay someone to do that for you. Just reach out to Peoples Mortgage to discuss and we can discuss your options!
Sources:
[1] Harvard Business Review, “Time for Happiness,” January 24, 2019.