Why Booking the Right Amount of Cleaning Time Matters

A Guide to Managing Under-Booked Hours

At Inner Melbourne Maids, our hourly system allows you to choose exactly how many hours of cleaning you would like. Some customers book extra time to ensure everything is completed, while others intentionally book less than our recommended hours due to budget or a preference for a partial clean. If you book fewer hours than we advise for your home, you can still have a great experience by setting the right expectations and communicating effectively.

The Under-Booking Scenario

These tips only apply if you are booking fewer hours than what we typically recommend for sufficient cleaning. If you are already booking enough time, simply letting your cleaner know your key areas to focus on during the allocated time should be sufficient. However, when booking less time than recommended, it is important to manage expectations so that no one feels rushed, pressured, or disappointed.

What May Happen When You Book Less Than Our Recommended Hours?

A) The cleaner might try to rush and fit everything in.
Even if you don’t ask for a full-house clean, you might still provide a long list of high priority tasks. If the cleaner believes you expect all of them to be completed, they may work quickly, potentially missing details or skipping larger tasks, as they feel this is the most efficient way to utilise the limited time. They assume that covering more of your list will make you happier, as they are trying to complete as much as possible within the hours booked. This may lead you to feel that the cleaner didn’t do a quality job when, in reality, there simply wasn’t enough time to complete everything thoroughly.

B) The cleaner might maintain a steady pace, but complete less.
By not rushing, they give tasks proper attention but inevitably leave some areas or tasks undone.
While you may acknowledge that cleaning is a time-based service and not everything can be completed in limited hours, you may still feel disappointed or feel the cleaner was “too slow” and should have done more. However, in reality, cleaning is time consuming, and completing additional tasks simply wasn’t possible within the allocated time.

In both cases, the root issue isn’t that the cleaner is inexperienced (scenario A) or slow (scenario B); rather, it’s that less time was booked than the job requires, and neither party clarified what could realistically be completed.

How To Get The Most Out Of Booking Less Than Our Recommended Hours

When you know you’re booking less time than we advise, the key is to adjust expectations and work with your cleaner to plan what’s realistic.

1. Explain that you understand time is limited.
   Let your cleaner know upfront that you’ve booked less time than usual and don’t expect a full-house clean or for every item on your priority list to be completed. This reassurance helps your cleaner avoid rushing under false assumptions.

2. Ask your cleaner what’s feasible.
   You can provide a list of tasks, but be sure to make it clear that not everything may fit within the available time. Instead of assuming it’s all doable, you may say:
   “We only have X hours today. From this list, what do you think we can reasonably get done?”
   Your cleaner has hands-on experience and can advise which tasks can realistically be completed within the available booking time.

3. Prioritise together.
   Once you hear the cleaner’s perspective, decide jointly on the areas or tasks that matter most to you. This way, you’ll both be on the same page about what can be accomplished.

4. Stay flexible.
   If your cleaner suggests that certain tasks won’t fit into the session, consider leaving them for next time. Rotating areas over multiple visits can help you manage everything eventually, without needing longer bookings each time.

5. Remove the pressure.
   Make it clear you won’t be disappointed if not everything is finished. A relaxed, realistic approach usually results in better overall quality on the tasks that do get done.

Why We Mention This at Booking

We might let you know if the hours you’re booking are less than what we recommend for the size of your home. This isn’t about pushing you to select more hours—it’s about making sure you’re aware of what can and can’t be accomplished. We want you to have a good experience, and that starts with aligning your budget, your priorities, and the time it truly takes to clean.

Final Thoughts

• Booking less than our recommended hours can absolutely work if you only need a partial clean, or if you’re fine focusing on a few key areas at a time.
• The key is honest communication. By having a quick chat about what’s realistically achievable in the time you’ve booked, you’ll avoid frustration for both yourself and the cleaner.
• No extra steps are needed if you’re booking sufficient hours for a thorough clean—this guide is purely for those who choose to book less than what we advise.

As long as both you and your cleaner know what to expect, booking less than our recommended hours can still deliver a satisfying, high-quality result without anyone feeling rushed or short-changed.