Perks. They are sortof a bloggers best friend and worst nightmare.
How can I be so blunt about this?
Because it’s the truth. I find it very easy to be blunt about the reality of situations. And the honest to goodness truth is that bloggers sometimes are offered things, products and services that normal non-blogging folks don’t. Does that make said blogger a bad person? Does that mean that the blogger is greedy, dishonest or writing only for the gifts? Nope. Not even a little.
And this comes from a girl that decided to do blogging for a couple years without taking freebies. been there. done that whole purist blogging thing. I know both sides of this coin, y’all.
The truth is this – I have a responsibility to be honest…especially so when I am recommending something or someone that my readers might fork over their hard earned cash for. And because Jesus is watching and his homeboy Matthew worked for the Roman IRS if you know what I mean…so I choose to be very careful with the perks I choose and the ones I decide to pass on. Sometimes a perk is just not worth the grief you get.
so…all that being said, I was offered one honking large freebie. A BIG ONE in my book. I was offered a window cleaning service.
The crazy thing about the whole arrangement was that it was a thank-you gift. A ‘we-appreciated-you-doing-a-giveaway-for-us’ type freebie. And they didn’t even ask for a post or a link in return. At that point, I was like um-yeah-sure-you-can-clean-for-me-do-you-also-babysit?!
So as sortof a late Mother’s Day gift (that’s what Jer and I called it), we welcomed the Fish Cleaning Company into our home to wash those big ole high windows of ours.
Don’t mind the mess guys…that’s just my socks and underwear sitting out.
It was actually really exciting slash terrifying. The first crew arrived at 9 in the morning….yes, I was still wearing my jammies. And they started on the outside of the house…on these HUGE ladders. I literally was shrieking when I went outside. It was like I was watching a circus performer without a net…sweat was puddling in my socks. I wish I was exagerating but just the thought of climbing on a step stool gets my heart pumping so fast, I consider it a workout.
And then when they finally lost about five pounds of water from sweating in this heat finished up out there, they moved inside. Some fun things to note – they were here pretty much all day. They cleaned something like 85 standard size panes of glass inside and out. (!!!) They offered to put any new bulbs in my chandeliers that burned out. They wore cute little shoe covers (I am sure the house got their covers more dirty than they could have done to our house!). They were super thorough. And super considerate (while Will was napping, they didn’t even talk when they were upstairs so they wouldn’t wake him.)
I must say that the most impressive thing about the entire experience took place in this bathroom. See that arched window up top? Remember when it had that crazy sticker thing on it that looked like stained glass? And I used every industrial sticky-stuff remover under the planet?
Well, there were still three quarter-sized dots that I could not for the life of me get off. See them? They are slightly lighter than the rest of the blackness. THEY GOT THEM OFF! Yes. After I spent HOURS scraping those things with a straight razor to no avail, the Fish guys got my window fully clean. It was literally a miracle. I may or may not have clapped like a seal for three straight minutes.
But really – the reason I am sharing all this with you is because of Will.
Now that the guys have come and cleaned, he is obsessed with washing windows. And these photos are just too darn cute not to show the grandparents 🙂
They let him help (if you can call it that?!) and now I am googling where I can buy toddler-sized squeegies.
That’s Mike – he’s the guy-in-charge over at the local Fish Window Cleaning branch and he was oh-so-patient with Will. Even when Will decided to clean the same windows over and over and over, etc.
Overall – I can’t tell you about how awesome an experience it was. I raved about it so much that my mom even called and is having her windows cleaned. It’s funny because I never realized how terribly dirty our windows were until they got cleaned! Plus, the guys were able to let me know if any of my double-paned windows had faulty seals…so now when we go to replace them, I can get a quote for all of them instead of paying separate charges for all four of them.
After it was all said and done, I asked Mike for some more information because I can’t tell you how HIGHLY I recommend this service. Here’s what I gathered from our conversation…
- The average house (like two stories or a ranch) has around 25-40 panes (our old house had 26 if you need a comparison) and costs about $140 to $200 to get the windows cleaned with the screens INSIDE AND OUT
- Fish offers add-on services – like pressure washing (if you have a small stoop or porch, it would be worth it to just get that cleaned too for cheaper than you can rent the machine and do yourself!), and gutters and chandeliers and ceiling fans.
- They also can quote for construction cleaning (for those of you in the middle of big overhauls) and can clean hardwater stains
- They offer quotes with outside only and inside&out…so if you can reach everything on the inside but your outsides are just too high (and you are too scared to get on a ladder like me!) then it’s worth getting a quote.
- Oh and that’s the other thing – Free Quotes. Yup – you can call em up and they will give you an estimate. Like my mom did and she told them that she can clean all her sun-room windows but everything else needed a good washing so they are doing her house (it’s almost the same size as ours but with less windows) for $240.
Thanks Mike for your team’s hard work – it truly was a pleasure! And if you are interested in getting a quote – click here.
p.s. I redid a mirror in my favorite shade over at Wayfair! Check it out!
I wish I lived nearby! We have a three-story house and although I would get up on a ladder (my husband is afraid of heights), we don’t have a ladder quite that tall. AND they do gutters? AND change high bulbs? Be still, my beating heart. Ask Mike if he has a brother in Oregon…
Katie I wouldn’t feel bad for taking a freebie, especially one so awesome. I hate cleaning so I’d be right there with ya!
Oh my lordy, Will is the cutest little thing! The picture of him standing in front of the van like he OWNS it – melts my beating heart.
I would love a window washer. Too bad we live in Texas!
You clapped like a seal – hahaha.
I haven’t been on you blog in a couple of weeks – I have sooo much catching up to do!
OMG Will is so stinking cute cleaning those windows!! And what nice guys to let him “help”. I couldn’t help but giggle at the pic of him through the window with his cap and squeegie. Love it!
You always crack me up. Looks like an awesome job!
How nice!!! I bet your whole house just feel clean all the time now. Nothing beats a clear view through a cystal clean window!
Those pics of Will are priceless =)
Do they travel out of state? HA! 🙂 Sounds awesome:)
It takes a special type of person, especially a man, to put up with a toddler who’s interested in their job! Way to go guys!! I’d have to hire someone too if I had windows like yours!! Our windows aren’t nearly that challenging and I still hate ’em. I wonder if they’d come do my windows in Missouri?!? 😉
Great updated mirror on Way Fair. Love that green!
Holy cheapness!! Those are some crazy good prices!
I laughed out loud at the photo of Will in front of the van. His face says, “Last photo, Mom. I gotta go to work!”
neat! my husband is a window cleaner here in Texas. it was cool reading your response to their work. 🙂
I have ZERO problem with bloggers (like you) that I trust taking the perks. You are a pregnant lady, with a 2 year old and ALOT of windows. 🙂 Take, Take, Take in my opinion.
Ive learned over the years that sometimes things that you THINK cost alot of money…really dont. Two years ago my husband was away during one of the last ‘leafy fall’ weeks…and I didnt want him spending the entire weekend when he got home doing yard cleanup. So I called a landscaping company to come give me an estimate to do our back yard. Not huge, but we have like 4 maple trees out there. It would have taken my husband probably 4-5 hours of work to do it himself ( I was very pregnant then). They came and did the back yard for like 175 bucks. TOOOOTTTALLY worth it in my opinion. My husband would still prefer to do it himself (pride plus hes a bit of a cheapy 🙂 but I honestly thought it would be over 300 or so for it to be done. It took them 45 minutes and they removed the leaves from the property instead of us having 20 lawn bags at the end of our driveway for weeks.
I’ll always get a quote for big labor intensive jobs now before saying ‘I bet its too much money’.
XO Lynn
Your little window cleaner is quite precious! No shame in that game of taking a freebie–you’d be crazy not to!!:)
omg, Will is so cute cleaning the windows.
I woulda jumped on that offer, as well, and we have waaay fewer windows. And all at ground level.
Katie!
I just started reading your blog, and by reading I mean I went back into your archives and are reading every post you’ve ever written! The tips that you share are incredibly insightful and useful. The courage that you’ve displayed has helped me find my own inner strength. You have a beautiful family, and I hope that you continue to be blessed!
THEY ARE ALSO IN NC?!?!?!?! Holy smokes. They’re getting a call from me TODAY! Thanks, KB!! This sounds phenomenal. Think they’d be patient with a 26-year-old that wanted to have fun with a squeegie?
Taking free services in exchange for writing about them is definitely a personal choice (neither good or bad, right or wrong). From a personal standpoint one of the main reasons I don’t do it is the tax reporting requirement regarding bartering. I’m guessing the IRS doesn’t give that much of a hoot about smaller items, but I’m more concerned with opening the door to larger items on a regular basis. I’m sure there are plenty of bloggers who see the benefit outweigh the hassle of having to track barters though.
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc420.html
Do you want to know what I did when I saw this post? I did the pee pee dance only it wasn’t because I had to pee. It was because I was excited that you posted a new post. Well I didn’t do it physically. I did it my head. I’m parked waiting to pick up my son from school. If I were at home or in a flash mob I totally would have done it;). You also want to know what’s great? I haven’t even read it. That’s how excited I am about it. Just thought I would let you know!
Yess!!! I’m the first to comment. Well at least before you moderate.
P.S. my fists are still pumping from my so-called mental pee-pee dance.
I love reading your blog. Not only for your great tips but mainly for your humor! Why? Because nothing is better than being able to laugh, giggle or smile in our sometimes mundane life. Today you didn’t only make me laugh but you sure made me smile at those ABSOLUTELY adorable pictures of Will window cleaning! I see a business in his future…Will the Window Cleaner! The pics remind me of when my now 10 year old was that little and cute! Enjoy every minute of his adorableness! Thanks for the laughs, giggles and smiles!
Actually they are national – so they probably have a branch to service your area 🙂
xo – kb
They have branches all over the country – so it’s worth asking about a local one to you.
xo – kb
I agree with Vanessa 100%! And good for you on that fab freebie. Well worth it I’m sure. 🙂
As a fellow ‘house poor’ individual I fully encourage you to take free anything. I love the content on your blog and if someone will pay for your office bathroom remodel, all the power to you. Constantly renovating and remodeling is expensive and readers should not judge you for taking some amazing opportunities to improve your house and feed your blog.
Wow, I would think it would cost a lot more than that to have that done! I will have to look them up and see if there is one in my area!
Just looked them up and they do have one here in the Buffalo area!!!! I will have to call for an estimate!!
Cool! Wish they worked overseas as well!
I could literally feel your excitement over the darn windows getting washed in this post – sounds like a gem of a company! We need more like them in this world! Even though I’m not in a location where I could hire them, Fish was simply fun to read about. Love how they treated Will, too!
Picturing you clapping like a seal for 3 minutes made me laugh out loud!
omg, hilarious!!! 🙂
Sounds like such a wonderful company!!!! I wouldn’t worry at all about accepting freebies!!!!! That is one reward you are able to receive from your hardwork and dedication to your blog!!! A lot of people probably get “perks” from their jobs, they are just not as cool as the ones you receive!!! For example, I’m a teacher so the other day I got to take home some old glitter that we were getting ready to throw out. I was so happy. Yep see…..not near as cool as the ones you get, haha, so be proud girl! 🙂
“taste the rainbow with me”!!!!!
Katie you are so awesome! Your brain is just pure genius!!! I would love to taste the rainbow with me and btw that color green, THAT color green … THAT COLOR GREEN is my favorite color!!
That’s it you and me are soul mates! I knew it! It’s decided, our kids look alike and we love the same color, we are bffs!
haha!
Hooorraaaaay for the CLEAN WINDOWS!!! I am relieved to know you (or Jeremy) won’t be climbing so high to clean them – and I’m sending a HIGH FIVE to the guys who did clean them – great job, especially the guy who had patience to be helped by Will 😉
First of all, let me start by saying “thank you” for posting pics with your laundry sitting in a chair so that we know you are like those of us (me!) who sometimes (read: all too often!) have a less than perfect house!
One of the most important factors in doing business with anyone who’s going to be in my house is how they treat my two toddlers. It’s so lovely to see the pics and read about how great they were with Will. It’s a HUGE plus on top of doing such great work.
Thanks for yet another great post! 🙂
As long as you disclose, I don’t see a problem with freebies. I don’t like it when blogs (not yours!) seem like a constant promo or sneaky. And $200 kind of makes me excited because my windows and screens are looking quite dirty…..
I live in Portland, Maine and we use Fish for our window cleaning at work, they really are nice guys and do a great job. Also, it would have been plain silly to turn this one down!
Katie, Ever since yours and another bloggers reviews on FISH I finally called them this week. They are here now and I can tell you here in NY this company is nothing like the FISH you got!!!! It was supposed to be two guys but only one showed up. He reeks of cigarettes AND lights up every time he steps outside! No booties, no consideration and nothing like the people you had!!! My house has more windows then walls and I was so excited to try them but I guess the bloggers get the white glove treatment 🙁
(in no way do I blame you though ! That would make noooo sence lol But people should know not to expect the same awesome service you received)
Boo. I am so sorry Heather. I think it must be a local thing because our branch was great to both me and my mom (who called independently of me and didn’t claim any relation) and she isn’t a blogger…maybe you just got the bad apple experience in the bunch. I will pass along your comment though to the folks at FISH so they know!
xo – kb
Awesome Post Katie ! and cleaning service of fishing is really great. thanks for sharing this.