Light housekeeping is the everyday tidying that keeps a home comfortable to live in: the dishes, the laundry, the surfaces, the bed. A companion does it with the person or for them, in an hour or two, so the small jobs never pile up into a big one. It is non-medical, everyday help, from someone you choose.
What a visit looks like
Dishes done and put away. A load of laundry washed, folded, and back in the drawer. The kitchen counters wiped, the bed made with fresh sheets, the plants watered. The kind of hour that makes a home feel looked after again.
Some people like to work alongside and hand over the pegs. Others would rather sit with a cup of tea while it gets done. Either way, the companion follows the person's way of doing things: their drawers, their folding, their kitchen.
What a companion does
- Washing up and putting dishes away
- Laundry, folding, and changing the bed
- Wiping kitchen counters, tables, and the bathroom sink
- Light sweeping, vacuuming, and taking out the rubbish and recycling
- Tidying a room, watering plants, and sorting the post into a pile
- Small jobs the person points to, such as a light bulb or a smoke alarm battery within reach
What a companion does not do
- Deep cleaning, moving heavy furniture, or anything on a ladder
- Cleaning up after a medical or hygiene incident, or handling anything with blood on it
- Hoarding clear-outs, or throwing away anything the person has not agreed to
- Going through drawers, papers, or belongings the person has not asked them to touch
- Pest control, mould, repairs, or anything that needs a tradesperson
Saheli is non-medical. Companions do not replace family, nurses, doctors, or personal support workers. They add something different: human presence.
On every visit, whatever the service, a companion does not provide:
- Counselling or therapy
- Advice about health, treatment, diet, legal matters, or money
- Lifting or transferring someone who cannot bear their own weight
- Handling money or signing documents
- Nursing or medical care, including injections, wound care, or monitoring a health condition
- Administering medication. A companion does not give, measure, sort, or apply it, or decide anything about it. Reminders for a plan already set are fine
- Anything that needs a regulated health professional
For anything medical, speak to a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. In an emergency, call 911.
Who this is for
People who want their home kept up without doing all of it themselves, and families who want to know the place is comfortable.
At home
Someone for whom the housework has become heavy
Bending to the oven, carrying the laundry basket, standing at the sink. When the jobs that used to take an hour take a day, a companion takes them on, and the person keeps their home the way they like it.
For a younger person
A household caring for a child with additional needs
When the day goes to appointments and routines, the washing and the dishes wait. A companion keeps the home running so the family's hours go where they are needed. They tidy around the household, and take no part in caring for the child.
Recovering
Someone home after a hospital stay, a procedure, or an illness
Rest is the job. A companion keeps the kitchen usable and the bed fresh while the person gets their strength back, and follows any instructions the family has been given about lifting or exertion.
For families and caregivers
A family that cannot keep up with it all
You visit when you can, and the visit becomes the housework. A companion you choose does the tidying in between, so your time there is spent with the person, not the sink.
Living with a disability
Someone who manages most things and needs a hand with some
Reaching a high shelf, changing a duvet cover, carrying the recycling down. A companion does the parts that are hard and leaves the rest alone.
Everyday help
Someone who would rather do it together
Housework is quicker and less lonely with two. A companion works alongside, the person stays in charge, and there is conversation while the kettle boils.
A comfortable home
Someone whose home has quietly slipped
Dishes in the sink, a bed not changed in a while, post in a pile. A companion brings it back to comfortable without judgement, and keeps it there with a regular visit.
How it works
- 01
Browse companions
Use the filters to find people who fit your language, community, and needs.
- 02
Choose who feels right
Review companions and decide who you want to meet. Nobody gets assigned to you.
- 03
Agree on the details
You and the companion set the visits, tasks, and hourly rate before care starts.
Companions who offer this
Each companion sets their own hourly rate, and you see it before you book.
Dedicated caregiver with a passion for supporting seniors age with dignity.
I enjoy spending meaningful time with people through friendly conversations, including regular telephone conversations, listening to their stories, go…
I’m passionate about helping others, building meaningful connections, and creating a safe, welcoming environment.
A warm, caring, and dependable companion dedicated to person-centered care.
I’m a caring, patient, and reliable person with a PSW background and a degree in psychology.
I am Dedicated and compassionate Personal Support Worker with over 2 years of experience providing high-quality, patient-centered care.
Questions
Is this a cleaning service?
No. It is everyday tidying done by a companion during a visit, often alongside conversation or a shared cup of tea. For deep cleaning, carpets, ovens, windows, or a whole-house clean, book a cleaning company.
Who provides the cleaning products?
The household does. The companion uses what is in the home, the way the person likes it used. If something is running low, the companion will say so, and many companions also offer errands.
Will the companion move things or throw things away?
Not without being asked. A companion tidies what they are shown and puts things back where they live. They do not go through drawers or papers, and they never throw away anything the person has not agreed to.
Can the companion help with a lot of clutter?
They can help keep a home tidy visit by visit. A large clear-out, or a home that has become unsafe to move around in, needs a family decision and sometimes a specialist service. A companion is not that service.
How long does a housekeeping visit take?
Most are one to two hours, often combined with companionship or a meal. You and the companion agree what a visit covers before it starts, and the companion is paid for their time.
What does light housekeeping cost?
Each companion sets their own hourly rate for light housekeeping, shown on their profile before you book. Saheli adds a service fee as its own line before checkout, and the companion keeps their full rate.
Find care that feels like family
Browse vetted companions, matched on language and the traditions that already feel like home.