Having two kids meant a lot more cleanup for my husband and me, even in our small apartment. And then we got a puppy, and things got out of control.

We're usually very neat, as in I'm the kind of person who labels absolutely everything, but once the puppy came, all of that went out the window. It was impossible for us to keep up with pet dander (despite dusting all the time) and since our puppy was still just training, accidents were unavoidable—and from what dog owners tell me, don't go away even after the puppy years. Between taking care of the kids, cooking meals, and going to work, my husband and I knew we needed some help. When a neighbor told us about Handy, an affordable cleaning service that matches you with vetted cleaning Pro's in your area, (covered in pet fur and magic marker) we were more than ready to give it a shot.

We had lots of questions and requirements before entirely taking the plunge. We were looking for someone who was super reliable and qualified, and who would come about once a month to give the entire apartment a deep clean to help us keep up with all of the maintenance. After having our second daughter, we had looked into some other cleaning services, but were dissatisfied with how unprofessional it seemed—we couldn't find any info on any of the cleaners, and they were extremely unhelpful over the phone. I thought we had given up on the idea, but then came the puppy. Browsing Handy's site, I was impressed with their background checks on all professionals, customer ratings, and their Happiness Guarantee. It was nice to know that if we didn't get what we expected, they would send someone else at no cost.

We ended up booking a pro through Handy based on consumer reviews—a woman who appeared to be very well liked by her customers, didn't have any allergies to pets, and who was available on the days and times that worked for us. It was very easy to book everything online, where we could also manage payment, tipping, and rescheduling, instead of having to call the service during the workday. My pro kept me updated in the hours before my first cleaning, and showed up right on time! I loved that I was able to request the same Pro to come every month, since we were so impressed with how throughout the cleaning was, and really felt like we could trust him. Honestly, no other cleaner has ever done such a good job on our floors. When I came home from work and picking up our kids from daycare at the end of the day, I could tell right away that much of the dust from fur and dander had been cleared, since it wasn't the first thing I noticed. Giving the place a closer look, I couldn't believe how fresh and clean everything felt—it was like finally taking a breath of air after years of clutter.

I received a free cleaning from Handy in exchange for giving an honest review, but I loved the service so much that now my husband and I are looking into signing up for a monthly cleaning plan. Getting a cleaning each month would help make a huge difference since the clutter and dust won't accumulate as much. That way, even when our puppy does have an accident—though we're trying really hard to train him!—we know that smells won't linger on our floors and carpets, because a cleaning pro will give them a proper scrub down on a regular basis. Our lives are hectic enough, so it's nice to know that Handy is one thing we can definitely feel relaxed about.

Update: The folks at Handy are extending a Special Offer to our readers. For a limited time follow this link to get a special offer on a cleaning plan!