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From what I've heard, referral is really the way to go. I say this even though a huge chunk of my inheritance is tied up in a professional cleaning service.

If your housekeepie says that he/she is bonded, ask for a certificate of insurance from them. Tuck that away in case they steal your antique crystal sex toys. You will be able to file a claim (assuming they kept their bond in force). If you have lots of delicate stuff and are worried about breakage, ask for a certificate of general liability insurance.

I wouldn't worry about bonding and GL insurance. Neither of those actually protects anything, they just enable you to get reimbursed if something is stolen/gets broken. If your housekeepie is in business for themselves and doesn't have employees, bonding is really just something that is going to drive up their costs to you. Better that you just find someone that you trust. If you have lots of delicate and breakable stuff, go ahead and get a professional service - chances are that the $15-$25 more an hour won't be a problem in that case.

Guilt keeps me from hiring a house cleaner. I feel like I should be able to do it all myself. I wish I hadn't been such an asshole about this for the past year - I haven't been around much and the cleaning chores have seriously cut into Foo's relaxation time. If I were a girlfriend of merrit, I would have had a housekeeper out there every other week. At least Foo would have had company since I've only been around two days a month.