7 household tasks the upper class hire out—that middle-class families still insist on doing themselves

Somewhere along the line, we got conditioned to believe that “doing it yourself” makes you more grounded, more virtuous, more… real.

And in a lot of ways, that belief has merit. There’s pride in scrubbing your own floors, fixing your own leaks, cooking your own meals.

But step into the homes of the upper class and you’ll notice something striking: the tasks that eat up middle-class evenings and weekends? They’re quietly outsourced without a second thought.

Let’s look at seven of them.

1. Deep cleaning

If you’ve ever spent a Saturday armed with bleach, rubber gloves, and a scrub brush, you know exactly how draining deep cleaning can be.

Upper-class households usually don’t go near it. They schedule recurring cleaning services, sometimes weekly, sometimes bi-weekly, to handle the dust, grime, and buildup. Floors shine, bathrooms sparkle, and kitchens reset themselves while the family is out doing… literally anything else.

Middle-class families often take pride in “rolling up their sleeves” and tackling it themselves. But when you step back, it’s interesting: those same hours could be spent building relationships, pursuing hobbies, or even just resting—luxuries the wealthy don’t think twice about protecting.

There’s also an energy shift that comes with outsourcing cleaning. When you walk into a spotless home, and you didn’t just spend half a day making it happen, you’re not already drained. You get to enjoy the space. That’s a luxury in itself.

2. Lawn care

Why is mowing the lawn still considered a rite of passage in middle-class neighborhoods?

In wealthier circles, manicured lawns are rarely DIY. Landscaping companies handle mowing, pruning, fertilizing, and seasonal upkeep. Many homeowners in the upper class see their outdoor spaces as an investment—something that not only looks good but also adds to property value.

For middle-class families, though, pushing that mower on a Sunday afternoon feels like tradition—part identity, part cost-saving measure. There’s almost a badge of honor attached to being “the guy who keeps his yard perfect.”

But if you’ve ever lost an entire weekend to weeding and trimming, you know the trade-off. As behavioral economist Dan Ariely has pointed out, we often undervalue our time because we’re too focused on visible savings.

You see the $100 you didn’t spend on landscapers, but you don’t see the lost time with family, the nap you didn’t take, or the creative project you never started.

3. Childcare driving

Here’s one that gets less attention: chauffeuring kids around.

Sports practice, dance lessons, playdates—middle-class parents spend hours every week in the car. It becomes almost a second job. Some surveys estimate parents in the U.S. spend between 5–10 hours a week just driving children to activities.

Upper-class households? They hire nannies, drivers, or after-school helpers to manage logistics. It’s not just about convenience—it’s about reclaiming energy. Parents get to be present for their kids’ big moments rather than burnt out from constant shuttling.

When I traveled in Europe a few years back, I noticed how common it was for even middle-income families there to pool resources for shared childcare support.

In cities like Copenhagen, it wasn’t unusual to see small groups of kids walking to school together with a neighborhood helper. It made me wonder if Americans cling harder to the idea of “doing it all yourself” than is really necessary.

We say we’re doing it “for the kids,” but often what children need most is parents who are present and not running on fumes.

4. Cooking

Yes, some wealthy people love cooking. But most aren’t cooking out of necessity. They hire chefs, subscribe to meal services, or rely on high-end takeout.

Meanwhile, the middle class treats nightly cooking as non-negotiable. There’s this unspoken cultural script: good parents cook, good spouses cook, good adults cook. It’s tied to ideas of tradition, family, and care.

But here’s the catch—cooking can be joyful when you have time. When it’s a rushed 7 p.m. scramble after work, it often feels like survival mode. That’s when nutrition suffers, tensions rise, and people start resenting the very ritual that’s supposed to bring families together.

I’ve mentioned before that habits around food say a lot about how we structure our lives. Outsourcing meals may look like indulgence, but sometimes it’s simply an acknowledgment of limited bandwidth.

Think about it: if your choice is between ordering from a healthy meal delivery service or eating another bowl of pasta because it’s quick, which one actually improves your life?

5. Home repairs

“Call a handyman? No thanks, I’ll fix it myself.”

That’s the middle-class default. It’s fueled by YouTube tutorials, hardware store weekends, and the idea that “real adults should know how to fix things.”

Upper-class households rarely DIY when the faucet drips or the drywall cracks. They hire experts immediately. Not because they can’t figure it out, but because their time is better spent elsewhere.

There’s actually a psychology term here: opportunity cost neglect. People often fail to account for what they’re giving up when they choose one activity over another.

Spending six hours fixing a leaky sink might save a service fee—but it might also cost you an entire day of rest or progress on a bigger goal.

I had a friend who spent three weekends in a row trying to repair a washing machine. Eventually, he gave up and called a repair service. The pro fixed it in under 30 minutes. When you add it up, those three wasted weekends were far more expensive than the repair bill.

6. Grocery shopping

If you’re middle-class, chances are you (or someone in your household) makes at least one weekly trek to the grocery store. For many, it’s more frequent.

Upper-class families? Delivery apps, personal assistants, or grocery concierge services are the norm. They see grocery shopping for what it often is: time-consuming logistics.

I’ll be honest—when I switched to doing most of my shopping online, I realized how many hours I’d been losing wandering store aisles. Sure, it costs a little more, but the mental load it removes is huge. You’re no longer making 50 micro-decisions about cereal or laundry detergent. You just reorder.

And there’s a ripple effect. Studies suggest decision fatigue—when your brain tires from making too many choices—can affect your self-control and productivity later in the day. By outsourcing grocery shopping, the wealthy aren’t just saving time, they’re protecting their cognitive bandwidth.

7. Laundry

Here’s the one that gets me. Laundry is endless. It multiplies when you’re not looking.

Middle-class households typically handle it in-house: sorting, washing, folding, repeating. It’s just “part of life.” There’s even a cultural script around it—“nobody likes laundry, but everyone has to do it.”

Upper-class families? They send it out. Wash-and-fold services, dry-cleaning pickups, even in-home staff. The task is practically invisible in their daily routines.

And honestly, it makes sense. Laundry isn’t just time-consuming—it’s mentally draining. You’re never really “done” with it. Outsourcing removes an entire category of stress from daily life.

When I lived in a small apartment in L.A., I started using a local wash-and-fold service once a week. At first, it felt indulgent. But after a month, I realized I wasn’t living with that constant, nagging “pile of clothes” in my head. That mental clarity was worth way more than the cost.

The bottom line

What we’re really talking about here isn’t just chores—it’s mindset.

The wealthy don’t see outsourcing as indulgence. They see it as optimization.

Middle-class families, on the other hand, are still attached to the idea that doing everything yourself is somehow more authentic. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s just exhausting.

So here’s the real question: what’s your time worth to you? And are you willing to challenge the stories you’ve been told about what you “should” be doing yourself?

Because once you do, you may discover that freedom isn’t always found in working harder—it’s often found in letting go.