What to include when you post a Task
By the Momsity team · Updated
A good request answers five things: what needs doing, roughly where, when, what someone should know before saying yes, and what finished looks like. If a stranger could read it and picture the job, you've written enough.
Most requests that go unanswered aren't too long. They're too short. "Need help with laundry" leaves every question open, so the people who could help either skip it or have to ask before they can offer.
Start with what finished looks like
Describe the end state, not just the chore. "Cleaning" could mean a 20-minute wipe-down or a three-hour move-out scrub. "Kitchen and one bathroom, counters and floors, inside the microwave" is a job someone can price and plan.
If there's a part you care about most, say so. People will usually put the effort where you point them.
Instead of: “Need laundry done this week.”
Try: “Two loads: towels and sheets. Wash warm, tumble dry, fold. Sheets go back on the guest bed. I'll leave detergent out. Needs to be done by Thursday at 6 pm.”
Give a time window, not only a date
A date tells someone which day. A window tells them whether it fits around their own life. "Saturday, any time before 2" gets more yes answers than "Saturday" alone, because people can check it against what they already have going on.
Say whether the timing is fixed or flexible. A package that has to be dropped off before a return deadline is different from one that can go any day this week.
Public area vs. private address
On Momsity, the ZIP code and city are what let nearby MOMs find your Task, and that general area is what appears publicly. The street address goes in a separate private field that only you and the MOM you choose can see, after they're authorized for the Task.
Keep the description itself free of anything you wouldn't want on a public listing: no street numbers, building codes, or gate codes. Those can be shared in Task messages once someone is assigned.
Mention anything that changes whether someone can take it
These details often decide whether a person offers at all, so they belong in the first version of the Task, not in a message later:
- Stairs, a missing elevator, or a long walk from parking
- Anything heavy, bulky, or fragile
- Pets in the home, and whether they'll be loose
- Whether supplies are provided or need to be brought
- Whether a car is needed, and whether there's room to park
- Building rules, like checking in at a front desk or a lobby-only handoff
What to leave out
- Door codes, lockbox codes, alarm codes, and where a key is hidden. Share those privately after someone is assigned, and only if they're needed.
- Phone numbers and outside payment handles. Momsity keeps messages and payment on the Task, and automated moderation can hold contact or payment details shared in messages.
- Personal or medical details beyond what the job actually requires.
Two more before-and-after examples
Instead of: “Return a package for me.”
Try: “One medium box (about 8 lbs), already sealed with a prepaid label. Drop it at any UPS location near 43210 by Friday. A drop-off receipt photo in Task messages would be great.”
Instead of: “Help my mom with an errand.”
Try: “My mother needs an order picked up from the pharmacy near her apartment and brought to her door. It's already paid for and ready under her name. She's home after 11 am and prefers a knock, not the buzzer. I'll handle messages here.”
Quick checklist before you post
- What needs doing, described as the finished result
- ZIP and city where help is needed (street address in the private field)
- Date plus a time window, and whether it's flexible
- Anything that affects who can take it: stairs, weight, pets, supplies, vehicle
- Who will be there, if it isn't you
- No codes, phone numbers, or payment handles in the description
Where Momsity fits
On Momsity, you write the Task once. MOMs nearby whose services and area fit can offer, you compare who offered, and you choose. Questions and updates stay in Task messages, so the details you wrote and the answers you got are all in one place.
Posting is free. You see the total before you pay at checkout.
What Momsity doesn't do
- A detailed Task helps, but it can't create coverage. If no MOM is near the ZIP you entered, you may not get offers, and you aren't charged unless you choose a MOM and check out.
- Some Tasks aren't allowed no matter how clearly they're written, including childcare, medical care, and emergencies. Check Prohibited Tasks first.
Read how Momsity works and how trust and payments work.
Ready to post a Task?
Posting is free. MOMs nearby can offer, and you choose who helps.