Anyone got any advice...

[JR8]

we are about to get a maid. Suffice to say that while we had a cleaner back in London, we've never had a maid. The reason behind it was the long hours we're working. I'm having a hard time not feeling like a member of the ruling classes.

Why not just get a cleaner in for Xhrs a day Xtimes a week? So much less hassle.

[the lynx]

we are about to get a maid. Suffice to say that while we had a cleaner back in London, we've never had a maid. The reason behind it was the long hours we're working. I'm having a hard time not feeling like a member of the ruling classes.

Why not just get a cleaner in for Xhrs a day Xtimes a week? So much less hassle.

Yup. And so much more expensive too.

[JR8]

we are about to get a maid. Suffice to say that while we had a cleaner back in London, we've never had a maid. The reason behind it was the long hours we're working. I'm having a hard time not feeling like a member of the ruling classes.

Why not just get a cleaner in for Xhrs a day Xtimes a week? So much less hassle.

Yup. And so much more expensive too.

They've previously managed in London with a cleaner.

A maid in SG is a baseline of about $1500 per month.

How many hours of part time maid would be a break-even I wonder. Just how much cleaning do they need?

[the lynx]

How many hours of part time maid would be a break-even I wonder. Just how much cleaning do they need?

I can imagine the amount of cleaning (in a typical i-can't-do-everything-without-a-maid household) is proportional to the number of days they are able to put off cleaning until they HAVE to call in a part-time maid

[Betterthaneverstreet]

If it is just the two of you...why do you need a full time maid. It seems excessive...are u that messy? Seems like a part time cleaner might make more sense..

[Brooklynjenn]

My advice is to set clear expectations in the beginning. It is hard to take things back or change when they are already in place. I took some advice from the Singaporemaid blog and made a list of house rules for when we went out of town for three weeks (although certainly not the kind of rules singaporemaid had). My rules were things like "No guests" and "keep the doors locked." I was worried she might bring her friends over, who I hadn't even met, or that things wouldn't get done while I was away, like feeding the cats or watering the plants. I got a safe (husband made the valid point of if there is no temptation then nobody has to be disappointed in the end). We trust her, but we don't want to be taken advantage of either.

The cooking has been a trial. She wants to learn more, and I have sent her to classes. I cook with her five days a week. It is a lot more hand holding than I expected, and things I took for granted, like kitchen hygiene and not leaving chicken out on the counter all day were clear surprises to her. Tonight I had to ask her to wash her hands after handling raw chicken. She had opened up the cabinet and was touching our glassware with raw chicken hands. So, while so far it has been wonderful and life changing, the experience they bring to the table may be far different from your own. Expect some growing pains.

Things I was very clear about in the beginning, like always change the sheets on Mondays, change the kitchen towels daily, make the beds daily, do the dishes, etc., are always done. If I was fuzzy, the response is fuzzy, like how often to clean the showers. We give her Sundays off, home at 10, same for public holidays. Sometimes she stays out later for special occasions, like New Years Eve she was out until 2 to see the fireworks. I do try to get her out of the house at least once a day to pick up groceries or run a simple errand, just to get fresh air. I don't think I would like to be cooped up all day. She is good with the shopping but the list has to be clear.

[JR8]

^^^
And that is precisely why we have never had a live-in maid. More trouble and stress than it is worth.


Never mind teaching a stranger how to cook, the idea of them cooking for us every day is simply a non-starter (me especially as I take my tuck seriously). Plus the whole having a stranger living in your home thing...

No, I can run a mop over the floor myself thanks!

[uscate]

Yes, JR8....the concept of having a stranger in my house 24/7, plus having her live in that tiny little bomb shelter or "maid's room" is really mind-boggling to me....but I've promised myself not to put my crusader's hat on, but to accept that I'm not in Kansas any more....

[zzm9980]

Things I was very clear about in the beginning....are always done. If I was fuzzy, the response is fuzzy

Remember this lesson if you get a job in management while you're here. It applies everywhere in Singapore :p

[sundaymorningstaple]

Things I was very clear about in the beginning....are always done. If I was fuzzy, the response is fuzzy

Remember this lesson if you get a job in management while you're here. It applies everywhere in Singapore :p

Ain't THAT the truth!

[Sarah Boys]

GUys - thanks for the helpful comments. For the unhelpful comments - I kinda wonder if you actually want ex-pats to be part of this forum! Clearly not, unless of course it makes you feel better about yourselves to criticise them.

[poodlek]

GUys - thanks for the helpful comments. For the unhelpful comments - I kinda wonder if you actually want ex-pats to be part of this forum! Clearly not, unless of course it makes you feel better about yourselves to criticise them.

Still not sure where you thought you were being criticized...

[x9200]

Things I was very clear about in the beginning....are always done. If I was fuzzy, the response is fuzzy

Remember this lesson if you get a job in management while you're here. It applies everywhere in Singapore :p

Ain't THAT the truth!

Definitely. That's why I always have troubles to understand why some regulars on this board needs to emphasize by almost every less or more suitable occasion how full of the common sense the maids are. No it does not work this way. Practically everything needs to be micromanaged be it a l-in maid or a part time one. More recent display of the common sense: my p-t maid (with a pride in her voice): sure I use different rags for cleaning the kitchen and the toilets; and later I had to tell her to remove all the rags from the kitchen bench where she happily placed them after she was done with th cleaning.

[JR8]

GUys - thanks for the helpful comments. For the unhelpful comments - I kinda wonder if you actually want ex-pats to be part of this forum! Clearly not, unless of course it makes you feel better about yourselves to criticise them.

Ironic given everybody in this discussion is an ex-pat, and I don't see ex-pats being criticised.

Might you be being a little oversensitive?

[nutnut]

GUys - thanks for the helpful comments. For the unhelpful comments - I kinda wonder if you actually want ex-pats to be part of this forum! Clearly not, unless of course it makes you feel better about yourselves to criticise them.

Ironic given everybody in this discussion is an ex-pat, and I don't see ex-pats being criticised.

Might you be being a little oversensitive?

+1