Wednesday, October 03, 2018

Getting A Bit of Help

I'm so glad that this is a small flat. I can't see how a bigger flat is manageable without a live-in helper. I like a clean home. It doesn't have to be squeaky clean, but it should be hygienic and not have dust bunnies lurk. I'm well aware that no helper or cleaning crew will ever clean to my standards. If I want it 'clean', I should do it myself.

As it is, I have all sorts of gadgets to help me out with the household chores. What would I do without my trusty Roomba? (I'm not sold on iRobot's mopping robot yet.) I'm soooo in love with my dishwasher, and pleased that our cutlery and utensils are dishwasher-safe. It's such a relief to have the load of washing taken off my hands, otherwise cooking would be a nightmare; the dishwasher in use almost every day.

Oh. Ironing. I HATE IRONING. I don't own anything that needs actual ironing. The upright steam iron suffices, it can also press out those sharp creases in pants and shirts. Heh. Since the MIL keeps offering to give us food (although she has learnt not to assume that I eat certain food items) and help out with the laundry, I told the man to take his corporate shirts and pants back to his mom's to be sorted out. 😂✌🏻

I decided to hire a helper to come in once a week to do general cleaning for these few months. Let's see how it works out. She has done it for the BFF for years, and doesn't seem to mind giving me a slot too. The BFF doesn't have an issue with her attitude or her work. I don't have any complaints about her (for now) either. She comes in for two hours each time and is okay with doing whatever I ask of her.

I don't leave every 'undesirable' household chore to the helper. As it is, I clean the flat myself and I know how much work goes into it. The kitchen floor and surfaces are disinfected and mopped after each bout of cooking. The toilets are scrubbed daily- from shower cubicles to sinks, toilet bowls and the floors. The Roomba runs every other day through the rooms and carpets, the vacuum cleaner is trotted out once or twice a week for heavy duty suction, and the floors get a good mop after. The helper doesn't need to do anything extra in the sense that she doesn't do anything that I don't do. If it's something tedious, like changing bedsheets and duvet covers, I'll do it together with her. She does the work fine and effectively helps to take two days' load off of me. That is very appreciated, so I'll tolerate two hours of Class 95FM while she's here because she likes its playlists and will sing along to its songs. 

4 comments:

coboypb said...

I don't clean the floor and toilet so frequently. I should make it a habit to clean them more often, maybe weekly :)

imp said...

i'm a bit of a neat freak. hurhurhurhur.

Pretziliv said...

I detest having another person living with us so part time helper is truly God sent too ;D She mostly does the ironing though hehehe

imp said...

ironing is painful. am glad the part-time helper sorts that out for you!