All About Life Without Maids

[contact12]

I am so worried as my maid leaving for home leave this afternoon. For all other times when my maid goes on home leave, I will engage a domestic auntie cleaner. But I have decided against having an auntie cleaner this time because my children are teenagers and they should not be so reliant on help . I am really apprehensive because all household chores will fall on me if they do not co-operate.

[i3mum]

Hi all,


I m looking for an experienced Indonesian maid who has worked in Singapore as soon as possible for transfer.

Her working duties :
1) To look after my 3 kids (aged 5- 6, but my parents in laws are here to help everyday except weekend when I m not working)
2) Know simple cooking/ Do housechores
3) Able to communicate in basic English
4) No off day & no Handphone

Please recommend & pm me if anyone has a good maid whom you do not need her service anymore.

Thanks!

i3mum

[Diesel]

yqyq:

Me too..engaged a domestic auntie cleaner for housekeeping once a week for 4 hrs..love the current arrangement, instead of get a maid...

Yes, I really am confident that I made the right decision. Without a maid, although it is extra tiring doing all chores on our own, but we really enjoy the privacy. The kids are also pulled in helping a bit of the chores. Even our youngest 4 year old has a role to play. It indirectly made everyone disciplined and learn about being a team player. On top of that, I get to enjoy the kitchen to myself, improve me cooking skills and maintained the kitchen the way I always wanted , wihout having to tell / keep on instructing someone else to clean up certain spots the way I want it to...

[contact12]

I have survived about 10 days without a maid. It is very tiring. There are so many things to do like doing two loads of laundry everyday, cooking and cleaning. I hate to take out the garbage every night. The maid’s room became a "walk-in wardrobe" for our clothes until my youngest daughter decided to fold and sort out the clothes. Everyone in the family must play their part to put away their things to keep the house tidy. But I think it is worthwhile. I cook healthy meals that are low in salt and oil. There is a kind of freedom when you do not have a maid in the house; you can turn on the TV volume and not worry of disturbing the maid’s rest. The children learn to be responsible and independent and this is the most important reason not to have a maid. Given a choice, I will employ a cleaning auntie to help out. But none of my family members share my belief…

[fifiyeo]

A word of encouragement…you can make it without the maid. Just hang in there for a few weeks, re-organise your home and it’ll be ok after that. If your kids are old enough to help, it’s a good time to get them to share some responsibilities.


I survive without one for 6 months already! So much happier now without a maid. Used to play hide and seek in the house with my maids 'cos if I have to see the way they work (or rather damage my house)…I would be so stressed up.

[contact12]

Thanks for your encouragement! Yes, I will try to broach the subject again with my family members next week.


Btw, I have accidentally pressed the submit button twice so the post appears two times, but I will try to resolve this technical glitch asap. Apologies from the digital immigrant.

[allseasons]

Hi contact12,


I have been almost 3 years without maid, since my youngest son was 2 y.o. until now… The first few weeks was tough, but after that I feel i am much happier without maid although sometimes i am very tired. My kids are more independent without maid. Get some machines to help out. After I sent back my ex-maid (she was the first one and only maid that I ever hired), I re-arranged everything… I bought a cloth dryer, a good vacuum, etc. Those gadgets really help out a lot! For sure, if you are persistent, you will go through and survive without maid…

[fifiyeo]

Hi Contact 12,


You can consider some good electronic gadgets to help you out.

I got an Osim steam vacuum to steam mop the floor once/twice a week and an irobot Rhoomba to automatically vacuum my floor everyday. Washing is solved by washing machine and a dryer. All these help a great deal.

I’m looking into getting an irobot scooba to wash my kitchen floor 'cos I do cook everyday. It’s something worth considering.

Can get a dish washer and a good iron to ease the ironing part too.

My in-laws also don’t share our idea about not having a maid. They think we are crazy 'cos they can’t live without one.

[puff]

Is there any gadget that can help with washing toilet :imconstipated:

I really hate washing toilet :stompfeet:

[fifiyeo]

Hi Puff,


Oh me too! I hate washing toilets.

There is a mini scooba from irobot that can clean toilet floors. It's not yet available in Singapore but is recently released in US. It manages only the floor so you'll still have to wash the toilet bowl, basin and walls yourself.

http://www.irobot.com