All About Life Without Maids

[gerbera365]

//Topics Merged//


Read so many articles about coping with house work without maids, would like to know how FTWM with children in childcare centre cope - have to pick up their children by 7pm , don't you need to work late sometimes ? if parents or parents in law unable to help, how to cope without maid ?

[dasalo]

Haha..I remember reading somewhere in this forum about washing of minced meat. Some say they don't wash, some say they use a sieve to hold the minced meat. At most I rinse the frozen ones. Those not frozen I too assume it is cleaned as the butcher rinse them in water before grinding.


I was once told by an \"angmoh\" butcher that you don't wash cut/minced meat, all the natural goodness/flavour is gone when you washed it. I don't know, personal habit I think.

[daranic]

For those that cook often, how do you clean your kitchen cabinets when they become sticky due to the oil/steam? My maid used to clean it daily after cooking, but am now w/o a maid. Is there any electrical appliance that can help in removing the stickiness?

[dasalo]

daranic:

For those that cook often, how do you clean your kitchen cabinets when they become sticky due to the oil/steam? My maid used to clean it daily after cooking, but am now w/o a maid. Is there any electrical appliance that can help in removing the stickiness?

Kao magic clean (green colour) can do the job if it's not too oily. If oil is deeply set in, it's quite impossible to clean as it will de-colour or damage the wood. You may want to try using portable hot steamer. I think Karcher has one.

[schweppes]

LKVM:

Mod's Note


Dear parents, we have similar thread life without maids see below.
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=5331

I will be merging this thread with the original thread by tomorrow so please continue the discussion there.

Nooo.... LKVM, can keep this thread please? :please: :please: The other \"All About No Maids\" thread has a lot of unnecessary chatter. This one is about \"Going Maidless - Survival Tips\"

Can? pretty please? :please: :please:

[HAPPYH]

Yes, this thread is supposed to be only for sharing tips. Then it will be easier to pick the tips rather than merging it with life without maids thread.

[Vevey]

gerbera365:

//Topics Merged//


Read so many articles about coping with house work without maids, would like to know how FTWM with children in childcare centre cope - have to pick up their children by 7pm , don't you need to work late sometimes ? if parents or parents in law unable to help, how to cope without maid ?

When I used to b a FTWM w 1 kid in cc, I had to standby my parents for emergencies when I had to work late & DH was on overseas biz trips (50% of the time then).

I tried to minimise OT at desk & make it a point to leave latest by 6.30pm (official knock-off time was 5.35pm) on most days so that I can reach cc by 7pm. Driving to & fro work then helped, as traffic wasn't as bad as these days.

If I was stucked in meetings that over-run or not getting anywhere soon, I'll excuse myself & leave if I was not a key attendant or a presenter. Activating my parents would b the last option, as they needed to b at their house as much as possible to attend to my late sick grandma too.

Sometimes, I'll need to complete some urgent office work at home after DS1 z & there would b times that I'll wake up from a \"nap\" & started to hang clothes at midnight when DH wasn't ard to help w the housework. I had weekly part-time help for major chores.

Those were the days for almost 2yrs until I was pregnant w #2 & employed a maid again. I didn't think I wanted to continue to live that kind of existence & had planned to b a SAHM after deliverying #2.

[Vevey]

daranic:

For those that cook often, how do you clean your kitchen cabinets when they become sticky due to the oil/steam? My maid used to clean it daily after cooking, but am now w/o a maid. Is there any electrical appliance that can help in removing the stickiness?

Using a cooker hood & leaving it on for a few more minutes after I m done w the cooking helped to confine the stickiness to cabinets that r immediately above the hood.

I don't deep fry food at home & the backsplash is tiled, so I just need to give the wall & surrounding cabinets a quick, preliminary wipe w the kitchen cloth immediately after cooking, to make use of the steaming vapours. It's also easier to clean up the stove when it was still warm but must b careful not to touch the hot hobs w bare hands!
If it's really oily, I'll wipe the places again w the kitchen cloths that had been rinsed w diluted detergent, after washing the dishes.

I always spread a big cloth on the floor, in front of stove, when I'm doing major cooking so that I don't hv to mop the floor afterwards.

[Canvas]

The trick is to Outsource.


(1) If cooking is not your forte, try catering. Although I cook on most weekdays, I sometimes "eat snake" by buying one or two of the dishes, usually drier ones like bbq chicken wings or pork.

(2) Invest in gadgets.
2.1: I love the iroomba I got because it does it own stuff while I do mine.
2:2: I use the dryer instead of hanging out the clothes. That saves me a lot of time.

(3) For major cleaning, get someone to come in once a week or fortnight.

Will add on when I can think of more

[peapot]

I find cleaning the greasy cabinet everyday it’s easier than to wait a week later to clean a thicker layer of grease. I would for alternate days the most. When I was maidless, I also try steaming and boiling more to cut the grease.


I would cook just one soup with fish, veg, sliced pork and serve with plain rice.
That’s it. Over the weekends I may cook some chicken stock and freeze it into ice cubes. When you are maidless it’s quite hard to cook fancy dish if you are FTWM.