All About Life Without Maids

[longmao.029846irene]

Am learning to manage my expectations too but it is a long process. Used to clean till midnight when I come home from work cos too mentally disturbed by the greasiness from the re-heating up of the catered food. Training kids to eat salads while we still have the maid.


Hmmm sometimes… D roaches may hv crawled in fr outside… No way to avoid…
Grease fr reheating??.. Tot oni need to steam to heat up? Or hv u consider microwave?? Tats my life saver!!! Hee

[POA Teacher]

Coolkidsrock2:

slmkhoo:

[quote=\"Coolkidsrock2\"]The highlighted parts are done weekly over 2 days on weekends as it is quite intensive - one day for the top cabinets and another for the bottom ones. Rest of the cleaning is on a daily basis.


I also do not do deep frying and even stir-fried is avoided, where possible.

Kids are old enough to take care of themselves so apart from general housekeeping, which I can do, my only concern with doing away with the maid is the cleaning of the kitchen.

Would like to have my privacy back after all these years of a stranger living in my house.

I don't want to tell you how my kitchen is cleaned as you would be horrified! Maybe you should consider lowering your expectations a bit?

You are being humble.

Am not sure why but there are cockroaches in the cabinets if not cleaned in this manner. Even when I was catering food, I still find them. I cannot understand.

Am learning to manage my expectations too but it is a long process. Used to clean till midnight when I come home from work cos too mentally disturbed by the greasiness from the re-heating up of the catered food. Training kids to eat salads while we still have the maid.[/quote]1) Reheat food- in a steamer or microwave- not oily at all.
2) Cockroaches- go supermart and buy a box of cockroach traps eg Combat. I put one in a kitchen cabinet, and 1 in the master bathroom.

[Coolkidsrock2]

I put one outside my main door, one master bathroom, one common bathroom, one maid’s room (this is a must put place) and one in the rubbish drop.


Did not put inside the cabinets. Put pandan leaves instead as was told cockroaches find it pungent.

Will try to steam it instead. We are sensitive to microwave food.

[Sweet Joy]

Just wondering how to repel lizards from coming into the house … naturally, that is using some herbs or household materials that are non-toxic.


I reckon what is toxic to pests will be toxic to humans too.

[scang]

Sweet Joy:

Just wondering how to repel lizards from coming into the house ... naturally, that is using some herbs or household materials that are non-toxic.


I reckon what is toxic to pests will be toxic to humans too.

Actually lizards helps to eliminate mosquitos and flies in the house. That is one purpose of having them around.

As for toxic products, ironically many households are using them w/o realizing it like your detergents, washing liquids, shampoo, shower gel etc which all contains chemicals.

There are non toxic alternative, but most households will not switch as they are too comfortable with what they have or simply ignores it.

[b2b3m4]

einney:

longmao.irene, ur reply is very encouraging. Thank u


Jus one silly question, I'm normally leave to drop my child at childcare and then to work about 7.15am and be back about 7pm. Is it safe to leave the slowcooker on for that long period of time? will the soup be dry by then?

Alternatively u can plug ur slow cooker to those timer switches. U turn the dial to the number of hours you want and it will switch of the slow cooker when the time is up.

[kboon2009]

b2b3m4:

einney:

longmao.irene, ur reply is very encouraging. Thank u


Jus one silly question, I'm normally leave to drop my child at childcare and then to work about 7.15am and be back about 7pm. Is it safe to leave the slowcooker on for that long period of time? will the soup be dry by then?

Alternatively u can plug ur slow cooker to those timer switches. U turn the dial to the number of hours you want and it will switch of the slow cooker when the time is up.

Hi can you please share where to get timer switches and are they safe? Roughly how much do they cost? Thanks.

[kboon2009]

MintyMin:

einney, if u r worried, used a thermal pot instead.. but of coz the soup with the ingredients muz b boiled at least 30mins b4 u can put into the thermal pot itself... tatz wat i do every morning b4 heading to wrk..

Hi do you boil with the lid on or off? I usually boil with lid on to keep the heat in so that thermal pot will be more effective, but will need to take the pot off the stove as soon as the contents boil, otherwise they will spill out easily. How do you keep it boiling for 30 min? If lid off, will it be hot enough?

Thanks.

[scang]

kboon2009:

b2b3m4:

[quote=\"einney\"]longmao.irene, ur reply is very encouraging. Thank u


Jus one silly question, I'm normally leave to drop my child at childcare and then to work about 7.15am and be back about 7pm. Is it safe to leave the slowcooker on for that long period of time? will the soup be dry by then?

Alternatively u can plug ur slow cooker to those timer switches. U turn the dial to the number of hours you want and it will switch of the slow cooker when the time is up.

Hi can you please share where to get timer switches and are they safe? Roughly how much do they cost? Thanks.[/quote]timer switches can be bought at Hardware stores, I believe DIY, Home Fix may sell them, or get at Jln Besar.
They range from $20+ to 50+ I believe.

They are safe to use, just test it out during the weekend when you are home to make sure the settings are right and the power to the slow cooker actually gets turn on. You wouldn't want to do it during the actual week days and realized something was not set correctly, and there is no soup for the day.

[janet88]

Sweet Joy:

Have gone without a maid for 5 months. Love the privacy, but wish there is someone to do the chores.


How are you coping without maids? I am wondering if I should employ a maid again, because I dislike doing housechores and cooking.

Looking for a part-time maid. Any recommendation?

Same here...privacy is wonderful...but doing housework and cooking is not.
But never thought of part time maid either.

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday are busy days for me...but housework is just normal stuff like changing/washing bed sheets, vacuum, tidying up. When i am done, don't feel like i've 'accomplished' anything...but still have to get it done. Once a month, I clean fans. Every 6 months change/wash curtains.