I read with interest the problems faced my Malaysian families in getting foreign maids to work for them. The latest issue about Indonesian maids only doing one chore for RM700 per month is an indication of the fact that such luxuries are long gone now.
Everyone must realise that we must not fundamentally change the way we manage our household. Personally, I do not have a maid. I used to have but that was more than 10 years ago. I realised that I can cope without them with some important changes to the lifestyle.
Efficiency:
To get something useful requires some form of investment. There is no such thing as a "free lunch". In my case, I got myself the following equipment to help save me time and effort.
- Industrial/Intelligent grade front-loading washing machine (big enough and strong enough to wash shoes, canvas bags or curtains)
- Industrial/Intelligent grade dryer (big enough and strong enough to dry the previously mentioned items)
- An intelligent dishwasher (pots and pans etc. Yes, it is capable to handle the oily stuff Asians cook)
- Standard vacuum cleaner
- High-end hand-held vacuum cleaner (this one is important, you need to make sure any hair or dirt on the floor be disposed off immediately, a hand-held vacuum is very handy).
Practicality:
High based furniture is recommended. These are furniture that does not have any skirting or have edges that rests on the floor. The tendency of such furniture is that we tend to assume that we do not need to clean the bottom of the furniture. The first picture below is recommended while the second one should be avoided.
Common Sense:
Most important rule - clean up after yourself! This rule is so important that it literally ensures you have a neat home at anytime of the day. If you do not believe me, look at western countries - they have no maid but seem to be able to keep a nice and clean home.
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