A new housekeeper's first day: a checklist for employers
The first day sets the standard for months. If it is rushed — a quick tour, “ask if you need anything” — the new person spends weeks guessing, and you spend weeks correcting. An hour of preparation saves most of that.
Before the first day
- Terms agreed in writing: hours, days off, pay, probation period, what happens with overtime and travel.
- The rota for the first two weeks, so they can plan.
- Access: keys or codes, alarm, gate, Wi-Fi, parking. Decide what they get on day one and what later.
- House rules written down — at least the essentials: cleaning products per surface, laundry, rooms that are off limits, pets, visitors.
- Who they report to if you are away: a partner, an estate manager, a senior member of staff.
On the first day
- A slow tour, room by room, with the rules for each: what is cleaned how and how often, what is never touched.
- Safety: the alarm, the stopcock, the fuse box, the first-aid kit, emergency numbers, who to call first.
- Children and pets: allergies, foods, routines, who may collect the children.
- Equipment: the appliances that are easy to damage — the coffee machine, the steam oven, the robot vacuum.
- Money: how household purchases work, the advance, keeping receipts.
- Communication: where tasks and messages will come from, and what counts as urgent.
The first tasks
Give two or three concrete tasks with a clear result — “guest bedroom ready by 6 pm: fresh linen, towels, flowers on the bedside table” — rather than “tidy up”. Ask for a photo when each is done. You see the standard they work to, and they see yours, without a single argument.
At the end of the day
Ten minutes together: what was clear, what was not, what they need. Add any answer you had to give twice to the written rules.
The first week
- Keep tasks specific and check the results daily.
- Note what goes well, not only what goes wrong.
- At the end of the week, agree on the few things to change.
- At the end of the probation period, give an honest review — it helps both sides decide.
Employment terms for household staff depend on your country — check the local rules or ask an adviser.
In Domiq the house rules, the rota, tasks with photo proof and the probation period live in one app — and a new housekeeper reads everything in their own language from day one.