Keeping House: The Role of a Housekeeper

Keeping House: The Role of a Housekeeper Keeping House: The Role of a Housekeeper by http:www.articledashboard.comprofileJosh-Stone10632Josh StoneA housekeeper is an individual responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the interior of a residence. The term is almost exclusively applied to females; males are generally referred to as housecleaners, head of household staff, or, under the old British Imperial system as houseboys regardless of age. In the great houses of yesteryear the housekeeper could be a woman of considerable power in the domestic arena. The housekeeper of times past had her room or rooms cleaned by junior staff, her meals prepared and laundry taken care of, and with the butler presided over dinner in the Servants Hall. Unlike other servants, she was addressed as Mrs. Last Name. Todays head of household staff in a great house lives in much the same manner, although fewer households can afford large retinues of servants with an elaborate hierarchy. A housekeeper also supervises and coordinates activities of household employees in a private residence: Informs new employees of employers desires and gives instructions in work methods and routines. She assigns duties, such as cooking and serving meals, cleaning, washing, and ironing, adjusting work activities to accommodate family members. She also orders foodstuffs and cleaning supplies, keeps record of expenditures and may hire and discharge employees. Also works in residence employing a large staff. The housekeeper is generally hired by and reports to the lady of the house. The extent to which the housekeeper supervises other staff varies from household to household. In general, the staff of a grand dwelling is divided into departments, with the housekeeper in charge of all the female staff with the possible exception of the kitchen staff, who report to the cook, and the between staff, who may report to the butler; in these cases the cook and butler reported directly to the lady of the house. In other households, particularly those of the very wealthy who maintain several residences, the housekeeper is the ultimate head of household staff and may hire and fire junior staff, subject to the approval of the lady of the house, and make recommendations for senior staff. In this case, the cook and butler report to the lady of the house through the housekeeper. Housekeepers also work in hotels and resorts. Their job description differs slightly from the traditional housekeeper. A Commercial housekeeper performs housekeeping duties, such as cleaning and stocking supplies in units when assigned. Maintains a high cleanliness standard for all resort rental units and provides top level customer service for guests. FUNCTIONS: Cleans guest rooms and stocks with appropriate supplies in the prescribed manner while following safety and security procedures and regulations, including but not limited to: Picks up and removes trash; Changes linen and makes beds; cleans entire bathroom; sweeps and dusts each unit; cleans the windows, balconies and porches. Retrieves, stocks, restocks and stores the supplies according to current procedures. Receives assigned section, keys, supplies and any priority room requests from the Executive Housekeeper. Turns in keys and unused supplies at the end of each shift. Checks with supervisor prior to clocking out at the end of each day. May be required to clean carpets using equipment supplied by Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort to maintain cleanliness standards of all floor coverings within the rental units and amenities. Responds to guest requests and reports guest concerns in a timely and hospitable manner to ensure guest satisfaction. Reports any missing articles, damages or mechanical problems to the Executive Housekeeper and turns in any articles left in each unit. Coordinates with the Executive Housekeeper relating to work priorities and provides assistance whenwhere needed. Check amenities buildings i.e., restaurants, pro shops, recreation and public areas to insure that they meet cleanliness standards are cleaned and properly stocked. Performs other related duties as directed by the Executive Housekeeper. The functions within this job family will vary by level, but may include the following: Sweeps, dusts, mops, scrubs, washes, vacuums, waxes, and polishes building floors, walls, woodwork, windows, furniture, equipment, and hardware. Cleans and sanitizes laboratories, washrooms, and bedrooms, keeps washrooms supplied with paper, towels, and soap. Collects and disposes of trash and garbage; moves equipment and furniture such as beds, tables, and chairs. Performs sanitary inspections in designated areas for purposes of infection control. Replaces and removes medically contaminated sharps andor medically soiled and contaminated dressings and supplies. Orders and distributes custodial supplies; maintains inventory. Observes and reports safety violations; actively participates in emergency situations. Assists in training and continued education of lower level workers. Plans, assigns, and supervises all functions of a housekeeping department. Inspects quarters for maintenance of proper housekeeping standards. Supervises and maintains records of the distribution of furnishings. Maintains necessary records; prepares required reports. Establishes housekeeping standards; assists with policy planning; prepares departmental budget request. Knowledge, skills and abilities required at this level include those identified in Level I plus knowledge of various cleaning methods, materials, and equipment used in custodial work; of proper procedures for disposing of waste, including medically contaminated sharps andor medically soiled and contaminated dressings and supplies; and of chemical product safety. Skill is required to operate custodial equipment. What should I look for when hiring a maid or housekeeper? Hiring a maid is a serious responsibility. Allowing someone into your home and to come into contact with your belongings should require a substantial amount of research in finding the right person for the job. The following are few tips to keep in mind during the hiring process. Insurance: Many maids and housekeepers work through a service company that hires employees to work under the name of that company. Should you use such a service, make sure the company is insured to cover accidents in the workplace-your home. Ask For References: Before even considering hiring a maid from a company, seek out those who have worked with them before. Was their experience a good one? Always ask the housekeeping service company for references before hiring them. Employment Screening: Be sure to find out whether or not each of the maids or housekeepers are screened before hired to the company. Does the service company confirm their references and verify they are residents? These are very important items to take into consideration before hiring a maid. Contract: Who will provide the cleaning supplies, the maid company or you? What happens if you are not satisfied with the job done in your home? What happens if items are damaged in your home while the maid is working? These are questions that need to be answered and answered to the customers satisfaction in a written contract signed by both you and the housekeeping company. How much would it cost to utilize maid or housekeeping services on a regular basis? Many maid and housekeeping service companies charge by the week and by the size of your living space. Small apartments often cost 40 a week, while a large home could cost 60 a week. These prices fluctuate on the type of home as well as if there are any special problem areas that need to be cleaned. Freelance writer for over eleven years.

On the Plane with Kids

On the Plane with Kids On the Plane with Kids by http:www.articledashboard.comprofileJ-Gardener13970J GardenerIts not over the river and through the woods to grandmothers house, anymore. Your new and growing family lives a thousand miles away from your childhood home, so a visit to your childrens grandparents is a long trek that a horse-drawn sleigh wont cover. Still, your parents live for the visit at Christmastime that you promised youd make. And that means a plane flight-the bane of all young parents. Traveling with children has never been easy, but with all of the airline restrictions and security measures in place today, flying with kids is more difficult and stressful than ever. And its not just your kids and their comfort and safety that you worry about-you remember what it was like, when you were single, to sit in front of a crying child, so you worry about the other passengers and what theyll think if your own kids are tired and cranky, on-board. Forget about that. All of us-even the passengers in front of you-were kids, once, too, and annoyed someone. If you worry about everyone elses comfort, youll only make the trip a nightmare for yourself. Your kids may have a few moments of discomfort or boredom, and act out-so what? Most passengers, especially other parents, are understanding, particularly if they know that youre doing your best to alleviate the causes of your kids discomfort. Though carry-on restrictions are more stringent than ever, and change constantly, plan on bringing a favorite game or a toy along, on your flight. If your kids are old enough, a small DVD player with headphones! can be a great way to keep them occupied. And if its a long trip with an in-flight movie, they may not be able to see the screen, or the material may not be what youd like them to watch. CD players or iPods are smaller and can be just as good at keeping your kids distracted. Juice boxes are not allowed as carry-on items, unless theyre purchased at the airport after the security checkpoint, so you might want to pack some dry juice mix, to be combined with the airlines bottled water, onboard. Be sure to use bottled water-airline tap water is suspect, for drinking purposes. Some parents find it easier, when taking a long trip, to book flights with layovers. Kids can have a chance to get some exercise, use the airports bathroom, and see some different and distracting sights. After a layover, chidren are much more apt to relax and fall asleep, when re-boarding their flight. One way to make the trip more comfortable, if you can afford it, is to purchase separate seats for your kids. In the long-run, both you and they will have a much more relaxing trip, than if you wind up holding them on your lap the whole way-a practice which is allowed, but discouraged by most airlines. Dont be afraid to ask for help from flight attandants. Thats why theyre there. If you need a bottle warmed or someone to hold your child while you use the restroom, theyre usually glad to help. The main thing you can do to make your kids comfortable, especially if this is their first airline experience, is to remain calm, yourself, about the trip. Parents who are nervous travelers can transmit their fear to their kids, making the trip unpleasant for all. Contact your airline, well ahead of time, to check on the current travel restrictions. It wont be an effortless trip, but the sooner you start traveling with your kids, the easier future trips over the river and through the woods will be. Brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, focused on how families get by in this wonderful world of ours. To help create the perfect family holiday scene in your home, for the best selection of http:www.santas-depot.comChristmas trees, lighting, collectibles and everything else Christmas, visit http:www.santas-depot.comSantas Depot. Santas official online Christmas shop. Article Directory: http:www.articledashboard.comArticle Dashboard