Ako certified OC with my home management. Siguro kasi when it comes to business -- I am the crisis manager and in charge of financial and admin management -- so kelangan my home management is halos surprise/bulaga-free. Ayoko na ring kinakausap ng matagal or madalas ng house staff ko. Pagod na sa business eh.
I have a lavandera-planchadora, 2 cleaners, 2 cooks (1 cleans the 2 kitchens and the other 1 cleans our bedrooms). Outsourced services of a pool boy (3x a week); 7-8 gardeners (once per 3 weeks); maintenance technicians, piano tuner, curtain cleaner, chandelier cleaners, etc.
I have rules, lists, scripts, timetables and lots of pictures.
Really certified top-grade OC.
Hindi sa madami akong gamit, but my house is big (type ni hubby. Ako gusto ko condo!) and I do not want to spend too much time taking care of a house and possessions.
Some examples:
Each house staff has a manual -- no kidding. In Taglish para madali gets.
Nakalagay
Ano ang kanyang daily uniform, uniform pang labas
(if send out for errands, or accompany us/kids)
Working hours (indicated din ang breaktimes. Except for the
on-board time the others are just guidelines. Hindi pa naman
ako si Hitler sa bahay. But mornings must be very organized!)
List of must-do everyday
(in chronological order, when relevant/possible)
List of must-do on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly whatever basis
May pictures pa where appropriate yan ha.
As in ang ayos ng kama per bed -- meron yan.
Ganito, in every comfort room, in every room -- there are pics of the
perfect arrangement for me -- parang walang excuse.
I also have fresh flowers or greens all the time.
I keep pics of the arrangements I have made for each vase -- kopyahin na lang ng Cleaner ko.
I inventory very systematically what I own/put away. Picture OC too.
For example, all my Christmas decor -- how arranged when in proper placement na. Naka picture lahat, by room, altogether in an album.
May script pa ako which rooms mauna -- so orderly and removal from the bodega.
Pag store away naman, may listing din. And each plastic bin has 1 picture -- on 2 sides -- so alam ang contents. Naka log down din by room and bin# as in Game 1/3; Game 2/3, Game 3/3 -- ibig sabihin the decor inside is for the Game Room and there is a total of 3 bins for that room.
May script din for packing away. I spend little time checking na lang.
OC din ako about meal planning and scheduling.
I have 2-week menus for breakfast and dinner; 2 sets of 2 week menus. Each 2 week set has 1 recipe (kelangan panlasa namin masunod, OC ako ha -- na taste test ko na yang mga recipes) with matching grocery and/or palengke ingredient list. Naka clear book yan.
Every Friday -- the cooks just xerox the ingredient lists for the Sat & Sunday grocery and palengke.
I have a masterlist for all household tasks -- both for my in-house staff and outsourced service. Mga maintenance technicians for the kitchen appliances, airconditioners, chandeliers, piano -- lahat may schedule (kahit na every 6months ang service). Pati pool boy and gardeners. The secretary does the calling and scheduling for me, and alerts the house staff to expect their arrivals.
My table linens are inventoried too with pictures. For example, blue tablecloth with matching runners, skirts, napkins -- all appear in 1 picture with the no. of each printed big on paper. So in 1 picture I can see for example -- the blue tableclothes are 6, napkins are 36, etc. Hindi ako nawawalan, madali for the cleaner/cook to put back after laundry. Pag may party -- I do not forget what I have -- may folder ako with all those table linen. So alam ko which lang puedeng gamitin depending on the number of tables. Atchaka, my flatware ang glassware naka store in multiples of 12'2 or 20's. Linalabas lang kung ilan kelangan.
My bedlinens per bed are inventoried also.
Each complete set naka list down. Pagnagchange ng sheet -- kelangan lahat baklas kahit na malinis pa say the flat sheet. Pag turnover to the lavandera -- the cleaner lists it down item by item and sign si lavandera. Pagbalik --kelangan set -- ayokong may nakalimutan kahit 1 pillowcase lang -- so the cleaner checks item by item and signs received on what date. Eto pa true confession -- pa embroider ko discreetly at the bottom right corner of each bed linen the bed it belongs to and the set. Ex. GR/3. Ibig sabihin Guest Room, part of Set#3.
Pag nagpa service ako ng curtain cleaning -- pag pull-out, picture uli as pagkakabit ng curtains before dismantling. Sign ang service sa likod ng pics.
Basta lahat as in lahat may pic and inventory.
Naka computer -- pinapasa ko some lists to my secretary.
Ano pa? I also have pics of what is inside what in each room.
As in my formal dining -- may buffet table. Naka pic what is in each cabinet or drawer. I print out pics to put in each cabinet or drawer -- para alam ng cook ko what goes back where.
I have pics of table arrangements. Kasi maiinis ka kung minsan balibaliktad ang knife, etc. may kulang. 1 pic each for daily meals, formal dinners, merienda, etc. etc. May codigo ika nga.
Basta lahat may inventory, may pic malamang (not all naman eh); lahat may schedule and script. Madami akong lists with matching pics in clear books for my house staff's reference. Pati kung ano ang cleaning tools and supplies na nasa cleaning basket tray ng 2 kong cleanrs may pic. Nakapost sa utility room for reference. My cooks naman have their own equipment listing and pics too. May mas OC pa kaya dyan?
Nasusunod ba ako? Oh yes! Kasi I follow that classic management style: KISS (keep it simple, stupid -- yan talaga ang phraseology, no kidding).
I take pride that my helpers all co-exist peacefully, walang turuan, walang sisihan. I also do not need to raise my voice nor make kulit nor loose my temper. I treat my house staff professionally and I have not been disappointed often. My biggest pride is that my house is like a 5-star hotel 24/7 -- kahit na may earthquake, there is a flu epidemic in my house, or my husband misbehaves. The best thing -- I spend minimal time auditing the house staff's work. I do not need to scream or raise my voice to maintain my high standards.
The greatest compliment I have gotten is from my MIL who told her daughters (who are older than me LOL) that they should run their lives like I do mine coz nobody beats me daw when it comes to home and kid management.
(Ang mga binaggit ko eh just some of my pagka OC sa bahay.
Marami pang iba.
That is how I de-stress -- thinking of ways to simplify a complicated and very busy life for myself and people who make my life beautiful.)
