3 Tips to Help Your Domestic Helper Organise Their Cleaning Work

You’ve found a domestic helper but you’re not quite sure how to assist them in doing a great job. From scrubbing sinks and cleaning kitchen cupboards to vacuuming rugs and polishing glass, there are so many cleaning tasks in your home, and it really is a win-win for you and your domestic helpers if you can help your helpers do their best. With that said, let’s look at three top tips to help your helpers clean your house thoroughly.

1. Work out what needs cleaning

The first step in helping your domestic helper do a great job involves you doing a little work. Set aside some time to go through each room in your house and work out what you want to be cleaned for each one, prioritising tasks as you go. By doing that you can make your own expectations clear and have a starting point from which to build your domestic helper’s schedule.

2. Set a schedule: Frequency, schedule and tick boxes

 Once you’ve worked out what you want cleaning you can move onto how often you want it done. For example, you’ll want kitchen and bathroom fixtures and floors cleaned very regularly versus maybe having a less frequent need for a guest room that’s not often in use. The best way to present this to your domestic helper is by grouping the tasks by frequency, for example:

• Daily: kitchen floors, bathroom surfaces etc.
• 2 to 3 times a week: vacuuming, dusting etc.
• Weekly: cleaning kitchen cupboards, polishing furniture etc.

Setting a schedule is a major part of ensuring that you get the best cleaning results, so establishing when you require cleaning to be carried out is an important step. When both you and your domestic helper know exactly what’s expected in terms of timings, that’s going to help both of you to make sure that things are consistent.

The one thing you can do to tie everything together is to create a cleaning plan that includes a summary of tasks. We’ve already talked about how having a happy professional relationship can lead to better cleaning, and writing the schedule down can do the same because everyone involved knows exactly what’s expected. Here are a few items you might want to include in yours:

• Date and time box
• List of rooms one by one
• Alongside each room identify the tasks required
• Note down the frequency of each task – e.g. cleaning kitchen cupboards weekly
• Tick boxes to show which tasks have been completed – vital for effective reviews

3. Adapt when necessary

Giving your domestic helper the opportunity to tell you about what they feel is working and what could be changed is a great way of building rapport. And after all, the end goal is getting a good clean, which is far more likely when you’ve got happy staff. Arrange regular reviews so that you can work together to tweak the plan where needed.

Why Organisation Matters for Cleaning

Cleaning may feel straightforward, but when it’s done without a clear plan, small tasks can pile up, routines become chaotic, and helpers may feel unsure about priorities. Clear organisation brings:

• Better use of time and energy
• Less guesswork and stress
• Consistent results that match household standards
• Greater satisfaction for both helpers and employers

When helpers know exactly what needs doing and when, the whole home runs more smoothly.

Practical Examples of Organised Cleaning

Here’s how a weekly cleaning plan might look in action:

Day	Tasks
Monday	Vacuum living room, wipe dining table, clean bathroom sink
Tuesday	Mop floors, dust shelves, organise shoes at entryway
Wednesday	Kitchen wipe down (counters & appliances), laundry help
Thursday	Deep clean bathroom, mirrors, fridge door wipe
Friday	Bedrooms dusting, change bedsheets, organise closet areas

A structure like this keeps the home consistently cared for while breaking tasks into manageable parts.

Communicating Effectively Makes All the Difference

Good organisation isn’t only about lists and checkboxes — it’s about teamwork. When helpers feel listened to, they’re more confident and motivated. A quick chat at the start or end of a week can make routines smoother.

Here are a few conversations that help:

• What tasks feel most challenging?
• Which area needs more time or a different approach?
• Are cleaning products easy to find and use?

Open communication turns planning into progress.

How Employers Can Support a Cleaner, More Comfortable Home

Employers play a role too. You can help by:

• Providing the right cleaning tools and products
• Agreeing on how tasks are split between daily and weekly work
• Being open to feedback on timing and routines
• Recognising effort and improvements

Respectful communication builds trust and results in a home that feels cared for by everyone

Put these three tips into action, download our template to help your domestic helper gets your home in great shape!