You’ve decided that you need housekeeping help, now comes the hard part choosing to hire live-in versus live-out help!
They’re the quintessential personnel for any home or estate, the beloved housekeeper, the person whose special care goes into keeping a house a home — neat, tidy and organized. Once you’ve decided that you need someone to help care for your home, now comes the hard part, deciding on live-in versus live-out help. The Wellington Agency can help you decide what’s right for you and your family!
When it comes to having household help, a housekeeper is probably at the top of everyone’s list. Someone who keeps the home clean and in order — coming home is just a pleasure when there’s less chaos involved, and a housekeeper keeps it that way.
The first thing you’ll need to do when deciding live-in versus live-out help is to think about your needs, your personality, your lifestyle because this is a very personal choice. Your lifestyle will help you determine if you need live-in versus live-out help.
One thing you won’t have to think about is what agency to trust.
The Wellington Agency has a select group of housekeepers who fall into both categories, the live-ins, and live-outs. Each has been selected, screened and chosen with the utmost care. So, whatever way you choose — live-in versus live-out help, you can choose with confidence.
Here are some other important factors to consider when deciding:
What Does Your Lifestyle Require? Live-in versus Live-out Help
In most cases, having a live-in housekeeper is the best choice if you’re actually most often not at your home. In this case, having someone their full-time eases other burdens, like if there’s a home emergency that requires an immediate repair or if you have packages, or work people coming to the home. The housekeeper is someone who is there to attend to any issue immediately. They can make the call for help or be there to let in workers and watch over things in your place.
It’s especially good if the estate is used seasonally, having someone always there is a way to make the residence more secure. Full-time live-ins in seasonal homes tend to think of the home as their own and generally will care for it as such. Also, it’s important to note that homes which are not lived in can develop problems, having someone there full-time, they’re more likely to notice something developing and be able to handle it while it’s small, before it becomes an issue.
Housekeeper for Early Birds
If you’re an early riser who likes to be up and out having live-in help is once again a good choice. That way there is someone who can attend to you in the wee hours of the morning and after you leave, the person is still around to attend to those who get up after you.
Frequent Flyers Get Added Security with Housekeepers
If you travel a lot, especially out of the country, nothing beats the peace of mind you’ll have knowing that someone is at your residence taking care of all things. This could be a deciding factor in the big debate—live-in versus live-out help.
Adequate Space for a Live-in Housekeeper
There is another consideration when you’re thinking about having live-in help and that is having enough space. It’s important to be able to provide your housekeeper with a living environment that gives each of you the space and the privacy you’ll need.
A full-time live-in housekeeper will need at least their own private bedroom and bathroom. Having an entire suite, floor, wing or a personal residence on the grounds are all ways to ensure that everyone is comfortable.
Hours & Work Load Can Help You Decide to Opt for Either Live-in or Live-Out Help
Another important factor in deciding on having a live-in versus live-out housekeeper is the workload. How many hours of work and how much work do you have for a housekeeper? If you require a full-time housekeeper a live-in is a good choice. If you only need part-time help, basically less than 40-50 hours, then a live-out housekeeper may be a better fit. Full-time accommodations to only have part-time help would be unnecessary.
A Candidate’s Preference to Live-in or Live-Out
It may be that you’re amiable to either situation and maybe it just depends on your candidate’s needs. Many times, the housekeeper themselves will have a preference on either living in or out. Housekeepers who are married with children may seek to come in full-time but not living with you on a full-time basis. Single housekeepers may prefer a live-in situation as they can blend into your family’s life, enjoy the benefits of not paying rent or a mortgage while having a lovely place to live.
Adjustable Package with Perks for Live-ins
Although the salaries of those living in will be adjusted because their living accommodations are free, live-ins usually have additional benefits such as food, access to a vehicle, gym memberships, travel, cell phones, Wi-Fi, cable, healthcare and more. These added benefits mean that employers can adjust the weekly salary rate down. However, those on the upper echelon will still expect a high salary in addition to perks and live-in situations.
Live-in versus Live-Out Help— All Housekeepers Need to Be Flexible
Although all of our housekeepers know that flexibility on the job is critical, a live-in housekeeper will be able to offer your family the kind of flexibility you may need. Because they live on the premises they’re available in case of an emergency and that can provide your family with an extra layer of security. A live-out housekeeper, while reliable in every way just doesn’t have the finger on the pulse of the domain the way a live-in housekeeper will. They have other issues to prevent them from being completely flexible such as their commute, maybe they use public transportation which can be unreliable or there may be a weather issue. These and other conditions may delay their arrival to work. Live-out housekeepers also must contend with their own household responsibilities. It’s just another thing to consider.
Flexible But…. Here are some things that are not generally in the scope of Live-in or Live-Out Housekeepers
- Lifting heavy objects, furnishings.
- Taking care of children, generally, a nanny would be hired. In a live-in instance, sometimes a housekeeper may be called for help with the pickup or drop off of the children.
- Exterior cleaning such as roofs, high exterior windows, any place that would involve being on a high ladder or considered to be unsafe.
Undecided on Hiring a Live-in v. Live-Out Housekeeper? We Can Help!
The Wellington Agency is very experienced and we’re always happy to help. We can offer some general guidance or just be there to talk about your concerns about deciding which option is best for you and your family. We are here for you if you ever require some extra support in making this important decision.
Whether you’re deciding between live-in versus live-out help, the Wellington Agency can find you the perfect person to fit your personal situation. The Wellington Agency sources the very best talent to meet all of your needs. We understand the importance of finding just the perfect person to trust with the care of your home. With an extraordinary cache of hand-selected, qualified candidates at our disposal, the Wellington Agency has a live-in, full-time or part-time housekeeper just waiting to find a family like yours. We can match you with your very own housekeeper that will make you smile every time you walk through the door.
The Wellington Agency has offices located across the globe to meet your staffing needs. Please call and let our dedicated associates assist you in finding that perfect person:
Palm Beach / Miami (561) 713-2663
New York / London (917) 546-6809
Los Angeles / Palos Verdes (310) 697-7191
Boston (617) 275-8190
