Genevieve Wijaya’s DIY Survival Guide for Housemaids
Back in 2018, when Genevieve Wijaya hired her first foreign domestic worker, she didn’t wait to juggle the usual awkward first‑meeting moments. Thumbing through a notebook, she was already drafting her own “handbook” on how to get a smoother start at home.
Why a Handbook?
Genevieve, a 35‑year‑old math tutor turned online entrepreneur, wanted to ease the learning curve for helpers from far‑off lands. “I figured it would be easier for them and would stop them from flubbing things,” she tells AsiaOne.
Because recipes for cleaning vary around the globe, the guide’s first chapter demystifies “acceptable ways” of washing dishes – without the culinary guesswork. One favorite tip: never double‑purpose a dish‑drying towel. The message? “No point scolding when they have zero clue what’s not okay.”
Organizing Chaos, One Sheet at a Time
Genevieve admits she’s a bit of a disorganised person. Writing down the rules felt like a safety hatch against the chaos of house management. She even veered into financial advice, encouraging helpers to swap cash for a digital wallet to keep money mishandled out of the kitchen.
Her first edition was so personal that she refused to hand it out. “They asked me for a copy, but it was too specific to my own household,” she says.
From Personal Pages to a Public Product
Fans on her 10,000‑strong Instagram waved in request for a more general guide. After some back‑and‑forth, Genevieve decided to produce a condensed version to sell last year.
When pricing it, the math was snappy: “$15? Really? That’s peanuts for a book that took years to polish. I spent time researching why storerooms must stay dry to keep mould at bay.”
Later editions even added Burmese and Bahasa Indonesia translations, although the author openly says they’re from Google Translate – not a pro‑linguist pass.
So if you’re looking for an honest, humorous, yet practical manual to keep your housemaids on the right track, Genevieve’s handbook might just be the go‑to cheat sheet you’ve been missing.
Genevieve’s Handy Guide to Good Helpers
Imagine a 22‑page bible that tells you everything from how to behave inside a house to the exact brush that cleans the underside of a toilet seat. That’s the handbook Genevieve was itching to share.
What The Handbook Covers
- Household Etiquette – a quick‑start guide to fitting in without tripping over the mulch or stealing the dish towel.
- The Do’s and Don’ts of Cleaning – from scrubbing the floor to wiping down the kitchen bins at the close of each day.
- Soft Skills – chapters dedicated to Being Honest, Being Courteous, and Being Understanding.
- Love Yourself – a surprisingly relatable, non‑BTS‑album chapter that urges helpers to feed their own bodies, get proper sleep, and keep their mental health sorted before lending a hand.
Honesty In Action
One nugget Genevieve shares in the honesty chapter reads:
“Tell the truth, and you’ll earn the respect and trust of everyone around you.”
Love Yourself (No, not a K‑pop reference)
Love yourself isn’t about chasing the latest pop hit; it’s about putting the basics first. Food, sleep, mental clarity are the secret ingredients to becoming the best helper you can be.
Cleaning Tactics
- Use the same brush to clean the underside of toilet seats as you use for the floor.
- Wipe and rinse kitchen bins after every day, ensuring the bathroom smells good enough for a mini‑spa.
How Genevieve Uses The Handbook
On day one, she sits down with each new helper and walks them through the entire booklet. It’s like a “good deed – as a team” session, and it gives her a window into a person’s ability to follow instructions.
“This handbook is my go‑to map for hiring,” Genevieve says with a grin. “I’ll only bring on board folks who are cool with the guidelines.”
Final Takeaway
With this 22‑page manual, Genevieve turns chaotic house chores into a smooth, symphonic routine. The result? Helpers who treat the job with respect, care, and a dash of humor, while everyone’s living conditions stay top‑notch and stress‑free.
Not just for helpers
Genevieve’s Handy Guide: From Bosses to Tyke‑Chores
It’s Not Just Employers Anymore
Genevieve’s 100‑copy Handbook has turned into a go‑to manual for everyone—from employers asking for a tidy remote crew to fresh‑out‑of‑the‑house teens looking for their own chore cheatsheet.
“They’re mostly people who moved out, never actually ran a real household, and now need a roadmap,” Genevieve explains. She admits she was a bit shocked when the first “self‑buyer” stormed into her inbox.
Reviews: Mostly Charming, With a Few Paper‑Quality Bugs
- Positive buzz: Everyone loves the step‑by‑step layout and the friendly tone.
- Paper complaints: A handful of readers mentioned that the printed material could use a sturdier finish.
When asked if she has “high standards” about how chores should be done, Genevieve chuckles. “I might come off as a tad picky, but it’s all about clarity.”
Keeping Things Clean: Even If You’re a Pet‑Lover
Her first handbook launch, two years ago, sparked a bit of drama. One commenter felt rattled by a line that demanded “sweep and mop the living room floor six times a day.”
“That guy got wild and started a harassment spree on a covert Instagram account,” Genevieve recollects. “He thought his anonymity would shield him, but I was not having it.”
Her strict standards? She’s no stranger to a whiskered and drooling household—she logged a cat and a large dog during the trials. On those days, “six cleanings a day” was just a defense against every stray hair and slobber spill.
At that time, Genevieve was pregnant with her second child. She clarified, “We didn’t need the helper to cook or clean the bedroom—so why fuss about the floor?” Yet she maintained the rule was all about keeping the floor spotless.
From Courtroom to Closure
Genevieve pursued legal action, but the case dissolved in 2021 after the offender apologized publicly. “I thought a gentle lesson wouldn’t have been enough to stop people from cyber‑bullying,” she says, hinting that strict standards sometimes feel more like a shield.
Handbook’s Future: More Than Just Cleaning Tips
After four years, the guide still feels like a living organism. Genevieve plans to add chapters on:
- Water‑saving hacks
- An enlightening side‑note on why Singapore’s water and electricity costs so high
“It’s like sprinkling a bit of educating in there,” she laughs, highlighting her desire to balance fun with practical knowledge.
Final Word
Genevieve’s handbook remains a colorful mix of humor, rigor, and empathy—an accessible playbook for families, employers, and self‑taught chore champs alike.
