Please outline for me the responsibilities of House Manager

[Anonymous]

Our nanny is truly fantastic and I do not want to overburden her or take any time away from DD (who is now two). However, nanny has expressed interest in becoming house manager as well. Nanny already reminds us when the cleaning people and housekeeper are coming. She does the grocery shopping for DD and will pick up a few items for us if asked. Nanny already does all of DD's ordering (shampoo, soap, night diapers, etc.) as well as ordering paper towel and cleaning supplies for the housekeeper. Nanny calls the handyman and schedules him when needed.


What else is involved in house manager that she isn't doing?

[Anonymous]

She already is your house manager.
Perhaps she's hinting that she'd like to be compensated accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She already is your house manager.
Perhaps she's hinting that she'd like to be compensated accordingly.

OP back and no - we offered her a raise this year and she turned it down since we started paying her healthcare insurance.

[Anonymous]

The house manager would do all of that stuff for the whole household.

She would also find, schedule, and manage any vendors (like cleaners and yard people). She would deal with any repairs that need to come up. She'd plan meals, pack for trips, ready the house for your return from a long vacation ...

She would put together a schedule for home maintenance. This would include things like regularly decluttering/organizing/donating, remembering to change HVAC filters (or tell you to do it if that's not something easy to do), keeping track of "big" cleaning jobs that can get overlooked, like windows or chandeliers. She could do them herself or hire someone, that would be up to your agreement.

Basically, she would run the home like you would (should) if you were home to do it. Now, you may not want her to do all of this, but that's the kind of thing to expect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The house manager would do all of that stuff for the whole household.

She would also find, schedule, and manage any vendors (like cleaners and yard people). She would deal with any repairs that need to come up. She'd plan meals, pack for trips, ready the house for your return from a long vacation ...

She would put together a schedule for home maintenance. This would include things like regularly decluttering/organizing/donating, remembering to change HVAC filters (or tell you to do it if that's not something easy to do), keeping track of "big" cleaning jobs that can get overlooked, like windows or chandeliers. She could do them herself or hire someone, that would be up to your agreement.

Basically, she would run the home like you would (should) if you were home to do it. Now, you may not want her to do all of this, but that's the kind of thing to expect.

I imagine the transition to a house manager would be gradual; as each thing comes up in the year, you would discuss when how or if to turn in over to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She already is your house manager.
Perhaps she's hinting that she'd like to be compensated accordingly.

OP back and no - we offered her a raise this year and she turned it down since we started paying her healthcare insurance.

Who turns down a raise? Would you?
That's stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She already is your house manager.
Perhaps she's hinting that she'd like to be compensated accordingly.

OP back and no - we offered her a raise this year and she turned it down since we started paying her healthcare insurance.

Who turns down a raise? Would you?
That's stupid.

Whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She already is your house manager.
Perhaps she's hinting that she'd like to be compensated accordingly.

OP back and no - we offered her a raise this year and she turned it down since we started paying her healthcare insurance.

Who turns down a raise? Would you?
That's stupid.

I concur.

Turning down a pay increase makes zero sense to me.
She sounds like she has fully earned it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The house manager would do all of that stuff for the whole household.

She would also find, schedule, and manage any vendors (like cleaners and yard people). She would deal with any repairs that need to come up. She'd plan meals, pack for trips, ready the house for your return from a long vacation ...

She would put together a schedule for home maintenance. This would include things like regularly decluttering/organizing/donating, remembering to change HVAC filters (or tell you to do it if that's not something easy to do), keeping track of "big" cleaning jobs that can get overlooked, like windows or chandeliers. She could do them herself or hire someone, that would be up to your agreement.

Basically, she would run the home like you would (should) if you were home to do it. Now, you may not want her to do all of this, but that's the kind of thing to expect.

I imagine the transition to a house manager would be gradual; as each thing comes up in the year, you would discuss when how or if to turn in over to her.

OP here and thank you. We have a person who comes in once a week and makes all weekday dinners for us so that isn't necessary and she already packs and unpacks DD after a trip. She comes with us on vacations so readying the house is not possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The house manager would do all of that stuff for the whole household.

She would also find, schedule, and manage any vendors (like cleaners and yard people). She would deal with any repairs that need to come up. She'd plan meals, pack for trips, ready the house for your return from a long vacation ...

She would put together a schedule for home maintenance. This would include things like regularly decluttering/organizing/donating, remembering to change HVAC filters (or tell you to do it if that's not something easy to do), keeping track of "big" cleaning jobs that can get overlooked, like windows or chandeliers. She could do them herself or hire someone, that would be up to your agreement.

Basically, she would run the home like you would (should) if you were home to do it. Now, you may not want her to do all of this, but that's the kind of thing to expect.

I imagine the transition to a house manager would be gradual; as each thing comes up in the year, you would discuss when how or if to turn in over to her.

OP here and thank you. We have a person who comes in once a week and makes all weekday dinners for us so that isn't necessary and she already packs and unpacks DD after a trip. She comes with us on vacations so readying the house is not possible.

Then maybe you don't have anything else much for her to do. The fact that she suggested it says to me that there are things that she feels she would like to be in charge of. Why don't you ask her to make a list of additional tasks she would perform as household manager. You could also ask her what she sees as the benefit of moving into this role. If there is no other child on the horizon, maybe she sees it as a way toward job security as your child grows and starts school.

[Anonymous]

Could also include getting cars serviced regularly, seasonally rotating wardrobes, decorating and undecorating for holidays

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The house manager would do all of that stuff for the whole household.

She would also find, schedule, and manage any vendors (like cleaners and yard people). She would deal with any repairs that need to come up. She'd plan meals, pack for trips, ready the house for your return from a long vacation ...

She would put together a schedule for home maintenance. This would include things like regularly decluttering/organizing/donating, remembering to change HVAC filters (or tell you to do it if that's not something easy to do), keeping track of "big" cleaning jobs that can get overlooked, like windows or chandeliers. She could do them herself or hire someone, that would be up to your agreement.

Basically, she would run the home like you would (should) if you were home to do it. Now, you may not want her to do all of this, but that's the kind of thing to expect.

I imagine the transition to a house manager would be gradual; as each thing comes up in the year, you would discuss when how or if to turn in over to her.

OP here and thank you. We have a person who comes in once a week and makes all weekday dinners for us so that isn't necessary and she already packs and unpacks DD after a trip. She comes with us on vacations so readying the house is not possible.

Then maybe you don't have anything else much for her to do. The fact that she suggested it says to me that there are things that she feels she would like to be in charge of. Why don't you ask her to make a list of additional tasks she would perform as household manager. You could also ask her what she sees as the benefit of moving into this role. If there is no other child on the horizon, maybe she sees it as a way toward job security as your child grows and starts school.

OP again - I am pregnant now and DD doesn't start her two hour a day preschool until September.

How do those with House Managers handle cash payments to Housekeeper and Cleaning Service? As it is now, Nanny reminds us to leave cash for both. Still sometimes we forget and Nanny has to pay them out of her money (we never forget to reimburse her before she goes home).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The house manager would do all of that stuff for the whole household.

She would also find, schedule, and manage any vendors (like cleaners and yard people). She would deal with any repairs that need to come up. She'd plan meals, pack for trips, ready the house for your return from a long vacation ...

She would put together a schedule for home maintenance. This would include things like regularly decluttering/organizing/donating, remembering to change HVAC filters (or tell you to do it if that's not something easy to do), keeping track of "big" cleaning jobs that can get overlooked, like windows or chandeliers. She could do them herself or hire someone, that would be up to your agreement.

Basically, she would run the home like you would (should) if you were home to do it. Now, you may not want her to do all of this, but that's the kind of thing to expect.

I imagine the transition to a house manager would be gradual; as each thing comes up in the year, you would discuss when how or if to turn in over to her.

OP here and thank you. We have a person who comes in once a week and makes all weekday dinners for us so that isn't necessary and she already packs and unpacks DD after a trip. She comes with us on vacations so readying the house is not possible.

Then maybe you don't have anything else much for her to do. The fact that she suggested it says to me that there are things that she feels she would like to be in charge of. Why don't you ask her to make a list of additional tasks she would perform as household manager. You could also ask her what she sees as the benefit of moving into this role. If there is no other child on the horizon, maybe she sees it as a way toward job security as your child grows and starts school.

OP again - I am pregnant now and DD doesn't start her two hour a day preschool until September.

How do those with House Managers handle cash payments to Housekeeper and Cleaning Service? As it is now, Nanny reminds us to leave cash for both. Still sometimes we forget and Nanny has to pay them out of her money (we never forget to reimburse her before she goes home).

Give her a checkbook with checks made out except dates. She can let you know the week prior to needing more checks.

And get her a card so she can pay contractors directly.

[Anonymous]

I agree that you need to just talk to your nanny directly about her suggestion. My guess as a nanny is that she has realized she is already taking on a lot of the household manager role but she would like to rewrite her work agreement with you to specify that so that she can advertise herself as an experienced household manager down the line. As a career nanny, thinking about ways you can add to your list of skills is part of building a successful long-term career in this field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She already is your house manager.
Perhaps she's hinting that she'd like to be compensated accordingly.

OP back and no - we offered her a raise this year and she turned it down since we started paying her healthcare insurance.

Who turns down a raise? Would you?
That's stupid.

Taxes
Lose Medicare/aid benefits
Owe more in insurance
Kids lose SNAP food stamp amounts

Lots of nannies only report a minimum in order to get Gov’t freebies.