The cleaning lady

I kid you not - a woman's work is never done. Especially if she's just finished waving the carpenters goodbye and it is time to stash stuff away.

Sigh.

The thing to remember when surveying the sea of bags and suitcases with a sour eye, is not to panic. Yes, it's overwhelming not knowing where to begin and the rest of it, but shush. Start by cleaning out the floors - if you've just shifted, and what's more, had carpenters, plumbers and other persons working on the premises - chances are the floors will require two sweepings and may be the same number of washings. Alternatively, you could leave the floors for last. Wear a pair of comfortable and clean slippers or shoes around the house as you set about cleaning.

If it makes better sense, start with putting the clothes, shoes, bags and kitchen utensils away. Put one type of article away at a time, and don't stop till all of the stuff in that category is put away completely. Trust me, it's a big motivator to see the clothes all put away before you start on the kitchen stuff. Setting house is nothing if not a lesson in self-motivation.

Next, dry dust/ sweep all surfaces, vertical and horizontal. Take the duster inside cabinets and in the corners of shelves, inside bathroom traps and inside lofts. Follow this with a liberal amount of pesticide spraying, if you haven't already called the pest-control guys. If you're going to pest-proof the place professionally, I would suggest doing it when the house is empty and the stuff is still inside bags.

After this, start the next stage of cleaning all surfaces with a wet duster. There is nothing more satisfying than gleaming surfaces emerging from under a wet duster. Some surfaces such as the cooking range, sink, tiles around the washbasin, the washbasin, commode, bathroom tiles and so on may require a vigorous soap bath. Use an abrasive powder such as Vim to attack stubborn stains, but protect your hands when doing so. If your skin rebels against cleaning powders, go for detergents like Pril but use a cleaning pad.

Once this is done, sit for a while with a cup of tea/ coffee/ poison of your choice.

It makes sense to start on the tough parts of the job first. Leave such minor tasks as putting detergents and other things away for the end, and include making the beds, putting up the paintings, arranging your books neatly in the book case, going out to buy potted plants and such, for much later. Small things left at the end are very therapeutic and will help you relax from the stresses of all the cleaning.

Do write in if you did things differently or if you have better ideas on setting up the house.

Next: Optimum service.

Every little thing...

It’s not amusing, but it’s got to be done.

The paint in my current house is so fragile, if I sneeze in the living room, a mark shows up on the bedroom wall. The flat owner is allergic to any damages his home will incur, so it’s been a fun year keeping all furniture a good one inch away from the wall and not slamming doors when angry because the bathroom plaster is falling like snow.

When you decide to buy/ rent, make sure the owner gets the place painted if the house needs it. The charges for the same are NOT to be adjusted against your rent. In fact, any repairs the owner carries out, if you’re renting the house, are to be seen as enhancing the value of his/her house and are not a concession to you. If purchasing, you will naturally do the painting yourself.

When examining the house, check if all faucets, door knobs, latches, commode flush are in working condition. This is very important in case you’re renting, so point out any ill-functioning taps and appliances after a thorough check. The owner must get these repaired before you move in, and after you take possession. I actually took photographs of the house before moving in, compiled a list of minor damages here and there which the owner had not addressed, and got the list signed from him. Keep yourself safe on all counts; the owner must not have a window of opportunity to carry out repairs against any damages you might have caused from the deposit money you paid up.

Also, put the terms for recovering your deposit in the clearest language in your agreement. Generally, the owner hands over the deposit after a last inspection of the house. Agree that the house keys and deposit money will be exchanged on the same day.

What you will have to check for:
- Leakages in external/ internal walls.
- If the walls are too defaced to put up curtain rods, paintings and such.
- If the fans, lights, hot water geysers, intercom point are installed and in working condition.
- If door handles, knobs, latches have come unstuck/ are jammed.
- If there are plug points for your washing machine, refrigerator. These require special points, you cannot plug these appliances into your normal ones.
- If there is an inlet for a water filter. Also check for inlet and outlet for your washing machine.
- If there is a TV cable connection already provided.
- What the arrangement for gas supply to the kitchen is.
- If there is space to hang mirrors, bathroom cabinet/ shelf in the bathroom.
- If the window grilles, door shutters are in good working condition, and how secure the house is from burglaries/ forced entry.
- If there is enough storage space for kitchen utensils. Also check for additional storage space in the form of lofts.
- If there are cockroach infestations anywhere in the house. Look for these under kitchen sinks, unused room corners, kitchen cabinets and other places affording breeding sites.
- If there are cleaning ladies frequenting other flats in the building.

Start with these basics and you might discover many other things you need to look at while you’re still checking. Once these are done, you can start shifting your furniture. Leave actual beautification for the last – putting up plants, setting up planter boxes, wall hangings and wind chimes, wall paintings and flower vases – but get your house thoroughly cleaned, sprayed for pests, and painted before you start moving in.

Do write in if you have any tips to share.

Next: Packing for the move.