Helper work schedule and house guide template for Singapore homes: 5 parts, with lunch break and rest day
A house guide that works for your helper (maid) has five parts:
- Fixed times in the day;
- What happens every day;
- What happens once a week;
- House rules;
- Rest time.
For each job, write what “done well” looks like. Keep the day relaxed, and always write in the lunch break and the rest day.
Three things to remember before you write
- You're writing it down so you repeat yourself less, not to fill every minute. A packed day looks tiring to you and feels tiring to her.
- For each job, write what “done well” looks like. “Mop the floor” isn't enough; “Mop the living room and kitchen once a day, with no footprints left” is.
- Start small and add over time. In the first week, write only what happens every day — see a new helper's first week.
Template (adapt it to your home)
1. Fixed times in the day
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:30 | Wake up |
| 7:00 | Make breakfast |
| 12:00–14:00 | Lunch break |
| 17:30 | Start cooking dinner |
| After 21:00 | Her own time — nothing planned |
2. What happens every day
| Job | What “done well” looks like |
|---|---|
| Laundry | Darks and lights washed separately; shirts hung on hangers, not pegged by the collar |
| Mopping | Living room and kitchen once a day, no footprints or water marks afterwards |
| Washing up | Done straight after each meal, bowls stacked upside down in the cupboard |
| Rubbish | Taken out after dinner, with a new bag put in |
3. What happens once a week
| Day | Job | What “done well” looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Change bed sheets | Washed the same day they come off |
| Thursday | Clean windows (inside only) | No streaks |
| Friday | Clear out the fridge | Anything expired taken out to show me |
Cleaning the outside of windows has rules: the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) only allows a helper to clean the outside of a window when it has grilles that stay locked the whole time and the employer, or an adult the employer has appointed, is there with her. Windows at ground level or facing a common corridor are exceptions. If in doubt, clean the inside only.
4. House rules
- How to use each appliance, and which ones not to touch;
- What each family member eats and doesn't eat (allergies, dietary restrictions);
- Anything to take special care with for children or elderly family members;
- Who to contact, and which number to call, in an emergency.
5. Rest time
- Lunch break every day: 12:00–14:00;
- Weekly rest day: Sunday (or whichever day you agreed with her), with nothing planned;
- No new instructions after 9 pm; anything else waits until the next morning.
For the rules on rest days, see Singapore helper rest day rules.
After you've written it
- Go through it with her item by item, and ask her to say each one back in her own words.
- Put it somewhere she can see it, or on her phone.
- After a week or two, fix whatever wasn't clear — don't wait until something goes wrong.
Yiru makes this easier
- Adapt this template, then send a photo or paste the text to the AI assistant Momo. It arranges it into a house guide by room and by time, translated into her language. Burmese, Indonesian and Filipino all work.
- Each step can have a photo, so she can see what “done right” looks like.
- Her phone reminds her at the right time; from 9 pm to 6 am, and on her rest day, nothing disturbs her.
FAQ
Do I need to write it down to the minute?
No. 3 fixed times are enough; she'll fit everything else around them.
Should she sign the house guide?
No. You write it down so you're both on the same page — it isn't a contract.
Sources
All checked in October 2026. Rules and figures may change; official websites take precedence.