Housekeepers/maid service... I know there''s nothing to be worried about...

[Gleam]

I finally got over my yuppie guilt and just hired a cleaning service because my apartment is a mess.

I know they''re very trustworthy, but still, I can''t help but have a small urge to hide my jewelry and designer bags. SO DUMB, I know.

I guess I''m just not very trusting. In a way, it''s because I wouldn''t even be sure how to prove they stole something if they did. Let''s just say they stole one of my Chanel handbags, or an expensive piece of jewelry. Would I just call them and say, "Pardon me, but I think you''re a thief?"

Also, I tend to be a cash hoarder... urgh, bad habit I''m trying to get over. Whenever my fiance gives me pocket money, I save it and now I have a big ball of cash. I''m the crazy lady with cash under the mattress. lol Maybe I''ll go deposit it all before the cleaning people come in.

LOL Anyway. Sorry, I had to get that out because I''m feeling a little neurotic! AND guilty because I''m a 25 year old hiring cleaning people. Yuppie guilt galore.

 

[princesss]

Go buy yourself a big, heavy safe. Now.


I''m dead serious. I don''t trust anybody when it comes to small, valuable items than can easily be pocketed. Get a safe so heavy you would damage yourself if you tried to lift it by yourself, and lock those puppies up. Maybe not the handbags, but the jewelry should DEFINITELY be in a safe.

 

[Loves Vintage]

I think your feelings are VERY normal. Since you don''t know the people who will be cleaning your house, I really don''t think there is any reason to assume that THEY ARE trustworthy. I mean I would hope that most cleaning companies hire trustworthy employees, but until you have experiences with the individuals who will be in your home and a relatioship of trust has been built, then there really is no reason to assume they are trustworthy beforehand. Now, head on over to the bank with all that cash!!!

 

[Circe]

There''s experiencing liberal yuppie guilt, and there''s having that guilt make you stupid (not you specifically - generic you).

ANYtime someone comes into your house - not just when they''re "the help," I mean friends, too - you should know where your valuables are. And, preferably "where" they are should be "in a safe."

I''ve never had anything hugely valuable disappear, but a parcel of synthetic rutile (think, CZ''s grandpa - a simulant used in the 60s) went away when I was in grad school. Someone must have just lifted it during a party. That was sort of sucky. Since then, I make sure to lock everything up ....

 

[lilyfoot]

I don''t think you should feel yuppy guilt. You''re helping the cleaning people keep their jobs! Supporting the economy!

I actually enjoy cleaning, and our apartment never gets messy or anything. But I understand the majority of people don''t like cleaning!

I would definitely lock away your valuable stuff. There is no way to prove someone stole something, short of installing a camera. It''s not worth it to take the risk! Especially since I know you''re in the no-insurance group lol

 

[vespergirl]

I ALWAYS lock up my jewlery before our maids come over. Sorry, but I don''t trust strangers. You are doing the right thing.

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 11/18/2009 9:52:12 AM
Author:Gleam
I finally got over my yuppie guilt and just hired a cleaning service because my apartment is a mess.

I know they''re very trustworthy, but still, I can''t help but have a small urge to hide my jewelry and designer bags. SO DUMB, I know.

I guess I''m just not very trusting. In a way, it''s because I wouldn''t even be sure how to prove they stole something if they did. Let''s just say they stole one of my Chanel handbags, or an expensive piece of jewelry. Would I just call them and say, ''Pardon me, but I think you''re a thief?''

Also, I tend to be a cash hoarder... urgh, bad habit I''m trying to get over. Whenever my fiance gives me pocket money, I save it and now I have a big ball of cash. I''m the crazy lady with cash under the mattress. lol Maybe I''ll go deposit it all before the cleaning people come in.

LOL Anyway. Sorry, I had to get that out because I''m feeling a little neurotic! AND guilty because I''m a 25 year old hiring cleaning people. Yuppie guilt galore.

Are you kidding...I would never leave my valuables out when a stranger is in my home!You are right to feel this way and its not dumb...you dont know these people and so I would ask you to hide your jewelry and bags...the cash and jewelry need to go into the bank or safe or with you and the bags put where they cant be seen or in a locked closet.Never put you jewelry in place where there is easy access to it!Icould share horror stories about clients who thought it was dumb to lock up their jewelry when the cleaning people came to clean and there best pieces are no longer with them!Loch the stuff up crazy lady

 

[oddoneout]

Hey I''d feel the same way (if I did have some valuable items). I''m not trusting at all. You''re right it''s not like you can just come out and ask them if they stole something.

 

[vc10um]

Date: 11/18/2009 10:31:11 AM
Author: lilyfoot
I don''t think you should feel yuppy guilt. You''re helping the cleaning people keep their jobs! Supporting the economy!

I actually enjoy cleaning, and our apartment never gets messy or anything. But I understand the majority of people don''t like cleaning!

I would definitely lock away your valuable stuff. There is no way to prove someone stole something, short of installing a camera. It''s not worth it to take the risk! Especially since I know you''re in the no-insurance group lol

Ditto to the highlighted (because I definitely do NOT enjoy cleaning). It''s not silly at all to make sure your valuables are locked away, especially if anything is particularly important to you...ESPECIALLY if you''re in the no-insurance group like LF said!

 

[April20]

In all seriously, secure your small valuables. If you don''t personally know who''s coming into your home, reputable company or not, you are exposing yourself to unnecessary risk.

I worked with a gal a few years back that used a very well known cleaning agency weekly. She knew if she didn''t put away small valuables, they walked away, never to be seen again. She couldn''t prove anything short of going to the trouble to set up a nanny cam and document it, but she had watches, bracelets, etc, walk away. Nothing of huge value, but what if it had been?

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 11/18/2009 11:59:13 AM
Author: vespergirl
I ALWAYS lock up my jewlery before our maids come over. Sorry, but I don''t trust strangers. You are doing the right thing.

Ditto. I have been burned before!!

 

[steph72276]

Like others have said, lock your things up. I don''t trust people until I know them and have proven themselves trustworthy.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

I put my valuables in the safe on cleaning service days, although I know and trust the ladies who work for me. I think it''s a little unfair to them for me to leave small items of value lying around- if something goes missing, they''re under a cloud whether they took it (or knocked it under some furniture) or not.

 

[Lilac]

My stepmother used to have a cleaning woman come once a week. Over the course of a few months, a watch, necklace, and diamond stud disappeared. The 1 carat diamond stud was the last straw - my stepmom could never prove it, but she knew the woman was taking the jewelry because my stepmom always put everything back in the exact same place, but after the cleaning woman came these things were gone. She fired her, but never saw her jewelry again.

I agree with previous posters - buy a safe, and lock everything up. It''s not worth taking the chance.

 

[Arcadian]

I''m going to echo buy a safe. Yes I have cleaning people but I''m not stupid enough to put that temptation out there. Be smart, get a safe and use it (doing so may actually take a bit off your home owners insurance)


-A

 

[Gleam]

They came today and obviously no time to buy a safe (where does one do that?) so I hid everything! Thanks for the thoughts, ladies!

 

[Pandora II]

I''ve had the same cleaner for over 5 years and she worked for DH for 3 years before then. I can and have left anything out and I know that nothing will go missing.

However if it was a cleaning service with different people everytime I would lock everything away.

Guilt is not necessary - cleaners are necessities like gas and electric bills IMHO.

 

[LabRatPhD]

Probably don''t need to beat a dead horse but I agree that a safe is a wise investment, especially if you live in an apartment. While my FI and I don''t hire cleaning people for our apartment (cleaning is therapeutic for me!), we often have maintenance come into our unit when we are not home. I am not trusting at all and nagged my FI to buy a safe. It just bothers me knowing that people other than us have access to our apartment, especially because my FI and I work long hours and are not home much. Our complex has also had numerous car break-ins, even though we live in an upscale, gated complex. We keep all of our watches and my jewelry and important documents in there. I too have Chanel handbags and unfortunately they do not fit in the safe. The handbags are not worth as much as the jewelry but it would be nice to have a place to stash them! It is always better to be safe than sorry!

 

[partgypsy]

As someone I used to know say, just helping people keep honest. Why leave temptation?

 

[pennquaker09]

I don''t personally lock anything up, I''m definitely the exception to the rule. However, I do agree with everyone that we should always lock up our valuables.

 

[AdiS]

Date: 11/18/2009 7:04:09 PM
Author: part gypsy
As someone I used to know say, just helping people keep honest. Why leave temptation?

Ditto! As we Bulgarians say: "If the milk is covered, the cat can''t drink it"! (Doesn''t make much sense in English, does it? lol)