Interview: Irina, Household manager at Maison Helya
Hello Irina! You started a position as a Household manager at Maison Helya in 2016, working for a prestigious client. Can you tell us about your career path?
Before taking on this position, I worked as a chambermaid in a famous Parisian palace. I cleaned the rooms for part of the day and the second part of the day was dedicated to preparing the rooms for the evening. This is called the “turndown service”. After this experience, which lasted 8 years, I wanted to change the type of clientele and so I started working with individuals. More precisely, it was some hotel’s guests who offered me the opportunity to work alongside them, which I accepted. They spoke the same language as me, coming from Eastern Europe. I was therefore working for a foreign family who came to stay in Paris very often, to go shopping, see friends…
What was your role within this particular family?
In this family, I was a housekeeper within a small team of several domestic staff, including managers. The apartment was quite large, and I had more responsibilities: I cleaned, made beds, waited on guests, ironed, did laundry, and many other things.
The clients were very well-off. Therefore, there were many valuable objects and works of art in the apartment, which required careful care. There were also some very prestigious guests, so I had to be responsible and very available, especially when it came to working quite late at night and starting early in the morning.
What did you take away from these two experiences? What struck you the most?
At the Georges V, I worked with a very large team, with many departments; we were very close-knit. There was a team spirit. It was “One for all, All for one.”
I also learned and worked a lot within the family. You had to be very careful with everything. Just when vacuuming, you had to be very careful with the doors, the tables, the table legs because they were very expensive period pieces brought from a château in France. You had to do a meticulous job.
The secret to success in the profession, to making a career, is to be demanding. First of all, of yourself, then of your work. It's essential to strive for perfection; that's what clients want.
- Irina, Household manager at Maison Helya
Would you say that you learned more from this family than at the Georges V Hotel?
The Georges V was a very good school; I learned the basics for working with people accustomed to luxury goods, for a demanding clientele. You had to be careful about professional secrecy, discreet, always available, attentive to clients and what they wanted. I also learned to work at a fast pace, but a bit like a machine. You had to work quickly, very quickly. In the long run, this held me back a bit.
When I started working within the family, I also wanted to work very quickly and very well, but I realized that working very quickly and very well was difficult and not always compatible. Working with private individuals, you have to take even more time to avoid breaking anything. Ultimately, it’s very different working in luxury hotels and in private homes.
Why did you leave the luxury hotel industry?
First, the hours didn’t suit me; I never had Saturdays, Sundays, or weekends off. It was a bit difficult. The evening work was also tiring.
How did you find your current position and what does your job at Maison Helya involve today?
I heard about Maison Helya while I was still working, through my colleagues and my network. So I applied!
Today, I’m a full-time household manager for a single owner. I’m responsible for all tasks in the residence: cleaning, laundry, preparing breakfast and lunch, managing the table setting for guests, shopping, and liaising with the various suppliers and service providers. These are things I hadn’t done before because there was a manager who took care of everything. So, it’s new for me.
Are you happy with these new features?
Yes, of course! I meet interesting people, and there’s a lot of versatility!
I try to manage as best I can. Not getting behind with cleaning or laundry, being well organized. It’s not difficult for me because I’m a very organized person. Ultimately, the hardest part is managing stress because I’m always afraid of not having done my tasks properly. Did I do it right? Did I set the cutlery properly?
Because you are a perfectionist and very concerned about doing things well?
I’m starting to get to know my client and their schedule well. I can plan my day because I know what they need. For example, if I see that my boss left a jacket on the chair and he has to wear it the next day, I put it where it belongs, on a hanger so he can find it where it belongs. That way, he doesn’t have to look for it or ask me for it.
What do you enjoy most in your daily life?
I think it’s the contact I have with the people I meet, whether it’s my boss, who is pleasant, his guests, or his family, who are very kind. I also like the relationship with the service providers, with whom we communicate a lot and who are generally very professional.
If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
I don’t know. Nothing! You always have to want to progress and make things evolve, move forward, but my daily life suits me right now.
What are your secrets for relaxing and resting in such a hectic pace?
I go out and walk in the gardens. I’d like to exercise every week, but I don’t have the time. With everything we have to do at home, there’s not much time left to relax and exercise.
Today, after all these years of experience, what are the missions you are most proud of?
I think my career path has been pretty good, whether in hotels or private residences. I’ve met many very wealthy and demanding people, from whom I’ve learned a lot. What struck me is that I’m able to work with this level of rigor. I’m able to satisfy my clients, and that’s what makes me proud and happy.
What advice would you give to a young person who would like to become a household manager in a private residence?
First of all, he will need to be organized and responsible. But the secret to success in the profession, to making a career, is to be demanding. First of all, of yourself, then of your work. It is essential to strive for perfection; that’s what clients want.
Thanks a lot Irina!
"A good household manager knows the house. An excellent household manager knows its inhabitants."
- Maison Helya