Domestic Housekeeper
What the work is
Cleans, cooks and performs other housekeeping tasks in private residences.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Cleans and tidies private residences, including dusting, vacuuming, mopping floors and cleaning surfaces
- Makes beds and changes bed linen, and washes and irons clothes and linen
- Cleans and organises bathrooms, including toilets, showers and sinks
- Cleans and organises kitchens, including washing dishes, cleaning appliances and organising pantries
- Shops for groceries and household supplies, and prepares and cooks meals according to clients' preferences and dietary restrictions
- Takes care of household pets, including feeding, walking and grooming
- Performs light gardening and outdoor maintenance tasks
- Assists with other household tasks as needed, such as running errands or organising cupboards
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a mid-sized hotel by a fictional lake, with a housekeeping team and a few private clients on the side. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A row of rooms finished and fresh, with crisp sheets, folded towels and not a smudge on the mirror
- A guest leaves a handwritten thank-you on the pillow
- A fast, friendly team morning when everyone finishes their floor and gets a proper break
Hard days
- Checkout day with every room needed by two and a lift that is out of order
- A guest room that has been left in a terrible state, and the next guest arrives in an hour
- A trolley that is heavier than it looks, and bending over beds all day
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 811432, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.