A housekeeper’s pandemic tale

Keep calm and carry on

By: CP Residences
March 2021
With a skilful twist of the wrists and deft flick of the fingers, Aisya Humaira Binti Aping straightens out the crisp, clean bedsheet. No wrinkles, no-frills, no problem.

Then, the finishing touch. Aisya carefully folds a hand towel into the shape of a swan and gently lays it at the foot of the bed. In a matter of minutes, an inviting, freshly-made bed is ready for the next guest at CP Residences.

Every action seems masterful but it wasn’t always so easy. Two years ago, Aisya did not know what to expect in her new role as a housekeeper, having come from the food and beverage industry, and advertising before that. “The hardest thing in the two weeks of training was straightening bedsheets without wrinkles,” she laughed. Now, she’s a pro, and even added her personal touch with towel art, something she picked up on her own via YouTube.

“I did it for fun the first time and the tenant really liked it,” she said. Now, towels in the form of swans, elephants and candles regularly delight CP guests. Aisya added: “I like making guests feel happy and at home.”

TAKING EXTRA CARE DURING COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has made housekeeping work more challenging, with deep cleaning required for every one of CP Residences’ units. Cleaning a home with five rooms can take an entire day for a team of four.

This is especially important for units that share common facilities such as a living room, toilet and kitchen. The thorough cleaning begins with the use of anti-bacterial spray-on every square foot of the apartment, with special attention paid to common touchpoints such as door handles and remote controls. Not an inch is spared.

“We need to maintain the cleanliness of the homes for our customers,” said Aisya, who dutifully dons her mask through the day even if it is uncomfortable. “We don’t want any risks as it will affect our customers’ health as well as our own.”

Having struck a bond with many of the CP residents, Aisya is especially concerned about keeping them safe during the pandemic. “Some of them call me ‘sister’. I ask them about their jobs, how they are coping with COVID-19. We see each other around more as they do not go to the office. We even say ‘hi’ when we meet each other outside.”

For Aisya, this community also brings her great joy since she has been away from her family in Malaysia for the past seven months. “I do miss them, but I also have a job to do here,” said the 29-year-old, who used to commute from Johor Bahru every day before the pandemic.

However, she has come to relish being part of the CP team, and especially enjoyed the pre-COVID-19 gatherings during festivities. Aisya said:

“This is my second family. The most important thing is that honestly, I don’t feel stressed working here.”

Aisya Humaira Binti Aping