Day one is a walkthrough, not a full trial
Arrival day is noisy: jet lag, new faces, unfamiliar appliances, and a dozen “small” questions that feel huge to a migrant domestic worker (MDW / FDW) who has just entered your home. A day-one orientation checklist keeps the first hours calm and complete — keys, rooms, safety, contacts, and a few non‑negotiables — without turning night one into a performance review.
This page is an employer execution checklist for Singapore households on arrival day only. It is general employment guidance only. Soft Ministry of Manpower (MOM): confirm live rest-day, accommodation, and welfare rules on mom.gov.sg.
Use neighbouring hubs for depth this page does not re-write:
- Before she arrives: Preparing your home before your domestic helper arrives (unique #12)
- Days 2–14 living-together map: First two weeks with a new domestic helper — onboarding tips (unique #16)
- Written house-rules sheet (document): Creating a simple written house rules sheet (unique #32)
- SIP (if she is new to Singapore): Settling-In Programme (SIP): preparing for a first-time helper in Singapore (unique #17)
- First-time hire overview: How to hire a domestic helper in Singapore
- Rest-day rules (flagship): Rest days for domestic helpers in Singapore — rules and fair arrangements
- This article: the first-hours checklist — show, hand over, protect rest; leave fortnight routines and sheet authorship to #16 / #32
Hard rule: do not invent salary, levy, agency fees, insurance premiums, SIP course fees, or “orientation package” dollars from this article. Money and compliance sit with your signed terms, your licensed employment agency (EA), and live MOM guidance — not with a blog post.
SmartMaid.com.sg is a search marketplace. You browse and shortlist biodata published by licensed agencies; SmartMaid is not a maid agency, not a mediator, and does not run your day-one briefing. See How Smart Maid Singapore differs from a maid agency.
Who owns day one (employer / EA / MOM / platform)
| Party | Role on arrival day |
|---|---|
| You (employer of record) | Walk the home; hand keys / Wi‑Fi; show sleeping space; share emergency contacts; point to rest-day calendar; keep rules talk short; protect rest if she is exhausted or SIP-bound |
| Licensed EA | Arrival logistics, SIP booking if applicable, aftercare contact for day-one crises — per your service agreement |
| MOM | Employment standards (rest days, accommodation / reasonable privacy, ill-treatment, Work Permit steps). Welfare channels are for safety and compliance, not for “she folded towels differently” |
| SmartMaid | Search and shortlist published biodata if you later need a next hire; does not meet her at the door or run orientation |
Unique #12 gets the room and draft ready before arrival. Unique #32 owns the written sheet. Unique #16 owns days 2–14. This page owns what you do in the first hours after the door opens.
Before the door opens (5-minute employer pre-check)
If unique #12 is done, this is a last look — not a rebuild:
- Sleeping space, bedding, drinking water, and a clear place for luggage.
- Wi‑Fi password written down (or QR) and your phone number on a small card.
- Printed or handwritten emergency contacts (you, spouse / backup, EA coordinator, nearest clinic / 995 / 999 as appropriate).
- Draft or printed house-rules sheet ready to hand later — authorship on unique #32; do not invent a 10-page manual at midnight.
- Rest-day calendar visible (fridge / notice board) with the first rest day marked.
- If she is SIP-eligible or has an arrival medical slot, those times are already protected on *your* calendar so day-one chores do not collide — detail on unique #17 and unique #14 (arrival medical) if you need timing depth.
The day-one checklist (copy and tick)
1. Keys and access
- Show which key / card / PIN opens the main door, letterbox, and any gate.
- Say clearly whether she may leave the flat alone on day 1 for short errands, or wait until you are both comfortable.
- Point out lift lobby / carpark exit if relevant.
- If you use CCTV at entrances, say so calmly (privacy depth later on unique #29 — day one only needs honesty, not a policy lecture).
2. Rooms walk (sleep first, tour second)
Order matters when she is tired:
- Her sleeping space — bed, storage she controls, where to put luggage, charging spot.
- Bathroom she will use; towels; laundry basket.
- Kitchen — drinking water, fridge shelf for her food, bin, basic plates.
- Living / common areas — which cupboards she may open on day 1 vs wait for a demo.
- Off-limits — master bedroom drawers, personal safes, medicine cabinets she should not open without you, balcony / window rules if any.
Do not demand a full deep-clean or “prove you can cook our entire menu” on arrival night. Orientation ≠ trial.
3. Appliances (demo the dangerous ones only)
Day one is for safety demos, not every gadget in the flat:
- Gas stove / induction: on / off, kettle, extractor.
- Rice cooker / microwave if she will use them tonight.
- Washing machine: one cycle only if laundry cannot wait; otherwise demo on day 2–3.
- Water heater / iron if relevant.
- Anything that can burn, flood, or trip a breaker — show once, watch once, write a one-line note if language is a stretch.
Save “every appliance brand in the house” for unique #16’s room-by-room days 2–3. A natural follow-on deep page is appliance safety (see #34 suggestion below).
4. Emergency contacts (hand a card, do not rely on memory)
Give her a physical or phone-note card with:
| Contact | Number / how to reach |
|---|---|
| You (primary) | Mobile + preferred chat app |
| Backup adult in the home | Spouse / parent / adult child |
| Licensed EA coordinator | Name + after-hours path if your package includes it |
| Building / condo security | If applicable |
| Emergency services | 995 (ambulance / fire) · 999 (police) — confirm she understands when to call |
Walk fire exit / assembly point once. First-aid kit location once. Do not turn this into a fear briefing.
5. House rules sheet (#32) — hand over, do not interrogate
- Hand the one-page written house rules sheet (or say “we will walk this tomorrow morning if you are exhausted tonight”).
- On night one, speak only three or four non‑negotiables (e.g. no personal visitors without asking; phone volume after children’s bedtime; kitchen reset after cooking; who may enter her room).
- Full calm walk-through of the sheet belongs later in week 1 — structure and introduce tips live on unique #32; fortnight pacing on unique #16.
6. Rest day (point to the calendar)
- Show the calendar where her rest day is marked.
- Confirm the first rest day in plain words.
- Do not leave “we will see” as the plan.
- Legal and fairness detail stays on the rest-days flagship — day one only needs the date and where to look.
7. Phone and Wi‑Fi
- Share Wi‑Fi. Let her message family that she arrived safely.
- Agree a quiet volume after children’s bedtime (or after a stated hour).
- No phone confiscation as “orientation discipline.”
- Depth on fair call windows / social media / photos: unique #31 — day one needs connectivity and kindness, not a full digital policy seminar.
8. Meals on day one
- Offer water and a simple first meal she can actually eat (ask about religion, allergies, no-pork / no-beef / vegetarian needs).
- Show her fridge shelf / snacks she may take without asking every time.
- If she is too tired to cook, you handle dinner — judging “cooking skill” on arrival night is a false signal.
- Grocery rhythm and food preferences deepen on unique #16 (and a dedicated food/grocery page if you rewrite one later).
9. When SIP applies (protect the slot — do not stack chores)
Many first-time MDWs in Singapore must complete the Settling-In Programme (SIP) after arrival. Confirm *her* eligibility and booking with your licensed EA — do not assume every transfer or ex-Singapore helper follows the same path.
If SIP (or arrival medical) is still outstanding on day one:
- Tell her the date / pickup plan in simple words.
- Do not stack deep cleaning, full infant protocols, renovation help, or heavy overtime on SIP day.
- Keep a recovery window after SIP if she returns exhausted.
- Employer prep and timing live on unique #17 SIP; arrival medical timing on unique #14 if needed.
If she is not SIP-eligible, still protect rest after long travel — jet lag is enough reason to go slow.
What *not* to do on day one
- Compare her to a previous helper in front of her.
- Deliver a 40-item duty list before she has slept.
- Change the rest-day plan verbally without updating the calendar.
- Confiscate her phone “until she settles.”
- Leave her alone with complex solo childcare or elder meds before you have demoed safety.
- Assume SmartMaid or a blog post can replace your EA’s aftercare number.
Copyable day-one tick list
- [ ] Keys / access shown; leave-alone rule for day 1 stated
- [ ] Sleeping space, bathroom, water, luggage spot first
- [ ] Short rooms walk + off-limits named
- [ ] Safety appliance demos only (stove / kettle / critical items)
- [ ] Emergency contacts card handed over; fire exit pointed
- [ ] House-rules sheet handed (or scheduled for morning); 3–4 non‑negotiables spoken
- [ ] First rest day marked on a calendar she can see
- [ ] Wi‑Fi + your number; family “arrived safe” message allowed
- [ ] Simple meal / dietary check; fridge shelf shown
- [ ] SIP / medical slot protected if applicable; rest prioritised if exhausted
- [ ] EA coordinator number saved on her phone and yours
FAQ
How long should day-one orientation take?
Often 45–90 minutes of focused walkthrough, then rest. Stretch only if she is alert and asking questions. Exhaustion wins over completeness — finish the tick list tomorrow morning if needed.
Should I walk the full house-rules sheet on night one?
Only if both of you can focus. Otherwise: hand the sheet, speak 3–4 non‑negotiables, schedule the calm walk-through for later in week 1. Document craft: unique #32. Fortnight reinforcement: unique #16.
What if she arrives after SIP the same day?
Prioritise sleep, water, Wi‑Fi, emergency card, and her room. Full appliance and rules tours can wait until she has rested. SIP prep: unique #17.
Transfer / ex-Singapore helper — skip orientation?
No. She may know Singapore, not *your* keys, stove, children’s allergies, or rest-day calendar. Shorten the “country” talk; keep the home-specific checklist.
Can SmartMaid run day-one orientation or book SIP?
No. SmartMaid is a biodata marketplace. You and your licensed EA handle arrival, SIP, and household briefing. Platform vs agency: How Smart Maid Singapore differs from a maid agency.
Next steps
- Finish unique #12 pre-arrival prep so day one is a walkthrough, not a scramble.
- Print or draft the unique #32 house-rules sheet before or on arrival.
- Run this day-one tick list; protect SIP / medical slots via unique #17 if she is new to Singapore.
- From day 2, follow unique #16’s fortnight map (routines, food rhythm, week‑2 feedback).
- Keep the rest-days flagship and first-time hire guide open for policy context.
- Escalate welfare or safety concerns promptly to your licensed EA (early-issue map: When to loop the agency into early issues, unique #26). For a future hire, shortlist on search maids · transfer maids.
*This article is general employer guidance only. It is not legal advice and not a substitute for your employment contract or MOM procedures. Accommodation, rest-day, salary payment, ill-treatment, Work Permit, SIP eligibility, and welfare rules can change. Confirm current requirements with your licensed employment agency, your signed agreement, and on mom.gov.sg. No agency fees, salary figures, levy rates, bond amounts, premiums, SIP course fees, or fine amounts are quoted here.*
## What changed vs live
- Replaced early-settling twin boilerplate (shared “Successful onboarding during onboarding a new domestic helper…” meta + First-week orientation / Safety and privacy / Rest days and communication / Keep agency contact handy Soft CTA; day-one checklist intent only in H1; twin group `2cce354b40`) with a full day-one orientation checklist for Singapore MDW / FDW households.
- Added sections for who owns day one, 5-minute pre-check, tickable checklist (keys, rooms, appliances, emergency contacts, house-rules sheet handoff, rest day, phone/Wi‑Fi, meals, SIP), what not to do, copyable tick list, FAQ, and soft CTAs to `/search-maid` · `/search-transfer-maid`.
- Linked unique #12 home prep, unique #16 first-fortnight onboarding, unique #32 house-rules sheet, unique #17 SIP, unique #26 agency early-issue loop, unique #29 / #31 privacy & phone pointers, unique #14 arrival medical (light), first-time hire pillar, rest-days flagship, platform-vs-agency. Soft MOM. No invented $.
- Kept SERP intent distinct from unique #12 (pre-arrival readiness), #16 (fortnight timetable), #32 (sheet as document): this page owns arrival-day execution — first-hours show / hand over / protect rest.
- Fallback unused: slug already matches day-one checklist intent; twin body uniquified in place.
