Is my cleaner overstepping?

@CoffeeBooksRats cleaner is definitely overstepping!

talk to her about it again and then send her photos or video of each room layout and confirm exactly how you want it left.

Make sure she agrees to do it your way to keep her working with you - 4 hours a week in one house is a great gig that she will want to keep!

I started off ready to say I'd love a cleaner that really got stuck in and moved stuff out the way to properly clean. It's important to agree expectations at the start. But some of your examples are a little mad

This makes me laugh a bit actually as when I used to clean I used to move things around to how I like them. Sometimes they stayed where I put them mostly but other times they were moved back to their original position and I left them as they were. But I was quite a perfectionist and maybe a bit OCD. But I feel that makes a good cleaner.
But I would always tell them that if they can't find something then just text me. And Sometimes they did and I would tell them exactly where it was.
I think if your cleaner does a good job over all then keep her. But just tell her not to move stuff.
Editing to add, I would never rearrange someone drawers and cupboards.

My cleaner does exactly what your cleaner does and I had to talk to her. She is from Brazil so I wonder is it a cultural thing?

I would hate it if my cleaner ever opened any of my cupboards or drawers and started rearranging stuff. I am gobsmacked that any cleaner thinks this is appropriate without having been specifically requested by the home owner. Moving things to clean, fine. Moving things because you think you know better, not fine!

I would tell her once, and once only, to stop. If it carries on, replace her.

It doesn't matter what is normal or not, if you don't like it, tell her not to do it.

Of course it’s not normal! Just ask her to put things back where they were after cleaning so you know where to find things.

No. She's paid to clean but she's spending that time moving everything round. Just tell her you'd prefer her to clean than to tidy.
Yes good cleaners are hard to find but she isn't one!

My cleaner often tidies things for me, it’s not always where it lives but then again it wasn’t in its correct spot in the first place 🫣 she’s a saint, willing to clean around our chaotic house (multiple very little kids, new baby in the mix) so I would never say anything if it annoyed me.

I think it depends how good a cleaner she is!

I had a cleaner once who moved plants around but never as much as yours moves. It was like a game..she moved a plant l moved it back and she moved it again the following week but neither of us said anything. Your cleaner, however, is a different story.. I wouldn't like that.

See I move the bottles to clean underneath them, wherever they are. Then I won't remeber the exact order so just put them back neatly. People are usually paying you to clean underneath their bottles.

You are paying her to waste her time doing things you don’t want her to! Get her told NO STOP IT!!

When I had a cleaner years ago she used to do this.

I like it tho.

We had a laugh about it and no harm done if I moved things back.

If she is doing a good cleaning job let it go. It isn't worth losing your rag and losing your lovely cleaner for.
X

I'd just get a new cleaner. I'd be uncomfortable with someone so odd in my house.

Definitely overstepping! But you just need to communicate more effectively with her. Dropping hints isn’t working.

Well that’s understandable, but after the first time it happened did you not think to say ‘please don’t move our stuff around’?

Yeah that’s batshit, you need to tell her to stick to cleaning rather than interior design

I had one once who'd carefully arrange all the toiletries, shampoo bottles etc in a line in size order. That's weird enough but actually rearranging a room/cupboards is really overstepping and not at all normal. Also a waste of cleaning time.

Tell her to please not rearrange anything but if she's got time left after cleaning could she do a 'deeper clean' item.eg wiping down skirting boards/washing the front step)wiping top of doors/descaling the shower head type thing that isn't done every week.

She shouldn't even be opening bedside table drawers! What an invasion of privacy.

What she is doing is not in any way normal, so you'll need a proper conversation with her I'm afraid.

If you want her to stop doing it you need to tell her very plainly. Don't hint, she clearly doesn't take a hint! It's not normal but perhaps she thinks she's helping.
Just tell her nicely but clearly.

Does she at least clean them?

This alone would have made me fire her!

I wonder if she's a little absent minded, moves everything off all the surfaces at once to dust/clean, then is like: "oh shit, I can't remember where the candle holders and plant pots were so I'll just pop them back where ever and hope for the best!" 😂

In all seriousness, this does seem a odd, and I would also find it very intrusive.

Shes a control freak.