To be a bit cross with the cleaner?

[Standbyeknee]

My wonderful cleaner, who’s been with me for years, is great at taking initiative, but sometimes it backfires. Today, she unpacked and set up a household item from an opened Amazon package, tossed the box, and I realised too late it was actually for a friend (a gift for her husband) who wanted it left in the box and unassembled. She’d had it delivered to my house so he didn’t see it.

I’d mistakenly opened it, thinking it was mine. I said to the cleaner that I must’ve ordered it without realising it. It is something I’d been in the market for and I can be forgetful!

I did NOT ask her to unbox and construct it.

Then my friend asked me if it had arrived and I realised…..

My friend is understandably upset, and I’ve offered to replace it, but it’s expensive. I love my cleaner and know she meant well, but I’m a bit frustrated by the situation.

That has nothing to do with what the cleaner did.

This. What a big fuss your friend is making. You were doing her a favour.

I would absolutely hate it if someone assembled my stuff.

Sex swing or Real Doll is my bet.

I'd say this was almost entirely your fault.

Well you told her it was yours but you’d forgotten about it. It sounds like if it had been yours you wouldn’t have minded her assembling it, if she’s been with you for years and felt comfortable to do that.

So I think this one’s on you. But for sure you can tell her to leave any flat pack action to you in future.

Such fun 🤩

In my view this is not being helpful but crossing the boundary. Even if the cleaner knew you hate assebling stuff she shouldnt do so without you asking her to do so.

I hate when people want to be helpful but wont accept I am saying I dont want any help.

You were thinking about buying one anyway & possibly crossed your mind you had in fact brought it … so you keep that one and reorder one for your friends DH.
don’t think the excuse that it is expensive will fly because you thought you had ordered it anyway 🤷‍♀️

I get her DH would want whatever it is boxed. I’d think it was a second hand item if it came unboxed and assembled which would put me off for a gift

Some people like assembling stuff. Or handle their own stuff themselves. Do it their way /make sure its done properly.

You do know that you are driving the readers of your thread a bit crazy by not telling us what it is. It wouldn't be outing, unless you then invite us all over for a BBQ or something.

Is the cleaner paid by the hour? If so she wasted a load of paid for time not cleaning. What is she not supposed to do if this is within her remit? Sounds a strange job description.

Do you usually ask your cleaner to unbox and assemble delivered items?

When I worked as a live-in help I would never dream of touching anything like that. Perhaps if my bosses repeatedly asked me for such help, I would ask if they want me to assemble it but not otherwise.

Coffee machine.

mine would have fit the OP's description.

@Standbyeknee

it's not an arrangement that would suit me, but as it suits you & her then 🤷🏻‍♀️

I still don't think she should have assembled it though as you may have wanted to return it.

i think regarding your friend though. You really have fucked up (& that's on you, not the cleaner) personally if I had the money to do it, I'd have just ordered a replacement fir my friend & either kept the first one or set about finding the best way to sell it.

are you ok though?? It's a pretty major thing to just forget??

OP says she unboxed it and the friend said she wanted it to remain in the box - she took it out of the package.

Its rude ti open up someone else’s box and take something out without asking.

But you're not the OP & SHE hasn't said she doesn't want any help. In fact she seems very happy with their usual arrangement (I wouldn't be either!!)

Nice to see I'm not the only person who loves assembling stuff. Always thought I was weird!

Feels 50/50 cleaner should have asked, but if she often takes the initiative and is thanked...

Just take it apart and wrap in some nice paper

I wouldn't! Like my Coffee machine. I enjoy the unboxing, making sure everything is there & in good order, knowing it was done properly so that if there are any issues I know exactly what was done to assemble it etc.

we!re all different & the friend knows her DH would prefer it in its original packaging, not assembled 🤷🏻‍♀️

My money is on sea monkeys.

She hasn't 'saved him a job' if like many of us we don't want someone else fiddling with out parcel/gift & want to assemble it ourselves

Unless it was Lego or something I don't see why it needs replacing just because someone assembled it? Surely that's just making it easier in a way? Is it too big to easily transport in a car once assembled?

Either way it's no your cleaner's fault. The box wasn't addressed to you so you shouldn't have opened it. Has she assembled stuff in a similar way before, and it was met with approval?

Make it work with your friend but don't involve the cleaner or mention her any further.

Of course it does. The OP would have said this parcel is for a friend then NOT oh I'd forgotten I'd bought this.

Yeah, I think it probably is. All she knew was that you'd forgotten ordering it, so not her fault at all, really.