Creating a Butler’s Book

Largely just some thoughts on things that could go into a butler’s book, adapted to the user’s wants/needs. Written in M/s language for an s-type audience.

Preferences

• Notes on any and all of your M-type’s dietary restrictions, sensitivities, and allergies. Note things that they simply dislike, whether they’re entire cuisines, an ingredient, a recipe, a spice level, or a cooking method.
• Now the flip side: notes on their favorite foods and drinks. What are those favorites? Is there anything they need/want to eat more of than normal (like iron for the anemia-prone)? What are their preferences for things like seasoning, cooking methods, or presentation? (You can keep recipes here too, and note these things right in them. Consider sorting by meal—breakfast, lunch, etc.) Maybe they like eggs best over medium. Maybe only heaven can help you if their coffee is not available through a straw.
• Don’t forget notes on restaurants/their menu items if you don’t always eat at home. Favorites, dislikes.
• Their likes and dislikes for products in categories like cleaning and hygiene. Cleaning chemicals, soaps, detergents, hair products, towels, razors, dental products.

Guides

• Guide to the bed. A “making the bed” checklist. A reference of your M-type’s favorite blankets, sheets, and pillows. Mattress maintenance schedule. Linen washing schedule. Seasonal change notes. How many pillows and blankets, and where do they go. A “how do hospital corners work” guide for those bleary-eyed mornings.
• Table setting guide. Have a good general reference, plus anything specific to your home.
• Guide on how to use any relevant electronics/appliances, including notes on the settings to use. Consider things like kitchen gadgets, and the all-important coffee maker.
• Guide for where items go if you are at all likely to forget. Pots, pans, baking sheets, plates, bowls, cups. Socks, shirts, pants. Whatever it is.
• Laundry guide—how to handle delicates, how clothes get sorted to be washed, detergent preferences (plus dryer sheets and/or fabric softener), settings to be used on any machines.
• Manicure/pedicure guide if you give those.

Information

• Passwords and usernames that you might need. Remember the WiFi!
• Quick-access emergency health information about both you and your M-type and available to both of you.
• Contact information for important people in your lives.
• Pet information if you have pets. What they eat, their health information, contact information for pet-related services (vet, groomer, pet sitter).
• Car information if relevant. Model and year. Contact information for car-related services.
• Notes and contact information on any other services you use regularly (think trash, recycling, mail).
• A copy of your relationship’s contract if you have one, any other “paperwork” like a rules list.

Lists

• Gift idea list for people you or your M-type gift to. Include links where applicable. Sort by recipient or occasion.
• Household inventory. Consider including: item (brand, flavor, size), current stock, what stock level to buy at, what number to buy, where to buy, who buys, photo.
• Master shopping list (as in a list of everything you buy on the regular, as opposed to the M-type status). Sort this and your temporary shopping lists by the order you go through the store in for more efficiency.
• Meal plan, menu, or similar system that you use.
• Master packing list (again, a list of everything you pack on the regular). Consider a base packing list for any recurring trips.

Planning

• Calendar. Probably best to be shared with your M-type in some way.
• Task lists. Your current one(s), any ones that repeat on a schedule.
• Task lists associated with recurring events, such as overnight company.
• List of important people’s also-important dates, like birthdays and anniversaries, for people relevant to both you and your M-type.