In Los Angeles, a growing number of dual-income families are turning to house managers to ease the burden of household logistics and invisible labor that increasingly strains working parents. This emerging role, distinct from traditional nannies or house cleaners, involves managing a broad array of day-to-day tasks that keep a household running smoothly.
David Rudy, a talent manager and father of six-month-old twins, described how hiring a house manager became a necessity after realizing that managing his family’s daily needs was occupying 20 to 30 hours of his week. “We have no idea what to do, because we’re drowning in logistics,” he said, emphasizing the challenges faced by families without nearby relatives to assist with childcare or household duties.
The rise in households with both parents working, frequent work-related travel, and children’s busy schedules has intensified demand for operational support. Job postings for house managers on platforms such as Indeed and Care.com have increased, with pay rates ranging from $25 to $45 per hour for 10 to 40 hours weekly. This indicates that the position is expanding beyond affluent families to include time-constrained middle-income households, who view the cost as a worthwhile investment to ease mental and emotional stress.
House managers undertake diverse responsibilities that extend beyond childcare or cleaning. Their duties commonly include grocery shopping, preparing meals, managing schedules, running errands, and overseeing household supplies. Social media creator Sophie Jaffe, a mother of three, hired a house manager when balancing her business, children’s activities, and household upkeep became overwhelming. “If I had a body double, what would I need that person to do? Like, if I’m out doing all the runarounds, then she’s prepping dinner,” Jaffe explained.
Other users describe house managers as a critical support system enabling them to focus on family or professional priorities. Emily Adel, chief of staff at a publishing company, noted that hiring a house manager allowed her to spend more quality time with her 6-year-old daughter without worrying about household details. Her house manager conducts regular walkthroughs to anticipate needs and prevent tasks from accumulating, providing both practical support and peace of mind.
Kelly Hubbell, founder of Sage Haus, a recruiting firm specializing in house managers, highlights the role’s evolution as a response to the modern family’s infrastructure challenges. She stresses that this help is not a personal failing but a necessary adaptation in households where traditional family support networks are absent. Hiring a house manager, Hubbell said, has improved both her work-life balance and personal relationships.
Many house managers start their careers as nannies and gradually assume broader household duties. Sabrina Thompson, a house manager for Adel, pointed to the importance of anticipation, calm prioritization, and adaptability. As a mother herself, she understands the relief the role provides. “Knowing things are being done at home relieves so much stress,” she said.
Despite initial hesitations about the expense, parents interviewed said that hiring a house manager was a form of buying back time and preserving mental health. While some families reallocate budgets traditionally used for other domestic services, the consensus is that the emotional and relational benefits outweigh the costs. “You’re going to pay for it one way or another — in your relationships, in your health, mental and physical,” Hubbell noted.
This growing sector sheds light on the often invisible labor that disproportionately affects women and contributes to workforce attrition. Families employing house managers expressed hope that this support will become more accessible and normalized, viewing it not as a luxury but a necessary element of modern family life. Rudy summarized the sentiment: “It’s helping alleviate all of the invisible stress that exists. You don’t always see it, but it’s there.”