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In the days leading up to Idul Fitri, many families in Jakarta find themselves standing by helplessly as people who oversee their daily lives — housekeepers, cleaners, gardeners, nannies and security guards — pack their bags and cheerfully wave goodbye. With Idul Fitri bonuses fattening their wallets, they promise to come back, from between a week to 10 days.

While they’re gone, there are dishes to be washed, floors to be mopped, meals to be cooked and children to be taken cared of. Someone has to do it.

Tresna Lestrari, 50, housewife

To have all your staff leave at once could be a shock to the system, but Tresna tries to view it calmly. “It can be very stressful if you let it,” she said.

Tresna always gives her help — one cleaner, two drivers and a security guard — holiday bonuses. She also lets them go home to spend time with their families. “Maids are people too,” she said, “just like us. So we have to give them their rights.

“I’m lucky that I have two grown children. My eldest boy is married with one son, while my daughter is doing a postgraduate degree. They’re already big.

“Having no staff during Idul Fitri requires some understanding from all of us, but I’m sure we can manage it.”

Tresna has ordered food and cookies to have on hand for the holiday. She’s not expecting many guests, but wants to be prepared to receive any visitors.

With the help of her cleaner, she has also done her version of spring cleaning.

“I washed everything last week and I’m ready to have my cleaner and the others go. It’s Jakarta, why have a headache. All the stores and restaurants will be open during Idul Fitri anyway. If we have no more food, I’ll have my husband drive us to the nearest restaurant.”

Yonna Fitriana, 28, legal consultant

Yonna has a driver and a cleaner, both of whom have been working for her family for one and a half years.

“I need them because both my husband and I have to work. I need someone to cook and clean the house, while my husband needs someone to drive him around,” she said. Yonna said she has no special plans for Idul Fitri, but doesn’t want to get stressed. “I’m just going to take it easy this year.”

She plans to have her housekeeper cook for the family for a week ahead and said she will have her prepare food that can be kept in the fridge.

“My family doesn’t need a lot of home-cooked meals anyway since we are going to visit relatives’ houses. I’m not going to care about the cleanliness of the house either, since I have a baby to look after. My husband perfectly understands the situation.”

Yonna has never hired temporary help for the Idul Fitri holiday in the past because they charge a lot for their services. She said she could manage her family well enough.

“Yes, it can be very tough and demanding, but I think I’ll survive. Last year, I did,” she said. “I can always have food delivered anytime. With the cleaner away, my husband and I can have a second honeymoon.”

Rininta Ayu Pradhani, 24, post graduate student

Rininta has three cleaners and a driver — and they’re all going home. She said she always allows her live-in help to return to their hometowns because she thinks it’s everyone’s right to do so at Idul Fitri. “Who doesn’t want to share happiness with their loved ones during Idul Fitri?” she said.

She will order meals from a neighbor who sells food at this time. “My mother always orders food from this lady near our house. We don’t want to bother ourselves with the cooking part.”

But she admits her family will need help to clean the house and wash the dishes so she will hire a temporary cleaner. “I know their service is a bit pricey, but I have no choice. I still need someone to do some stuff because we will be so tired after visiting relatives’ houses,” Rininta said.

“The fee is usually around Rp 40,000 to Rp 75,000 [$4-$8] per day. It’s expensive, but I understand.”

Roymax Marihot Siregar, 29, private employee

Roymax lives in Bogor and works in Jakarta. Despite his busy schedule, he still manages to run his family’s business at a traditional market in Bogor.

He has two domestic staff at his house and two at his store. Three of the four will be away this Idul Fitri. “It’s hard because my store is still open during Lebaran [Idul Fitri] while there will always be a lot of things going on at the house during any holiday season,” he said.

Roymax is planning to hire temporary maids for the holiday. “We need help to carry things around. I usually pay Rp 500 for every item they carry,” he said.

At home, egos must be put aside for the family’s sake. “I will make an agreement with my brothers and the rest of my family. We will make a schedule of the things we need to do without the maid,” he said.

That strategy works, he said, but it needs dedication and motivation. “My brothers can be very lazy. I sometimes need to yell at them to do something. But in the end, the whole experience brings us together.”