New York execs are paying nearly R5,000 an hour to have their closets organised — and it's not just the ultra-rich anymore

Marissa Perino , Business Insider US

Apr 22, 2019, 08:14 AM

Busy New York executives are willing to spend big bucks for time-saving help.

Steve Prezant/Getty Images

Personal helpers are no longer just for the ultra-rich, according to recent reporting by Alix Stauss from The New York.
Many executives are now opting for services once reserved for the ultra rich in order to save valuable time.
Services include grocery shopping and meal prep, along with closet reorganisation and personal shopping.
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For many New Yorkers, time is money, and they are willing to pay to buy some back.

In a recent article for The New York Times, Alix Strauss reported that many businesspeople living in Manhattan are paying the equivalent of thousands of rands a week for personal shoppers and chefs in order to save time normally wasted on running errands.

Beth Fisher, a Manhattan marketing executive who employs both a personal chef and stylist, told The Times, "I don't want to spend my time shopping online or at the stores. I would rather spend time connecting with family, staying fit, or reading.

According to The Times, chefs buy and bring groceries to the client's home and prepare a week's meals, labelling containers and organising the refrigerator. Meanwhile, personal stylists cart department store racks directly into New Yorkers' living rooms, swapping out-of-style pieces for those in vogue.

While The Times reported that these services are becoming more common, some specialties - such as $900 (R12,700) custom-made shirts - are still reserved for New York's superrich.

Personal chef visits such as Eat Well Food by Daniela and Carried-Away Chefs can range from $300 to $500 per week (R4,200 to R7,000), reported The Times. Personal shopping is even more expensive; rates for wardrobe styling company NYCStylist begin at $350 (nearly R5,000) per hour with a 20-hour minimum.

"At home they're not fighting with the masses; my clients don't want to wait to see a size or color, or interface with a sales person who is going to upsell them," Laura Solin-Valdina, owner of NYCStylist, told The Times.

These services join a long list of expenses wealthy New Yorkers are willing to splurge on. Business Insider's Katie Warren previously reported that wealthy New Yorkers are asking more of their kids' nannies - including providing massages and styling hair - as the demand for personal services grows higher to save time.

Meanwhile, Hillary Hoffower previously reported that some New York parents are dropping $375 (R5,300) per hour on prep courses for top-rated kindergartens referred to as "Baby Ivies," along with $400 (R5,600) per month in member fees for executive social clubs.