Austin's Personal Assistant and Lifestyle Concierge Frequently Asked Questions

What services does a personal assistant provide?

A personal assistant provides a wide range of services to help individuals manage their personal and professional lives. The tasks we are able to take care of fall into three broad categories: personal, household and business services.

Personal assistant and lifestyle concierge services include tasks such as scheduling appointments, running errands, personal shopping, dry cleaning, handling item returns, organizing family events, bringing vehicles in for service or pets to the vet, travel planning and assistance, and so much more. 

House manager services can include professional organizing, in-home laundry (including neatly folded or hung, no more Mt. Washmore!), meal prep (or even just chopping veggies and marinating meats), farmer's market shopping, researching and letting in service people, accepting deliveries, waiting service, arranging for and collecting contractor quotes, house sitting, house checks while you're out of town, relocation concierge (packing, unpack and organize, fully setup home ready to go), family calendar management, day-of assistance for parties and other events, and more.

Business services include professional organizing, acting as day-of assistance for trade shows and conferences, courier service, pack and ship, concierge relocation (let your new employee hit the ground running instead of worrying about settling into their new home!). We'll act as your employee's concierge, handling hassles such as vehicle maintenance and personal errands so they can focus on their zone of expertise.

With our wide range of services it's difficult to include all of the ways in which we can help you handle life's hassles. If you're looking for something specific that isn't listed please don't hesitate to ask!

Can a personal assistant work remotely?

Remote virtual assistants are a popular option for many looking to offload some of the tasks on their to-do lists. Queen of To Do's team primarily works in-person with our clients, but we do also offer virtual assistant services. Remote personal assistants can help with tasks such as managing emails, scheduling appointments, and making travel arrangements.

There are some very inexpensive options available, however we always recommend considering the actual cost in terms of time and risk when exploring these options. If you aren't developing a personal relationship with your assistant you won't be able to trust them to make decisions on your behalf or offload many time-consuming tasks. This is one of the reasons we carefully protect the client-assistant relationship here at Queen of To Do. 

Choosing Queen of To Do for your virtual assistant and remote assistant needs ensures you're working with a local, tried-and-true professional who knows the area and our customs, practices discretion, has passed a background check and is covered by liability insurance.

How can a personal assistant help with event planning?

Personal assistants can be a valuable asset when it comes to planning events. They can assist with tasks such as finding vendors, managing invitations, coordinating logistics, and handling day-of coordination. By having a personal assistant handle these tasks, you can enjoy your event without the stress of managing all the details.

With Queen of To Do's Austin-based on-site personal assistants you know you'll benefit from our 12+ years of experience and connections. 

Do I have to be home to let my assistant in?

Nope! Just give us a way to get in, and the alarm and/or gate code if we'll need it.
We're all background checked and insured so you can rest assured that you're in good hands. 

How do I hire a personal assistant?

You have a couple of different options when looking to hire a personal assistant, all of which have pros and cons. A service such as Queen of To Do does a lot of the important administrative work for you, such as conducting background checks, taking care of taxes, training and insurance.

Services also provide the benefit of having an entire team backing up your assistant. If your dedicated personal assistant finds herself in over their head on a project they can reach out for help. This also allows coverage if your assigned person is unable to work for any reason. 

Hiring an individual personal assistant is frequently less expensive than a service, but it's important to understand why. Individuals typically aren't insured, you would need to run your own background check, and they're on their own if a project is outside of their area of expertise. In case of illness or planned time off you would lose the help you've become accustomed to. 

How much does it cost to hire a concierge?

With Queen of To Do we are happy to tailor our service plans to best fit your needs. Our regular hourly rate is $85 per hour. We can often accommodate requests for premium hours including weekends, after or early-hours, or holidays with sufficient advanced notice. Premium hours start at $125 per hour. 

For most clients, we recommend a convenient monthly service plan. These recurring retainer plans prioritize your spot on our teams schedules and reduce your hourly rate by prepurchasing in bulk. You can view our current rates on our website here. If you don't see a plan that fits your needs we are happy to tailor a custom option for you. 

How can a personal assistant help me save time?

As a busy professional, your time is your most valuable asset. Queen of To Do understands that, and we're here to help you make the most of every minute with our exceptional personal assistant services.

Our expert personal assistants work closely with you to understand your unique needs, preferences, and schedule. By delegating time-consuming tasks, you'll regain precious hours to focus on what truly matters—whether it's advancing your career, spending quality time with family and friends, or pursuing personal passions.

From managing day-to-day errands to coordinating travel arrangements, our personal assistants are equipped to handle a wide range of tasks, allowing you to concentrate on your core responsibilities. With our support, you'll be able to streamline your schedule, reduce stress, and achieve a better work-life balance.

Queen of To Do's personal assistants are more than just task managers—they're your trusted partners in optimizing your busy life. By leveraging their expertise, you'll gain access to valuable insights and resources, ensuring you're always one step ahead.

Can a concierge help with travel arrangements?

Yes, a concierge can help with travel arrangements such as booking flights, hotels, and rental cars. Your travel concierge can also create customized itineraries and manage travel logistics, and even travel with you to manage all of the little (and big!) hassles that can come up during travel. 

Queen of To Do's Austin-based concierges can also conduct regular house checks while you're out of town, pick up packages and the mail, bring vehicles for service, or even collect quotes for major home projects while you enjoy time away!

Some members of our team are also able to accompany clients on their trips, helping to smooth each step of your journey. 

By having a concierge take care of travel arrangements, you can focus on the purpose of your trip and avoid the stress of managing details.

What should I look for in a personal assistant?

There are a couple of important considerations when you're considering your personal assistant options. First, keep in mind the level of access a good personal assistant should have in your life. Over time, assistants learn so much about the people they help. You'll want somebody you're comfortable working in your home by themselves, interacting with your children, and having access to financial information. 

Queen of To Do conducts background checks on all of our personal assistants, giving you essential peace of mind. 

You'll want somebody whose interpersonal style clicks with yours, who can act as your right-hand person and eventually trust to make decisions on your behalf. One of the benefits of a service such as Queen of To Do is our team structure. We completely understand that one person's incredible-fit personal assistant might not be up another client's alley. If at any point you're just not feeling it, we're happy to take your feedback and find somebody who better meets your needs.

When hiring a personal assistant, it is important to look for someone who is trustworthy, reliable, discrete and efficient. Good communication, prioritization and organizational skills are also important qualities to consider.

Depending on your needs, you may want to look for someone with specific skills or experience, such as event planning, travel availability, or experience with children. Queen of To Do's Client Concierge will work with you to ensure a successful fit.

Can a home concierge help with household tasks?

Yes, concierges can help with a wide variety of household tasks such as grocery shopping and meal prep, laundry, tidying, and organizing.

Queen of To Do's concierges can also help with home tasks such as plant care, minor home maintenance, scheduling and waiting for service providers (and recommending one from our trusted network!), garage organization and clean-out, collecting mail and packages, paying bills, gift sourcing and wrapping, and holiday decorating.

By outsourcing these tasks to a concierge, you can free up time to focus on other areas of your life.

Can a personal assistant help me with time management?

Personal assistants can assist with time management by helping you prioritize tasks, creating schedules, and reminding you of upcoming deadlines and appointments. They can also assist with time-consuming tasks such as filing, data entry, and email management, allowing you to focus on the areas in which you do best.

What doesn't a concierge do?

As concierges and house managers we pride ourselves on our ability to tackle a wide range of tasks for our clients, but there are a few things we don't do.

First, we won't do anything illegal or that we would consider unethical. Second is housekeeping. Cleaning just isn't our thing, and there are plenty of great cleaners in the Austin area.

 We'll handle laundry from the piled-on-the-floor stage all the way through neatly folding and putting it away, loading and unloading the dishwasher, and cleaning up after ourselves. We'll also tidy up and excavate under your kids' beds, but if it's scrubbing or mopping that you're after we'd be happy to refer you to one of our favorite local companies.

Anything else?

We understand people have hard days and may not always be perky and happy. Totally fine! We're here to help mitigate stress and make your life more streamlined.

That said, we will not tolerate any racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexual harassment, threats of violence, or other harmful behavior.

We try to work with established local service providers and vendors who share our values. Please let us know if you ever have feedback on a service provider we have recommended!