by Diana Bays
As a crafter one of the greatest achievements is to be able to own and run a craft business. We crafters all know though that there are periods when money is slow coming in. An ideal way to supplement your income is by running a cleaning service. As an owner of a craft business and a former owner of a cleaning service I will tell you they are very compatible businesses. By running a cleaning service you will be your own boss and be able to schedule your work around your craft business. You will be able to keep your cleaning service small with just a few jobs or expand it to as large a business as you would like.
You will have to decide which kinds of cleaning jobs would best suit you. There are several options or you may want to provide a couple different services:
Move In / Move Out - Cleaning rentals or some realtors hire cleaning services to clean houses they are selling
Apartment Complexes - Cleaning apartments before new tenants move in, clean hallways and community building
Student Housing - Cleaning student housing before new students move in
New Construction - Cleaning new construction after the contractor is finished. Usually hired by the contractor.
Commercial - Cleaning offices, banks, churches, daycares, factories
Maid Service - Cleaning individual homes.
My daughter and I chose to do apartments and student housing. We liked being able to clean without anyone around to get in our way or standing over us telling us what to do. A lot of folks prefer to do maid service where you clean individuals homes. Any of the options have their advantages and disadvantages, it mostly comes down to your preference.
Set your prices and stay firm, research and find what the going price is for your area. The small community we live in, the price people want to pay is ridiculously low, so we found if we went to a college town 45 minutes away we could make much more. Provide great service and they will be glad to pay your price. The cleaning business is like any other business, you get what you pay for and people much prefer to pay for top notch services.
The start up cost is minimal, a few of the places you can buy your cleaning supplies are at the Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, or Sam's Club. Sam's Club sells some wonderful cleaners by the gallon. For our rags we bought dish cloths from Wal-Mart and in the automotive section they have mechanics rags that work well. Another cheap cleaning rag is to cut up old t-shirts. You will need a good vacuum cleaner, broom, mop, toilet brush, toothbrush, scrub brush, bucket, caddy and etc. Don't over buy because your goal is to make extra money without having a large overhead. Some companies do require you to have liability insurance, but you can find it at a fairly reasonable rate.
Finding jobs is not hard especially if you live in or close to a city. Run an ad in your local paper, send out letters or flyers to the managers of apartment complexes, student housing, contractors, realtors, or office buildings. We put together a folder with a business letter , list of services provided and business card and drove around to apartment complexes and delivered it in person. We would introduce ourselves and leave our information. We got most of our business this way. Make sure your packet looks professional and that you look and act professional.
There are tons of articles and tips on running a cleaning service to be found on the internet. Do your research, go out and find jobs and you'll be able to earn some cash and still have the time to devote to your real business, your craft business.
Diana Bays is co-owner of Olde Village Depot, Olde Village Graphics, and A Prim Krafters Journal.
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