I'm considering going into housekeeping/domestic service.

DaftChris

Recently, mostly due to noticing management fallacies and scheduling mishaps, I've considering finally quitting my retail job and becoming a maid. I helped my boyfriend clean a house a few days ago and found out that I actually kind of enjoyed it. I got to work with my hands, I had time to actually think about things, got to rest when needed and made $100 in 9 hours.

To put in in another way: On average, I work anywhere from 13-22 hours a week. I'm paid every two weeks. If I'm lucky, I might get a $180-200 check every couple of weeks. Of course there are instances where I do work more hours and get paid much, much more (the largest check I got was $373), but that does not happen that much.

Does anyone know anything about becoming a housekeeper? Whether freelance or working with a company?

Dakini

Freelance is better, of course. Can you and your bf form a team? That way you wouldn't have to worry about safety issues. The main thing is to get a good reputation, so you get good jobs by word-of-mouth.

Being self-employed, your state tax office probably requires you to file twice-annually (if not quarterly) taxable earnings statements, look into that. Cleaning supplies would be a deductible expense, you'd need to save your receipts. When you're self-employed, you have to get used to doing paperwork.

federica

It's hard work, the hours are erratic and your hands - unless you remember to wear gloves at all times - become dreadful.
It's worth going to wholesalers and buying cleaning products in bulk, rather than a supermarket.
A friend of mine does this, and also takes in peoples' ironing.
It's as lucrative as you want to make it.
She has been doing it a long time, and has built up a clientèle who trust her implicitly - because obviously, she now has keys to their homes, and has access when no-one is there....
Some of their homes have security systems, electronic gates and cctv, so that gives you an idea of the level of folk she's employed by.
She's made good friends with these people, and they really appreciate her hard work.
You should see some of the Christmas presents she gets every year!)

That said - her home is a right shit-heap.....

It takes a good long while to build up a profile of clients. The best way to do it, is to do the job the very best way you can - and let the quality of your work speak for you.
And keep it up.

Devise a contract - reviewable pay level, what you WILL do and what you WON'T do, that kind of thing.
Some people can take the mickey....

"Oh we had a small party last night, if you could just do an extra bit of clearing up today....."
You get there and it looks like Armageddon.....

Cinorjer

My wife runs a family cleaning business, but she focuses on cleaning offices and rental properties for real estate companies. She won't do family residences because you have a hassle with the people who live there, with them being super critical and not wanting to pay what its worth and thinking one person can clean a house floor to ceiling in a few hours. And of course, if something comes up missing, you get blamed.

Every small business or set of offices needs someone to clean it several times a week. That means vacuum, mop, empty trash cans, clean toilets, etc. It's evening work of course, but you can quickly figure out how long it's going to take (a few hours for a small set of offices) and charge by the hour or job. You need to buy a good, heavy duty vacuum cleaner and other supplies to start. The client either supplies or pays you for restocking toilet paper and paper towels, because they go through those quickly.

You might ask a few small businesses around you if they already have a cleaning service and go from there.

BhanteLucky

A good friend of mine has her own house cleaning business, she works not too hard, pays her bills etc. She uses all natural organic cleaners, wears beautiful hippy clothing, and gets a lot of clients who like that. She's got a great little pamphlet she gives out with her pictures and philosophy.
I think her clients are attracted by her alternative philosophy more than anything else. She's got something other cleaners don't offer.

And my uncle started a specialist cleaning service, cleaning just ceilings, and he's now got three vans and more business than he can handle. Ceiling cleaning... worth thinking about.

Florian

My sister spent many years as a full-time live-in housekeeper. Travelled all over the world looking after houses for rich folk. Even got me into the drivers enclosure at one British grand prix as her boss had a car running in a side event. A good job, but can be quite lonely. A lot more than cleaning though.

BhanteLucky

I heard cleaning after murders or suicides pays real well! Plus you could do reflections and meditations on death and impermanence at the same time.

eeew, okay, not such a good idea.

Florian

Actually that sounds like a good business idea and a good practice. But it would depressing to think that the market is big enough.