In search of a part-time job that caters to your busy class schedule? A residential cleaning service can be a viable option.
In 2009, 21-year-old Kristen Hadeed posted an online ad offering residential cleaning services. After successfully cleaning her first home, Hadeed was able to build her network of clients solely off referrals.
“With cleaning, it’s a trust thing. When you trust someone, they’ll refer you,” explains Hadeed.
Cleaning homes granted Hadeed the flexibility to balance a heavy academic schedule while maintaining a part-time job based on her own availability. She eventually recruited other students to join her business, founding one of Florida’s largest independently owned cleaning services, Student Maid.
In the beginning stages, keep it simple, advises Hadeed, starting with an online ad for your services. From there, the opportunities should flow. To avoid heavy startup costs, require all of your clients to supply the majority of the cleaning supplies and use recyclable rags and a diluted white vinegar solution to clean.
For residential cleaning services, you can charge starting at $20 an hour. Other advice? Always overestimate the amount of time it will take to clean, and charge an hourly rate in case you’ve got a large space.
