Welcome to Money-Making Stay at Home Moms: How to Make Money by Housecleaning.
There are 38+ interviews in this series (see links below interview).
I realize that the phrase Stay at Home Mom ‘illustrates’ a mom who is at home most of the time. Yet, most women and many men know that SAHM’s are usually on the go and away from the home throughout the day. They typically have a schedule filled with dropping kids off, picking them up, grocery shopping, running errands, etc. So when I approached my friend to contribute to this series I understood that she is a SAHM even though she is on the go most of the day too.
She is always with her kids when they aren’t at school, at planned activities, or with their dad. And that is what a SAHM is (at least my definition). So she agreed to share with you her experience in not only making income but using housecleaning to sustain her 4 children as a single-housecleaning-amazing-stay-at-home-mother…
Q. Would you like to remain anonymous or not?
A. I would like to remain anonymous.
Q. What inspired you to begin working?
A. I was divorced. My husband left us a few years ago right before Christmas. I didn’t have a job or any source of income and I had a mortgage to pay and kids to feed. My ex and I had four kids. When he left he didn’t leave us with any money at all. I am from a distant country so I didn’t have relatives to move in with or really any family that could help us out.
I had to make as much money as I could in as little time as possible. I had a cleaning business when we first got married so I just fell back into that. It’s flexible and my daughter was 2 years old, my next oldest was in Kindergarten. So they could come with me and I didn’t have to put them in daycare. Soon housecleaning became a full time business.
Q. How did you go about starting your business or arranging a work at home position?
A. I spoke to a few people at church, friends, and family. Many were interested in hiring me. After they saw that I was good at my job, they would refer me to their friends. In turn, their friends would refer me to others and so on. I also marketed myself through Facebook (just by posting on my personal page). I worked fast and was thorough so I continued finding more and more work through referrals. I now have more clients than I can almost handle.
Q.What are some tips you would like to share with others who are interested in doing something similar?
A. If you are going to start cleaning houses on your own, I recommend you learn about taxes and the business side of things at the start. I was too busy trying to figure out how to feed my kids that I didn’t take the time to set up a proper business structure. I’ve had to go back now and figure it all out. I wished I had been tracking everything from the very beginning!
Q. How many hours do you work a week or how much of your time does this position require? Is it flexible? Is it consistent?
A. I work about 25-30 hours a week. It stays pretty consistent. But the problem with housecleaning is that some people may not treat you like an actual business and cancel last minute or need you immediately. I recommend starting off very professionally and set up an agreement (about cancellations and bookings) with each client.
It is hard financially when people cancel (as I’m sure it would be with most small businesses) because I don’t get the work or get paid. But it is worth it for the flexibility, the fact that I can bring my daughter and kids with, and so that I can be home with my kids when they get home from school.
Q. When/how do you find the time to work?
A. While the kids are at school is when I typically do the majority of the work. I also work when their dad has them. It was mainly friends and family whom I started working for at the beginning so my kids would play in their backyard or with their kids and they were fine with it.
I make sure to ask new clients before agreeing to work with them if my child and sometimes children are welcome to come. My daughter just watches TV while I work or plays quietly with a puzzle or toy. On days when the kids are all out of school I have them play together in my clients backyards while I clean. The older ones watch over the younger. So far it really has worked out great and my clients generally don’t mind.
Q. Are there certain tips/advice you’d want to share with others who want to start working like you?
A.
- You have to really enjoy cleaning in the first place. Don’t become a house cleaner if you don’t love cleaning!
- Ask your clients to provide their own cleaning supplies because each person likes their own thing and this will save you a lot of money.
- Try to keep your work local so you aren’t paying a ton in gas driving around.
- Expect friends and family to not treat you professionally so set your boundaries from the start. Really try to establish professional expectations from all clients from the start.
- Don’t clean family and friends houses for free, its not a good precedent to set. You can give them a discount but never do it for free.
- You can’t fake it. You have to work hard and be honest, thorough, consistent, and reliable. Your clients will know whether you worked hard or not, so always do your best.
- Write expenses and income down regularly. Keep receipts.
- Try to find out what each client likes and doesn’t like. Write the important things and details they tell you down. Make a note of their favorite cleaning products or ways they like things cleaned. Check with them every once in awhile and make sure you know that you are cleaning the things they want cleaned (in the way they want) and getting the things done that they want done.
A. I charge $20-$30 an hour. So housecleaning is the majority of our income. It pays the rent, keeps food on the table, etc. At first I didn’t receive child support so we were totally reliant on the income from housecleaning. Lately, my ex has started paying child support which helps a little and I appreciate it, but house cleaning is still the main source of my family’s income.
A special thanks to my friend who is an excellent mother and house cleaner. If you have any other questions for her please comment below.
Check out the rest of the series here:
Introduction to Money-Making SAHM Series
Series 2: Starting an Online Business
Series 5: At-Home Airline Assistant
Series 6: Become an At-Home Employee
Series 9: Run an at-Home Daycare
Series 10: Write and Self-Publish an eBook Part 1 & Part 2
Series 11: Teach Music Lessons from Home
Series 12: Distribute a Product You Love
Series 14: Become a Virtual Assistant
Series 15: Buy and Resell Cheap Finds
Series 17: How to Make Money as a Transcriptionist
Series 18: How to Write and Publish a Paperback or Hardback Book
Series 19: Do Online Tech Support from Home
Series 21: Sell Your Own Sheet Music Part 1 and Part 2
Series 22: Start a Preschool from Home
Series 23: Start Your Own Boutique
Series 24: How to Make Money on YouTube
Series 25: Take Legitimate Online Surveys
Series 27: Become a Photographer
Series 28: Become a Property Manager
Series 29: Make Money Locally Teaching a Talent, Sport, or Hobby
Series 30: Substitute Teaching
Series 31: Make Money through SwagBucks
Series 32: Review Websites for UserTesting
Series 33: Tutoring—coming soon
Series 34: Become an Affiliate with Spark Naturals Essential Oils
Series 35: Quilting and Embroidery
Series 36: Make Money by Doing Laundry for Others through Laundry Care
Series 37: Make Money on Fiverr
Series 38: How to Make Money from Home with Contena
more coming…pin or bookmark for more.
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Ways to Make Money as a Stay at Home Mom - My Mommy Style
Thursday 14th of May 2015
[…] Housecleaning […]
A
Sunday 28th of December 2014
Hi I am a stay at home mother and would love to work if I can find house cleaning job. Your story inspired me.
Anita Fowler
Sunday 28th of December 2014
Thanks for commenting! I wish you the best!
DTrent
Monday 27th of October 2014
I used to do housecleaning when I was single & then again after getting married for extra income. I charged by the home, not by the hour. So I always got $50 to $90 a house. Apartments were less but I didn't have much of those. I didn't spend anymore than 1 to 2 hours at each home. People usually wanted me on Fridays or Saturdays so I cleaned 2 or 3 in a day. I don't know what your friend did as she cleaned but all I did was trash, fill or empty dishwasher, vac, dust, mop floors & if they wanted me to, I'd throw in some laundry or take it out & fold it. I usually charged $10 per room for wet-work (kitchens/baths)& $5 each for dens, bedrooms, living rooms. So for a 4 bedroom, 3 bth house that would be $60. They'd give me a key & I'd use their supplies. They'd pay me cash or a check. Your friend must've been exhausted hauling kids with her & not making much $$. I applaud her determination but I must ask: Why didn't she immediately sign up at Social Services as soon as her husband abandoned the family? She could have gotten food stamps, General Assistance ($$) & lots of other things with 4 kids! AND have the govt garnish her husband's check to get what she needed! She deserves BACK PAY since she's now divorced! I hope the best for the family! (BTW, I'm still in the cleaning biz but me & hubby clean offices now. MUCH easier & the pay is better.)
Anita Fowler
Thursday 30th of October 2014
Thanks for your comment and I really appreciate the info and the compassion! She is now in a much better situation and her husband is paying her monthly. I didn't ask her if she did or did not ask the government for assistance (it was a bit too personal) but things have really smoothed out for her and her exhusband has been taking more responsibility. Good for you for working so hard!
Work from Home Opportunities, Plus 9 Tips You Must Know
Monday 14th of July 2014
[…] My mom did this for a few years when I was growing up and the income and flexible schedule were a blessing to our family! I helped her on occasion and it was a great learning opportunity for me as well. Details about getting started house cleaning are here. […]
Davonne Parks
Thursday 19th of June 2014
My mom used to clean houses and it was a blessing to our family and the families she cleaned for - I helped her some when I was a teen and it was good experience. Blessings to the author - it sounds like she's doing an amazing job!
Anita Fowler
Saturday 21st of June 2014
I love that she included you in the cleaning! What an awesome way to teach a child to work and help the family out. Thanks!