How to Start Your Own Ironing Business From Home

How to Start Your Own Ironing Business From Home

Start Your Ironing Business Today

If you ask most men and women which job they hate doing around the house, ironing would probably be high on their list. The problem is people tend to procrastinate with ironing and then the pile grows. This makes the task almost insurmountable and extremely time-consuming.

If you dislike ironing, would making money from it change your mind? You can earn good money pressing clothes for other people. With very little outlay, other than your time, you can begin earning money and building your own ironing business from home. As with all businesses, you may only have a few customers at first, but if you provide a professional service, the word will spread and soon you will be earning a healthy additional income from it.

Getting Started With Your Ironing Business

To start with you obviously need an iron and an ironing board. There are other accessories that would be useful like a sleeve board or a seam press, but as you are just starting out let’s keep it simple.

Next you will need to make some notices. These can be simple but effective. If you have a printer you can design one on the computer and print it off. If not simply write on a 3″ X 5″ card. You should say what it is you do, who you are, and a phone number. Another positive item to include is “no pets and non-smoking house.” People don’t want their clothes returned smelling of smoke or covered in pet hair. If you are a non-smoker without pets, definitely put this on your ad.This will increase your customer base.

Display your ad on advertising/notice boards at various locations. Often grocery stores, libraries or public meeting places will have a notice board. Sometimes they are free, or they will be very reasonable. Remember, keep your overheads low. If you wish to start with business cards, the example here is perfect. This and others are available from Zazzle and are easy to customize.

Ironing Lessons from a Pro

Below are two videos from a man who knows his stuff. Although you may believe you are ironing correctly, take a look at these videos. He will show you how to iron shirts and pants (trousers) perfectly.

Remember, time is money. The best way to iron is the most efficient way.

How Much to Charge for Ironing Service

You need to decide how much you are going to charge for your services. Charge too much and you aren’t going to get clients, charge too little and you may have clients but be working for next to nothing. If there are others already providing this service in your area, find out what they charge. I think a good rule of thumb is, take the minimum wage and double it.

Some people charge by the hour and others by the sackful or weight. I would suggest by the hour.

If the customer wants their shirts on hangers, you can collect these when you pick up their order or if they drop it off, ask them to bring some. It is always a good idea to keep some extra hangers just in case they don’t bring enough. Plastic ones are often inexpensive to buy. It also shows good customer service. It is this type of service that will impress your customer and lead him/her to recommend your services to others.

Collection and Delivery Service

If you have a car, you could offer a collection and delivery service. To do this effectively, you would need to decide how wide an area you are willing to cover and how much you will charge for this extra service. Don’t be squeamish about asking for more, it is your business.

Your car will need to be clean. It is no use doing someone’s ironing and hanging it in a car full of dog hair and cigarette smoke.

If there is a smoker in your home, or if you yourself smoke. Make the customer aware of this because even if you don’t smoke near their clothes, the smell transfers.

How to Develop a Customer Base for Your Ironing Buisness

Your customers will be from all walks of life. When I was doing this, I had an older gentleman whose wife used to do it. Since her passing he had to iron until he found my advertisement. I also had another regular customer whose wife didn’t like ironing and the man was too busy. Others were when college students came home and there was an extra load, after medical procedures, after holidays. The list is endless. It could be anytime and for any reason.

Sometimes, their pile of ironing had just gotten too large!

Keep it Professional

If you always have their order finished when you say, and it is exactly as they like it, they will use your services again and again. They will also recommend you to their friends.

Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Your customers would rather know beforehand if there is a problem.

How to Fold T-shirts and Dress Shirts Correctly

Ironing is only half the story, folding and putting on hangers will make your service professional. Get this wrong and your customers will only use your service once.

Hang garments to cool after ironing, this reduces those annoying lines you get when a shirt is folded immediately after ironing. Below are two videos showing how to correctly fold a t-shirt and a dress shirt.

These little touches make a professional looking business and after all, isn't that what you want to achieve?

Ready for Collection or Delivery

To keep all your hard work looking pristine, place all the folded clothes in plastic bags. I would suggest all the same color, not just left-over grocery bags.

The items on hangers should be grouped together awaiting their collection.This is especially important if you have multiple clients on the same day. If you are going to be delivering them, most cars have a hook inside above the back door for a few hangers. These are easily fixed into the back seat area of most family sized cars.

Or consider a clothes bar which will give you even more hanging space.

Bell Automotive 22-1-00073-8 Ultra Clothes Bar

I love the rubber coating on this. The one I used before didn't have it and every time I turned a corner, the newly ironed clothes slid. I have a standard mid-size car and this one fits perfectly. It is extendable to accommodate most cars. I know when I arrive with their items, they will look as good as they did when I finished ironing them.

A Few Last Words

Starting a new business can be daunting I know, especially if you have been out of the job market for some time.

When I wanted to earn extra money, I sat down and assessed my skills. I knew I could iron well and I knew that other people disliked doing this task. Even with this knowledge, I was hesitant. Then when I got my first customer, I was worried my ironing might not be as they liked it.

It was only when they called me again, I knew I was on to a winner. In fact, the joy and relief I saw on some of their faces of my customers was priceless. I wasn't just helping them with a chore they didn't like, I was solving a problem for them which they had been stressing over.

I would encourage you to give this a try if you want to earn some extra money and begin to build your own business.

Original article and pictures take hubpages.com site