'Take in' some ironing!

[Theironladie]

Name-changed for this post. I know it is a well worn cliché on MN to suggest ‘taking in ironing’ when someone needs to make extra money. However this is exactly what I’m thinking of doing! I need to make/save as much money as possible in next 12 months towards a house deposit. I don’t mind ironing and think I’m pretty good at it. I just need to think through a few aspects of it and would appreciate some input please. I live in a relatively affluent part of the SE of England; what would a reasonable charge be? (until recently we had a cleaner who charges £16 per hour for context). Would it be best to charge by item or by the hour? If I offer to collect and deliver in local area could I charge an extra fee for this? I work 4 days per week, so would have Monday to Weds evenings, and all day Friday and weekends to iron. How fast a turnaround would people expect? I will look in to getting insurance in case an item of clothing was damaged etc. I plan to set up a facebook page and advertise via local community groups but with a business name, rather than my own name (partly because I feel slightly embarrassed as I know lots of people in the area, and particularly don’t want my recent cleaner/ironing lady to see that I’m setting up in competition with her). Any genius idea’s for names? The best I’ve come up with is ‘The Iron Lady’… Thanks. Any insights appreciated.

So I take it you are already registered with HMRC as you said you have other side hustles so you obviously know about that already which is good so everything is already set up. You just have to work out how profitable it will be for you. What you are charging minus insurance and tax. You will obviously be able to offset part expenses for electricity and for petrol.

When I used an ironing service, it was because firstly I didn’t like ironing, and secondly because ironing takes much longer than chucking everything in the washing machine. Also my house didn’t have a convenient space to put up an ironing board near a power socket, it was very awkward.
My clothes were returned folded and in a laundry bag.
I wouldn’t want someone doing my washing. I want to make sure the right detergent, temperature and program is used for each type of washing. I want to check for and treat stains too. I’ve used launderette service washes when I’ve had to, but I’d rather not.

Thanks for the info.
I assumed it would be freshly washed and dried things they get ironed, but reading up thread about people taking in manky, mouldy smelling things to be ironed, I did wonder! 😬

£25 per black bag near me. I think it includes drop off/ collection

Remember if you collect and drop off you will need business use to include carriage of goods on your car insurance.

Good luck with it OP. Please don’t spray anything with fabric conditioner - many people (like me) are allergic to it and end up covered in hives if it’s on our clothes. Not fun.

Naming the business is likely to be the most fun you’ll have out of it. It’s really hard work for relatively little money. I’ve known a good number of women who have made money this way over the years and it’s not an easy option.

This is, frankly, inane. Most people have jobs where overtime doesn't exist, and many of us can't work weekends or evenings without paying for childcare, cancelling out any extra cash.
Being able to do something at home in your own time that you have full control over...such as ironing...it's brilliant.

Don’t forget an accountant as you’ll need to pay tax if you already have another job

Hello op, I use an ironing service once a fortnight.

The lady who does it for me is brilliant; always reliable. She charges £25 for a full standard laundry basket and that includes dropping back (but I live in the same village).

I drop it off to her; she has one of those key pads on her car port door and clients use the code and drop off laundry on a prescribed day. I think she does collect ironing from elderly clients, or from clients who live further away.

Having a regular day means that I can drop the laundry off freshly washed, rolled and slightly damp; which makes ironing slightly easier for her.

It also means she doesn’t get overwhelmed as she only does one basket/client a day.

She makes it clear in her advertising that her home is smoke and pet free. I think she only advertises on Facebook.

She asks if we want shirts folded or returned on a hanger. We supply hangers if latter. There is also a starch option.

She has A5 printed paper forms with her logo on that go in the basket on which you can write any instructions for next time. Or she can advise when she will be on holiday.

She is going to invest in one of those sheet roller presses soon so that will be handy.

I think she combines it with school lunch supervision hence the one basket per weekday day plus two or three on a Saturday. So the key is consistency I guess.

Edited: she has mentioned that she does it because she enjoys ironing and is good at it and she can supervise her dc doing homework at the same time.

You really don't need an accountant to do self assessment now. It is so easy you just put in income and out goings online. The only thing to be aware is they ask for payments up front now too eg. as well as paying tax say 23-24 in Jan you have to make up front payments as well in Jan and July for the 24-25 year's payments. Which before wouldn't have to be paid until Jan 2026.

Out of interest, what are people getting ironed?

Maybe I'm missing something. DH and I both WFH, he might iron a shirt for a funeral or a wedding, but what are people getting ironed weekly/fortnightly. Work shirts? Sheets?

My DM did this years ago . She used to charge by weight . She used the name 'Iron Maiden' I seem to remember her doing quite well out of it .

Our cleaner also offers an ironing service. My mum uses it, £20 an hour (which tends to be a baskets worth according to my mum) and she delivers it when she comes back to clean the following week. If someone wanted it sooner I’m sure she’d do it, maybe with an additional drop off fee.
We don’t take her up on the ironing as have nothing to iron 😂

I did this 30 years ago when I was trying to earn extra.
Ironing in front of the TV was actually great as it felt like I was going to watch TV anyway!

Mistakes I made - I charged per bag. My most regular customer had a black bag full of shirts. 100% cotton work shirts, washed and tumbled dried board dry so that they were screwed up and horrendously creased, and rock hard dry. I have never seen so many shirts squashed into one black bag.

I would charge by item or bundle (5 shirts = ) etc

Also consider how you will return items. Folded or on hangers?
It takes skill and a bit of time to fold work shirts well.

I would do adult clothing - shirts, skirts, dresses on hangers.

Invest in a good water spray bottle to use alongside your iron, when things are dried screwed up in a ball, steam iron doesn't always quite get it, stick on hanger and spray them all then start ironing, much easier.
Also one of those steam resevoir irons may be worth it.

Some people still work in professions that require a suit and tie.

Some people wear a uniform that needs to look smart.

Some people can only tolerate 100% cotton close to their skin.

Some people prefer to store clothes ironed and folded neatly.

In our case, we are a military family. Lots of ironing required.

Each to their own!

Yes, I'm already registered with HMRC due to my other activities, and we do also have public liability insurance.

Thanks. We already have it due to the nature of my husbands business.

Thanks. I genuinely like ironing so think it's worth giving it a go, and is only for a limited time while we need to save extremely hard for a specific reason. If I start and hate it, I'll just stop.

Thanks but I already file self assesment returns for other things I do. You really don't need an accountant.

Press Gang. I knew somebody who used one called this ages ago. I quite liked it.