Ironing from home - any call for that sort of stuff these days?

[FluffyGiraffe]

I'm trying to sort out some work to pay for DS to go to nursery (classic chicken and egg situation - can't get a job till I know he's settled, can't afford the nursery till I get a job). I thought about doing ironing locally - is there any call for that sort of service these days? Anybody got any experience of it?

god i'd love to do that. i love ironing.

i don't think it pays particularly well though.

YEs I would say there was a call for it I have had it done once or twice just after I had DD but my sister has it done all the time

Yes!!!!!!!!! Where are you ....I need a lady to iron......

a friend of mine does it and is run off her feet!

Wow - thanks for the quick responses! Sounds like a good idea then. I don't mind ironing - I find it therapeutic. I'm in Hastings if thats any good to you K999!! Can collect and deliver - although not too far away!

Erm...would you go as far as Ediburgh??

Well it's a little far out! Maybe using the sleeper train......

I know there's someone who organises a lot of ladies (it's all women who do it ) in Perth (still no good for you K999 lol)
Don't know how you'd go about starting up yourself though...

I was going to try leaflets through people's doors locally and see what happens! Not sure I'd like to be 'organised' - Betterware wanted to organise me and I couldn't work it round the little guy well enough. Plus we kept getting wet!

hi there defo is a market for this i did an ironing run for 2 years,i advertised in local newsagents and had too many responses, could only manage 8 regular people as was working full time as well. I used to charge £7.50phr so usually about £20-£30 per person. Would pick up on a friday and drop back on sunday then do another drop on a monday.
Christmas was defo my most busy time, would take anything from £400-£600 a month (cash)I would say though that you have to be very organised, good time keeper and be reliable. Good luck its a good money spinner.

Thanks lounan - that's a big encouragement. Did you collect and deliver or did people bring it to you. Not too sure what people expect.

I did a pick up and deliver but within a 15 mins distance and included that in the price.
Otherwise people would be dropping and picking up at anytime or you would have to stay in waiting around.

yes, my next door neighbour uses an ironing service for all her laundry
am very jealous

Definitely! I've tried - and failed - to find someone locally to do this for me. The ladies who do this nearby have waiting lists!

i have paid (and would pay again) £10/hr for ironing

i would love to get my sunday evenings back

Agree with the others - there are several ironing services around here and it's not a wealthy area by any stretch of the imagination!

Thank you all so much for your input on this - I've put a few leaflets out locally for £10 an hour and see how that goes! If I get no takers, I can always try again at £8.50.
Another idea is ad-hoc secretarial services - letters, mail merge, Excel stuff amd Powerpoint. Could collect and redeliver that - anyone any experience of this.
I'm trying hard to get the entrepeneurial spirit going, but I guess I'm scared of failing.

I must admit to following this thread with interest... fluffyg, I hope you don't mind me jumping in on your thread to ask these ladies what they would expect for their money? Is everything folded or on hangers, for example? And how long would you expect to pay for a load? Ironing isn't really a spectator sport, and I therefore have no idea whether I'm slow, fast or indifferent! And would you pay when clothes are returned?
So, if you will, please complete the following sentence:

You hand over a bag of creasy clothes and a few days later they would be returned...

bedding folded
shirts on hangers, buttoned up.
dresses on hangers
jumpers/t-shirts folded
trousers pressed on hangers

Helpful to have dry cleaner bags when wet days.
Extra coat hangers (some dont supply) can get a load from tesco/wilkson cheap add on to their bill
Ask for the clothes to be in a basket, nothing worse then having to put folded clothes into a bag
Nice to have a business card, you can get good deals with vista print

Would expect payment when collected.

Hope this helps

Lounan that is so helpful, I tried to set this up myself, I leafletted through 150 doors locally and didn't have 1 reply
Do you think its better to advertise in newsagents, or that people in my town like to do their own ironing?!

I did the same with leaflets and had no response, i got all my clients though advertising in 2 local newsagents.It also helps to pick an area that has money(big houses) as i found that these are the people that dont want to do ironing them selves

i pay £5 an hour and it is all dumped in an ikea bag or 2

however i paid £14/hr 2 years ago - that was all in plstic and on hangers

i like it cheap and cheerful

I always got mine back the next day, two at most. I paid by the item or by the bag, not by the hour. I dropped off, they returned (usually about 8-9pm IIRC). Shirts were on hangers which I dropped off with the clothes (am keen recycler!). T shirts and other items folded. Never sent bedding.
HTH

mine taken in am collected 5pm

i love ironers

This is so helpful am off to design beautiful creased clothing attracting posters! I think I will try the per bag price and get a few of those plasticky checked laundry bag things unless people specify they want it hung up then I'll them to supply or pay for hangers, that sound reasonable?