Quit corporate to be a housekeeper?

[woodenbatandball]

I work in a corporate job! Middle management for a middle wage! My job is insanely fast paced, stressful and has me working in the evenings and weekends. I'm seriously considering quitting and starting up my own cleaning/dog walking business. I won't earn as much, but I will save in nursery fees and my sanity! Has anyone else done similar? I've hired cleaners myself and know what would be good offering. Am I mad? I've done a lot of soul searching and I'm disillusioned with the 'women can have it all/girl boss rhetoric' what I actually want is a clear mind, quality time with my child and to not feel anxious about work! All helpful ideas and suggestions and opinions welcome!

Get the right clients and you should be fine. My housekeeper is paid well and given holiday bonuses. When she started working for me (three days a week) she complained a lot about flaky clients - but I’ve introduced her to friends who are high quality employees and treat her like a valued team member.

she makes about £45k plus bonuses and some paid holiday. It’s a good gig if you’re not overflowing with qualifications - but detail orientated, honest + reliable.

Test the market by asking for reccomendations on nextdoor/ local fb.
Get a dbs especially for elderly clients. Look at local groups like age uk to see if they reccomend services.
local ads in libraries/ post offices etc. But recommendation is best…

I would want to have more than 4 months saving before considering self employment but it sounds like you have made up your mind.

I think you should factor in the cost of health insurance/critical illness & pension. You won't have either like with your corporate job.

What's competition like in your area?
How are you going to compete?
What's your breakeven amount - monetary & timewise?
How are you going to recession proof the business or at least minimise it?
Where are you going to source your client base from? (Many potential ex co-workers?)
Could you include additional complimentary income streams? Decluttering? Carpet cleaning? Laundry? Offices?
Do you have a plan B if it fails?

I need one of those roles! All the senior people I know in the corporate world (I’m an exec myself), work insane hours. It seems like the more senior, the more hours & commitment. At least in my 25-year career.

Clearly not 😬

Go for it!

I always think that having your own business is a good thing to aim for.

You could maybe in the beginning get a part-time job working for an employer while you develop your own business and client base so you can have a regular income coming in.

I was a self employed cleaner when my children were toddlers, but only had 5 houses a week as that was all I wanted as I also fitted it in with an employed 12 hour a week job.
i really enjoyed it, I liked going into busy homes where things were all over the place and leave them how I would have liked mine to have been done, so not only cleaned but tidied etc as well (apparently cleaners don’t usually do that so one lady told me).
I would do ironing if there was a basket of clean washing, strip and remake the beds basically all the things people don’t always have time to do.
I only stopped when both my children were in school and wanted the stability of working during the day, but than I only worked term time.

Sounds like an employer problem mainly! It might seem like now but nursery cost is not long term life - it's a very temporary state.

So don't make life decisions based on nursery circumstances! I would focus my energy on finding a good fit employer.

Doesn't really matter?

Don’t forget that you’re also sacrificing your pension, not just your salary. And paid holiday.

I did exactly this!
The dog walking didn't pay for me as I wasn't confident walking more than one dog and it really only pays if you can walk multiple.
The cleaning side has gone nuts!
80% of my business is Airbnb, I live in a village near a major tourist attraction, so work is seasonal and you have to be prepared for last minute bookings, working weekends and lots of hard work.
You have to pick up the work while it is available to cover the lean times, so Summer is crazy but the private clients just cover the Winter months.
It is incredibly physical and tiring, especially if you do more than one job per day.
I have 3 private clients who are consistent with bookings so this limits late cancellations.
I get to pick and choose my jobs and hours to fit around my daughter.
I now manage 2 Airbnb properties for clients and can charge accordingly.
I still walk 2 dogs for friends and long term clients.
2 years on and I love the freedom and the flexibility.
It's not for everyone but good luck if you do it.

The whole women can have it all is great for those who want it and can handle it. It was never going to work for me. I was a teacher but I left the profession after two terms back from maternity leave. I now have a couple of Etsy shops and home educate my daughter and whilst having a daughter with SEND has many of its own stresses and anxieties, I am so glad I no longer work because I simply couldn’t cope.

Do what you feel is right but obviously be aware of your financial situation and if you’re married or not. I have no plans to return to work but instead I want to grow my small businesses. If I did want to get back into teaching, it would be hard after being out of it for 7 years.

I hope you can do the thing that makes you happy ❤️

So many really helpful, positive replies. Thank you. Yes, it is a risk, but something in my life has to change. When someone mentioned below that they can relate and talked about their head feeling like it's about to explode, that is how I feel all the time.

To the more judgemental replies, you either have very well paid, secure jobs and a lot support (married/family) around to be privileged enough to tell me to not leave a 'secure' job! Solo parenting with zero support or 'village' and working full time is not an easy thing to do. Hence why I'm trying to allow myself a 'career break' for a couple of years.

Hi, I'm a self employed cleaner and love it. Love being my own boss, no stress and I have lovely clients. Been doing it 10 years and genuinely wouldn't want any other job!
Do it, you won't regret it. There's more to life than just work.

I did all the uni and hard work and ‘the right thing’ and ended up in as office job in an expensive area. I have lots of friends and family who have no qualifications but have drifted into less stressful jobs and have a better quality of life with similar income.

If you’re in an affluent area there is money around. You are articulate and speak English and that’s such a bonus in the service industry. Housekeeping is a good aim. Just remember to factor in pensions and leave into what you need to earn.

Is it a holiday or air bnb area? Doing turnarounds can be very lucrative. Or end of tenancies for a letting agent. I had a clank h job when I was a student and I loved it. Getting a good amount of exercise, a sense of achievement. Seeing a bit of the world outside an office.

You do need to think about income for when you’re older and more tired and can’t rely on your physical ability to earn money.

What will your rates be? Can you keep a hand in the corporate world in any way to future proof yourself?

OP! Are! You! An! AI! Generated! Bot!

your mental health is worth more then wealth, could you cut down your hours while building up clientele for the cleaning then once established quit completely. I’m in a job I enjoy and the money isn’t bad my partner on the other hand hates his job and I’ve told him the same so he’s currently looking at apprenticeships in a trade.

Good luck OP - I'd just say sort out your holiday childcare 1st - don't just assume your family will look after your child for days on end. How old is your DC & how old are your parents for example? My dsis is a cleaner & now she's approaching 50 she says it is very hard physical work - sometimes in disgusting filthy houses with dog hair/poo everywhere or houses where the heating is cranked up during heatwaves because the elderly people are cold. It's definitely not a glamorous job and my sister often has a bad back now. Do you have your own dog that needs walking twice a day? You'll need public liability insurance plus you'll need to check if you're planning to take your DC on dog walks during holidays or not. A small child plus 3 giant boisterous dogs for example could be a terrible mix. Plus how outdoorsy are you in general? The weather is foul at the moment so all dogs will need at the very least their feet/legs/belly cleaning and drying before returning them home. I walk dogs for a charity and one thing I've learned is I'm happier at home with my cats lol 😆 an occasional dog walk is lovely but multiple walks per day, every day I would personally hate (even though I love walking in general).