Part-time business idea – ironing

Even the most menial tasks can be turned into a part-time business to generate extra income. How many of your friends moan about doing the ironing – either because they hate doing it or don’t have time to get it done? Many people who work full time are more than happy to pass over this chore to others and to pay for their service. So if you’re happy ironing for a few hours a day, then setting up an ironing service could be a good opportunity for you to earn extra money working from home – ironing is something that has to be done and isn’t going to be going out of fashion any time soon, so the demand will be there.

The main stipulation for any ironing business is that you are a non-smoker and work in a non-smoking environment. No one will tolerate freshly ironed clothes that smell of cigarettes! You will also need to be able to get through piles of ironing quickly without compromising the quality. Time is money after all.

Advertise your service in local shop windows or get a load of cheap flyers printed so that you can advertise door to door around your local area. Once you’ve got a few customers, and are doing a good job for them, your reputation will spread through word of mouth.

You could also offer to extend your service by providing a pick-up and deliver service ie collect clean laundry from customers’ homes and return it to them ironed and folded. This could make your business even more attractive to potential customers because it’s all about providing a service based on convenience and making life easy for them, but you should take into consideration the implications for you. You will obviously need to have the use of a car, you will have to take into account wear and tear and petrol costs when you determine your pricing structure, and of course, you will need to be clear in your mind whether driving from one house to another is sustainable long term, particularly if it impacts on your family life.