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I’m tired of working for someone and want to dedicate myself to starting a service business.
The idea I have is organizing and cleaning and mAybe slight haul away services for older people specifically since they’re in most need for this service.
Do you think anyone would pay for this? It would just be me to start but I could elicit help for larger jobs if I needed help moving or taking things to the dump.
I have money at my disposal to start this to buy a truck and trailer.
I got the idea because I love cleaning and I feel like I’m gifted in organizing things, maybe it’s just my ocd.
I’ve already got the know how and my finger on the “send” button to start an llc and have an accountant on stand by.
In my experience the elderly can have a lot of emotional attachment to their stuff. It's a connection to memories. There can be a lot of foot dragging on their part when it comes to parting with things that seemingly have little value.
Here's the angle I would take: partner with a Goodwill type charity to accept the stuff you haul. That charity aspect will help the elderly part with their things more easily, if they think they will be reused and appreciated. In reality not even Goodwill would accept most haul away type things from a senior's home, so that's where the sorting would come in. You would sort and organize and pick out the best stuff for donation.
A "donation facilitator" would probably be better received than a "haul away service". Again in my experience the barriers to seniors decluttering are emotional not physical.
In my experience the elderly can have a lot of emotional attachment to their stuff. It's a connection to memories. There can be a lot of foot dragging on their part when it comes to parting with things that seemingly have little value.
Here's the angle I would take: partner with a Goodwill type charity to accept the stuff you haul. That charity aspect will help the elderly part with their things more easily, if they think they will be reused and appreciated. In reality not even Goodwill would accept most haul away type things from a senior's home, so that's where the sorting would come in. You would sort and organize and pick out the best stuff for donation.
A "donation facilitator" would probably be better received than a "haul away service". Again in my experience the barriers to seniors decluttering are emotional not physical.
Excellent points. We went through it with my great uncle and he was very attached to his things most definitely, rightfully so.
Great idea with a donation facilitator. How could I market that?
I’m tired of working for someone and want to dedicate myself to starting a service business.
The idea I have is organizing and cleaning and mAybe slight haul away services for older people specifically since they’re in most need for this service.
Do you think anyone would pay for this? It would just be me to start but I could elicit help for larger jobs if I needed help moving or taking things to the dump.
I have money at my disposal to start this to buy a truck and trailer.
I got the idea because I love cleaning and I feel like I’m gifted in organizing things, maybe it’s just my ocd.
I’ve already got the know how and my finger on the “send” button to start an llc and have an accountant on stand by.
I'd spread the love around real estate agents. They are having to flog their clients into getting homes presentable for sale. Being a reliable person who can help their clients get rid of their excess stuff would be a godsend.
I'd spread the love around real estate agents. They are having to flog their clients into getting homes presentable for sale. Being a reliable person who can help their clients get rid of their excess stuff would be a godsend.
Yea great idea. Maybe I can start making posts on Facebook pages to take donations. We have a church organization down the street kind of like a good will.
1. There are already folks doing this type of service.
2. Why would you be different?
3. How do you scale? You can probably only dedicate 8-10 hours max a day.
4. What do the numbers say? How many engagements do you need to make $60,000, $100,000 and how many contact points do you need to generate that amount of business? That’s a lot of hustle AND you still have to haul out stuff during the day too.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I can only comment based on my own experience. At 68 no, we are getting rid of "stuff" and cleaning up in anticipation of downsizing. I have a truck, and make trips to the donation centers and the dumps myself.
My mom is 92 and recently went into assisted living, my siblings and I are meeting at the house next month to clean it out, and 3 of us have trucks. What I think of in your case is the cost of the truck and/or trailer, gas, disposal fees at the dumps, business license and insurance, and advertising costs. Then will there be enough need for your services, and how well can you compete with the existing services that advertise on TV like Junkbusters and 1800gotjunk.
Look up Junk Removal Service on Google and you will see many of them, most with track records and good reviews already on Yelp and Angie's list.
I think that the "cleaning" angle is far more appealing and likely to get you some business quickly than the "hauling" angle. Many older retired people will gladly pay for a cleaning service if the rates are reasonable, and they will likely be repeat customers. If they're satisfied, they'll recommend you and get you lots of additional business.
People are much more willing to hire someone on a one time trial basis for cleaning (with follow up business if they're satisfied) than to hire you for a once-in-a-lifetime hauling away of their "treasures"... even if the "treasures" are junk to everyone else.
I’m tired of working for someone and want to dedicate myself to starting a service business.
The idea I have is organizing and cleaning and mAybe slight haul away services for older people specifically since they’re in most need for this service.
Do you think anyone would pay for this? It would just be me to start but I could elicit help for larger jobs if I needed help moving or taking things to the dump.
I have money at my disposal to start this to buy a truck and trailer.
I got the idea because I love cleaning and I feel like I’m gifted in organizing things, maybe it’s just my ocd.
I’ve already got the know how and my finger on the “send” button to start an llc and have an accountant on stand by.
People do pay for this. Movers, carting and junk removal is an established business model. You just need to find patrons that is all.
Usually these people work for a junkyard, or have other jobs, and do this on the side because not many people in a given week in your local area need to move a lot of stuff somewhere else.
I think that the "cleaning" angle is far more appealing and likely to get you some business quickly than the "hauling" angle. Many older retired people will gladly pay for a cleaning service if the rates are reasonable, and they will likely be repeat customers. If they're satisfied, they'll recommend you and get you lots of additional business.
People are much more willing to hire someone on a one time trial basis for cleaning (with follow up business if they're satisfied) than to hire you for a once-in-a-lifetime hauling away of their "treasures"... even if the "treasures" are junk to everyone else.
And from there you can get the referrals for junk removal as a side gig while also getting referrals for more cleaning angles.
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