simplify – simplify – this should be a very easy short chapter on just the first steps to getting up and running – maybe with a section at the end on all the extras to do…. but make it easy and fun and doable in a weekend.
Synthesized comprehensive startup checklist by merging approaches and excising future-focused items.
The user wants me to combine both approaches – keep all the steps from the original document, organized into sections with bullet points, but remove things that aren’t about starting up immediately.
Things to remove:
- Section 9 about Vegas/convention – that’s future, not startup
- Section 7 about taking a break/launch party – nice but not essential to getting started
Things to keep and organize clearly:
- Goals and notebooks
- Legal requirements
- Business identity (name, domain, website)
- Equipment
- Marketing materials
- Practice cleaning
- Active marketing when ready
The user wants ALL the steps listed so they can delete what they don’t need. So I should be comprehensive but organized by section. Make it practical and focused on “what do I need to do to start accepting clients.”
Let me create a merged version that includes all startup steps, well organized, in bullet format, sectioned logically.
Chapter 28: Get Started
You have read through the essential information about starting and running a home cleaning business. Now comes the most important part: taking action. This chapter provides a practical checklist to launch your business and book your first clients.
The biggest obstacle most people face is not lack of knowledge or resources—it is overthinking and perfectionism. You do not need everything perfect before you start. You need the basics in place and your first clients booked.
What You Will Learn
- The essential steps to launch your cleaning business
- How to organize your setup tasks efficiently
- Which items can be completed quickly and which require waiting periods
- The practical sequence from planning to earning income
Section 1: Goals and Organization
Buy three notebooks before proceeding with other steps.
- Get Notebook 1 for personal journal, research, and to-do lists
- Write your 10-year, 5-year, and 1-year goals
- Write your 3-month goals and steps needed to achieve them
- Write your 1-month goals and required steps
- Create a “To Do” page and list action items as you think of them
- Cross out items as completed
- Start fresh pages when current page gets messy, transferring incomplete items
- Get Notebook 2 and label it “Business Journal”
- Write today’s date and brief summary of the business you want to create
- Use it as a daily journal of business activities
- Get Notebook 3 and label it “Taxes [current year] Income/Outgoings”
- List every business purchase with date, item, supplier, price, and receipt number
- Write corresponding receipt number on physical receipts
- Create digital folder on computer labeled “Receipts [current year]”
Section 2: Legal Requirements
Complete quick research without getting bogged down. You can finalize details while working on other sections.
- Search online for “how to start a business in [your city/country]”
- Make a list of all requirements in your Business Journal
- Search for “insurance for home cleaning company in [your city/country]”
- Email or call insurance companies for information and quotes
- Purchase liability insurance before cleaning any client’s home
- Search for “business bank account in [your city/country]”
- Look for accounts offering basic services for small businesses
- Open business bank account if required
- Search for “small business tax deduction rules in [your country]”
- Search “do I need to register a business name in [your city/country]”
- Register business name if required in your jurisdiction
Section 3: Business Name and Website
- Visit domainr.com and brainstorm available domain names
- List potential names in your journal
- Search to verify no other local cleaning companies use the same name
- Register your chosen domain name at MaidHost
- Register at MaidHost.com to set up your website
- Point your domain to your website following MaidHost instructions
- Log in to your website and update all information sections
- Visit Vistaprint to create a logo
- Add logo to website
- Book an Airbnb in a nice home for 1-2 nights to photograph your business
- Photograph yourself cleaning in professional uniform
- Take wide shots of clean rooms and detail shots of equipment
- Update website with your professional photos
- Download walk-around sheet from MaidHost.com
- Download homeowner’s guide from MaidHost.com
- Customize both documents with your business information
Section 4: Equipment and Practice
- Search Amazon for Speed Cleaning by Jeff Campbell
- Purchase book (Kindle or print) if you want additional cleaning education
- Visit speedcleaning.com and click Cleaning Tools
- Review professional equipment options and make a list
- Search online for cleaning or janitorial suppliers in your area
- Purchase equipment from Speed Cleaning site, local stores, Amazon, or suppliers
- Consider purchasing a quality vacuum cleaner as a tax-deductible business expense
- Test vacuum weekly on your own home to ensure proper operation
- Clean your own home using all your new equipment
- Practice professional techniques and systematic approach
- Become expert with your tools and methods
- Consider your uniform requirements
- Purchase any needed uniform items for work
- Search for local uniform suppliers if adding embroidered logo to shirts
Section 5: Marketing Materials
Order these early as printing takes several days.
- Order door hangers from Vistaprint
- Order flyers from Vistaprint
- Order fridge magnets from Vistaprint
- Order business cards from Vistaprint
- Post on Facebook announcing your business to all friends
- Ask 2-3 friends if you can clean their homes for free in exchange for Facebook testimonial
- Request permission to use photos from these practice cleanings
- Treat practice cleanings as real client appointments
- Offer friends a referral fee or free clean for any jobs they refer
- Tell friends which areas you are targeting to avoid traveling across town
Section 6: Active Marketing
Begin when printed materials arrive.
- Identify your ideal neighborhood to target
- Distribute door hangers in target neighborhood when they arrive
- Focus on nicest, cleanest houses showing pride of ownership
- Visit local high-end shops and supermarkets
- Ask permission to post flyers on community notice boards
- Answer inquiries promptly and professionally
- Book walk-arounds at convenient times
- Go slowly and do not overload yourself at the start
- Be selective about which clients to accept—focus on well-maintained homes
- Keep Fridays free of cleaning initially for paperwork and three-day weekends
- Use Fridays to address any client concerns per your guarantee
Key Takeaways
- Keep Fridays free initially for flexibility and paperwork
- Purchase three notebooks and establish organization systems immediately
- Complete legal requirements and purchase insurance before accepting clients
- Order marketing materials early to account for production and shipping time
- Practice cleaning professionally in your own home before meeting clients
- Use Airbnb photography session as tax-deductible marketing expense
- Be selective about first clients and focus on well-maintained homes