Many of those who lose their jobs during a recession will find it difficult to find another job and may begin to think about investing in their own business with whatever layoff wages they may have received. This may be a golden opportunity to become your own boss, but it takes hard work, determination, and perseverance to make a new business successful and it rarely happens overnight.

It’s always tempting when you think about starting a business to do something you’ve always loved to do: make your hobby your job. But sadly, in most of these cases the companies simply don’t succeed. This is mainly because they have been undertaken with a personal bias and not from a purely business perspective. Whatever decision you may make about going it alone, that decision should always be a business one first and foremost.

The best approach to starting your own business is to research all those services or products that are required in both good and bad economic times.

A home cleaning business is one of those services that will always be in demand. More and more people are looking for this service, sometimes simply to have their homes ready for sale. Or they may have moved and permanently established abroad and now want someone to clean the house and be ready to sell it. Establishing a good business relationship with local real estate agents can lead to regular business referrals.

But the authorization of the house is especially necessary after a death in the family. Bereaved people often don’t want to clear the house at such an emotional time, and the act of disposing of a loved one’s belongings can be overwhelming. Family members may have difficulty sorting out the deceased’s belongings as they cope with their grief and the ongoing demands of work and family life. Or there may simply be no emotional ties and the deceased is a distant relative in another part of the country.

Whatever the reason, there is a booming business that cleans up other people’s unwanted belongings.

While local auctioneers sometimes offer home liquidation services, they are really looking for valuable items to sell at their auctions and are generally not interested in trash. So if you are embarking on this type of business, you must be prepared to clear everything up and often to deal with people at a difficult time in their lives.

Many items that a person does not want can still be recycled or donated to charities, so be sure to consider these options whenever possible.

To distinguish your business from the rogue element operating bogus house cleaning services, it is worth joining the UK House Clearance Association.

Each member of the association makes a few key commitments, which are simply good business practices:

Provide a clear description, price and schedule of completion of the home office.

· Guarantee a civil liability insurance at all risks.

Have a valid waste transporter license issued by the Environment Agency.

· Be courteous, competent and committed to providing a high level of service.

· Deal promptly and sympathetically with anything that could go wrong.

If you think this might be the business for you, then it’s relatively easy to start with minimal capital outlay (so you may be able to save some of that redundancy money). There are just a few simple steps you need to take to be your own boss:

Get liability insurance

When you enter someone’s home and you are likely moving large and heavy objects, you must have adequate insurance against damage to both the building structure and the people within it.

Obtain a waste hauler license from the Environment Agency

Commercial dumping of waste at municipal sites requires a license. These are inexpensive and last 3 years, so request one well in advance of your first house cleaning.

Decide what vehicle you need

If you don’t own a truck yet, you will definitely need one, but while you’re still testing your business idea, why not hire a truck instead of buying one? That way, you can decide which type of truck is most suitable in your local area.

Advertise in the local press and online

The advantage of a small business like home liquidation is that you can avoid expensive advertising costs by advertising your services in local publications and in local venues.

House Clearance is just a small business idea that is a required service regardless of the economic climate and is simple and inexpensive to implement. But there are many other similar businesses that could spell the start of a new life as your own boss.

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