About Startup Costs
The startup costs provided in this database include an approximate financial investment that will be needed to start the business. This is generalized information and should only be used as a yardstick to determine business startup costs. Your investment will vary based on factors such as equipment, transportation, licensing and permits, operating location, working capital and initial marketing and advertising budgets. Remember a successful entrepreneur is one who carefully researches and plans every aspect of a new business venture, including the financial investment needed to start a business and the working capital required to achieve positive cash flow.
Business At A Glance
Personal Organizer
Startup Costs: Under $2,000
About
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available? Yes
Online Operation? No
Not everyone is as organized as your are--and they want your help.
Business Overview
If you’re a neat-a-holic, then this could be the business for you. As a personal organizer, you’ll bust clutter in your clients’ homes, neatly arranging kitchens, closets, file drawers, garages and attics, and teaching them to keep things tidy for easier, less stressful lives. Most personal organizers take on tasks in the corporate world as well, straightening out executive messes--you can wear this hat if you like or stick to home work. The advantages to this business are that you can start part-time on a shoestring, it’s creative and gives you the chance to peek into lots of people’s lives, and if you’re a natural neatnik you get the satisfaction of helping others become one, too. You’ll need a healthy dose of organizational ability, which you must be able to apply to other people’s homes and situations. You’ll also need to be an organization-oriented shopper, with a keen knowledge of what home furnishings and accessories are in the marketplace so you can make recommendations. You should have good people skills because you’ll be working with clients in their most intimate surroundings. You’ll need to make suggestions in a tactful manner and deal with junk that might best be tossed.
The Market
Your clients can be homeowners and apartment dwellers who are tired of living with clutter and losing time looking for things that should be under their noses. Your best bets for attracting clients are placing ads in your local paper and writing articles for local publications. Give talks to women’s groups, place ads offering discounts in coupon mailers, and donate a free makeover to a local charity in exchange for publicity.
Needed Equipment
All you really need to get started is that creatively organized brain and a planning book, although as you grow you’ll want to invest in a computer, a printer, a fax machine and all the usual software.
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