Welcome Back To Side Hustle Weekly!

I’m excited to share with you another great side hustle you can start today! Today we will be discussing how to start a garage cleaning business.

Garage Cleaning

How to Start a Garage Cleaning & Resale Business

Get paid to clean out garages — and earn even more by reselling the valuable items homeowners no longer want.

Imagine being paid twice for the same job:
First, customers pay you to clean out and organize their cluttered garages.
Then they give you or sell you cheaply the unwanted items you can flip online for profit.

This business is a double whammy side hustle that can easily grow into a $5K–$10K+/month operation, especially in neighborhoods where garages tend to overflow with forgotten equipment, old tools, furniture, sports gear, electronics, and collectibles.

The demand is massive. People don’t have the time, energy, or desire to clean out their garages — and they’re thrilled to pay someone else to do it.

Here’s exactly how to start this clever, profitable business from scratch.

Step 1: Understand the Business Model (and Why It's Genius)

You make money in two ways:

1. Service Income

You charge homeowners a fee to:

• Declutter their garage

• Organize items

• Sweep & deep clean

• Remove junk

• Haul away unwanted items

Typical jobs pay $150–$600 depending on size and condition.

2. Resale Income

You keep or buy cheaply the items they don’t want. These can include:

• Tools

• Outdoor equipment

• Bikes

• Electronics

• Furniture

• Collectibles

• Holiday decorations

• Sports gear

You then resell them online through platforms like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, OfferUp, or Craigslist — often making $200–$800+ per job just from flips.

This is why garage cleaning businesses scale so quickly.

Step 2: Define Your Services Clearly

Offer tiered packages so customers can choose what fits their needs:

Basic Clean-Out ($150–$250)

• Decluttering

• Sweeping

• Item sorting

Deep Clean & Full Organization ($250–$500)

• Shelving organization

• Bins and labeling

• Surface cleaning

Premium Package ($500–$700+)

• Professional organization

• Junk removal

• Hauling

• Full garage transformation

Add-ons like storage bins or shelving installation can boost your income even more.

Step 3: Get the Right Equipment

You don’t need much to start, but owning the right tools helps you work faster and more professionally.

Must-Have Gear:

• Heavy-duty gloves

• Dust masks

• Utility knife

• Broom & dustpan

• Shop vacuum

• Trash bags (contractor strength)

• Moving dolly

• Basic toolbox

• Labeling stickers

• Cleaning sprays

Optional Upgrades (Highly Recommended):

• Pickup truck or trailer for hauling

• Plastic storage bins

• Shelving units for resale staging

• Portable work light

Startup cost ranges from $100–$800 depending on what you already own.

Step 4: Start Marketing in Local Communities

Your ideal customers live locally. To reach them:

Post in Local Facebook Groups:

• “Professional Garage Clean-Out — Get Your Space Back!”

• Include before-and-after photos (even staged ones if needed at the start).

Use Nextdoor and Craigslist:

People often search for cleaning or organization help here.

Print Flyers for Your Area:

Target middle- and upper-income neighborhoods with older homes — they accumulate the most clutter.

Offer a Grand Opening Discount:

10–20% off gets your first clients quickly.

Step 5: Build Your Pricing Strategy for Maximum Profit

Charge by:

• Size

• Amount of clutter

• Hours needed

• Whether hauling is included

Example pricing model:

• Small garage: $150–$250

• Medium garage: $250–$400

• Large or extremely cluttered garages: $400–$700+

Pro Tip:
Always ask the client, “Would you like me to take any of the unwanted items off your hands for free?”
Most will say yes enthusiastically.

Step 6: Develop a Resale System to Flip Items Fast

You’ll collect a variety of items from jobs — turn them into quick cash.

Where to sell:

• Facebook Marketplace (fastest sales)

• eBay (collectibles, tools, electronics)

• OfferUp (local buyers)

• Craigslist

• Poshmark (clothing)

What sells quickly:

• Bikes ($50–$200)

• Tools ($20–$300)

• Old gaming consoles ($40–$200)

• Power tools ($30–$150)

• Furniture ($20–$100)

• Outdoor equipment ($25–$150)

• Holiday décor ($10–$60)

One project can generate hundreds in resale profits.

Step 7: Automate and Scale With Help

Once jobs increase, outsource labor to make your business hands-off.

Hire:

• Two-person cleaning crew

• Part-time organizer

• Truck operator for hauling

• A virtual assistant for customer communication

Later, add a sales team (commission-based) to:

• Reach out to homeowners

• Contact property managers

• Offer monthly or seasonal clean-out packages

• Target HOAs and community groups

This allows you to scale to $10K–$20K+/month without doing much physical labor yourself.

Estimated Monthly Income Potential

Let’s break it down realistically.

Beginner Level (5–8 jobs/month):

• Cleaning income: $1,000–$2,500

• Resale profit: $500–$1,500
  Total: $1,500–$4,000/month

Growing Level (15–20 jobs/month):

• Cleaning income: $4,000–$8,000

• Resale profit: $2,000–$5,000
  Total: $6,000–$13,000/month

Advanced Operation (Multiple Crews):

• Cleaning income: $10,000–$20,000+

• Resale profit: $4,000–$10,000+
  Total Revenue: $15,000–$30,000+/month

This business scales quickly because your expenses remain low.

Requirements to Start

• Basic cleaning supplies

• Transportation (car, truck, or rental)

• Willingness to work with clutter

• Business name + payment methods

• Facebook & online presence

• Basic negotiation skills

Pros

• High demand

• Low startup cost

• Two income streams per job

• Easy to scale with minimal tools

• Flexible work schedule

• Great for side hustlers or full-time entrepreneurs

Cons

• Physical labor required (until you hire help)

• Some jobs may be very messy

• Hauling can be tiring without proper equipment

• Inventory storage may take space

Summary: How to Grow a Garage Cleaning & Resale Business

1. Offer garage clean-out services with clear pricing.

2. Take unwanted items from clients and flip them online.

3. Market through local social media and neighborhood groups.

4. Sell items quickly using Marketplace, eBay, and OfferUp.

5. Reinvest profits into better tools and light advertising.

6. Hire crews to work for you so the business becomes hands-off.

7. Add a sales team to expand into bigger neighborhoods, HOAs, and recurring cleanup contracts.

With strategic planning and consistent effort, your garage-cleaning business can become a double-income powerhouse, earning steady service fees and profitable resale cash — making it one of the smartest, simplest businesses you can start today.

That’s A Wrap

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and if you have any questions about the post, upcoming posts, how to advertise, or anything else, feel free to reply. See you next time with another money-making post, helping you boost your income!

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