Ready or not, the holidays are here.
Amid the hustle and bustle that comes with every holiday season, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. According to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales during November and December are expected to reach up to $859 billion, a 10.5{3e92bdb61ecc35f2999ee2a63f1e687c788772421b16b0136989bbb6b4e89b73} increase from last year.
And as the boxes pile up and you can’t seem to close the refrigerator door, ask Theresa Rawley at East Hill Home Services to lend a helping hand.
“I always felt like this was my calling in life,” Rawley said. “To serve others. I’ve always loved helping and serving others.”
Starting a business, on the other hand, was a different story.
“When my parents said, ‘You should start your own business,’ I laughed,” Rawley said. “I never thought about owning my own business. In fact, I never realized this was a gift, a talent. I thought everyone was organized like me.”
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But would anyone be interested in hiring someone to help clean and organize their home?
“While I lived in Nashville, I put the word out on Facebook, and I got feedback almost immediately,” Rawley said. “It continued to grow through word of mouth.”
It’s been a month and a half since Rawley moved back to Pensacola, and she’s been hard at work launching East Hill Home Services.
“It was hard leaving my friends and clients,” Rawley said. “But I told them, ‘If it wasn’t for you guys, I wouldn’t have ever had the courage to keep doing this.'”
Rawley makes it clear that it’s all about friends and family.
“I like that I’m in control of the quality and every aspect of the relationship,” Rawley. “At the end of the day, it all falls on me. Some people clean 5 or 6 houses a day, and I’m fine if I take my time and just clean one. It’s about the quality.”
According to Rawley, with the holidays in full swing, she recognizes a need for her services. In addition to deep cleaning, East Hill Home Services also offers decluttering and residential base cleaning.
“It’s more than just cleaning houses,” Rawley said. “I can organize your pantry. I can create labels so you’re not searching for something in every cabinet throughout your house. Realtors have reached out to me, wanting me to do a quick clean because they’re going to be doing a showing.”
Rawley also adds that blending a fine balance between professional and personal helps builds rapport with all of her clients.
“I want to get involved,” Rawley said. “I prefer to meet my clients in person, because it adds a personal touch. There’s so much you miss through communicating over the phone. To me, every person’s home should be their own safe haven. Honestly, it’s been great coming back, and I look forward to making people’s lives easier and sharing my services with everyone.”
East Hill Home Services also offers free estimates. For more information, visit easthillhomeservicesllc.com or call 850-542-0149.
Kalyn Wolfe is a freelance columnist for the News Journal. Send new business tips to [email protected].
