how do you carry all your things round?!!

[emily22]

Hiya, another question for you all....!

I was just wondering how all of you other mobile peeps carry your things around? This is what I have to take with me...

• Manicure table (portable but not the lightest of things!)
• 3 beauty cases (one for manicure, one for pedicure and one for nail art)
• Pedicure spa
• Pedicure stool
• Extras such as couch roll, towels etc
• paraffin wax heater, mitts, booties if needed
• Foldable stools (kept in the car just in case!)

I find it a nightmare taking it all in and out of clients homes, Ive got one client who told me to use her table next time as she really doesnt mind and it saves doing 2 trips to the car!
I had a large massage bag that I could put my table in as well as footspa, towels, couch roll, wax heater etc. But it was so heavy and VERY awkward to carry, so now ive put my table into a large suitcase on wheels and put the footspa in there too, this was a little easier but cant get much else in there!
Then I have my pedicure stool which although is supposed to be great for mobiles its sooo big!! I have to admit that it is very lightweight and easier to work with but just another big thing to carry in!!
I know ive gone on and on here but thought if i explain in detail you guys can hopefully give me some tips on better ways of doing things!!

 

[FOUNDATIONS]

Im mobile as well as having a salon, which i found a nightmare doubleing up on most things!!

But the thing i carry for my mobile Is
A massage couch... when needed
A small folding table... i use for nails and storing my facial thing on.
A wax box... with all i need for waxing inc couch roll but i only use 2-3 sections at a time, but i fold them seperatly and put them in my box, i dont take the full roll.
A med sports bag type to carry my facial things in... inc tissues, cotton wool,towels, facial products, massage oil ect.
Another sports bag type to put my pedicre things in... i use an inflatable bath spa...however most of my clients have thier own spa.. which they hardly use, so i use theirs...most of my clients are already soaking their feet when i get there! coz they know i wont be long, coz ive phoned them.
A vanity case to carry my Electrysis machine and items
A nail caddy to for all my faulse nails/manicure things.

I try to keep everything packed seperatly, because i phone them when im setting off, (if they dont answer the phone, i dont set off till they do, it saves embarrasment if they forget, or your not knocking on a empyt house & youv'e had a wasted you jurney!!) also its usefull if they want another treatment adding, i can just pick up the relevent bag and i dont have to re-pack my things, and i always replenish my bags when i get in.
I hope this helps.
CAZ X

 

[Peter Pan]

can i just ask - why do you carry all this stuff?

if you going to do a set of nails why carry your bauty bed? etc

im just curious flower

surely you would only take what you needed

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

Im not qualified yet but I often wonder to myself about all the stuff im gonna have to cart about once I am..the more things I keep buying...the more im thinking...OMG what a hassle its gonna be tramping about with all that lot, ive recently been thinking that maybe I will aim to be more home-based than mobile and if they want me to come to them then I could charge a standard call out fee...as I dont have any experience with clients yet...im not sure if I would lose customers by doing that, but Im hoping that it will just make them more inclined to come to me to avoid having to pay extra.

 

[hippy-chick]

this is one of the reasons why I stopped doing mobile.

don't forget to carry an extension lead too.

you can get some great boxes on wheels to put all of your bits in, and folding up couch paper is a life saver.

I used to have
my massage couch
a bag with all the towels, couch cover and pillow
bag with essential oils, carrier oils (if aromatherapy)

for reflexology
a la fuma (posh recliner)
bag with towels and a blanket
bag with talc, wipes, small pot of oil

also you need your paperwork, appointment book, cards, etc.

It takes 20 mins to lug everything in, set up, by then you're all hot and bothered.
then you do the treatment,
then you have to pack everything up.
then do aftercare, book next appt and take payment.
then take everything to the car.

so whats 1 hour appointment (and pay) is really 2 hours including travel time. So if you charge the going rate for massage £25, you are working for peanuts as you have your petrol on top of that, NI and tax and insurance.

What I love now is going into my room, making it look all cosy and let people come to me. All my equipment is in the room, or the other room that I rent.

 

['chelle]

I'm so glad I stumbled across this thread.

I was going to start a similar one to see if anyone could help me reduce my mobile equipment, but it seems you carry far more than me!

I only do l&p hands, very basic. Yet still I carry 2 large cases, an over shoulder bag, and a moblie table and chair

Case 1 contains "tools of the trade": liquid, powder, scrubfresh, cuticle remover, enamel remover, enamels, adhesives, abrasives, cuticle tools, cutters etc etc.

Case 2 contains retail product (eg extra enamels, scentsations), mobile ventilation unit, extension lead, appointment book, client record cards, gauze pads, towel roll etc etc.

Over shoulder bag contains towels and a big bottle of product remover with remover bowls.

I'm going to do the spa mani & pedi foundation course in the new year, and I was wondering how to incorporate all the additional equipment given my current state. Having read this thread I think I will seriously consider getting premises before starting on mani & pedi treatments. thanks for the pre warning ladies!!!!

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

this is one of the reasons why I stopped doing mobile.

don't forget to carry an extension lead too.

you can get some great boxes on wheels to put all of your bits in, and folding up couch paper is a life saver.

I used to have
my massage couch
a bag with all the towels, couch cover and pillow
bag with essential oils, carrier oils (if aromatherapy)

for reflexology
a la fuma (posh recliner)
bag with towels and a blanket
bag with talc, wipes, small pot of oil

also you need your paperwork, appointment book, cards, etc.

It takes 20 mins to lug everything in, set up, by then you're all hot and bothered.
then you do the treatment,
then you have to pack everything up.
then do aftercare, book next appt and take payment.
then take everything to the car.

so whats 1 hour appointment (and pay) is really 2 hours including travel time. So if you charge the going rate for massage £25, you are working for peanuts as you have your petrol on top of that, NI and tax and insurance.

What I love now is going into my room, making it look all cosy and let people come to me. All my equipment is in the room, or the other room that I rent.

Did you lose any clients by doing this?

 

[hippy-chick]

well, to be honest, I didn't have many regulars anyway. I think with only doing holistics/massage I have a niche market, and my appointments tended to be for treats/special occassion/gift vouchers.]

I now work from 2 premises and if any of my old mobile clients ring, then they will be offered either venue.

Some mobile clients were fab though, I had one who had reiki every fortnight, and she used to lie on her own bed! so alls I took was my crystals, pendulum and some hydrosol.

another client I saw on a monthly basis for reflexology had a recliner chair, so I would turn up with a towel, wipes, talc and oils, fab!

then you would get someone book you for hopi ear candles and that was the whole caboodle!

 

[BABSann]

Lets NOT forget ladies when you cant even park outside the clients houses....happened to me a few weeks ago,had to carry everything god knows how may feet,felt like miles tbh:green:..actually I cheated,I got my son to help me....OMG I hate mobile hence why I rarely do it anymore and will stick to the salon anytime.


Mobile????well yes there are clients that need us and appreciate us but it's not an easy option,and there's NO way of getting out of all the equipment we need to take with us,why???well because we may go for just an eyelash tint but what if they decide they need a manicure or fancy a facial as a treat???

Are we prepared to lose out on the extra cash cause we didn't want to carry everything???HTH

 

[hippy-chick]

if anyone wants a home visit from now on, they will have to pay extra!

the chiropody clinic that I rent a room from, he charges a lot more for a home visit and people are prepared to pay it!

I don't WANT to do home visits anymore, hence having 2 rooms in different towns. If someone wants a home vist, they WILL be paying a premium and I will dictate the appointment time and day.

 

[notsonewgeek]

I have a bag for each treatment.

A CND bag for my l&p and gel stuff
A waxing bag which also holds my tinting equip cos they sometimes go together (in a tupperware kind container incase I just need that)
A facial prod bag
A tanning bag x 2
A towel bag - from Habitat - huge plastic type shopper
Kiddy stool
Mani and pedi box with which I use an inflatable bath

I have really needed to get smart with all this.
The reason I am not in a salon is cos I am doing this as MY job and so I can work around MY kids. Sometimes it takes a bad week for me to remember this.

:hug:

 

[g5m_sh]

Ave only got a 2 seater tigra so getting all my stuff in my car is a nightmare (got my car before i started beauty, i am upgrading next year)

I just take with me what i need! I dont like to leave stuff in my car all the time anyway and there is stuff that you cant leave in the car over night as the temp damages it.

I have all my stuff in aluminum cases, apart from my spray tan stuff. Its a nightmare if i am doing nails and tan, i have to hump my nail box, minimist, hose, tent, tan bag and my handbag out the car! I normally ring my client when i am nearly there and tell them to come to the car to give me a hand, well to my regulars i do.