After six months of unemployment and struggling with mental illness, Iris Graves started her freelance cleaning service. It has only been 58 days since she started, and she is already booked until June. 

Graves’ business involves cleaning up messes that become too big for people to clean themselves. She often works with seniors, people with mental health issues or people with disabilities. 

“There’s so many reasons that they find themselves in this situation with a mess that they can’t tackle,” Graves said. “And I never judge anybody for anything that happens.”

Previously, Graves worked at Common Ground Food Co-operative as the head of the wellness department, but left her job after her depression and anxiety intensified. At the time, Graves was struggling to find the right medication for her mental health and was navigating medical insurance.

After facing challenges finding employment, Graves took up more domestic responsibilities at home.

“For six months, all I did was clean,” Graves said. “And then I decided that, ‘Hey, I’m pretty good at this. Maybe I can make a stab at doing it for other folks.’”

Since starting in February, Graves has had two clients a day and works six days a week. She says she loves every second of it. 

“I come home, and I am fulfilled in a way that I never was before,” Graves said. “Every day I’m helping people, every day I’m cleaning and transforming homes and giving people the peace back in their homes and spaces that they deserve.” 

Graves credits much of her success to the power of social media, marketing herself through comedic skits on Instagram and TikTok. Inspired by Stephen King’s “The Dark Tower” book series, she has posted Western-themed ads on Facebook and Reddit hailing herself as “The toughest cleaner in the West… side of Urbana!”

Graves describes herself as a natural entertainer and says her purpose on Earth is to be an “antithesis to the horrors of daily life.”

“I really want to make people smile,” Graves said. “There’s such a catharsis for me in the creative process of just being silly and embarrassing on the internet. And that’s really what seems to have resonated with people.”

Unlike a full-time job, freelance and gig workers are paid by the project instead of getting an hourly, weekly or monthly wage. Graves noticed that freelancing was a great opportunity for those who don’t enjoy the typical 9-to-5.

“I think that it offers freedom,” Graves said. “It offers a way for people to feel independent and feel as if they can make their own way.” 

After her successes, Graves developed the Champaign County Independent Contractors Collective, an independent contractors’ union, to help other gig workers and freelancers. With her business constantly booked, she often had to turn away clients and felt it would be helpful to refer them to others. She hopes to accomplish this through the Collective.

“When I have more than I need, I want to build a bigger table,” Graves said. “If I’m going to the top, I want to bring as many people as I can with me.”

Courtney Mann, a member of the Champaign County Independent Contractors Collective, connected with Graves when a client needed cleaning services. 

“It is very innovative, very intuitive, and she’s just a very creative person, so I was impressed because it’s not something I would’ve thought of,” Mann said. “She thought of it and put it out there to see what other people thought, and it grew from there.”

Katia Janes is a freelance graphic artist who repurposes clothing and screen-prints designs for her clothing store, Zombie Parts. Because of her freelancing job, Graves invited Janes to join the Champaign County Independent Contractors Collective.

Janes first met Graves last year when the two became next-door neighbors. Graves and her partner had left a note on her apartment door and a plate of cookies to introduce themselves. According to Janes, this is something they do for all the new neighbors.

“She’s just a really kind, warm person and really is motivated to build community,” Janes said. “I definitely struggled with social anxiety and social issues growing up. So I really admire that in other people, because I would love to be like that kind of person.”

Because of Graves’ past traumas and struggles with mental health, she always seeks ways to take on the role of a caretaker, helping people and the community. When she cleans her clients’ homes, she notices a weight being lifted off their shoulders.

“It’s definitely a huge catharsis,” Graves said. “I feel like I was definitely put here to help folks, and being able to see that light in their eyes, it’s just indescribable how good it makes me feel.”

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