If you are new to 52 Weeks of Organizing, catch up here!
I’ve wanted to touch on this subject for awhile now. As some of you know, in addition to running this blog, I also work part time as a Professional Organizer. It’s very rewarding being able to help people regain control over their homes and help them turn their spaces from chaos and clutter to sanity and order.
Is hiring a Professional Organizer right for you?
Consider your answers to the following questions:
- are you constantly late for appointments?
- are you constantly looking for things?
- are you unsure of your expectations?
- are you feeling increased stress and less energy?
- are you overwhelmed every time you try to organize or tidy up your space?
- are you anxious with all that needs to be done?
- are you embarrassed to invite anyone into your home?
- are you wasting money buying more of what you already have but can’t find?
- do you have too much stuff and no place to put it?
- do you have trouble putting systems into place and sticking with them?
Did you find your head nodding as you read through the list? A Professional Organizer can help you create customized systems and solutions that work for you and your family. He/she will assist you with what items to keep or let go of so you are only left with what you love and USE! It can be positively invaluable to have some hands on assistance to walk you through making those tough decisions. Your PO can also introduce new habits and routines that complement your new system and simplify your life. Their experience can cut a job in half getting you from chaos to calm quicker than you ever thought possible. Contrary to popular belief a PO will not just come in and make you throw everything away. Remember, a PO’s job is to create systems and solutions that work for YOU. Also you do not need to panic about someone seeing the state of your home. I can assure you we have seen it all. We are non judgmental in our roles and genuinely want to help you.
A Professional Organizer can change your life!!
Other related helpful posts:
Top 10 Signs It’s time to Hire an Organizer ~ @ Ready Aim Organize
Why Hiring a Professional Organizer is a Necessity Rather than a Luxury ~ @ A Fresh Start
Can I afford a Professional Organizer?
Professional Organizer fees will vary depending on experience and location. I would say the average price range is anywhere from $50.00 to $100.00 an hour though. In some cases you can ask to just have the plan and solutions drawn up for you and then you can do the work yourself. This will save you some money, provided you have the focus and determination to follow through on your own. Others know that in order to get it done they need someone to walk them through the PROCESS step by step.
There are national Professional Organizer Associations in most countries. Their websites will assist you with finding a PO in your area and then you can inquire with them directly as to their rates and experience. You will want to have a discussion together to be make sure you feel comfortable with them and it’s important you feel like you are being heard. Many organizers also have areas they specialize in (mine is other moms!) which may be particularly helpful to you.
In Canada visit –> Professional Organizers in Canada
In the US visit –> National Association of Professional Organizers
Twitter:
Also I have a Professional Organizers Twitter List set up that will not only provide you with many valuable organizing tips but also might help you find an organizer in your area as well.
If you have any questions about this topic please ask away in the comments and I’ll try to help.
Questions:
Have you ever considered hiring a Professional Organizer?
If you have hired a Professional Organizer, what was your experience like?
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Please feel free to share your organizing journey and encourage one another in the comments. You are also invited to link up to the linky below with any posts related to your 52 weeks of organizing participation or to any post of an organizing nature that you feel will inspire and encourage others in their quest to get organized. Please remember to link back to here though so we can reach out to as many people as possible in need of some inspiration.
One other thing to consider: by including your link below you, you are giving me permission to use parts of your post including pictures as a spotlight in future 52 Weeks of Organizing posts. Proper credit and links will of course be provided. If you are not okay with this please do not link up. Thanks!
Elizabeth@ReadySetSimplify says
Oh boy! About 5-6 years ago we hired a professional organizer and we loved loved loved it! She helped us a lot and she worked hard! If you can afford it, I think it is worth the money. We just can’t fit it in the budget right now. And, as hard as it is, I think it’s good for me to figure it all out myself, too. But in my dreams, I would have a professional organizer come once a week!
Marcie says
We hired a “professional” organizer about two years ago and it was a complete waste of money. It’s not that hiring a PO is bad, I think if we’d had the right one, she would have been quite helpful…but this lady…I don’t even know what to say about her. She kept buying things she wanted us to have and then expectud us to pay for them, she made suggestions that ended up not working at all, she left her son in her car when she came over, and he showed up at our door asking to use the bathroom (that’s the only way we knew he was with her),,,we were only using her for one room, our boys room…we wanted it organized so they could easily keep it clean. She decorated it with stickies that kept peeling off the walls…she didn’t finish the job either.
Living the Balanced Life says
Yes, it sounds like you got a lemon for sure. Poor business principles all the way around!
Juanita says
This really is a shame. I always go over what needs to be done and what it’s going to take money and product wise before I buy anything to be sure they are ok with it and it keeps them in the loop. It is their home after all and this needs to be respected. Not all PO’s are like that. I would ask for references and actually contact a few of them.
Liz @ Wonder Woman I'm Not says
I would love to hire one but it’s not in the budget. I have a lot of ideas about products but finding the time to go out and actually find what I want and then to actually implement it feels impossible. It’s taking me a long time to get through my current major project and I’m already planning my next one. Sigh – if only I actually were Wonder Woman!
Sinea Pies says
I would love to hire an organizer but, better yet, hiring a cleaning professional! That would be the best!
Living the Balanced Life says
I had a cleaning lady for the 2 years I worked my corporate job. It was amazing! I have a few spaces I could use a Professional Organizer for!
Thanks for the tips Laura!
Bernice
Taking care of unfinished business
Janice Russell, CPO-CD, COC says
As a organizing and productivity professional, I tell all potential clients who call that there are two keys to finding a good match: ensure that the person is trained in the necessary specialties and make sure they have a “bedside manner” that works for you.
If you have challenges such as ADHD, TBI, OCD, etc, then you need someone who has specific training in working with such clients. It is okay to ask a potential Professional Organizer (PO) what type & how much training s/he has and who provided the training. If the answer isn’t specific enough for you, ask again. If the PO gets offended at the questions, that tells you something as well.
As far as “bedside manner” you’ve probably had the experience of seeing a doctor who doesn’t seem communicative to you. That doctor may be well-trained, but you just don’t get the feeling that they are listening or taking you seriously. The same is true when looking for a PO. You will be sharing personal information with the PO. You need to feel comfortable with that person. If you don’t feel comfortable over the phone, then you probably won’t feel comfortable in person.
Hiring a PO is an investment in your life. Please take the time to ask questions. It is beneficial to you and the PO.
The Tinkering Belle says
I just added your link to my blog. You are my new hero. I wish I was you. I’m not the worst, but not the best. However, I have three very busy kids, a husband, a ranch, we own our own company, and I work full-time. I NEED to be organized and at 35, am learning how. Great blog!
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
Yes, I was nodding my head through that whole list!! Great ideas here!! You are so the organizing queen!
More Than A Mom says
I am a “born organized” myself but with a husband who comes from a family or hoarders and two young children, I do get overwhelmed. I also have a home daycare so that means I need to keep toys and such that my own children have grown out of. I would love a professional to come in and help me tackle some areas I am overwhelmed with (play room, garage, furnace/storage room) but it’s more for hubby as it’s mainly his areas that need to be “dealt with”. I don’t think he’d appreciate it though … how does one tackle other people into getting help I wonder??
Lis Golden McKinley says
This is a great question! It’s not unusual for someone who was “born organized” to have a spouse who is more challenged by organization. Remember the adage, “opposites attract.” If you would like your husband to be more organized, the first thing you need to ask yourself is, “how important would it be to me, our marriage and our family, for my husband to get more organized? In other words if you really care about it and he cares about you, then he may be more motivated to make changes. On the other hand, if it’s not a big problem for you then he’s not going to be motivated either, unless of course it becomes a problem for him too. When it’s someone you’re close to, I’d suggest starting out by letting your husband know what concerns you about his disorganization. For example, does it make you unhappy at home? Are you worried about your kids learning some bad habits? Have you lost money (or overspent) because of things that could not be found or had to be purchased again? Ask him if he would like your help in getting things organized or if he’d prefer to do it himself? If he does say he’d rather do it himself, then you both need to set some agreements about a timeline and expectations. Ask him what he’d be willing to do and by when? Remember you’re looking for small changes at first. The important thing is to give him control over the decision as much as possible. If after some time has passed and nothing changes, then you can remind him of your agreement and let him know that you understand that getting organized is difficult for some people and that you are willing to help him yourself or, if he’s open, the advice of an organizing specialist. If he still appears uncooperative, give it a day or so, then remind him that you too have a right to a safe and comfortable home and that part of being married means being willing to support each other’s needs. Show him ways that you do this for him, and let him know how much it would mean to you for him to do the same.
Hope that helps,
Lis Golden McKInley
Oakland organizer
Tali says
We are working with one now. We live in Manhattan in a 1,400 sqf apartment so space is at a premium and any disorganization just looks like a huge mess.
I am thrilled with the work I did with our organizer. She was here for 4 hours and we just cranked through a ton of stuff. We totally cleared my desk area and set systems in place that are just totally working. Yes I wasn’t happy about paying – but oh my word it was totally worth it.
Laurie says
I’ve hired professional organizers twice in my life, and they were worth every penny. I liked the first one the best… she was really amazing in making me feel ok about the clutter/paper piles, etc. We worked in two 3 hour sessions a week, and I had “homework” in between. It made it much more affordable than if she was there the entire time doing it for/with me. She would help me when I got stuck and we did it together. She’s since moved to the DC area, and if I ever lived in the same area I would use her again… Anyone who is interested her name is Lauren Halagarda and her website is 2organizeU.com. I doubt she would remember me, it was about 4 years ago that I used her but I highly recommend her. The filing system she left me with is miraculous.
THe second one I used after we moved to Beaufort and my husband was deployed. Again, very worth it, but the style was radically different. She was a speed demon organizing fiend, I can think of no other way to describe it. She could organize a section in 15 minutes that I was agonizing over for months and physically would have taken me hours to do. It was shocking, literally. It was also hard for me to have things moved around and sorted that fast and I do have a regret about some material I was asked to part with and agreed to, but that is the only regret. The best thing I learned from this one is to buy clear plastic shoeboxes made by sterilite at Big Lots and use them to organize and label and stack stuff. WOW. Huge difference.
Latoya @ The Scott's Crib says
Thanks for hosting the link up. Your blog provides me with such great information and inspiration:)
Judy G. says
I just discovered the 52 Weeks challenge and have caught up on reading each week. I have my list done & so far this week have dealt with a) about a month’s worth of coupon & sales flyers, b) a stack of newspapers, c) emptying the stair basket of stuff to go upstairs, d) dealt with a bag o’ stuff in my laundry room, e) cleared a pile of stuff on the floor of my scraproom, f) decluttered my inbox from 251 to 88 items and unsubscribed from 1/2 dozen e-mail lists!
I would love to have a professional organizer help me with my scraproom (which is also my general crafting room, sewing room and office) and my basement. Unfortunately, no money in the budget. I dream, though, of Peter Walsh showing up on my doorstep! 🙂
outofchaos says
I hired a PO a few weeks ago to help me change a bedroom into a craft room and I have to say it was a complete waste of money. She came for 3 hours and undid a lot of the stuff I had already organised. Eg she emptied out my fabrics stored in clear drawers on wheels sorted by type, put them higgledy piggledy into a cupboard drawer and then discarded the clear drawers. I now can’t find anything without rummaging through the whole lot. She also spent ages measuring storage containers and putting them in lines. Some she put into my second cupboard drawer (above the fabric) but they were too high so she left the drawer hanging open. Can’t say I really felt the benefit of the three hour investment at all.
Laura says
Oh I’m so sorry to hear that. It sounds like she was very inexperienced. Every PO should take some time to get to know their clients so they can determine the best way to organize for THEM. No one solution will work for everyone and each situation must be tailored to fit the needs of the client. I’m sorry this particular PO didn’t do that for you 🙁