If you read Why Decluttering Matters, you know the cost of having too much clutter. So why don’t more people declutter? Responses range from not having the time or motivation to being too embarrassed to ask for help. Others simply feel they will get to it eventually and don’t think they need to hire someone. This is, of course, can be true. No one needs to hire a Professional Organizer if they have the time, desire and skills to do it themselves. The truth is that many people don’t.

There are also people who are not even aware that Professional Organizers exist. Just like you hire a personal trainer, a financial planner, a lawyer or any number of professionals, a Professional Organizer can make a big difference in the quality of the outcome.

What Professional Organizers Don’t Do

First, let's clear up a few misconceptions about what Professional Organizers do not do.

Clean - We help you declutter, organize and “clean out” specific areas of your home, but we do not do any type of deep cleaning.
Make You Throw Things Away - Professional organizers should not make you do anything. It is a collaborative effort and while organizers might suggest that it is time to toss or re-home an item, you should never feel coerced in any way.
Only Work with Hoarders - In fact, doing so requires additional training. Per the International OCD Foundation, “Some professional organizers have specialized training in working with hoarding disorder… For these cases, the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) provides information about chronic disorganization (CD) and trains professionals to work effectively with this problem.”
Cast Judgment - We are not in this profession to judge, but rather to help. Many of us also follow the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) Code of Ethics which stresses the importance of confidentially, so we never discuss or share any client details.

What Professional Organizers Do Do

According to NAPO, a Professional Organizer is someone who will “support evaluation, decision-making, and action around objects, spaces, and data, helping clients achieve desired outcomes regarding function, order, and clarity.” In short, we can help organize and downsize belongings so our clients get the most efficiency from their space. We can also create custom systems and processes to support and meet individual preferences.

Services

Not all organizers provide the same services. In fact, many specialize in one or two distinct areas. Here are just some of the services Professional Organizers can provide according to NAPO:

Organizing and decluttering homes
Organizing or downsizing estates
Organizing moves (packing, unpacking, etc.)
Supporting individuals with chronic disorganization and ADD/ADHD
Helping with a hoarding disorder
Coaching in time management, organizing, and productivity
Paper, electronic files, information and data organization
Photograph and multi-media organization
Cataloging and displaying collections and memorabilia
Workflow and technology organization
Organizing for seniors (computer assistance, bill paying, prescriptions, insurance forms, etc.)

Reasons To Hire A Professional Organizer

TIME - We can save you time by organizing your belongings in a way that allows you to quickly find whatever you need from the right shoes for work to the right spices for dinner.

EXPERTISE - Most of us belong to one of a handful of national organizing associations in order to learn from other organizers, take continuing education courses and stay-up-to date on the latest information & trends.
EFFICIENCY - Usually people don’t realize just how much stuff they have until it all gets pulled out. Organizing can be overwhelming. Professional Organizers stay focused and on task to get the job done, making the process of decluttering and organizing much more efficient for those who have little time to spare!
MOTIVATION - Getting started is often the biggest hurdle! Professional Organizers know what questions to ask to create a plan and a timeline to get you going and see your project through to completion.
OBJECTIVITY - Going through your own personal belongings to decide what to keep and what to get rid of can be emotionally draining. People are attached to their belongings. This can lead to decision fatigue. Professional Organizers are able to act as an objective partner.
GOOD HABITS - Professional Organizers create systems tailored to your individual family’s needs, help you develop better daily habits and provide maintenance strategies.
PRACTICALITY - Professional Organizers…