Organizing FAQ
What is a Professional Organizer? What do they do?
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Professional Organizer?
What type of people use professional organizing services?
What is the biggest cause of disorganization?
How can I ever get organized if I’ve always felt like I was ‘disorganized’?
What if I am organized and my partner is not?
What qualifications do you need to become a Professional Organizer?
How much does it cost to hire a professional organizer?
Do I Need to Hire a Professional Organizer?
What is a Professional Organizer? What do they do?
According to Professional Organizers in Canada (POC), “A professional organizer supports and empowers clients through the creative and ethical application of organizing systems and processes, and the transfer of organizing skills, to develop appropriate and lasting solutions for their individual needs”. The services offered by a professional organizer vary widely from one organizer to another, depending on the area or range of specialization. Services may include, but are not limited to:
Residential Organizing: Can include space planning, storage solutions, closet design and organizing, de-cluttering and organizing of garages, attics and basements, organizing memorabilia and collections, etc.
Office Organizing: Can include de-cluttering and organizing, filing systems, paper management, space planning, processes and paper flow, information and records management as well as conducting group and individual training and coaching.
Other Services: Time management, goal setting and life balance management; event planning, estate organizing, packing and moving services; computer set-up, training and electronic information management; seminars, workshops and public speaking.
A professional organizer can help motivate you (and keep you motivated) as you develop sustainable new habits (like becoming more organized, and living your life so that it is more in-line with your preferences for what you want for your life!). An organizer can help you develop a plan and begin the process of getting organized – and help you from beginning to end.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Professional Organizer?
Clients realize many benefits after hiring an organizer. Some are tangible and some are intangible. Here are just a few of them:
- Less stress (disorganization causes lots of stress)
- More time and energy (Do you know how much time and energy you spend – and lose - each day looking for things? Wouldn’t you rather be doing something more meaningful with your time than searching – once again - for that misplaced or lost item?)
- Enjoyment of your possessions and surroundings (Get more control over possessions and surroundings so they are a joy, not a burden)
- Improve efficiency and productivity in the home and in the workplace (The creation of customized and effective systems and strategies not only helps you, but helps those around you too!)
- Increased ability to stay organized (since the solutions, systems and processes are specific to your needs and you’ve played a major role in their creation and implementation, they will work better for you)
- Motivation is increased and maintained when there is help along the way as new habits are developed
- Cleared spaces, more space (Doesn’t it feel great to have fewer issues with time, space and storage?)
- Better use of resources (money, time, energy, space…)
What type of people use professional organizing services?
Some people are:- transitioning through a major life change (or are in the middle of one!)
- downsizing
- joining two or more households
- having new additions to their family
- dealing with the death of a loved one
- experiencing a health crisis
- adjusting to a different job, different home, moving, etc.
- those who find themselves overwhelmed by the demands of balancing work, home and family life
- wanting to get themselves back on track but don’t know where to begin
What is the biggest cause of disorganization?
Busy lives and workplaces. We are often overloaded with responsibilities—trying to balance many different aspects of our lives e.g. work, family, household responsibilities, involvement in our communities, caring for the aged or ill, social/children’s activities—and the list goes on. There is often no time (or energy!) left for trying to get things organized, especially if it doesn't come naturally or easily to us. Organizing is a life skill that isn’t being taught at school. The good news is that it is a learnable skill; you don’t have to be born organized.
How can I ever get organized if I’ve always felt like I was ‘disorganized’?
If you have been labeled a ‘disorganized’ person all your life you have to shift your behaviour and your beliefs in order to become an ‘organized’ person. Some people start to fall back into their old habits and wonder why ‘getting organized’ isn’t working. They don't realize that it takes time and commitment and perhaps ongoing coaching for a period of time to replace old habits with new ones.
It is normal to feel this way when thinking about asking someone to help us. Social workers and professional organizers are non-judgmental and are there to help you live your best life. Services are confidential and members of the NSASW and POC follow codes of ethics. Sometimes the biggest challenges are knowing where to start, staying motivated, and actually finishing the work. A professional can help with all these things—and more.
What if I am organized and my partner is not?
A professional organizer can provide the assistance that only an objective outsider can provide – objectivity. This can go a long way to reducing conflict when both partners don’t feel the same way about getting organized, don’t have the same level of motivation or ‘know how’ for getting organized.
What qualifications do you need to become a Professional Organizer?
A successful professional organizer will have a background that includes several key elements:
- A passion for organizing
- Membership in a professional association such as Professional Organizers in Canada (POC)
- Patience and perseverance, and the ability to motivate others
- Excellent customer service and listening skills
- Professional attitude and ethics
- Other qualifications will vary depending on the organizer’s services and areas of specialty.
- 65% of current POC members have a community college or university degree
- 50% have a managerial or administrative background.
How much does it cost to hire a professional organizer?
That all depends on the type of service you are looking for and the training, experience, and expertise of the organizer. Most organizers charge fees that are based on an hourly rate, and usually for a minimum number of hours per session. Some organizers also offer service packages or per project pricing. Hourly rates may vary between $40 and $85 per hour depending on geographical location and the organizer's qualifications.
Do I Need to Hire a Professional Organizer?
- Do you have “too much paper”?
- Are you having trouble or spending too much time trying to locate things in your home or workplace?
- Do you lose important documents or items?
- Does it take you more than three rings to find your phone?
- Are you so deep in “stuff” that you can’t find any room to store any more, or you feel like your ‘stuff’ has taken over your life?
- Is it a challenge for you and your family to get ready and out the door in the morning?
- Do you need help planning your space so that it works more efficiently?
- Are you simply overwhelmed and don’t know where to start?
If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, consider contacting a Professional Organizer. The POC has a comprehensive website designed primarily to support its’members and to allow the public to find an organizer anywhere in Canada. I invite you to visit their website at www.organizersincanada.com.
