faq
1. What are the benefits of professional organizing?
Because some people organize on their own, there is often a feeling that everyone should be able to do it on their own. Just like working out…
The benefits of a professional organizer can often be described like those of a personal trainer. You could do the research and activities without one. But it would be faster and more focused with someone professionally trained so you could start enjoying the benefits of great results sooner and longer. You also often get better results with them than you ever would without. And besides, haven’t you been telling yourself you’ll start for a long time and never have (or infrequently without lasting results) anyway?
What are your real priorities? Is it your time? Your health? Your relationships and family? And what gets you there most efficiently? We can offer those benefits if you feel like we’re a good fit for your situation. Only you can make that decision for yourself!
2. I feel like I should clean before we start….
AKA I’m a little embarrassed showing you my mess…
We totally get it. You have learned the idea that messes are something you shouldn’t ever have. That they somehow reflect on you badly.
We absolutely don’t see it that way. Everyone has messes at one time or another. And because of the lottery of life, some of us get more than others. We don’t know everything that led you to us, but we know you’re doing your best. Part of your best is knowing when the time is right to call in some reinforcements, and we’ll be there for you!
3. What if I have my kids with me, or some other responsibility during our session?
The ideal environment for our sessions will be a quiet place without interruptions where you can focus on our conversation and yourself. We know life often isn’t ideal, however, so we will work with you in whatever conditions you need.
Given the investment you are making in our time together, please consider what preparations can be made to allow you to get the most out of our time together. You will be your most productive, and happiest with our time together, without distractions. If anyone has ever wanted to help support you, organizing or otherwise, letting them know taking over your responsibility during our session time would be a great way to do it!
4. How long will my project take to organize?
If this is our first project together, we generally don’t estimate how long a project may take. Some of the factors that create uncertainty around the length of time are the size of project, the speed of decision making, the amount of clutter in the area, the level of detail desired for completion and the schedule of facilities that will receive the items you don’t keep.
No. You are the decision maker for all things on your project. While everyone benefits from learning when it’s best to let go of items, only you will decide when that happens.
5. Do I have to get rid of things?
As with so many things of this importance, there is no one way of getting and staying organized that will work for everyone. Any program that isn’t adaptable to your own needs will most likely fail over the long run.
Knowing how to adapt systems to your own life isn’t always straightforward. Experience with and knowledge of organizing systems is incredibly helpful when deciding how to adapt solutions to your life. You have the option to gain the experience and knowledge yourself, or to hire a professional organizer to help figure out what works best for you.
6. What is the best way to get organized?
Getting organized is great, there are many ‘methods’ for purging and arranging your items. Staying organized, however, is the ultimate goal. Planning for the sustaining phase is critical, so in our process we will always give it the attention it deserves. Staying organized is about matching the time and effort required to sustain a system with the realistic level you’re willing and able to spend.