Professional organising is a relatively young industry, particularly within Australia, so I often get asked what it is I actually do for a living. People ask, “How can a professional organiser help me?” In this post, let me try and answer that question by listing many of the different reasons clients book in for a session with me and how they feel afterwards.
Generally, those that call to work with me are overwhelmed and stressed out by their living space (and life). They feel like they have too much stuff and they have no idea where to start, or what to do. For some, they’ve felt like they were organised in the past, but life got in the way (with depression, anxiety, an illness, a disability, a busy career, or a kid – or lots of kids)… just to name a few… and things just somehow got out of control.
Typical reasons you might hire an organiser are:
Overwhelm
- You’re sick of living in chaos and want to minimise your belongings.
- You’re sick of being surrounded in stuff which is stressing you out, so you’re looking to make life easier.
- You’re time poor, and want to streamline your life for less stress, and more efficiency and fun.
- You’re sick of running late and looking disorganised.
Life Changes
- You’re wanting or needing to downsize because you’re moving overseas, into a smaller home, or into a retirement village.
- You’ve lost a parent or family member and gained a bunch of belongings from that loved one. You have no idea what to do with it all, so need outside help.
Making Space
- You know there are more effective ways of using your space, but you aren’t sure how, so you’re looking for tips.
- You want to create space in your home, life, and schedules.
Call in the Expert
- You recognise you hate organising, so you get a Professional Organiser to help keep your home clutter-free.
- You’ve come to realise you were never taught how to organise and want to know how.
- You need tips on meal planning or time management.
- You recognise that there’s probably an easier way to do the things you’re already doing but can’t see the woods for the trees. You’re so ‘in it’ you need someone to help you figure out the new system or process.
Physical Limitations
- You physically can’t do it yourself (or can’t get the items out of the house) to donation places. So you need someone to assist with them.
Fresh Perspective
- You need ideas for storage solutions, places to donate or recycle.
- You’ve tried to do it on your own or with family and friends, with no long-term results. You just want a non-judgemental person to help you get it done.
- You need an objective, non-judgemental third person to assist your family to come to a compromise about how the house will look, feel and be used. You’ve gotten as far as you can without this added opinion.
- You work from home, and need systems and processes in place to support you in your job.
Save Money
- You’re sick of wasting money, buying things you know you already have.
- You’re tired of wasting money on late fees, unclaimed cheques, gift certificates and gift vouchers.
Psychological Barriers
- You recognise that when you declutter on your own, you don’t seem to be able to let go, so you need someone to coach you through it.
- You know that there’s more to your clutter than just it being ‘stuff’. You know there is history, emotion, release and attachment to it in some way to also let go of. You want to create long term change and challenge yourself through the decluttering process.
There’s probably plenty more reasons but that’s just some of what I’ve observed.
Can a Professional Organiser Help Me?
So could an organiser help you? Every organiser is a little different in how (and who) they help. The main benefits clients have mentioned to me have been wide-ranging. The following are some things my clients have said after working with me:
- I feel calmer, more in control, and less stressed.
- I feel capable.
- I have more time to do what I want.
- I do not waste time looking for things I know I have already.
- I spend less money because I have changed my spending habits by buying less. I no longer have to purchase items I know I already have but couldn’t find.
- I don’t have to deal with as much paperwork, as I’ve set rules for myself about what to keep and what not to keep.
- I have a more active social life because I feel more comfortable letting people come into my home.
- I feel proud of my home and environment.
- I have more confidence to make decisions about my stuff, my schedule and my life.
- I have freedom from stuff!
- I have skills in how to declutter, organise and dispose of, or donate items now.
- I have better relationships with the people I live with because we aren’t arguing about where things are any more AND we have more time for each other.
- I feel lighter and like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.
- I find tidying and maintaining a clutter-free home is much easier and quicker than before.
- I can always get my hands on what I want around the house without too much effort now.
- I save heaps of money because don’t have to have things in storage now and we don’t need the renovation we thought we needed.
- I have saved money on buying more storage solutions because we ended up getting rid of the extra stuff.
- It’s easier to clean the house now because I don’t have to move stuff out of the way to clean properly.
- I’m on time for things now because I don’t have to spend time looking for my keys or trying to find something to wear.
- I’m more aware of my time, and how I’m spending these precious moments.
- I know that it’s ok to outsource tasks to others to make life easier for myself.
Can a Professional Organiser Help You?
I’m sure there are dozens more reasons people might hire an organiser, and there many other reasons why my clients have loved having an organiser. I hope this has been helpful if you are wondering, “Can a professional organiser help me?” Please get in touch if you would like to know more or read more on my About page.
