Do-It-Yourself Organizing

One would suppose that since I am in business as a Professional Organizer, I would oppose the concept of Do It Yourself Organizing. On the contrary, I believe that most people are quite capable of doing the work that it takes to get organized and tend to appreciate the effort more so they strive to maintain it. People usually just need an objective eye, a plan and some motivation.

The objective eye…I call it the Eyes of a Stranger; you see your home or office the same way everyday. I see it as a professional trained to streamline, simplify, and organize. As I combine what my trained eye sees and what you have to say about your goals, your life/work style, and your frustrations, a plan begins to formulate for me. I ask a lot of questions in an effort to truly find a solution, not just a band-aid. That is one of the reasons why it is so important to find the right organizer for you, as I get “all up in your business” without even touching a thing.

Now, the Plan…first, I have to make sure that it aims to meet your goals. I need to take care that it is step-by-step and simple to follow, because we all know that the harder it is, the more likely we won’t do it. It must be broken down into small manageable chunks so that you don’t need a week off to complete it all at once. I also must be certain that you get to see progress along the way, this is a big motivator!

Motivation…seeing some progress as you work is important to keep you focused and plugging away. The sheer pleasure of vacuum lines in a carpet or a perfectly organized desk drawer, it speaks volumes. But, what if you lose steam? What if a part of the plan didn’t work as expected? What if a process isn’t working? Here I am again, via e-mail or on the phone…even if it means a follow-up visit. I am here to prop you up, help tweak a process, or rework a plan. I have an arsenal of ideas, suggestions, and a whole lot of experience in getting things “squared away”.

Remember, I will help you through the process; it will almost always look worse before it looks better; and most importantly…the organizing project is 10%, the maintenance of the work you have done is 90%. Just like dieting, it’s a lifestyle change.