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Something which a lot of people have struggled with is knowing whether or not to invest in a professional organizer.
You might want to tackle your house by yourself and see the investment in a professional organizer as wasteful, but for some people this could be a very worthwhile investment.
If you are struggling with maintaining your living space and feel overwhelmed when it comes to thinking about it, then a professional organizer is definitely a good idea.
Generally speaking, we think if you know that you need a professional organizer that they are very worth the price you pay for them, especially if you have no idea where you should begin.
They can help you work through the process of becoming organized as well as aid with getting rid of different possessions.
They will help you find a home for everything and where things should be put away. However, a lot of people are not familiar with what professional organizers do.
Because of this we have put this guide together to give you all the information you need as well as how much they will cost.
So, if you are considering a professional organizer in any capacity, this guide is something you should read!
What Professional Organizers Do?
The specific role of a professional organizer will differ slightly depending on the individual, but generally speaking these are people who aid their clients in decluttering and organizing their home.
They will improve your home using a methodical method and will help you sort objects into items you want to donate, sell, get rid of, or keep.
Perhaps more importantly they will help you organize the items which you are keeping and ensure that your living space is more functional, as well as aesthetically pleasing too.
A professional organizer will also assess any needs which a client might have specifically and will ensure that they can meet these needs using their specialty.
A professional organizer will usually meet you for a first consultation and they will then discuss what you want to accomplish. They will take a lot of notes, and they will sometimes take pictures as well.
They will usually also walk you through your home and then assess what you need to do together, and then work out a plan that will help you based on your situation and specific needs.
Sometimes this consultation will be free, sometimes it will be a nominal fee. They will sometimes just want to see what you need help with, they will help work out some solutions, as well as measure your space.
The goal of a professional organizer is to aid you in living more efficiently by getting rid of any unnecessary items and give you more space for what you want to keep.
Once you have finished decluttering then you will start to sort your items based on what type of items they are and what they are used for.
They will use specific organizing solutions which will work in your space and will categorize the items which you have.
Once you hire a professional organizer they will usually bring different bins with them, and will utilize their organizing solutions. They will sometimes give you different options of organizing styles, and a lot of different professional organizers will use different techniques.
The cost of the bins that they use will usually be included under the price of the project and sometimes you will keep these.
Some different professional organizers will bring your shopping with them so you can by organizing products with them and you can choose specific products which will work in the home.
They will also give you tips on how you should be storing these items so you can help with keeping your home organized after you are not using their services.
One of the main goals of professional organizers is that they will aid in keeping your space clean once they are gone.
What Professional Organizers Do Not Do?
While it is important to know what a professional organizer will do for you, it is just as important to know what they are not going to do. The main source of confusion when it comes to professional organizers is that they are no cleaners.
However, you will find that sometimes for a different cost a professional organizer might clean your home. The main goal of a professional organizer is that they will make your home liveable and organized, but not necessarily clean.
There is overlap between these two, but they are not identical and that is worth keeping in mind. A professional organizer is also not a designer or an interior decorator.
This means that you will not be getting tips on how to decorate, how to repair or stage, or how to paint.
Similarly to cleaners, they may also have some expertise in this area, and they might be able to give you advice, or maybe even help with this for an extra cost, but this is not something that professional organizers usually specialize in.
There is also a chance that a professional organizer might not have specific experience in the area which you need help in.
Because of this it is worth giving your professional organizer warning of any specific situations, and sometimes they will just not be able to help with something more niche which might need a wholly different service.
It is also worth noting that an issue which is often related to a lack of organization is a lack of time management.
This is another area where professional organizers are not specifically trained to help you. They might be able to give you some basic advice, but organizing your time-keeping skills is usually not included.
This means that a professional organizer will not be someone who will aid with event planning, schedule making, or meal planning either.
There are different services which can help you with this, and a professional organizer might be able to give you a good referral for this. Now you know exactly what a professional organizer does and does not do, you should have a better understanding of whether you should hire one or not.
However, if you need more information to help you make your mind up, in the next section we will look at the specific pros and cons of hiring a professional organizer.
Benefits Of Getting A Professional Organizer
There are plenty of reasons why getting a professional organizer is useful, and there are plenty of reasons why they might not be as well. In this section we will focus on the main benefits of hiring a professional organizer.
One of the main reasons why people love using the services of a professional organizer is that they will bring their own equipment, this includes; labels, boxes, containers, bins, and plenty of other organizational products to ensure that you will have all the tools you need to free up space in your home.
They will also help you free up more time to be productive by getting rid of some of the distractions that are filling up your home.
Depending on the different professional organizers they can be hired at an hourly rate. This means that it can be a lot more affordable when compared to alternative services, however this depends on the specific professional organizer.
Getting the services of a professional organizer means that you will have a lot more time in your daily life where you will not have to be searching for items and gives you more time for productive activities.
This means that you can improve your mental clarity. This will increase your focus and can also reduce your stress levels as well.
You will also find that a lot of professional organizers will pride themselves on the fact that they teach their clients organizational skills so that they will be able to be organized independently instead of needing their services again.
A lot of professional organizers can also help you by providing support when it comes to letting go of items which you might have a sentimental attachment to, but do not actually need.
Most professional organizers will take a gentle approach to decluttering which can be important since while decluttering can be freeing, it is also something which is not always fun.
Having help from a professional organizer can ensure that the process is a lot less taxing while also being productive too.
You also have the option to hire a professional organizer for one time projects, for example when you are moving as well and want to ensure that everything gets put somewhere where it will work.
The main aim of professional organizers is that once they are done that you will not need their help again.
This means that the initial cost will usually only be for a short time. This means that the professional organizer will be aiding in teaching you how to organize so that you do not need their help afterwards.
Drawbacks Of Getting A Professional Organizer
As we have gone over in the previous section, there are plenty of reasons why it is a good idea to hire a professional organizer.
However, there can be just as many drawbacks. Because of this we will cover the main issues that can come up when it comes to hiring a professional organizer.
One of the most obvious weaknesses of hiring a professional organizer is that they can cost quite a lot. This depends on the cleaner and how long you are working with them for.
This is something you will need to budget for and consider yourself. You want to think about what specific services you might need from a professional organizer.
Sometimes the professional organizer you want to work with might not be able to help you with these specific needs and this can cause issues.
There is also the chance that you might not be in the right headspace when you are working with a professional organizer and you might end up losing, getting rid of, or selling something you might end up wanting.
There are also a lot of people who will feel uncomfortable with people touching items which are theirs and aiding them with making decisions with them.
You will want to understand that professional organizers are not there to just get rid of everything in your house and that they are there to help you.
You should be involved in the whole decision making process so keep this in mind. You might also struggle to find a professional organizer that you feel comfortable working with.
How Long Will The Professional Organizer Take In Your House?
Depending on how much help you need, working with a professional organizer could just take a few hours, or it could end up taking several months. This will all depend on how much work you need, and how big the space you are working in is.
You need to consider that the professional organizer will need to go through all of the items which you have in your home and then sort out which objects you plan to keep or throw away.
This can get incredibly detailed if you want to sort through something which requires quite a lot of attention like paperwork.
This means that you might need to have a lot of sessions with a professional organizer depending on how much help you end up needing.
If you are hoarding a lot of items, then this can make the process a lot more extended, especially if you have a strong emotional attachment to the items as this can take a lot of effort to work through.
The best thing you can do to get an accurate sense of how long it will take is to ask the professional organizer how long they will need after getting the initial consultation.
How Much Do Professional Organizers Cost?
Depending on the experience level the professional organizer has, as well as what specific services they are offering, the cost of the services will usually cost between $35 and $125.
You will sometimes find that if the professional organizer is just beginning their work you can get a great price for the service, however, then you need to consider that you are not getting the experience of someone who has been working as a professional organizer for longer.
The cost of a professional organizer will also depend on where you are living as well as what services you need.
You will likely want to research how much different organizers cost in your local area. Before booking a consultation you will want to work out how much you are comfortable spending so you can have a productive meeting with the professional organizer.
How To Find The Right Personal Organizer
Getting the best professional organizer will depend on your budget as well as what you are looking for specifically. You might want to interview professional organizers so you can get a good impression of what they will be like to work with.
You might want to double this as an initial consultation. This can be great as you can get a good impression of the skill level, especially if you are comparing them to other professional organizers.
You will get different quotes of prices, and different professional organizers will be able to tell you how long they will take on the project as well.
You might also be able to get a consultation with a professional organizer online, however, this is slightly less effective since they will not get a great impression of your home, but this can be a lot more convenient and easy to organize.
Final Thoughts – Questions For Professional Organizers
One of the last things you want to consider when you are trying to hire a professional organizer is what the best questions to ask them will be.
You want to ensure that you are getting the information you want from them to ensure you will not be wasting your money.
You want to ask them what they will be doing in your home, what hours they want to work, what they will want you to do during the process, how long it will take, and how much it will cost.
Another really useful thing to do when hiring a professional organizer is to talk to previous clients they have worked with to see if they can sell the professional organizer for them.