What do Professional Organisers Really Do, And How Can They Help?
People who require the assistance of a professional or home organiser come from all walks for life. For some they may suffer anxiety issues when it comes to organisation, and a helping hand is all they need. Or alternatively it maybe a married couple who may hire the expertise of a professional organiser because one is much messier than the other, and having someone’s objective in the middle helps reduce strain and unneeded tension in their relationship and home life front.
To be honest there’s so much more to being a professional organiser than just sorting items into three bins marked “keep”, “toss” and “donate”, and there’s more to the profession they frequenting storage ware shops for next best packing and organising box. In truth getting help from an home organiser is no different than getting help for any other issue you may not be able solve or do on your own.
“Professional organisers are trained, skilled specialists who help people create order where it is lacking in their lives, so that they can make long-term improvements and keep disorder and frustration away”.
Professional organisers can offer an objective, experienced opinion to help you move forward. They will offer that opinion or help you discover options you wouldn’t have known on your own. Decluttering is rarely as easy as “just throw it away” or “anything you haven’t used or worn in a year should go”, for many items have historic and sentimental attachments that are hard to part with.
Unfortunately many people think organising is something everyone should innately be capable of doing, like boiling water. The truth is quiet the opposite.
At the end of the day, a professional organiser is like any other specialist. They can help you when you need their specific skills.
Professional organisers work with more resources than the average person. We know a wider array of trades including closet companies, movers, art appraisers, garage companies, painters, auction houses, organising products and stores, junk companies, shredding companies, consignment stores, , contractors, etc. We know who is reliable and appropriate for each budget. We have developed relationships with a lot of these companies to be able to offer discounts for our clients.
The advantage of undergoing decluttering services via an experienced home organiser is that they will have a better idea on what is worth selling and what is worth donating. And they won’t throw away a single thing without their client’s permission, they should present their client with every alternative to keeping or discarding an item.
Who Can Benefit from a Professional Organiser
People tend to think of POs as working just with people who are already “disorganised” — and that’s often true — but many of us are also brought in before any disorganisation or dysfunction occurs to create systems that work. In this way, professional organisers working with their clients are proactive, and not just reactive.
But of course, that’s not what most people are thinking about when they discuss what professional organisers do. They’re thinking about mostly the decluttering services aspect — the removal of piles of stuff. Whether the “stuff” is tangible objects (kitchen items, laundry, paperwork), temporary (to-do items, projects for work or home, appointments, lessons) or emotional (worries and fears, hopes, plans), organising is never about the accumulated stuff. It’s about the person who owns or interacts with the stuff.
Why People Seek the Help of Professional Organisers
Getting organised or seeking the help of a professional organiser doesn’t aim to make your home look like a design catalogue. A good eye for design of course plays a role, but the most successful spaces are the ones that give you room to work and get messy when you need and want to. When it’s time to clean up, you’ll be able to do it quickly because you have a system already in place that is easy to follow every time.
Here are three basic reasons people employ the help of an OP:
- They don’t know how to get organised or where to start on their own. Some people get overwhelmed and too anxious to even begin. A Professional Organiser can help find a good starting point and create a plan to follow. Knowing the steps to take (usually starting with cleaning out the storage spaces first, then going through everything needs to be stored to decide what to keep, then figure out how to best fit it in that space) and knowing someone is going to keep you focused and productive can make it a whole lot easier to accomplish your goals.
- They don’t have the time to do it on their own. They have busy families or jobs and need an extra set of hands to complete a space quicker. A Professional Organiser can work with you and make it all happen in a fraction of the time.
- They don’t want to do it themselves at all. Just like accountants, tailors and housekeepers, there are certain activities that people are capable of doing themselves, but they just don’t want to spend their time on it.
The common services professional organisers can offer:
HANDS-ON ORGANISING
One organiser or an organising team will come to your home or office, to work with you to organise the space and then advise you on the best organising strategies for your specific challenges. The time investment can vary anywhere from a few hours to many weeks, and is all dependent on three important aspects – the size of the space, the amount of clutter and your ability to make decisions.
HOME MAINTENANCE
Not your average maintenance person, organisers however can help create optimal organisational systems for relatively organised homes. Home maintenance could include an annual clean out of your kitchen pantry or help with redesigning your home’s garage and storage areas. Organisers can help you to streamline your household and encourage communication and reduce friction between family members.
TIME MANAGEMENT
Time management requires prioritisation, which can be extremely challenging to do alone. When you’re stressed and overwhelmed, everything seems important. An organiser can help you and your family evaluate which activities should be placed higher on the to do list and what can be eliminated.
MOVING, RELOCATING AND DOWNSIZING
Moving is an incredibly time-consuming and stressful time and task, especially if you’re moving an entire family home. Professional organisers like Mooving Matters specialise in moves and relocations, They can help manage everything from liasing with moving companies to packing, unpacking and styling and organising all your household belongings into your new home.
WHAT PROFESSIONAL ORGANISERS DON’T DO
Professional organisers are not household cleaners. Though they may offer hands-on organising, their job is to organize your clutter, not clean your home but can organise a cleaner for you.
Professional organisers will not force their services on someone who doesn’t want help. Many times a family member of someone struggling with clutter will call a professional organizer for the other person. If someone’s not ready for help, or simply doesn’t want it, an organiser won’t be able to contribute.
With todays work loads and busy lifestyles, more often than not it’s worth paying someone to help you set up a system that eliminates your frustration instead of hoping one day soon you’ll eventually have the time to handle it yourself.
An Organiser’s service can be tailored to be a long or short term relationship Those who have psychological or emotional issues around their clutter, a relationship with an organiser may be a prolonged processes or someone you meet with every few months after an initial project. For others looking to organise a home office, for example, their work with an organiser maybe to get that simple decluttering service completed in a day. Either way, you don’t work with a professional organiser remotely — they work one on one with you.
How to Choose a Reliable, Helpful Professional Organiser
It totally acceptable to ask a PO for his/her credentials, training and experience when considering hiring one. Importantly you want to ask for references. It is recommended that people identify two or three POs in their area or state who appear to meet their needs and then to set up phone or in-person interviews to identify which one best meshes with your personality. You are trusting a PO with your personal possessions and inviting this person into your home or office, and you should feel comfortable with that close relationship.
Don’t be afraid to ask estimates, let an organiser know what your budget is so they better understand what they have to work with and waste anybodies time on options you can’t afford.
Working with an organiser is nothing to be embarrassed about nor does it suggest you are a clinical hoarder — so don’t be shy about it, be proactive today and give Mooving Matters a call. Remember helping people get organised isn’t just about putting things in boxes, it’s about getting to know people, helping them move past their own mental blocks and trip-ups, getting the to forgive themselves, and make progress not just with their stuff but with their lives as a whole.
Are you needing a team of trusted and caring Professional Organisers and Movers and packers in Sydney? To arrange a complementary on-site inspection of your property by Mooving Matters, your home organiser Sydney or to simply discuss our ‘Ultimate full service packing + moving’ experience call (02) 93375333 or visit us at moovingmatters.com.au.
