Getting Organized - with Help - Don't be Embarrassed

Getting organized is a good thing !  Really!  But a lot of people are really embarrassed to call a Professional Organizer to help them. Why ?  Because they are embarrassed by their clutter or because they need help and asked for it.  Like no one should ever ask for help ?!

Everyone needs help with something - sometime in their life.   Whether it's calling a plumber or someone else to help you in your home. A Professional Organizer should not cause you embarrassment!

Not everyone is organized or can see quickly how to organize a room. Most people are not taught organizational skills as a child.

I can't fix a leaky faucet and I'm not embarrassed to admit it. I call professionals when I need the help and I know that they can do a better job (and faster and cheaper) than I can.

When I walk into my clients home a lot of them feel self conscious about their "mess".  I always try to make them feel better by letting them know that they are not alone - a lot of people have problems with disorganization.

And an interesting observation - they all think that their problem is the worst one out there. I've had people with extremely neat homes think they were messy and other clients who have kids think their home is terribly cluttered and disorganized.

It's all in "the eye of the beholder".

With kids comes clutter. There is no way around it. They usually have toys - which are usually strewn everywhere. That too shall pass! There are ways to contain the clutter. You can teach kids how to clean up after themselves.

And the people that have the neat homes - just need reassuring and maybe some fresh eyes to get things to work more smoothly in their spaces.

Everyone has a different idea of what an organized room (and life) looks like.  But the only person's opinion that matters is - yours.

Your home needs to function for how you live. Not the neighbors or an organizer. It has to be comfortable and work for - you.

A professional organizer should be able to come up with a plan that you can live with and that is easy to keep up.

So - don't be embarrassed by your clutter - get help when you need it.  When you are ready!

Happy Organizing!





Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Organization and Knowing Your Limitations

Being organized is a talent that not everyone has. Luckily it's one of my few talents. I can look at any situation and make it (room, closet or project) better.

But a lot of people just look at a disorganized space and immediately start to hyperventilate.  They shut down, close the door and never look back. I hear that story all of the time. It's normal.

I get that way when someone tells me to draw something.  "Just draw what you see"  they say.  I start to sweat and nothing comes out on my drawing pad.  I can't draw.  Not at all. Not even a straight line. It's a talent I will never have.

So for people that can't organize - it's O.K.  Really, it is.  I know where you are coming from. We all have our talents. That's why there are Professional Organizers around to help you. To give you great advice and ideas and solutions.

Yet a lot of people are too embarrassed to call in a professional.

I guess the reason is because it's a lot more "personal" than calling in a plumber or electrician. People aren't embarrassed to call in those professionals.

And even though a plumber will have an important impact on your home - a Professional Organizer can change your life. They will not only help you with your organizing project - but they should leave you with lessons that you can use in the future.

A more organized home, office or life will drastically change your life.

Not everyone has the talent or time to do everything themselves. It's not a negative thing. Knowing your limitations and using a professional to help you makes you a very wise person.


Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

The Cost of Disorganization

A lot of people don't realize that being "disorganized" costs them money. A lot of money.

Being organized is not only about everything "having a place" and "being in its' place", it's also a way of life.

When you are organized things run smoother. You know where everything is. You aren't searching for things. You get to work on time because your briefcase and keys are where they are supposed to be and you have left plenty of time for unexpected emergencies, like traffic jams.

But, when you are not organized you tend to be frantic. You are constantly searching for missing items. You then go to the store to buy items that you don't think you have. But then, someday, you run across that missing item. So you have just spent money on something that you really didn't need, because you really did have it.

If you do simple things like "put like items with like items" you will always know where things are. If you simply hang all of your "blue shirts" together you can easily find them when you need them. You will also be able to tell at a glance that you don't have a "blue shirt" when you need it.

By putting all of your "like" canned goods together you know exactly how many cans of "baked beans" you have, instead of buying more cans of things that you don't really need.

Constantly buying things that you really don't need because you already have it is just one "cost of disorganization".

Being late for work or a meeting and getting fired is another.

Not turning in a report at school and getting a failing grade is another.

Disorganization disrupts your life. It causes stress.

Take ten or fifteen minutes a day and get yourself organized.

You will feel better. Really you will.


Remember: Less Clutter = Less Stress .... in your Home, your Business and your Life

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Why People Say They Won’t Hire a Professional Organizer

I get a lot of calls and emails from people that tell me that they need to get more organized…but then they never make that commitment to actually do it. Some of the reasons that I’ve encountered over the years are listed below:

1) You’ll make me get rid of everything and I don’t want to get rid of “everything”.

No, we won’t. A Professional Organizer will ask you about each item and will not force you to get rid of anything that you aren’t ready to get rid of. They might ask you why you want to keep it and might tell you why they think you should get rid of it, but they will never make you get rid of anything.

2) I’m too embarrassed to have you see my mess (even though I need you).

Don’t be. We’ve seen it all and your house probably isn’t as bad as you think. We are professionals and we are there to help you.

3) You will tell everyone what a mess I have and my personal business and you will judge me.

Never. As a Professional Organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers we have a Code of Ethics that we follow. We take it very seriously. Your privacy is always protected. And we never judge. There are a lot of reasons for disorganization and clutter and as a trained professional we understand those reasons.

4) You will think that I’m a horrible person for wanting to keep things that I should get rid of.

Never. You have every right to keep whatever you want. Everyone has a right to be sentimental about anything they want to be sentimental about. When you are ready to dispose of things you will. We never force you and we don’t judge you. You have to be ready to get rid of things.

5) I can’t afford all of those fancy organizing gadgets.

You don’t need them. There are a lot of different ways to get organized. And they don’t all involve spending money. A lot of organization has to do with simple utilizing your space correctly or more efficiently. We also find things at our clients’ homes such as baskets, plastic containers and other things that can be used. We can come up with all kinds of things to make a clients home more organized without having to spend a lot of money.

6) My spouse thinks that I should be able to organize our home by myself.

Well, if you called me then obviously you feel otherwise. You know your limitations. Your spouse just doesn’t want you to spend the money or he doesn’t understand what an organizer can do for you and how they can help you and can save you money.

7) I can get one of my friends (or my sister or mother) to help me.

Yes, you could. But you wouldn’t be friends for long. I’ve heard too many stories about friends and relatives just throwing things out or telling you to throw things out and everyone getting mad at each other. And all of your personal information won’t be personal for long. As Professional Organizers we are outsiders. We don’t judge. We don’t divulge personal information. We are trained professionals who also teach you how to organize as we go through the organizing process.

8) It’s too expensive.

Not as expensive as being disorganized. Buying things that you already have because you can’t find them or getting charged late fees because you forgot to pay your bills adds up to money being wasted. By having a Professional Organizer help you get your home and your life organized you will save time and money.

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

DON’T BE EMBARRASSED BY YOUR ORGANIZER

More and more people are becoming aware of what a Professional Organizer can do for them and they are now utilizing their services and expertise in helping them solve numerous business, home and life organizing challenges.

But a lot of people are actually embarrassed to be utilizing a Professional Organizer. And that hurts my feelings!

I was actually quite surprised when a number of people said to me “I don’t want anyone to know that I am using an Organizer. It’s embarrassing”.

I didn’t quite understand the “embarrassing” part. These were not my hoarding clients. These were clients who had the good sense to hire someone that was an expert in their field. Someone to coach them through their issues and help them come up with solutions that worked for them.

People hire landscapers every day to mow their lawn. And I am sure that they are not embarrassed because they have someone else cut their grass. I’m sure that they could probably do it. If they wanted to or had the time. Or what about hiring a maid service to clean your house? Is that embarrassing?

Or people that hire personal trainers. What, they have no willpower to do it on their own? I know that those workout tapes don’t work for me. I need to go to a gym to be tortured. And I did actually hire a personal trainer years ago. I need someone to hold me responsible. And talking back to the workout tapes isn’t the same as complaining about how the instructor is torturing you. I needed the instructor.

Hiring a professional organizer should not be embarrassing. It actually means that you know your limitations and know what you are not good at. I’m not an interior decorator. I am not a cleaning service.

A Professional Organizer teaches people organizing skills. They coach them through the organizing process. They help them make decisions. They come up with solutions that work for them, not their neighbor.

Professional Organizers don’t only work with people that are Chronically Disorganized or Hoarders.

They work with all types of people and businesses to come up with solutions that make their businesses, homes and lives run more smoothly and efficiently. They show them how to save time and money by being organized.

They are their own personal workout coach. And as a Professional Organizer I feel very fortunate that my clients allow me to help them and coach them with their various issues, whether it’s organizing their closet or their garage or their life.

I have clients that have the cleanest houses I’ve ever seen to clients that have severe hoarding issues. They are all unique and they are all special. And they all teach me something new every time I’m there.

For more ways on how to use a Professional Organizer, re-read:

http://professionalorganizer4u.blogspot.com/search/label/DIFFERENT%20WAYS%20TO%20USE%20A%20PROFESSIONAL%20ORGANIZER




Remember ………… Less Clutter = Less Stress (sm) ….. in your home, your business and your life.



Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com