With the recent launch of my professional organizing business, I’m often asked the question, “What does a professional organizer do?”. Most of you have likely heard the term by now thanks to television shows like ‘Hoarders’, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” and the popular team of Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin from “The Home Edit”. The topics of decluttering, minimizing and organizing, have vastly turned into common discussions. So what exactly does a professional organizer actually do?

Simply put, a Professional Organizer is someone that will work alongside you to help you declutter and organize the physical and digital spaces in your life by utilizing their knowledge, skills and experience to help reduce clutter and wasted space so you can live a less stressful and more functional life. Whew!

As our fast paced lives steadily continue to climb with busy growing families and now more than ever, technology keeping more of us tied to our jobs, we just have way too much stuff and not nearly enough space or time to deal with it. From 1995 to 2016, the number of members in the National Association of Professional Organizers (currently named National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals aka NAPO) grew nearly 400 percent. Their services cover residential, businesses, storage, moving, downsizing, family management and much more.

Let’s face it, with all of us suddenly stuck at home for months in 2020, many of us found ourselves with some extra time on our hands. Decluttering that closet, pantry, or playroom may even have been the first thought that crossed your mind. But how many of us followed through with it? Nobody sets out to be unorganized. Most of us just don’t know where to start and how to do it in a manner that will continue to work for us. We’ve all been there. We build the confidence needed in order to tackle that massive project, only to find ourselves overwhelmed and then stall out halfway through.

Professional Organizers often serve as life coaches and teachers by guiding their clients through the organization process. They answer your questions and offer support in the decision making process of what items to keep, toss and donate, even aiding in the removal of those unwanted belongings. So often, there is a sense of guilt associated with letting go. How many of us still have those homemade Christmas ornaments or their names spelled out in macaroni glued to craft paper from our kids? How about that impulse purchase only because it was on sale, yet never found residency in our home? Yes, purging can often play a big role in the organization process, however, it’s more about identifying what’s important to you and giving those items a home that best fits. I find purging to bring me a feeling of power and a sense of freedom from even the smallest job of cleaning out my kitchen junk drawer. A professional organizer can help you to recognize those feelings.

Organizers will offer tips, set up customized and functional organization systems and provide the necessary guidance that their clients will continue to maintain on their own. It’s one thing to get organized but another to stay organized. Many professional organizers even offer maintenance services to ensure the systems created are working properly for you and your family or will offer continued adjustments for improvement.

So, I hope this helps explain to you what a Professional Organizer does. There are so many reasons why hiring a professional organizer is well worth it. They tend to choose which clients they want to work with to ensure a good fit. They enjoy being with people, are respectful, non-judgmental and may even become your good friend. Make no mistake, Professional Organizers are not a cleaning service, a cleaning lady or a maid. If you’re in the market for that, this isn’t the place. But if you find yourself with too much stuff and too little time, or perhaps a life altering event such as marriage, divorce, death, the birth of a new baby, newly empty nester or job change, consider hiring a professional organizer to help get you on the path to living a more efficient, clutter-free and organized life.