You may be looking around at your space thinking: Organizing this place will cost a bloody fortune because it will take 500 hours – at least!
Well, let me say this… it won’t.
It won’t cost a fortune and it won’t take forever. I promise.
As with any task that feels overwhelming, the most difficult part is knowing how and where to start. That’s where a professional organizer is invaluable – knowing how to start (and what to do next and next and next) to make the changes you desire in the most speedy and effective ways possible.
I have designed my policies to provide maximum flexibility and minimum risk for my clients. If you have a question that is not answered below, please feel free to contact me.
Q: How much do you charge?
$100 per hour with a 4 hour minimum
Q: Do I get an order of fries with that?
No fries – BUT, you do get the undivided attention and teachings of someone who can alleviate feelings of frustration and stagnation that you are experiencing in your environment.
During our first session, we will develop a game plan and, most likely, get some hands-on work done as well. The game plan is the most valuable thing an organizer provides. Once you know what to do and the most efficient and effective order in which to do it, there are a variety of options regarding how you can execute the plan: you can work on your own, with me, with one of my associates, with lower-cost assistants, or with another organizer.
The main thing to keep in mind is that a project has three elements: speed, quality and cost – of which you get to pick two. Since neither you nor I want to compromise on the quality of the work, the choice is always between cost and speed.
If time is of the essence, we can bring in an associate organizer and/or assistants as needed to meet your deadline. If cost is a concern, I can assign you detailed, guided homework so you (or you and an assistant) can work independently to make progress between our sessions.
The balancing act that we professional organizers often face is that prospective clients contact us because they want help to make the transformation of their space go faster. They have tried to get organized before and it has been a slow and arduous process. However, organizers know that the key to making any changes last and truly serve the client is to go deeper – to add more structure and purge a bit more. The art of hands-on organizing is to balance deep with fast. I always strive to honor my clients’ goals while offering them what they may not realize they need – not going too deep as to be slow, but not going too fast as to forsake structure.
Q: When are you available?
I schedule organizing sessions Wednesdays through Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Q: What exactly do you do?
First, I help you pinpoint the areas of your living environment or your daily life that are causing you the most frustration. Second, we develop organizing goals to eliminate those frustrations. Third, we execute those goals.
To some people’s surprise, the process of organizing is at least as much thought as it is action. We may make changes to your living and storage spaces to make sure your physical environment is being used to its maximum efficiency. We evaluate your stuff to make sure it is still relevant to the life you are living (or the life you want to live!) We develop systems that will enable you to deal with the paper, information, and things that flow into your life each and every day.
I specialize in doing whole-home organizing projects for folks who are ready to rejuvenate their entire environment. The majority of my clinets are aware that, while they have moved forward and evolved, their surroundings have remained stagnant and thus their space is no longer serving them well. I have a talent for maximizing square footage and many clients utilize my services before, or in lieu of, remodeling. There is a unique satisfaction for the organizer and the homeowner when every single storage area is supporting every single living area and there are systems in place to keep the home running smoothly and keep the family members from nagging one another about clutter.
Other projects include helping clients develop simple systems to organize and manage their financial life, dealing with multiple boxes of family photos, organizing, and making room for a new roommate or spouse.
My goal is to help you spend less time, energy, and money managing the ordinary tasks of daily life so you will have more time, energy, and money to devote to building an extraordinary life.
Money and time are valuable resources. Of the two, money is the only one you can make more of and the only one you can save up. As Benjamin Hoff wrote, “The main problem with this great obsession for saving time is very simple: you can’t save time. You can only spend it… wisely or foolishly.”
Q: Do you offer free consultations?
No, I don’t. The purpose of offering complimentary on-site consultations would be to provide an estimate of how many sessions it would take to transform a particular space. That is something I cannot really predict until I have actually worked with you.
While I do have the expertise to assess how to organize any given area, it is each client’s working style that determines how long it takes us to reach their organizing goals. Everyone has a different speed. Some folks take longer to process and make choices than others. After our first session working together, we will both be better able to envision how many (if any) additional sessions will be needed.
Q: What if I have to re-schedule an appointment?
I understand that, especially for those of you who work in the entertainment industry or who have children, last minute schedule changes will periodically arise. While I do appreciate as much notice as possible, as long as you call me before 7:30 a.m. the day of our appointment, I am happy to reschedule our session to the earliest mutually convenient time available – but please understand that, due to the demand for my services, that may have to be a few weeks in the future.
If circumstances arise that result in a cancellation happening once I am en route, a fee of $100 will be charged to cover my time.
Q: What if, when I meet you, we just don’t “click”?
Believe me, for an organization project to be a success, you really have to feel comfortable with this person you are welcoming into your home! If, during the first hour or so of our first session, you get a feeling – for whatever reason – that we are not a good match personally, professionally, or conceptually, just let me know and we can part ways. I can even offer referrals to other organizers if you’d like.
Q: Sounds good – how do we get started?
Just give me a call and we will see if we are a good match. If I am unable to provide you with what you need, I am happy to refer you to other excellent professional organizers who might be a better fit.
Q: What if I’m not quite ready to book a session?
If you are still interested in getting my advice on and ideas about organizing, I invite you to sign up for my free email newsletter, Hands-on Help. (Your personal contact information will never be sold, traded, or re-purposed.)
Q: Any discounts for seniors… or Girl Scouts… or really nice people?
I realize that this is a significant investment in yourself. And I understand where my level of experience and the demands on my schedule have positioned my rates. Here are a couple of ways to stretch your organizing dollars:
If your home office is the spot you need to overhaul, Part Two of my book, Feeding Your Focus, offers detailed guidance that will lead you through organizing your home office space in 8 simple steps. You can buy the full book and get this coaching in audio format (which is the next-best-thing to having me right there in the room with you), or you can instantly download the text of Part Two: Home Office Efficiency and get started right away!
Alternatively, you can book a single session with me to create and get started on a step-by-step organizing game plan personalized with your circumstances and goals in mind. After that session, you can hire one of my associate organizers to help you execute the remainder of the project. Or, you can simply hire one of my associates directly. As they work on your projects, my associates are always able to check in with me for guidance.
The Personalized Organization Associates:
Both Kate and Milby are accomplished women who are now building their own, individual organizing businesses. They are members of the National Association of Professional Organizers and they are natural organizers with taste, tact, and terrific personalities. You are welcome to contact either of my associates directly to schedule any and all appointments with them. They each work at the rate of $65/hr with a 4-hour minimum.
Kate Brown
323-919-7151
more about Kate
Milby Barron
310-210-5964
more about Milby
I spent a week with former NFL star John Fina and his fabulous wife Melissa organizing their spacious basement.
View Melissa and John talking about how they made the decision to work with me:
the Fina’s basement before
the Fina’s basement after
