How Does It Work?
If you’ve never worked with a Professional Organizer before, it’s understandable why you may be feeling some anxiety about the process and all the questions you may have such as:
- Will she make me throw everything away?
- How long is this going to take?
- Will I feel more overwhelmed then I feel right now?
- Will I know where my things are once we are done?
- Where do we even start?
You are not alone in your worry. Often, my clients feel the same way before we get started causing some to be tempted to cancel before we even begin. To help ease some of your fears and answer some of your questions, I will briefly explain the steps involved in an organizing project.
Step 1 – Organizing Assessment
During what I call “The walk and talk” we will be touring your home and discussing your organizing needs, goals and desires.
This will also be your opportunity to share any personal challenges you are having with getting or staying organized or any other challenges you feel like sharing.
What Will Be Assessed?
We will be identifying the main sources of clutter and the bottlenecks causing it.
Bottlenecks can happen because of:
- Furniture arrangement
- More stuff than there is space
- Space design/layout
- Function of the room
- Poor lighting
- Uncomfortable furniture
- Inconvenient setups
- Location of the space
- Lack of systems
- Over-complicated systems
- Lack of storage
Once we determine the main bottlenecks in the space(s) you want organized, we will create an action plan with the specific tasks to be completed.
We will also discuss organizing principles, strategies and techniques to empower you with a skill set to maintain the organization and continue seeing positive progress in your home and life.
After the assessment is done, which typically takes about 30-45 minutes, we will get to work on our action plan. You will feel ready to take next the step with confidence, excitement and gusto.
Step 2 – Sorting Starts The Organizing Process
To start the organizing process, we set up 10-30 bankers boxes and sort the clutter on flat surfaces first (desks, tabletops, floors and countertops) into pre-designated categories within the boxes.
In this step, the goal is to create clear spaces which will help you feel more in control, increase decision making speed, reduce your stress, restore function, make finding your things easier during the process and prepare for the next step of purging.
Sorting first makes purging so much easier.
Step 3 – Purging
The next step is to make decisions on what stays and what goes. Most people think this will be the toughest part.
After applying the techniques and strategies taught during the organizing process, my clients are often surprised at how fast they made confident decisions and how much they let go of.
If you aren’t ready to make fast decisions right now, that’s ok. We will just move on to the next step so we can keep moving forward and see visible results quickly.
Step 4 – Creating Zones and Homes
After you have decided what stays and what goes (donate, trash, recycle), we then decide what area of your home the stuff you are keeping will go.
We will create “zones” where items of similar function will be grouped together so you can find and put away your stuff easily. Being able to find and put your stuff away easily is key to organizing maintenance and peace of mind.
Step 5 – Storing
Now that we’ve decided what zone the items you are keeping will go, we then need to decide how they will be stored. In a basket, a bin, a bookcase, under the bed, over the door, in a drawer or on a hook?
Before you spend money on new furniture or fancy organizing containers, we will use or re-purpose the organizers and furniture you already have in your home saving you time and money.
If organizers need to be purchased, recommendations will be made to accommodate your budget as well as convenience and aesthetic preferences.
Step 6 – Systemizing
To maximize your effectiveness at maintaining the organization, you will be set up with customized systems to match your lifestyle, preferences, the way you think and how you work. The more specific your systems match who you are, the greater the chances you will stay organized.
To learn more about the organizing process and how Miss Organized can help you get through it quickly and easily contact us for your free phone consultation.