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11 Reasons People Don't Hire Professional Organizers When They Should

1)    Embarrassment People don’t hire professional organizers because they are embarrassed.  They don’t want someone to know how they really live.  Even a person who can fix the situation is often unwelcome.  It’s like the person who cleans the house beforehand when they hire a cleaning service.  They don’t want to share the true extent of their problem. It’s just too hard to admit that they are too busy to tackle it themselves, or they just don’t know where to start.

2)         Shame People feel ashamed.  They think: How did I let it get this bad?  It was just my shoes.  It was just a few papers.  Now there is stuff everywhere and I don’t even know where it came from.  What are my issues that I let this get so out of control?

3)         Helplessness People don’t like to feel helpless.  Serious hoarders who don’t want to be separated from their things don’t want to watch someone take away their belongings.  They think that organizers are going to sweep in with a big trash can and dump all of their things into it.  Well only when necessary.

4)         Fear People think that professional organizers make you throw everything away.  Professional organizers do not want to separate people from their things.  Believe it or not professional organizers help you keep your stuff; if you have space and a purpose for it.  A good rule of thumb to remember is if no one will keep it when you’re gone maybe you shouldn’t have it now. 

5)          Cost Oh my goodness!  People who really need an organizer should not worry about the cost.  That should be the furthest thing from their minds.  They need help.  What is the cost of peace of mind?  What is the cost of freedom to live your life comfortably?  Most professional organizers offer pro bono work for those who really need the help.

6)         Lack of awareness People have no clue that chronic disorganization is a serious problem.  Many people don’t realize it because they don’t know it has a name.  When you get an area straightened and then immediately you work it back into chaos you are a chronic disorganizer.  When a person sheds tons of clutter only to rebuy more unnecessary items they are a compulsive shopper.  Compulsive shoppers with a lack of space are at serious risk of hoarding.

7)         Self- Perception People allow their own perceptions about their self-worth, what they value, and what they fear to stop them from asking for help.  Who cares how long you’ve had the problem?  What matters is that you want to fix it now.  Get out of your own way.  Professional organizers don’t see obstacles in your clutter they see opportunities.

8)         The Unknown People don’t enjoy the unknown.  Even if what they know is clutter.  They would rather have chaos than order because it is what they know.

9)         Doubt People doubt that they can stay the course.  What if I pile things up again?  Will the organizer be mad at me for needing their services again?  No.  An organizer’s job is to help train you to live a better life.  The amount of time it takes is irrelevant.  If baby steps get you to a better life so be it.  Don’t let insecurity keep you in a life of chaos and disorder.

10)       Disbelief Professional organizers deal in production not perfection.  Being organized is about each item having a specific place and the correct amount of space to function.  It does not mean that things are always in their place.   It means that when it is time for things to be put away they have a place to be.

11)       Can Do Attitude Often people just don’t think they can.  With help or without help maintaining an organized life is work.  People have families, careers, friends, and communities to manage.  Managing all of this takes a great deal of effort.  An organizer can help to jump start the process.  Many times all it takes is a little push in the right direction for chaos and clutter to become creativity and a can do attitude.

Professional organizers exist to help make people’s lives easier.  They help clear clutter, they pack for large moves, they reset closets and pantries, they do it all and without judgment.  Contact one today if you have papers, clothes, pictures, or any other life issues that you need put in order.

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P.L.A.N. to Organize

In order to organize you need a P.L.A.N. of action.  Once these questions have been answered and necessary follow-up actions carried out the space should be transformed.

Purpose:

Does this item have a purpose in this space?  Can its use be defined?  If not then the item must be purged!  Prioritize the things you have left by level of use or importance.

Let go:

If the item does not serve a purpose let it go.  Be willing to toss it.  Get rid of the things you are not using or will never use.  Donate, sell, giveaway; enough said.

Arrange:

Arrange like items together.  You may find that they are occupying more than one space once you have them all together.  List whether on paper or in your head where each item either needs to be or is already housed.

Neat:

Neatly place all of your remaining items in their new space by importance or order of use.

My Purpose - Mompreneur

              For those of you who know me I have spent my entire life working, volunteering, and taking care of other people; often at the expense of myself.  This past year I have been a little in my feelings because for the first time in my life it is a choice that I make willingly, but is unending.  I am speaking of being a mother.  At this season in our life I rarely go anywhere or do anything without my Elise and it's awesome. I love my baby and she loves her mommy.  However, when I really need to or sometimes want to do something without her I cannot.  

                My business is professional organizing and lifestyle consulting.  Imagine how I feel on the days when I seem to need my own services and can't make time for myself.  But that's where the vision of my business came from five years ago.  I found myself always straightening things, fixing things, and putting everything just so.  I thought to myself I can make money doing this or at the very least I can have a greater love for what I do.  

                I have been a little depressed that I don't work as much as I used to outside of my house.  Now, being a professional organizer imagine how I felt when my well thought out super detailed plan for how my life was to progress after becoming a mother did not work out the way I expected.  Now I am a woman of faith.  I believe God's word and I know when I don't get what I feel is for me He has something better.  However, I am human and I just knew at some point my life would return to a revamped version of my former workaholic style; meaning I can still do the activities I did before motherhood only less. More often than not I find I don't get to do them at all because the plan changed.  Our childcare situation changed.  My clientele changed. And frankly if I could speak what I have learned this weekend my purpose changed.  Right now is not the time for me to serve on every board, committee, and team.  Right now is not the time for me to take care of everyone else and their needs.  Right now is not the time to make millions for good companies and not myself.  My purpose right now as one of my clients so eloquently put it is to be a “Mompreneur".  

                I am the type of person who is a very dedicated worker.  Not being conceited or full of myself, but often when I work somewhere people want me to do more.  Because when I'm at work my mind is at work.  I block out my pain, my fatigue, my needs, and focus on the tasks at hand.  In today's society that is missing.  People are working for money.  It is a means to an end, but outside of food, shelter, and basic clothing how much money do we want?  People are working at the expense of their entire life.  We work all week long to pay people we don't even know.  Right now is not the time for me to do that.  It is the time for me to put a larger priority that comes in a smaller package before everything.

                Right now my life is about more than running a successful business, it's about my baby.  I have certain days I can work, volunteer, etc., and I have days where I am just mommy.  I even have days where they overlap thanks to a great church home and certain other opportunities where I can take the baby with me.  This “Ladies Only” weekend has given me a greater appreciation for my Mompreneur role. Because there are many women who need an opportunity like mine.  I am at a stage in my life where I can grow my business and my baby in the way God wants.  I have the time to teach my baby how to love God, have manners, and value education and that's priceless to me.  So for anyone who has missed me or is looking for me I may not be coming and that is okay.  Certain days of the week I'm only mommy and if Elise can't go I can’t go; period.  I thank God for all the awesome women in my life especially mother, my aunties, Lorraine, Ms. Young, Ms. Jackie, Ms. Tonya, and Ms. Felicia, and Ms. Sharon.  All these women are great mothers who have helped me and encouraged me by being great examples more than they know.  

What is For You is For You

                So often I find myself in situations where people question why my path is not cut and dry.  They wonder why I have more than one iron in the fire.  They ask why not pursue this or that and the answer is simple.  I’m me.  I’m not them or anyone else.  The path I’m on is designed for me not anyone else.  Others don’t understand because it is not for them to understand.  I can’t live my life for the understanding of others.  I have to live my life for the approval of the King and that’s it.  He knows my name.  He understands me, my needs, my wants, my plans.  However he sees fit to get me there it’s my job to make myself available.  I can’t chase other people and what they want to do and neither should you.  Find what works for you and do that. 

                Don’t make major life decisions on a basis that worked for someone else.  Do what He calls you to do.  When you try to answer someone else’s calling the phone will hang up.  It’s not yours to answer, so check your ringer and wait for your own phone to ring.  Better yet you make a call!  Opportunity can often fall into one’s lap, but the thing is the person has to be ready to accept it.  If you’re so busy chasing someone else’s dreams your blessing will sail right past you.  Be aware.  Don’t let life pass you by because the route changed.  So what if you have detours, so what if you need do overs.  The point is you have a chance.  Take it.  Be yourself.  Be original.  Be great. 

                Many people run around screaming empowerment and don’t even realize they have given their power way.  Mentors are supposed to guide you so that you can better avoid the pitfalls.  They show you the best ways that worked in their situations, but you still have to tailor any advice to your unique path.  You can’t just say I want what they have because that leads to destruction based on a false sense of reality.  Some of the most revered people are broken inside and some of the most unrecognized could not be happier. 

                If nothing else use Jesus as an example.  He was sinless and came to save a people who called him a liar and a blasphemer.  Did He run?  No.  He laid His life down.  He was not concerned with what those who did not believe called Him.  He had a job to do.  He did not let anything or anyone stop Him from completing the job that only He could do.  Only you know what that is for you.  Don’t be afraid to gracefully tell people no thank you when an opportunity is not for you.  What God has for you is for you.  He will tell you when something is not.  Usually you have to think about it too hard when it’s not.  When something is for you the excitement can barely be contained.  4/25/2014