Would you hire a professional organizer?

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 8:48 am

amother OP wrote:

Would you hire a professional organizer?
Im trying to decide if this os something I should remotely even try as a profession.
I love making things tidy and putting seder where there wasnt and getting rid of things that are not needed.
Would you hire someone to do this for you? Im talking pantries, clothing, attics, kids rooms, kitchens. Wherever.

I did hire a professional organizer. I used her for my kids' rooms. They were becoming insanely cluttered with junk. I could have spent the time going through each bedroom with my kids but I knew by bringing in a professional to do it with them they would have to deal with it and not whine and complain and be overly emotional about every little piece of junk I suggested they perhaps no longer needed. It was a good investment. Rooms turned out clean, organized, and most importantly were maintainable for the next few years. (It's been about 5 years now; think we'll do it again soon).

amother

Tangerine

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 9:03 am

amother Trillium wrote:

This. I once polled it on social media. How many people who are not naturally organized or struggle to be organized, had a organizer set up their home and it's now organized long term.
The overall response was my organizer was great but I haven't kept to it long term.
I truly wonder if an organizer can set up a house that needs very little upkeep, it stays organized by the unorganized people.

Plenty of people hire organizers however
This only works with someone who will put energy and time into maintaining.
I’ve organized one of my kids house too many times to count. If they are not willing or able to keep it organized it won’t work
If they are not willing to throw away things and stop collecting things it won’t work.

amother

Jetblack

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 9:10 am

amother Emerald wrote:

It is a luxury service. You can do it yourself, or hire someone else. People can charge whatever they want for a luxury

Of course. So if you're starting a business, know your community. If it's a wealthy one with lots of expendable income, you'll find clients. If not, you'll have to charge accordingly and might not find clientele as easily.

amother

Hyacinth

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 9:17 am

amother Jetblack wrote:

I would if they were affordable! I know people need to make a living, but the prices I've seen make it more of a luxury service. Not for me right now but if there was a deal I would do it.

I’d use one a lot more if they didn’t charge $100/hr. She charged double that if she brought an “assistant” along (an extra set of hands, not sure why that doubled her charge but I was desperate).

And the one I used for that price was really bad. Ordered products (charged me for the time she spent ordering stuff online, which is fair) that I then hired someone to assemble so I couldn’t return but that did not fit the things that were supposed to be stored there.

Honestly, if this were more attainable and better done I’d hire someone on a regular basis. I work full time and this is not my strong suit. But if you’re going to overcharge and not be very good at what you do, nope.

amother

Cadetblue

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 9:17 am

amother Emerald wrote:

It is a luxury service. You can do it yourself, or hire someone else. People can charge whatever they want for a luxury

She wasn't complaining, she was just stating a fact, that it's a luxury service, and she just can't afford it right now.

amother

Tiffanyblue

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 9:24 am

amother Babyblue wrote:

If you sign up to an agency like yeled vyalda, hamaspik, you might have lot of clients who need the service but can't afford it, and they will assign you the jobs and will pay you a check for the hours.

Huh? Like they bill it as services for the kids? Sounds sketchy

Ema of 5

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 9:31 am

amother Emerald wrote:

It is a luxury service. You can do it yourself, or hire someone else. People can charge whatever they want for a luxury

No one said it’s not a luxury. They can charge whatever they want, and people can choose to say it’s unaffordable for them.

amother

Lightcoral

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 9:34 am

Of course you'll have work, once you make a name for yourself. Professional organizers exists because people do need the help and are willing to pay. I will say, I'm quite bad at maintaining systems, so I usually get an organizer to come in, we do the thing, I maintain it for 6 months, and then a year later, I'm calling her back to help dig me out again!

amother

Wallflower

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 3:26 pm

I wouldn't because I'm already quite organized. I admire the aesthetics of the fancy systems pros set up, but have no burning desire to possess them myself. Repurposed plastic food storage containers, copier paper cartons and shoe boxes work just fine for me. One of my friends hired a pro who seemed less of an organizer than a purging cheerleader, but she would immediately take away the purged stuff so the clients didn't have it hanging around tempting them to put it all right back where it came from. This worked for my friend whose problem was more hoarding than not being able to figure out the logical places to keep things.

tryinghard

Mon, Dec 18 2023, 3:40 pm

The best thing the organizer I worked with did was patiently hear me out, listen to what’s said worked and didn’t work, and rework systems when I explained that they wouldn’t work for us. The more she listened, the better the results were and were much more durable.

amother

RosePink

Tue, Dec 19 2023, 12:15 am

tryinghard wrote:

Please let us know who she is!!!

amother

Sage

Tue, Dec 19 2023, 12:41 am

amother Tiffanyblue wrote:

Huh? Like they bill it as services for the kids? Sounds sketchy

No it's considered in the category of a helping service for the parent and isn't sketchy at all

smss

Tue, Dec 19 2023, 1:22 am

amother Emerald wrote:

All of my organized spaces have been stuck to long term. And during crazy times that they get neglected, they are super simple to put back
The point of organizing is not keeping things neat, but keeping things in a system
That doesn’t go away

I agree with this
I haven't hired an organizer (too $$) but I follow organizing accounts and the spaces that I've actually organized well with containers, labels etc really do generally stay that way. For going on a few years now. And when they get messy, it's much quicker to redo.

SingALong

Tue, Dec 19 2023, 1:59 am

A few years back when I move a new house erev Pesach I hired an organizer to help me unpack and set up in the new house. Worth every penny. It was super expensive but I prioritized that service. Most systems stayed in place. I’ve adjusted things here and there. I hired another organizer 2 years in to touch up The playroom. We kept all the containers the original organizer bought. Maintaining and purging old items is 100% on me but if I keep it up as needed then everything stays organized. The systems work. I rotate to to do diff areas. 3 weeks ago I purged items in mudroom. 2 weeks ago I did my storage room.. this week I did my closet. That way I don’t get overwhelmed with so many disorganized areas at same time.

amother

Nasturtium

Tue, Dec 19 2023, 8:29 am

A good organizer doesn't just set up their own system, they work with you to create and set up a system that works best for you.

Also, a good organizer also teaches you the skills needed to maintain the system, thus is critical and makes the money investment worth it.