FAQ
- How do I know if I need a professional organizer?
- What is NAPO?
- What does a professional organizer do?
- How does Creative Order & Design work?
- Do you prefer to work alone or with your clients?
- How do you charge for your services?
- Do you provide references?
- Why should I hire a professional organizer to help me get organized?
- What is your policy for privacy and confidentiality?
- How long will it take me to get organized?
- What do you need from me?
- What do I need to do to be ready for my first appointment?
- How will I stay organized once the project is completed?
How do I know if I need a professional organizer?
When you think of organizing, what does your mind conjure up? Is it that all my spices must be in alphabetical order and that my socks should be color-coded? Organizing actually filters into all areas of our lives…from the pantry to our financial affairs. Ask yourself the following questions to determine your organizing habits:
- Does your closet brighten your day?
- Do you keep certain articles of clothing in your closet because you are waiting on the loss of 10 pounds to wear them?
- If a personal crisis occurred tomorrow and someone had to take control of your affairs, would they know where to locate your important papers?
- Are your file cabinets overflowing with unnecessary papers?
- Are you able to park your car in your garage?
- Is your pantry organized to optimize space and increase the visibility of frequently used items?
- Does the deluge of junk mail cover your kitchen counters?
- Does your home have more than one junk drawer?
- Do you have to pay late fees because you have misplaced your bills?
- Do toys or other clutter consume your living area?
If you answered yes to three or more questions, you may need a professional organizer!!
What is NAPO?
The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is a non-profit professional association whose members include organizing consultants, speakers, trainers, authors, and manufacturers of organizing products. NAPO was founded in 1985 to advance the professional organizing industry and currently has approximately 3300 members worldwide. NAPO’s mission is to develop, lead and promote professional organizers and the organizing industry.
What does a professional organizer do?
Professional Organizers effectively work with clients in their homes, offices or small businesses to assess current systems and to provide creative solutions by designing customized systems and processes to organize desired areas. Hiring a professional organizer increases productivity, reduces stress and creates a sense of freedom while feeling more in control. In addition, Professional Organizers may address areas of productivity such as organizational skills, goal setting, time, paper and e-mail management.
Why should I hire a professional organizer to help me get organized?
- Commitment – a professional organizer will help you commit to your goal of being organized.
- Efficiency – a professional organizer will help you get the work done faster and more efficiently.
- Knowledge – you will receive the benefit of the professional organizer‘s knowledge and experience of the best systems, processes, and available products.
- Objectivity – a professional organizer will offer the objective perspective you need towards changing and/or updating your current systems.
How does Creative Order & Design work?
We use The Clear & SIMPLE™ model of See It, Map It, Do It.
See It – On the initial consultation, we complete a brief assessment to understand your priorities and needs and to determine what is working, what is not, what needs to change and how. We assess your situation to make sure we understand how the current system is used and who uses it.
Map It – We map out a plan of action with estimated costs to present to you for your feedback and approval.
Do It – We work with you to make decisions about your possessions and find the most organized ways to store, utilize or dispose of them. We create systems that will better organize your home or office, time or filing systems. We train our clients on how to use the new systems and how to keep them up. Finally, we follow up with our clients to be sure the new systems are working for them.
Do you prefer to work alone or with your clients?
We prefer to work with our clients present so the client can make decisions about their personal items during the sorting process. Working side by side guarantees the systems are personally customized so that they can be sustained for life. When we work alone, questionable items are set aside to discuss upon the client’s return.
How do you charge for your services?
Creative Order & Design works by the hour, with different rates for small business and residential work. Payment is due at the time of service and we accept personal or business checks.
Do you provide references?
Yes. Upon your request, we will supply a list of clients that you may call, write, or e-mail.
What is your policy for privacy and confidentiality?
Creative Order & Design abides by the written Code of Ethics for members of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). You may read the Code of Ethics at www.napo.net/get_organized/ethics.html.We work with our clients in a non-judging and polite atmosphere. In addition, we value our clients and are committed to keeping all personal information confidential.
How long will it take me to get organized?
The initial consultation will take one to two hours. The length of every organizing project is different, so the length of a project will depend on many factors:
- How much clutter and/or paper that has built up
- How large the project is, the quantity, and assortment of items you have accumulated
- How long disorganization has been a part of your life
- How fast decisions can be made in the sorting process
- How long we can work together without disturbances
- How well you complete your homework assignments
- How easily you can learn to implement and utilize new systems
- How quickly you can learn to establish improved behaviors and routines
- An open mind to new systems
- Time set aside to work together
- Motivation to change old behaviors and systems
- Readiness to face the problem of disorganization
- Desire to maintain the systems we help you establish
What do I need to do to be ready for my first appointment?
Nothing! We use the The Clear & SIMPLE™ S.T.A.C.K.S. Model to:
- Sort through your personal items
- Toss or donate those items no longer needed
- Assign a new home for the items
- Contain items in pre-measured storage bins of your choice
- Keep it up utilizing the new systems
- Simplify your systems
How will I stay organized once the project is completed?
Before the project comes to closure, Creative Order & Design will train you on the new systems to be certain they are customized to fit your needs. Our purpose is to set up, implement and train you to maintain the new systems for life.
Being organized is an ongoing process. The project is not over once the professional organizer leaves. It requires discipline and a daily commitment to maintain the systems to stay organized. Creative Order & Design can also schedule ongoing check ups to help hold you accountable to your goal of being organized.
