Five Common Misconceptions about a Professional Organizer

This past weekend I attended my college reunion, catching up with old friends and seeing all the transformations my college has gone through in the past ten years.  Naturally, the number one question I am asked by long lost classmates is, “What are you doing now?”  When I answer, “I’m a professional organizer,” I tend to get similar responses from people. Concerned about the stereotypes people have about my profession, I thought I would address some of them below.

1. “Please don’t come visit my house, it is so messy.”

Hearing this response from friends always throws me for a loop because they think that I’ll come over and judge them based on the organization of their homes. This is never the case because my home looks as lived in as the next person’s.  I am not Martha Stewart and the only time you see me pull out white gloves is when I’m handling very old photographs and negatives. Whether it is a friend or client, my number one intention when visiting a home is to put the owner at ease.

2. “I could use your help but I’d need to clean up my space first.”

Cleaning up your space before I can see it defeats the purpose.  I need to be able to see where your stuff lands, where the piles live, and your everyday habits so that I can create the most effective system to help you get organized.  I like playing the detective, trying to figure out your habits and learning processes so that I can help you become more successful at what you do.

3. “Do you organize kitchens and closets?”

I can organize a kitchen or closet but they are not my strengths.  I love helping entrepreneurs get their offices organized because after they have worked with me, they can find their paperwork better, they have a space they love to work in, and they are no longer worrying about losing business because of their disorganization.

4. “Your house must be so neat!”

My house, like many homes, is only neat when guests are coming over. Usually it has the newspapers on the coffee table, the mail on the dining room table, and sometimes even the dish towel on the floor (but that I can blame on my cats.)  Some of the rooms in my house are very organized and some of the rooms are less than ideal.  However, I’m constantly thinking and trying out new ways to be organized so that if I tell a client to try something, it is something I’ve already tested for effectiveness.  I don’t like suggesting an organization habit to my client if it is something I couldn’t fathom doing myself.

5. “Are your spices organized in alphabetical order?”

Although there are some organizers who do store their spices in alphabetical order, I am not one of them (see response #3).  My spice containers are stored in two, clear plastic bins that I can easily pull out and look at what is inside.  The spices are organized by size and how often I use them. Since I tend to clear out any spices that I haven’t used in over a year, my spice collection is manageable.  I have added extra labels to the caps so I don’t have to pick them up to read the sides of the containers.

I hope my answers have alleviated any concerns you might have with talking to an organizer or inviting one into your living space.  I’d love to answer any other concerns you have, so please leave them in the comments field below.

Tagged as: Personal Organization, Professional Organizer