1. What is the difference between a Professional Organizer and a Certified Professional Organizer?

According to the National Association of Professional Organizer (NAPO) a Professional Organizer uses tested principles and expertise to enhance the lives of clients. By designing custom organizing systems and teaching organizing skills, they help individuals and businesses take control of their surroundings, their time, their paper piles, their lives! There are no requirements to be a Professional Organizer. To become a member of NAPO you must provide business registration documentation and pay membership dues.

 

Certified Professional Organizer (CPO®) is the recognition of professionals by the Board Of Certified Professional Organizers (BCPO®) who have met specific minimum standards, and proven through examination and client interaction that they possess the body of knowledge and experience required for certification.  BCPO^® is committed to the highest ethical standards for all certificate holders, as reflected in the BCPO^® Code of Ethics. Adherence to this Code of Ethics is required for the ongoing certification of all those who hold the Certified Professional Organizer^® credential.

 

2. How do I choose a professional organizer?

You should speak to several professional organizers before choosing one to work with. This can be done easily by telephone, email or in person.

 

3. What questions should I ask?

§    Are you a member of NAPO or other associations within your profession?

§    What training have your received?

§    What kinds of organizing projects do you do?

§    Who is your typical/usual client?

§    What services do you specialize in?

§    Do you have any training or hold any certifications in organizing or related areas (chronic disorganization, coaching, feng shui, interior design, etc.)?

§    Can you describe your organizing process/approach and describe a typical working session?

§    How long have you been in the organizing business?

§    Will I work directly with you, or will you assign an employee and/or subcontractor?

§    What is your fee structure?

§    Do you work with a written contract?

§    What is your cancellation policy?

§    Can you provide references?

§    I have tried to get organized before. How will this be different?

 

4. If I choose SolutionsForYou, how much will it cost to organize my home/office?

I understand your concerns about cost and I will work with you within your budget.  How much have you allocated for organizing?  Something to think about… this is an investment in the way you choose to change your habits and begin an organized way of living. The cost depends on how much you want to invest in yourself.

 

I have several (business/residential) packages to choose from to fit your goals.

 

5. How long will it take to organize my home/office?

The amount of time it will take to complete your organizing project will depend primarily on three factors:

1.   How much clutter you have to group and reduce,

2.   How quickly you make decisions about what to keep and what to let go of and

3.   How close together our organizing sessions are.

 

6. What can I expect to happen when I hire you?

You can expect the very best!  It is important that you communicate to me what you expect.  I will listen to your needs and goals and together we will develop a plan of action for your organizing project.  I will maintain complete confidentiality of your project and personal/business information.

 

7. What is your process for organizing me?

My approach to attaining and maintaining organization with my clients is accomplished over three phases, giving them options to work with me or on their own with a plan we create together.

 

Organizing services are provided as follows:

§    A 20-30 minute Complimentary Phone Assessment - Involves discussing your organizing goals. After the assessment is completed we will discuss your priorities and time frame for your project as well as your budget. Or, if you prefer for a fee a 2-hour Face-Face Assessment and Written Plan is available. 

§    Implementation of Organizing Solutions and Systems – At this point we will begin the hands-on organizing process using my proven 5 Steps to Organizing® process. I will make every effort to work within your budget by offering creative implementation options and service (business/residential) packages. 

§    Follow-up and Evaluation - Once an organizing system is in place and the client has an opportunity to “test” the system, it is important to evaluate how the system is working. Within 30 days of completion of your project I will provide a complimentary 30-minute follow-up phone evaluation.

 

8. What should I do to prepare for our first session?

Don’t change anything about your physical space!  I need to see your current state of organization to understand your relationship to your stuff and how it is contained in your space.  Do think about answers to the following questions:

§    What do you think are your barriers to getting organized?

§    What is not working?  What part of your environment feels most uncomfortable to you?

§    Why do you want to get organized?  Any life event changes?

§    What part of your routine feels most hectic to you?  Why?

§    Do you share the space with anyone else?  Who?

§    How much do you want to participate in the organizing process?

§    How flexible are you to making changes?

§    Have you worked with a professional organizer before?  If yes, what worked?  What didn’t work?

§    What are your expectations of SolutionsForYou?

§    What area(s) would you like SolutionsForYou to help you organize first?  What activities take place in this area(s)?

§    What is your timeline?  What is the best time for you to schedule sessions?

§    What are you willing to invest to lead a more organized life?

 

9. How will I be able to stay organized after we have completed our organizing sessions?

I truly care about my clients.  I feel successful when they are successful.  That is why Phase 3 – 30 minute complimentary follow-up evaluation – of my approach and your personalized maintenance plan is essential.  My ultimate goal is to transfer organizing skills and knowledge to my clients so they can maintain the systems and solutions we implement together.

 

10. Do you have insurance?

Yes, I am licensed and insured.

 

11. How far in advance do I need to schedule my first appointment?

I can usually conduct the needs assessment the same week you call me. During peak periods, I may be booked out two to three weeks in advance for the hands-on process; however I do have a waiting list that I refer to daily for cancellations.  

 

12. Why Choose SolutionsForYou, Inc.?

§    An eight-year proven record of satisfied customers.

§    I am a Certified Professional Organizer, one of four in Oregon and one of 200 in the world. This designation required a minimum of 1,500 hours of paid hands-on experience with clients, higher education background, and passing a two hour written exam that tested my knowledge and skills required of a Certified Professional Organizer.

§    I am a FreedomFiler Certified Consultant establishing that I have training, knowledge and experience in working with all types of paper information. This certification required an eight-hour training course, eight-hour written exam, four-hour individual research project, and a one hour interview with the founder of FreedomFiler.

§    I have trained most of the professional organizers in the Portland area as well as over a hundred elsewhere in the world.

§    I’m fun to work with!

§    Complete credentials and qualifications are listed on my resume.