Why my life working as a Professional Organizer is so great!

With a single email a client took the first step to create less stress in her home. Feeling overwhelmed with the treasures she had purchased over the past years she was unhappy with her accessibility to them. Our session involved emptying the closets and sorting them into piles. Work related, casual clothing, summer items to be stored, fall and winter to be worn now and fabulous fashion items to worn on evenings out or to simply look fabulous at home.
A friend of hers, nicknamed Vanna joined us and was a fantastic addition to our day. She offered opinions and helped with the sorting process.
The session was a pleasure for me to be a part of.
I wish them well.

Confessions of a Professional Organizer: "I'm Not a Good Fit for Every Client"

I'm a doer. I like getting my hands dirty, doing an honest day's work, and getting real, lasting results for my clients that are easy to maintain. That's "my thing".

Recently, I had a call from a potential new client (a corporate Vice President) and we made an appointment to meet for a consultation. I had a very tight schedule that week and I forewarned her that I would be coming directly from a job site and would be dirty. She insisted that would be fine.

I arrived at her home in a cotton T-shirt and pants that were stained with dirt from the job. I could feel the eyes roaming up and down my person. It seemed that my appearance was an issue after all.

We talked about her needs and what results she wanted. I explained to her what I could do and how I would approach the job.

Then, she asked me to prepare a plan and proposal for her to review. This is not an unreasonable request. After all, she would be making an investment and simply wanted to see what she would be getting for her money. And, to be fair, some Professional Organizers do provide "plans". I don't.

I politely explained to the client that my planning is done in my head and my real strength is in "doing". I talked about my track record and directed her to my many testimonials as proof that I deliver results. She said she'd get back to me but I never heard from her again.

She probably came to the conclusion that I was not a good fit for her needs. Unfortunate. After all, just because someone provides a plan does not mean that they can competently implement it and deliver real world results.

Even though I know I would have done a great job for her, I simply was not what she wanted. I could not satisfy her need for structured planning and formal proposals.

The truth is...I'm not a good fit for every client (no Professional Organizer is) and vice versa. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter what the issue is, just that it matters to the client.



Andrew Neary
Professional Organizer
http://www.Organizing-Toronto.com
Suite 1708
100 Hayden Street
Toronto, Ontario
M4Y 3C7
CANADA
(416) 570-8861
Andrew@Organizing-Toronto.com

Confessions of a Professional Organizer: My Partner and I Are Not Seeing Eye to Eye

Last night, my partner and I had a very heated discussion. He's gung ho on finding other service providers as well as retailers to joint venture (JV) with so that he can help me grow my business.

Sound like a good idea right? Well, it can be.

My first concern is for my clients. If I were to enter into a joint venture with another service provider (or a retailer), there would have to be strong benefit(s) for my clients. A potential partner would have to enhance my services and/or my clients' experience in some way.

Next, I would only enter into a JV agreement if my potential business partner also offered "value for money". This is very important to me. I would want to see his testimonials, talk to his clients, and/or examine her products.

Finally, a potential partner must have integrity and be true to their word. Early in my Professional Organizing career, I was asked to do work for free to "show what I could do". I jumped at the chance as the individual asking could potentially have referred a lot of business to me. I later learned that he was making the same promises to other Organizers, getting organizing services for free over and over again, and never delivering on promises to pay for the "next session" or to refer business.

A real estate agent and all around nice guy.

Not going to happen again.

As I explained to my partner, I'm all for joint ventures but they have to meet my standards. First and foremost, our respective clients must benefit. Secondly, it has to be a "good fit" in terms of "client centered" approach, business philosophy, and expectations. Finally, it has to be "win win" for both partners.

If a joint venture meets all of these criteria, bring it on!

How I Manage My Reputation as an Organizing Business Owner

This morning's New York Times had an article about managing your business' online reputation (here). Interesting stuff but I still don't get it. Let me explain.

For me, as a Professional Organizer, it's not so much about "managing my reputation" as it is about staying true to core values, like:

Professionalism: Show up on time and provide the results that you were hired to get within the budget discussed.

Provide Value for Money: Give the client real, sustainable results.

Treat Clients the Way You Would Want to Be Treated: Be pleasant, courteous, and respectful.

Exceed the Client's Expectations: Try to give the client more than they would expect.

These (and other) values guide my work and my decisions. Why would I need to "manage my reputation"?

Seems a waste of energy to me.

Drowning in Clutter? Turn Embarassment Into Empowerment

My clients often confess that they hesitated to hire a Professional Organizer because they were embarassed about their clutter. They feared being judged and looked down upon.

This is a normal and common fear that people with clutter have. And who doesn't have clutter at some stage in their lives?

Clutter forms for many reasons. Some clients do not have a knack for organizing and their belongings tend to get placed haphazardly throughout their homes.

Other clients have busy personal and professional lives. Since clutter forms slowly over time, the problem sometimes gets out of control before they even notice.

Whatever your reason for having clutter, it's a valid one. As Professional Organizer, I'm here to help -- not to judge.

I expect to see clutter when I visit a client. Otherwise, my services would not be needed. So don't waste another moment worrying about it.

My job is to help you move from embarassment to empowerment. And we can accompish that together by getting your clutter cleared and organized, and putting you back in control of your environment.



Andrew Neary
Professional Organizer
http://www.Organizing-Toronto.com
Suite 1708
100 Hayden Street
Toronto, Ontario
M4Y 3C7
CANADA
(416) 570-8861
Andrew@Organizing-Toronto.com

Andrew in the Toronto Star: Weed Out Clutter's Roots

Jul 28, 2009 04:30 AM
Jennifer Wilson-Speedy
yourhome.ca editor

Clutter just seems to multiply during the lazy summer months, and nothing can ruin your cottage calm faster than a mad hunt for your keys come Monday morning.

Professional organizer Andrew Neary (organizing-toronto.com) says procrastination and a reluctance to give things up can lead to those piles of papers that have turned your house from a calm haven into a stressful chore.

Other common clutter pitfalls include not putting things back into place after using them and simply having too much stuff for your space.

To conquer the clutter, Neary says in an email that the most important step is to recognize and deal with the root causes, such as sentimentality or compulsive shopping.

Here are his tips to get you started on creating a clean, clear and organized home:

Start small: Break large jobs into small, manageable tasks, for example, tackling one area, such as a single room or closet, at a time.

Make it a habit: Neary says it's important to make decluttering part of your housekeeping routine. So pair the task with another regular chore, such as dusting, to help you get into an organizational groove.

A space for everything: Have a place for everything, and make sure that everyone in your household knows where items belong. "If you didn't have a broom closet, your mop would probably end up leaning against a random wall, because you are not sure what to do with it," Neary explains. "Once you've assigned a place for everything, however, this problem disappears."

And everything in its place: Put your belongings back in the assigned space as soon as you're done using them. "If you procrastinate, they tend to become part of an ever-growing random pile," says Neary.

Max out your space: Use organizing products like wicker baskets, plastic bins and closet and drawer organizers to help you get, and stay, organized.



Andrew Neary
Professional Organizer
http://www.Organizing-Toronto.com
Suite 1708, 100 Hayden Street
Toronto, Ontario
M4Y 3C7
CANADA
(416)570-8861
Andrew@Organizing-Toronto.com

Clutter is Not a Laughing Matter But It Can Be Funny

In most cases, clutter is a serious matter. It can create stress and anxiety, inconvenience and embarassment.

It can also make you laugh :)

The late George Carlin was a comic genius! He took ordinary, everyday things, made us see how rediculous we can be, and made us laugh about it!

Here's his take on "Stuff":







Andrew Neary
Professional Organizer
http://www.Organizing-Toronto.com
Suite 1708
100 Hayden Street
Toronto, Ontario
M4Y 3C7
CANADA
(416) 570-8861
Andrew@Organizing-Toronto.com