Taking the Next Step in Your Organizing Journey

3 common barriers to getting professional help—and what to do about it

In my experience, even when people really want professional help to declutter and organize their homes, there are 3 things that can sometimes hold them back: time, money, and feelings of guilt or shame. 

Finding the Time

Our lives are busier than ever. For many people, that’s how their homes got out of control in the first place. The good news is that once you hire a professional, you have made a commitment to getting the job done. The beauty of hiring an expert like me is that in many cases, a lot of the work of decluttering and organizing can be done without the client being hands-on for every session.

For example, if you opt for the “fairy godmother” approach, we start by setting clear goals for each space. Most of my clients work from home and can take their usual meetings and get things done while I sort and categorize their belongings to get the process started. I’ll often check in throughout a session for key decisions or to confirm things, but many people are surprised how little time they need to dedicate to the process. (Working side-by-side is the better approach in some cases, and I certainly offer that option for heavy decluttering or for those who want to learn more about staying organized!)

The payoff is that after a bit of an up-front time investment, decluttering and setting up new systems saves you so much time in the long run. In a disorganized space, we waste a lot of time looking for things (or helping other people in our household find things!). If you get organization systems that work for you, you won’t have that issue any more, and you will be surprised how much more efficient and manageable daily and weekly routines become.

Creating a Budget

Professional organizing is an investment in yourself and your home, no doubt about it. Before you contact an organizer, it’s helpful to think about how much you can afford to dedicate to the project, including the cost of an organizer’s time and any furniture or organizing products that may be needed to achieve your goals. (Whatever you do, don’t buy anything before you hire a professional! You always want to declutter first so you purchase only what you really need.)

If cost is a concern, don’t hesitate to be up front with your organizer. I always discuss budget with my clients in the consultation so I am sure to stay within their parameters when planning for a space or shopping for products.

I have seen the return on investment for my clients in a few ways. Before hiring an organizer, many of my clients tended to overbuy because they couldn’t locate things in their home. If they can’t find a lightbulb when they need one, for example, they run out and get more (or put their Prime membership to good use). An organized home will cut wasteful spending because you will know what you have and what you need: no more purchasing duplicates. (I also can’t tell you many times I have uncovered gift cards, greeting cards with cash, and uncashed checks while decluttering!)

Releasing the Guilt or Shame

This is the perhaps the hardest barrier to overcome: a feeling of guilt or shame about needing help with your home. It can be hard to let go of the “shoulds.” Negative self-talk such as “I should be able to do this myself” or “I should make the time” can make people shut down rather than tackle the problem at hand. Most people wouldn’t be hard on themselves when it comes to other specialized services they outsource, like a personal trainer at the gym, a landscaper, or an electrician, but with organizing, many people feel they need to do it themselves, even if it’s not a personal strength or interest. Thankfully, the professional organizing industry is on the rise, and a lot of the stigma around hiring someone to help declutter and organize is gone. What matters is that you are being proactive: there is no shame in needing help in any area of our lives.

Another common reason people feel guilt or shame centers around holding on to gifts. It can be difficult for some people to let go of something that was given by another person because people equate the gift with the sentiment behind it. But I tell my clients often that the real motivation behind gift giving is to mark an occasion or let someone know we were thinking of them. When the item is something you don’t like or will never use, you can acknowledge the gift and be thankful for it, but you can also let it go. Donating can bring someone else joy, and that’s much better than letting something be a burden and collect dust in your home.     

Taking the Next Step

Ready to start? I always recommend that potential clients speak to a few local organizers to get the best fit. Inviting someone into your home is a very personal thing, and you will want to feel a sense of rapport and trust with your professional organizer. Specifics like budget, timing and scheduling, and general approach are all important factors to consider, too.  

The best way to determine fit is to reach out to me! Answer a few simple questions on my Contact form, and the process gets underway immediately. We will start with a short phone call to get to know each other and to get a little more information, followed by a complimentary in-home consultation. After talking to you about your goals and explaining the process, I’ll follow up with you a quote and we can get started.