Are you inundated with stuff? Do you have trouble finding important files? Are you feeling overscheduled, stressed out, overwhelmed? Do you need to gain control of your life or office? Hiring a professional organizer, with extensive practical experience, gives you an added edge in business and can help you create the physical and emotional haven you need at home to relax and rejuvenate. Choosing the right organizer/coach can be overwhelming because there are no standards.

Questions to ask if you are considering hiring a professional organizer:

• Ask who will be doing the actual work (you don’t want to be sent a part-time, often inexperienced independent contractor who gets the job because they provide commission to the company for the referral).
• Ask for a minimum of 3 references from the person who is going to provide the actual work.
• Ask how many years of experience the organizer has (you want a minimum of 5 years).
• Ask about their educational background and what types of continuing education they participate in -- the more up-to-date they are in current ideas and approaches, the better for YOU! You want an expert on your side not just somebody who is looking to supplement their income with a new part-time job.
• Ask what industry affiliations they have and how often they attend national conferences and educational events (it’s not enough just to pay dues so you can claim an affiliation).
• Ask what makes them uniquely qualified to help YOU (this is especially critical for those living with ADD or ADHD). Be aware - ANYBODY can call himself or herself a “Professional Organizer” – there are no standards in the industry!
• Ask about their service guarantee.
• Ask about a free initial consultation (you don’t want to find out after the fact that it was a poor fit or the organizer lacked the appropriate level of experience or approach for your unique situation and comfort level).
• Ask if the potential organizer is willing to physically move and arrange furniture and heavy boxes to optimize storage, traffic and work flow.
• Ask the potential organizer to clearly define what the benefits will be if you hire them (if they only tell you that you will feel less stressed and be more organized… keep looking!)

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