Author: MaryJo Monroe, reSPACEd
You’ve gone to the trouble of finding an organizer, setting aside the time and making the investment. Congratulations! Asking for help can often be one of the biggest hurdles to creating change.
Now, you want to get the most out of your organizing session with your home organizer. Here are 7 suggestions from a pro!
1. Get Clear on your Goals While Working with your Professional Organizer
What do you want to move towards? Homes for everything you own? The dining room table cleared off? A solution to the shoes piled up by the front door? The more specific you can get, the more happy you will be with the results at the end of the session.
If you're not sure specifically what you want to work on, write down some more general goals like "less time looking for things" or "getting the family to help put things away". These will help your organizer to zero in on your most important goals.
2. Be Open to the Organizer’s Ideas and Process
Sometimes trying new ways of doing things is uncomfortable at first. But this is how you will figure out new systems that work for you. If you stick to only what is safe and familiar, you won’t make progress on your organizing goals. So be ready to try out some new thoughts and behaviors.
3. Check Out - So You Can Be More Present
Plan to not check email, texts or take phone calls during your appointment with your organizer. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode. If you’d like, tell your organizer you need to take a 5-minute break halfway through your session to check messages. Reducing distractions means you will be able to participate more fully in your organizing session.
4. Fuel Up
Organizing takes mental and physical energy, and you don’t want to hit a fatigue wall an hour into your session. Be sure to eat a good protein-based snack before your appointment and have a bottle of water nearby. Staying hydrated and fed will keep you going for the entire appointment.
5. Prepare for Pet Needs
If pets are going to be a distraction, see if you can get a family member to be in charge of keeping them entertained or out of the way. Some of our clients choose to send their pets to doggy daycare during organizing sessions.
6. Let Us See Your Real Living Space
Don’t feel obligated to clean up or start organizing before your organizing session starts. You don’t want to wear yourself out or become overwhelmed before the work has even started. And no organizer will expect you to get a head start on your project by yourself!
Plus, it helps us to see your natural environment so we can understand your habits and specific organizing needs. Remember, NAPO organizers will never judge you for your mess!
7. Be Transparent
It’s normal to feel a little bit nervous at the beginning of your appointment. But feel free to speak up to your organizer at any time if you feel overwhelmed, overly anxious or tired. These are signs that your organizer needs to adjust how the session is going to better suit your energy and coping levels. That is important information and we want you to feel comfortable sharing your experience so we can tailor the appointment to your needs.
It’s a wise move to hire an organizer when you can’t figure out how to make your home function, so hopefully these tips will help make your organizing session a success.
Happy Organizing, everyone!
Author: MaryJo Monroe
NAPO Oregon Chapter Member
ReSPACEd
respacedpdx.com
