Chantal Imbach, from Simply in Order, agreed to be interviewed for this blog. She shares how she got into the Organising business and a tip for anyone who needs some more order in their life.
Chantal joins the AAPO executive committee on July 1st as Treasurer. I admire her commitment to her newly-chosen industry.
What brought you into the field of Professional Organising?
Organising always came naturally to me, and was central to my corporate career. When I became a parent, I realised that being organised helps tremendously in making life with a baby a lot easier. Even though, especially with very young children, chaos sometimes can’t be prevented.
In 2007, my husband and I and our two toddlers moved from Switzerland to Australia. During the first few years I used my organising skills in various volunteer jobs until I found out that there is actually a profession called a “Professional Organiser”. That was it! I was totally intrigued and so I decided to start my own business and I love every minute of it!
What is your specialty?
At present, I haven’t chosen a specialty yet. I like to work with all sorts of clients and projects.
Who is your ideal client?
Since I have a relatively young family myself, I can relate well to clients with children. However, I also like working with clients that are at different stages in their lives with different organising issues. Apart from domestic clients, I also like to work with small business owners and show them how to efficiently deal with paperwork.
What’s your favorite part of your work?
It is always wonderful to see the relief and the joy in a client’s eyes after a successful organising session.
What would you tell someone just starting out as a Professional Organiser?
I would recommend for her (or him) to start by getting trained and becoming a member of the AAPO. I’ve met so many awesome colleagues there and learned so much from their experience, which they share very generously with others.
What’s one tip for someone out wanting to get organised?
The best tip I would give them is to just start! Sometimes, one feels too overwhelmed to tackle an organising project. Where do you start? I recommend choosing one small area to start with. Maybe one shelf board, a drawer, a table etc. Break it down into small manageable tasks. Sometimes, you might actually find that all of a sudden, it gains momentum, and you’ll get more done than you had expected.
Thanks Chantal!
By the way, I love this photo of Chantal riding a camel at Uluru.
