Have you ever wondered where to start when you are becoming a professional organiser? It’s a lot like where you start when you’re getting organised.
“Where do I start?” As a professional organiser, that’s a question I hear a lot. It usually comes from people who feel out of control, stressed and overwhelmed. They want to declutter and get organised. When they hear my answer there is an audible sigh of relief. The truth is there’s no one right answer.
But it is simple. Start anywhere, anytime. Here are a few suggestions:
- Start big – with the room that bugs you the most.
- Start small – with just one messy drawer.
- Start with your purse or handbag – this is great because you can do it while waiting around.
- Start with one room and a basket – walk around the room collecting anything that doesn’t belong. When you’ve done that, take the items to their rightful home.
- Start with 10 minutes. If that’s all the time you have, start with that.
- Start with a stack of magazines in front of the TV. The idea here is to do something easy and make it a pleasant experience.
- Start with a friend to help you make decisions – someone who won’t judge you but won’t let you slack off either.
- Start by calling a professional organiser who will point you in the right direction and help you through the process. You don’t have to be alone.
There is another type of person who often asks me “Where do I start?” They are not stressed by clutter. In fact, they probably love the idea of diving into a pile of clutter and making it disappear.
They are new and aspiring professional organisers. They may not be stressed by clutter, but they do often feel overwhelmed with where to start their organising business, how to find clients that will hire them and even what to name their business.
Again, the answer is simple. And it’s not very much different from where you start when getting organised. If you’re thinking of becoming a professional organiser, start anywhere, anytime. Here are a few suggestions:
- Start big – with announcing your arrival on the scene and declaring yourself open for business. There will always be things to do behind the scenes to improve. But don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Just do it.
- Start small – with a list of things to do and chip away at the list a bit at a time. A year from now you’ll wish you’d started.
- Start with your purse or handbag – ok, I don’t want you to declutter your handbag, although it is good practice. But you could take a list of “While I Wait” tasks to do wherever you go. You can do a lot while waiting around, e.g. research the market, watch a training, read this blog.
- Start with one room and a basket – this is where you do get to declutter. And while you declutter, take notes about what works, what doesn’t, how long it takes, and all that good stuff.
- Start with 10 minutes. If that’s all the time you have, start with that. 10 minutes a day, squeezed in between you other commitments will set you on the path to accomplishment. It will create a habit of working on your organising business
- Start with a stack of magazines in front of the TV. Or anything else you can do while you’re enjoying yourself. The idea here is to do something easy and make it a pleasant experience. Maybe you could watch some decluttering TV shows and make notes about what you like and don’t like. “Finding your own voice” as a organiser is a useful way to decide which types of clients you want to work with.
- Start with a friend to help you make decisions – someone who won’t judge you but won’t let you slack off either. An accountability buddy is great when you’re trying something new. That friend might also let you practice your skills on them.
- Start by calling me. I’ll point you in the right direction and help you through the process. You don’t have to be alone.
Becoming a professional organiser doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I’m here to help.
Got questions? Let me know.
