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Yikes Organizing

615-604-0527
Barb@YikesOrganizing.com

3 Questions to Ask an Organizer Before You Hire One

 September 27, 2016
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Questions to ask a professional organizer

Hiring a professional organizer to help you get your life, or just your house, in order can be daunting. For instance, I live in Nashville, where there are dozens of gifted professional organizers. Here are just a few questions you may want to ask before you hire someone:

1. You may want to ask if your organizer has any affiliation with other organizations related to organization and/or has had any kind of training.

There are several organizations specifically related to organizing (NAPO and ICD being the biggest and most well-known) and because anyone can call themselves a professional organizer, it’s important to know their level of expertise.

I’ve taken classes through NAPO and became a Certified Professional Organizer® because I want to get to the highest level that I can as an organizer. Also, I realize that other professionals trust those who are certified because they know that certification isn’t a walk in the park.

The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) says this about being a CPO®:

“CPOs embody a professional ideal that includes a proven level of knowledge, an ethical approach, and requisite experience. Professional organizers who have successfully completed the steps of becoming a CPO® have shown they are committed and serious about their work. By maintaining CPO® status, they are demonstrating a strong commitment to ethics and education.”

2. You may want to ask your organizer’s style.

I have worked with five or six other organizers over the years and it’s always fun but there are definite differences. I think people would describe my style as quite laid-back and others are way more business-like. I don’t know that there is a “right” or “wrong” in this. It just depends what speaks to you and what you are looking for. It’s not you…it’s me, right?

3. You want to ask about pricing, policies, and any other pertinent questions you can think of so there are no surprises.

Organizers are different than almost any other occupation I can think of. I guess the closest relative would be a house cleaner. Someone who cleans your house might see everything but the difference is that we see it all and DISCUSS it!

While this has led to a few embarrassing moments for clients… “Oh, I didn’t remember my _______ were in that drawer!” you have to feel comfortable with your organizer or it’s going to be a long day. I make a point of asking clients to put firearms away somewhere safe before I come over as well as anything else they don’t want me to come across while we are working.

I do a free 30-minute “meet and greet” so we can talk in your space and you can get an idea of who I am and how I work. If the person you are thinking of hiring charges for this initial consultation, that’s fine, but see if you can talk on the phone first so you can ask some good questions about their policies, etc.

I try to be an open book and you can find out a TON about me through my website. My pricing, policies and client agreement are clearly spelled out so there are no surprises and no confusion. This is for my benefit as well as yours. We all want win-win scenarios!

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WE LOVE YIKES

Yikes facilitated our move from Nashville to Lexington without incident and with the greatest sense of humor. Moving is stressful but Barb was able to keep us focused and on task without us realizing it and with great suggestions at every turn. You will never find a more Professional organizer. She even came to Lexington and helped us unpack. Barb hung the moon!

Charlie Taylor

We love Yikes Organizing to my great surprise! When Barb first mentioned her business venture to me I thought… that is exactly what I need but there is no way I could let her see my deep dark closets of chaos and clutter. My husband encouraged me to try it and I mustered the courage to make the first appointment. Barb was so helpful and comforting that I forgot about my anxiety and hesitation. She gave great advice but was not over bearing or pushy about my decisions. Thankfully, she brought order to my closets, kitchen area and storage room.

We are looking forward to working with Yikes Organizing many more times and we would definitely recommend Yikes Organizing to anyone looking to bring order to their home.

Suzanne – Franklin

When Barb helped me organize my files, it streamlined and compartmentalized them in a more logical way.  It also required me to thin them out so the files weren’t overflowing.  Now it’s easier for me to file right away rather than make a huge pile to file later.  Previously, “later” was literally nine months!

P.S.  She also helped me identify two memberships I wasn’t using and subsequently cancelled.  Thanks Barb!

Elizabeth – Franklin

Her service was fantastic!  She kept me updated every step of the way and the “before” and “after” of my YIKES garage was incredible!

“Well worth the money!  A plus rating.”

Mark – Nashville

Barb is patient while keeping me on task sorting what to keep, what to donate and what to discard–a difficult challenge for me.  I have been paralyzed when trying to organize my house by myself.  She has a calm manner and breaks down big tasks into manageable successes.  Barb is an angel in my life.

Sue - Nashville

I hired Barb to help me organize and downsize before a big move which required eliminating 2,000 square feet of stuff.  I could never have managed without Barb’s help, expertise and sound judgment.  It was both emotionally and physically draining, but Barb made it manageable and kept me on track throughout the whole process.   She also ran a bunch of errands for me when I was too busy doing other stuff.

Even after I moved out, Barb continued to make “house calls”–tidying up, checking mail, watering plants, etc, until the house sold.  Barb is dependable, efficient and trustworthy.  She has truly been a lifesaver for me.

Susan - Brentwood
Email barb@yikesorganizing.com or call 615-604-0527 today for more information on how to get started.

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