FAQ

Everyone can benefit from the help of a professional organizer! With today's busy schedules, deadlines, and fast-paced life styles, becoming and staying organized has NEVER been more important. Disorganization can cause loss of time, money, jobs, relationships, and even homes.

The professional organizers at Organize My Clutter have worked with all levels of clutter and disorganization imaginable and with people from all walks of life since 2008. Even people who are typically organized have used our help with looming projects or catching up on things left undone.

We help busy mothers and fathers, movers and relocating families, baby boomers, seniors, doctors, lawyers, executives, teachers, business owners, students, collectors, shopaholics, grieving families, hoarders, and the physically or mentally challenged who need specialized/customized organization to meet their needs.

Everyone has clutter at one time or another, including our own team members, each of whom has their own story to tell. Everyone goes through a series of life transitions and unexpected circumstances, and these can be a leading cause of clutter and disorganization. We consider these cases Situationally Disorganized, and no one is immune.

Many people struggle with clutter and disorganization over their lifetime. They may even seem neat and orderly at first, but their spaces behind doors and in drawers tell a different story. We call them Chronically Disorganized and find that most of the time they just need to be taught some basic organizing skills.

We've also worked with Hoarders, and even assisted on the popular TV show "Hoarders" behind the scenes (Season 8, Episode 5, - Ben and Robin.) Of course, real life doesn't work like TV, and we prefer to take a lot more time with our hoarding clients. Fast clean-outs do not change the hoarders' habits; if anything, they cause resentment and stressed relationships among those involved. It's important the hoarding client is actually READY for the process and not doing it just to appease others. They typically need therapy, and sometimes medication, to help them make better decisions about their things. Our work with hoarders is done with empathy and compassion. We work at a pace the individual can handle and learn from, giving them time between sessions to take in and master the process.

We have a deep LOVE for organization and a PASSION for helping others. 

We HELP PEOPLE, because WE "GET IT."  We understand your struggle. Life happens. Our professional organizers each have their own story to tell. Each of us has life experience with clutter and disorganization. Some are from a personal life transition, others from having to deal with unexpected circumstances with family or friends.

We GUARANTEE not to judge you, your home, or living situation, and your confidentiality is just as important to us as it is to you.

We are committed to continued education in the professional organizing industry in order to help you in the best way possible. Yes, it really does exist!

Becoming and staying organized is much more than just cleaning things up. We can customize organizational systems that will work for the needs of you and your family, not necessarily for someone else.

We know how clutter and disorganization can leave anyone overwhelmed, often not knowing where to begin. We can help you kick-start the process.

We believe organization is a skill that can be learned by anyone, regardless of age or circumstance. All it takes is guidance, encouragement, and your open mind to get there.

The owner of Organize My Clutter is a Certified Professional Organizer®, one of only 2 CPO's south of the Chicago area in the state of Illinois. Other than the second CPO in Macomb, IL (west-central) Becky Rogers is the only other CPO serving central, eastern, and southern Illinois. There are 335 CPO's in the United States, and 349 world-wide (www.napo.net 11/09/2019.)  Along with Becky's knowledge, guidance, and training, our professional organizers have the best resources available in the business to provide you with the best service around.

A Professional Organizer supports evaluation, decision-making, and action around objects, space, and data; helping clients achieve desired outcomes regarding function, order, and clarity. (Wikipedea)

Professional Organizers enhance the lives of clients by implementing systems and processes, and through transferring organizing skills. Professional Organizers also educate the public on organizing solutions and the resulting benefits. (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals)

A Professional Organizer is someone who provides information, products, and hands-on support to individuals, families, and businesses large or small, assisting them in creating a simpler, more efficient work or living space. We help clients assess their current situation and together create a plan to build a healthier environment. It may be in the form of a closet organizer, a better filing system, or a kitchen cabinet pullout. It may be a way for clients to organize their daily tasks better or to complete their work assignments with more efficiency. Whatever form it takes, it is up to the professional organizer to use creativity and skill to design a better organized, simpler environment for clients.

The environment an organizer creates reflects who clients are and what's important to them; it will match their needs and make living and working easier on a daily basis. We organizers want our clients to get on with the business of living life instead of just surviving it. (Dawn Noble, How to Start a Home-Based Professional Organizing Business)

Dealing with clutter alone takes commitment, time and energy. A Professional Organizer can kick start your commitment by helping discard what you don't need and show you ways to prevent clutter from taking over once again. Becoming organized will affirm that you are important enough to enjoy more from your life and have less stress. By taking control of the clutter, you take control of your life. When you take control of your life, you are investing in yourself.

PLEASE don't do a thing!  It's important that you don't clean up or change anything before we come. We need to see your current clutter habits to help us analyze how you live your daily life and determine what will be the easiest solutions for your personality, routines and habits, and different needs.

There is no need to be embarrassed. We are not here to judge you as a person or to judge how clean your home is. We promise we will not be shocked or negative about what you let us see. We will not share your situation with others. Confidentiality is always a top priority, and the only exception will be to ask your permission to post before and after pictures of the project.

We will bring our own commonly used supplies to begin working with you. You will not need to do a thing.

We will be professional and compassionate with you and together we will find a solution to help you get organized so you'll no longer be embarrassed by your surroundings and will welcome surprise visitors with confidence and a smile.

Sometimes, life just takes over.

Life happens. Major life transitions are a natural part of everyone's lives. Marriage, kids, career change, relocation, renovations, downsizing, aging parents, and the loss of loved ones are things we should expect but are often unprepared for.

When these life transitions happen, priorities change, and some things need to be put on hold. After the transition has passed, you may become aware of the clutter and disorganization which accumulated due to the lack of time to maintain it. This physical and emotional clutter can be daunting and often ignored because you simply don't know where to begin. You may look around your home and think, "I need to get organized," but the overwhelm stops you in your tracks, and still, life must go on.

When life takes over and you feel you've lost control, know you are not alone, and we are here to help you gain an organized life once again. The DeClutter Crew from Organize My Clutter will never judge you or your home. We will work by your side to help you get through those clutter piles. Our organizing service includes the physical sorting, categorizing, and organizing, and we can help make arrangements to remove donations, recyclables, and trash. We'll walk you through the tough decisions, keep you motivated and focused on your goal, and help you catch up.

Many people struggle with clutter and disorganization their whole life. For many, organizing may be something they have never been shown how to do. As Julie Morgenstern states in her book, Organizing from the Inside Out, "organizing is not something that is taught in school."

If you are not aware of basic organizing techniques, then your disorganization is a constant struggle creating undue stress.  You may not be able to find things when you know you have them, or you may be paying your bills late because you can't find the bills or just don't have a good system in place to handle them.

If this is you, you are not alone and you shouldn't feel ashamed. "Chronic Disorganization" is very common and can be found in every level of society, with every level of clutter. We see it in doctors, lawyers, business owners, professors, leaders, and professionals of all types.

A Professional Organizing service will help you learn organizational tips and techniques that will benefit you for a lifetime. We will reorganize your things, your paper, your time, and your life. We will walk you through the process of setting up systems that work specifically for you, and we'll be your support system to help keep you on track.

In 1996, Dr Randy Frost & Dr Tamara L. Hartl provided the first systematic definition of hoarding, identifying three main criteria:

1. The acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be of useless or of limited value.
2. Living spaces sufficiently cluttered so as to preclude activities for which those spaces were designed.
3. Significant distress or impairment in functioning is caused by the hoarding.

Hoarding disorder is a significant problem for 4-5% of the population. For people with hoarding disorder open to treatment, cognitive-behavior therapy is the psychological treatment of choice for people with this debilitating condition. (http://mentalhealthsf.org/)

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Another definition, according to the International OCD Foundation, “Hoarding Disorder (HD) is a mental health disorder where people have difficulty getting rid of possessions that are no longer useful. While most people go through periods during which they have trouble getting rid of things — for example, after the death of a loved one or when moving out of a childhood home — HD sufferers have difficulty parting with possessions all the time. Attempting to get rid of their things causes HD sufferers to feel significant distress, including when concerned loved ones try to get rid of possessions on their behalf.

For individuals with HD, the difficulty with getting rid of things causes their living spaces to become so cluttered that they are nearly unusable. Without help, HD can interfere with daily tasks like cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, and/or sleeping. Extreme clutter can lead to eviction, increased risk for fire, and impaired access to emergency services. In addition, HD can lead to poor sanitation and cause serious conflict with families and communities.

A diagnosis of HD requires all three of the following:

1. A person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people.
2. These items clutter the living spaces and keep the person from using the rooms as they were intended.
3. These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities.”

For a deeper understanding of Hoarding, refer to the International OCD Foundation Hoarding Fact Sheet:
View PDF

This Fact Sheet includes the following:

"How can I help a hoarding friend or family member de-clutter?"  Attempts by family and friends to help with de-cluttering may not be well received by the person who hoards. It is helpful to
keep in mind:
• Until the person is internally motivated to change they may not accept your offer to help.
• Motivation cannot be forced.
• Everyone, including people who hoard, has a right to make choices about their objects and how they live.
• People who hoard are often ambivalent about accepting help and throwing away objects.

"Can’t compulsive hoarding be solved by simply cleaning out the home?"  No. Attempts to “clean out” the homes of people who hoard without treating the underlying problem usually fail. Families and community agencies may spend many hours and thousands of dollars clearing a home only to find that the problem
recurs, often within just a few months. Hoarders whose homes are cleared without their consent oInIften experience extreme distress and may become further attached to their possessions. This may lead to their refusal of future help.

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In regards to "clean outs" the homeowner will often resent the family members or agencies who initiate it. This can cause family dynamics to fall apart to a point of no return. At Organize My Clutter, we prefer working with the hoarder in multiple sessions over a long period of time. The more we work together, the easier the process gets for the hoarder, and the more willing they are to continue the work.

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The Institute for Challenging Disorganization created the Clutter-Hoarding Scale, describing five different of levels of hoarding. These levels are based on the conditions under Structure and Zoning, Animals and Pests, Household Functions, Health and Safety, and recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE.) The scale is a great resource for the public and professionals to use as an assessment/guideline tool.

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For more information, education, and support, please sees our Resources page.

The results of clutter as defined by Hellen Buttigieg (We Organize U:)

1. Lack of organization is draining, making it difficult to focus and affecting productivity.
2. Clutter interferes with our sense of tranquility and the smooth flow of energy in the space. This contributes to lethargy and procrastination.
3. Disorganization can cause feelings of frustration, anxiety, and can even lead to depression.
4. Clutter makes a space seem small and inefficient.

The BENEFITS of Getting Organized are Endless. These are just the beginning:

1. Getting organized will improve your overall quality of life because it contributes to a sense of wellbeing .
2. It will increase your opportunity for success in anything you do, because being well-organized will open doors and help make other things possible.
3. You will see increased focus, efficiency and productivity.
4. You will find more time and energy for the things that matter most.
5. You won’t lose time and energy looking for things you need, but can’t find.
6. You will save money by not re-purchasing things you already own but can't find, and by avoiding late fees on misplaced bills.
7. You will feel better about your environment and stop the embarrassment when a surprise guest pops in. (An organized home makes a home or office appear more spacious and inviting.)
8. You will be a better role model to your kids, your employees, or colleagues.
9. You will improve personal and professional relationships that may have been tarnished due to chronic tardiness or over-looked appointments, reluctance to entertain due to surroundings, and not being
   fully present in your time together due to feelings of stress and anxiety.
10. Your health will improve by the reduced stress and anxiety, and being organized will lower your chance of depression due to clutter.
11. It will be easier to keep a cleaner home resulting in improved respiratory issues.
12. You will be able to maintain a safer and healthier living environment.

Purging is a cleansing experience by removing unnecessary or undesirable items. It's also a process to determine what's important to you. By sorting like items together, then going through them one by one, you will find all sorts of discoveries. They may be emotional or just technical, but we will help you through each decision, and in the end you will learn what to do to be happier with your space and with yourself.

Purging is best done when first sorting your belongings into categories. We prefer getting all like-items together before deciding which ones to keep. Then we sort items into action categories such as Keep-Sell-Toss. However, additional categories may be more productive for some clients, such as Elsewhere (items you are keeping but don't belong in this space) or Donate (instead of Sell) for those not interested in having yard sales. The Keep pile might be broken down even further to jump start the organizing process.

Not every Purge process is exactly alike. We will determine your needs throughout the purge as we go.

Once we determine what you are no longer keeping, you will benefit greatly from letting it all go immediately.

Most clients donate their items to charities immediately after the purge.  If we have the space available in our vehicles we can drop off small donations for you. Otherwise, we can help arrange for a charity pickup or trash hauler to take away larger quantities and larger items.

If you would like us to, we can help inventory your donations, upon request. You would then use the inventory list with the charity tax receipt for a possible tax deduction, which is often more valuable than having a rummage sale.

Rummage sales are rarely a profitable event.  With a fresh start in your newly organized space, you will likely not want the stress of organizing a rummage sale. Having a sale brings temptation to bring back inside the items that don't sell, therefore defeating the purpose of hiring a professional organizer. If you do have a sale, you should commit to having it very quickly, and commit to donating everything that doesn't sell by scheduling a "pick-up" with a local charity immediately after the sale.

Together we will go over your options and help you decide what to do.

*PLEASE NOTE that we are often offerred items from our clients, but it is our policy not to accept any donated or discarded items from our clients.  If, for any reason, one of our professional organizers is interested in any of your donations, they will offer you a fair market price to buy it. Our organizers are not allowed to accept things from clients for free. Thank you.

The amount of time it takes to sort, purge, and containerize depends on:

• the volume of clutter you have,
• the condition of your home,
• how attached you are to things,
• how quickly you learn and adapt to the process,
• how quickly you can make decisions,
• the amount of available free space we can use for staging categories,
• the overall cleanliness of items and the areas they will be organized into,
• and any safety issues throughout the space.

No two projects are alike, and estimating a project would be too challenging. We will discuss realistic expectations with the understanding that many variables will alter the results.

We make it a point to monitor our time and progress to help you get the most for your money. This may mean skipping some detailed work, like separating recyclables, color coding, or professional labeling, in order to accomplish your bigger goals. We are here to help you do the physical work in every way possible, and we will keep you focused on the big picture and encourage you in every direction.

Generally, organizing takes much less time than the initial sorting and purging. The time it takes to design and create your new organizational systems will depend on several factors:

• the size of the area to be organized,
• whether or not the project requires additional services such as construction or specialized installations,
• the overall cleanliness of the items to be organized,
• the overall cleanliness of the areas they will be organized into,
• any safety issues throughout the space,
• and whether or not you are involved during the organizing process.

It's not necessary for you to be there to organize, but we require your involvement to sort and purge prior to the organizing. Most clients prefer to stay involved with the organizing process, but occasionally schedules may not allow it, and that's o.k., even though we recommend you stay involved. Your involvement in the organizing will help make the system more personalized and even better for your needs.

Either way, when the organization is complete, we will review and explain the new systems to you in a step-by-step manner until you completely understand each system and how it works.

We make it a point to monitor our time and progress to help you get the most for your money. This may mean skipping some detailed work, like separating recyclables, color coding, or professional labeling, in order to accomplish your bigger goals. We are here to help you do the physical work in every way possible, and we will keep you focused on the big picture and encourage you in every direction.

Many times, clients already own good products for organizing but are not utilizing them properly. We will do our best to re-purpose any items you already own and make them work better for you. If you choose to replace the organizing products we have repurposed, we can offer suggested products for you to purchase, or we can offer our shopping services to purchase them for you.

However, additional products are occasionally necessary to give you the best system for your needs. In these situations, we may shop for them together or we will shop for you.

The cost of these organizing products is additional, but not marked-up if we purchase them on your behalf. Most products are small and simple organizational tools such as bins, baskets, drawer dividers, bookshelves, wall shelving, etc. We have also purchased larger items including closet systems, desks, and file cabinets. We mostly shop in the same local stores you do, including hardware and home improvement stores, large box stores, office supply stores, and various others.

Depending on the size and number of products needed, and the time it takes to acquire them, a minor shopping fee may be assessed.

You don't.

Your self-discipline to maintain the system is truly the key, but we will leave you with the tools and knowledge to help keep it organized.

Unfortunately, the potential for clutter is a daily occurrence everywhere. Everyone has incoming mail, shopping bags, and groceries. Everyone will "temporarily" lay something down where it may not belong. Everyone creates trash, and everyone slips up now and then (including us!) Once we finish your project we will leave you with a "home for everything" in relation to the project space. If everything has a home, keeping up with the new systems should be very easy to maintain.

Just remember, in the words of Professional Organizer, Barbara Hemphill, "Clutter is Postponed Decisions." It will be up to you to make those decisions (where something should go) every time you bring something in, or use something and set it down. Luckily, with the right systems in place, it is much easier to maintain with very little effort.

People and families, and their activities or situations will change from time to time. So you can expect the need to tweak your systems now and then. If you discover your system needs tweaking, and aren't quite sure how, simply give us a call. We'll be glad to discuss any concern with you over the phone at no additional charge. If we need to do more on-site tweaking, we can simply schedule a follow-up visit at our current rates.

Enjoy your new freedom with a simplified, organized life!