My primary goal is to relieve you from whatever distress you're feeling as a result of disorder in your life, but I believe that as you get used to living a more organized life, not only will you find relief from the distress, but you will start to experience benefits that you couldn't have imagined. 

Research shows a definite link between clutter, anxiety and depression. Many are exploring a link between clutter and poor health habits. Anecdotally, clients report feeling more energetic, motivated and optimistic as they start to become more organized. Family relationships often improve without the burden of a chaotic household. Parents have more patience with their kids. Social lives improve when people are comfortable inviting others into their homes. In the workplace, clients report being more productive and experiencing improved job satisfaction. 

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It depends on your goals and how much assistance you need to accomplish them. If you generally consider yourself to be organized and just want some help to regain control after things have piled up, then one or two sessions may be all you need to get back on track. However, if you have never been organized in your life and are embarking on a major lifestyle change, you may want ongoing support for several months. The nice thing about the process of getting organized is that even though it may take some time, each step along the way improves the situation and brings relief, so you won't have to wait to experience the rewards.

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Organizing has been my passion for over a decade, and I have several years of successful organizing experience. I have studied organizing principles, space planning principles and the psychology of organizing in depth, as well as practiced, practiced, practiced, on myself and others. 

As a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD), I participate regularly in their educational programs.  NAPO and the NSGCD also provide me with opportunities for regular networking, sharing resources and learning from other organizing professionals. 

If you want to know more about my educational and professional background, please check out my About page.

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I'm working on it. I am currently enrolled in the certification program through the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization. This program was launched in 2003 and was the first certification program to be available to professional organizers. It is an intensive, 18-month program requiring written course work, direct practical applications, volunteer service and culminating with a peer-review oral exam. 

I am also working toward becoming certified through the Board of Certified Professional Organizers. This program was just launched in April, 2007. There is no course work required, but candidates must pass a rigorous exam. In order to sit for the exam, candidates must complete at least 1,500 hours of paid work experience within the last three years. I am well on my way to accumulating the pre-requisite number of paid work hours, and then I will sit for the exam.

Although certification is not required for professional organizers, I believe it is important because it provides credibility for the organizing profession and allows the public to distinguish those organizers who sincerely want to deliver the highest standard of service and accountability. 

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I focus on creating systems that allow clients to be more productive and comfortable in their surroundings, both at home and in the workplace. I also help clients to develop strategies for using their time wisely to meet their personal and professional goals. My services extend to children and family members, provided they are willing participants. 

I especially enjoy working with chronically disorganized clients, and have earned my certificate as a Chronic Disorganization Specialist from the NSGCD. "Chronic Disorganization" is a term that describes the level of disorganization experienced by people who meet the three following criteria: 1) They have never been organized in their lives; 2) They experience negative effects from disorganization on a daily basis; and 3) They have tried to help themselves to get organized but haven't been successful.

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Absolutely! I fall into this category. I can be neat when it's required, but my natural tendency is to be relaxed about putting things away. Messiness is in the eye of the beholder, and is only a problem if it bothers you or impedes your ability to function at your best. Unfortunately, messiness is often misconstrued as disorganization, and that may cause problems, especially in the workplace. If you are organized but messy and are concerned about the impression you make on others, I can help you to improve appearances without disturbing the systems that are working well for you.

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Perfect reason to hire an organizer! In addition to providing companionship and support to make the job a lot more fun, I will also help you to create systems so the tasks you truly hate will be less difficult in the future. 

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Neither do I! I want to liberate you from whatever environmental or time constraints are preventing you from functioning to your full creative potential. Organization isn't about discipline and perfect arrangements. It's about finding the solutions that work so that you can spend your time doing what is meaningful to you in pleasant, comfortable surroundings.

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This is a very common feeling. I am truly honored when people put their trust in me to help them with something that is such a source of anguish to them. There are no judgments. I assume that people do the best they can with the knowledge and resources they have. Often, people don't have a learning style that matches conventional organizing methods, so getting and staying organized is very challenging for them. Sometimes there is not adequate mental, emotional and physical stamina to take care of everything, so of course you have to save your energy for the things that matter in your life, and let the rest go. Or sometimes, things just creep up while you're busy living your life until you realize that you're in over your head, both literally and figuratively. By allowing me to see your living or working conditions in their full reality, I will better understand how to help you so that you will start to feel relief.

I hope that once we start working together, you will quickly be able to shift your focus away from feeling embarrassed and instead, celebrate this time in your life. You have decided to take action and you are moving forward! You don't have to resign yourself to this stressful existence any longer. 

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No way! I want you to use and enjoy your belongings. I will talk to you about your things so we can establish what they mean to you and how you use them, and then we'll incorporate them appropriately into the overall organizing plan. On the other hand, keeping a large volume of items can impede your progress toward your organizing goals. Letting go of some things is usually an important part of the organizing process. My role is not to make these decisions for you, but to facilitate your decision making process so that it's not so overwhelming. 

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Generally, yes. Successful organization requires custom solutions designed for the person or people that will use them. I can't provide custom solutions unless you are on-site so I can learn about your specific needs and preferences. Once we have established a good rapport and you feel confident in my abilities, there may be circumstances where I can work without having you present, but I can only determine this on a case-by-case basis.

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I am a huge fan of the TV shows (at least the ones where they are nice to the home occupants), but they don't show the many, many hours or big budgets that go into those transformations. I can work with you to transform a room if that is your goal, but first I'll talk to you about realistic time and budget expectations. 

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Solving space issues often results in less time spent managing piles or looking for lost items and more productive time for work, relaxing or entertainment.

If you want to work more directly on time management, I will start by helping you to identify your priorities and then we will look at how you are currently spending your time and what tools you use to help you. From there, we will develop a plan that will allow you to spend significantly more of your time doing the things that are most important to you. I can't create more hours in the day, but I can help you to be more productive or feel more satisfied with how you spend your time.

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My fees range from $50 - $75 per hour, depending on travel factors. I realize that hiring an organizer is a big investment in quality of life, and I believe I offer a valuable service. I'd like my services to be affordable for anyone who is truly committed to change, so please contact me to discuss the possible ways we can work together within your budget. 

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You might be able to, but if you really hate the task or if you don't feel skilled at it, do you really want to spend your time struggling and hating every minute of it? A skilled organizer can help the work go much more quickly and easily, and can implement systems so you can maintain your space more easily and it doesn't have to get this bad again. 

On the other hand, you might not be able to do it yourself. If you aren't naturally organized and have never been taught organizational skills, you may not have the skills to do this alone; or at least not without some direction. A professional organizer can teach you the skills you need so that you can manage on your own in the future.

Many pay for housekeeping, gardening, personal training, financial planning and a whole host of other services they could possibly do on their own, but choose not to. Organizing services are no different, and in fact, can save you money in the long run.

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I would love to be able to share some pictures of my clients' organizing accomplishments, but I have decided not to at this time. I'm concerned that some clients may feel obligated to provide consent for me to post their pictures when the truth is they would rather that I didn't. I don't want it to ever be an issue, so it's easier to just not do pictures.

Occasionally, I take pictures for my own reference, but more often than not, I'm so focused on the client and the organizing project that I forget I even have a camera with me.

Having said all the above, if a client really wanted me to post his or her pictures on my website, I probably would. So you never know, you may see some pictures here eventually.

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Yes and no. During the course of organizing, we will probably uncover areas that have been unaccessible or unattended for quite a while, and I'm happy to do a superficial dusting, wipe down, sweep or vacuum in order to make the space pleasant and user friendly. But I only do this superficial cleaning in the area where we are working and in conjunction with the organizing process, so you can't hire me just to come over and do your dishes or clean the toilets. Trust me, a cleaning agency will do a much better job than me!

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