When consulting with a professional organizer, they will ask a set of important questions. To prepare you for your own organizing project, or for your first meeting with an organizer, a list of these standard questions is below. Why these questions are so important is included as well.
- Name
Who will the work be done for? Are you getting yourself organized or is this for a family member or a friend? - Address
Location where the organizer will be working so travel time can be planned, as well as access to stores where supplies may need to be purchased to complete a project. - Phone and Email Address
Phone number and email address are needed for contacting you with questions before, during and after the project, as well as invoicing and follow-up coaching. - Area(s) to be organized
Create a list of areas you desire to have organized in order of their priority. Have this question prepared before you have an on-site consultation with an organizer so they can help you set goals and prioritize your needs. Setting a reasonable timeframe for when you would like the projects complete is helpful for planning and budgeting the project. - Who uses the space?
It is helpful to know who uses the space to be organized. This could be employees, children, adult family members, your self or nanny/babysitter. - What is the space used for?
What a space is used for helps prioritize what items should be left in the space. If a kitchen, for example, doubles as an office or kids craft area, space may be allocated for storing those other supplies. - What is your time frame for meeting your goals?
Do you want your spaces organized in the near term, or do you want your top priority completed sooner and the rest of your goals spread out through the next months or year - What are your biggest obstacles to getting this space organized?
Understanding what your personal obstacles for organizing and maintaining organization in the space helps the organizer plan the project. Obstacles often include time, family members and budget. - What are your goals?
What does an organized space look like to you? Everyone has a different perspective on being organized. One person may prefer everything sorted by category in neatly labeled and matching containers. Another person may feel organized by having items in their correct location, but not necessarily neatly labeled with matching bins. - Will you be working with the organizer the entire time, some of the time or not at all?
Do you plan to work one-on-one with the organizer? Or do you plan to have the organizer complete the project independently? Working with the organizer for part of the time is also an option. Think about what works best for you and your schedule. - What is your budget for organizing?
Communicating your budget with the organizer helps them plan for your custom project and what materials may need to be purchased. A lower budget project can reuse boxes and bins that you currently own. A higher budget project may allow for new storage solutions. - Have you worked with an organizer before?
Understanding if you have worked with an organizer before and what you enjoyed most about the experience is helpful for customizing your session. - How many people live in the home?
Knowing how many people live in the home or work in an office is also important. Clear labels and communication on storage solutions is more important to the success of an organizing project with more people involved. A single person is able to maintain an organized space with less labels and communication. - How long have you lived in your home?
Learning how long a person or family has been in a home gives insight to the duration and quantity of items that may be in a home. - Do you have a storage unit?
It is helpful to know if and what items are stored offsite. - Do you have storage in your attic?
It is helpful to know if you do and what items are in storage in your home. - Do you have storage in your basement?
It is helpful to know if you do and what items are in storage in your home. - Do you have any questions for the organizer?
Preparing a list of questions upfront for your organizer will help you determine if hiring an organizer is a good fit for you, and if he or she is someone you think matches your lifestyle, personality and needs.
These are great questions to think about before contacting a professional organizer. The questions will help you prepare for and make the most of the initial phone conversation or on-site consultation. At Top Shelf Home Organizing, we love to help busy people get organized. See if Top Shelf Home Organizing can help you get your next organizing project started and completed. Contact Jayme to schedule a consult or chat about organizing.