Strategize Organize LLC Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 5 So, What Do You Do? This is a question that I hear often. Friends, family, acquaintances, business connections - people want to know what this organizing profession is all about. So for those of you who are curious about the specifics of what I do, here is a quick overview. The Assessment Whether I'm carrying out a consultation by phone or in person or doing hands-on work with clients I always start with an assessment. It is important for me to understand the client's goals and needs. In this assessment I ask a lot of questions. A few sample questions might include, What do you want to have happen here, What is working and not working, and How do you want the space to look and feel? The Work After a consultation it is up to the client to carry out the plan that we generated in our time together. The plan is specific and unique to each client and situation. In a hands-on job the client and I work together. We begin in a space and pick an area of that space. Then we begin to sort. During the sorting process I ask lots of questions to help the client figure out what they want to keep and what they want to get rid of. Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau, authors of "ADD-Friendly Ways To Organize Your Life", very helpfully address one of these questions, the question of "someday". Many times clients say that they are going to work on that project "someday". When one seriously tries to answer the question, "When is that someday?" there is an opening for a different perspective with the item. Sometimes, items that seemed very important can be viewed with less attachment when the question of "someday" is considered.
An important point that I will note here - I don't ever throw things away without the client's permission and I don't ever make a client get rid of something. The process is very important and the client has to feel comfortable with steps along the way.
After the sorting we start figuring out out where things go. This step is valuable because if items aren't in places that make sense it is likely that they won't end up back in their homes. Again, I ask a lot of questions. Where do you use this, Do you use this with something else, would it make sense to put these things together? After the sorting and after we have found homes for the items, we need to deal with the situation we have created. If there are things that need to go to the trash, we take them. If there are things that go to other rooms of the house, we deliver them. If there are things that are going to be donated we discuss the appropriate temporary home - maybe the trunk of the car. The last step is to talk about maintenance: how is the space going to stay organized. This might involve a conversation around awareness, time, and/or routines. The End
Each client is unique. Some people want me to part of the whole process and some want me just for specific parts. But in the end it comes back to the client and what works best for them. I hope you enjoyed this little picture of what I do. Thanks, Susan |