Starting a Professional Organizing Home Business

From busy, working parents to hoarders, the services of a professional organizer are in demand across the country. What does a professional organizer do? To put it simply, a professional organizer goes into a person’s home and organizes their rooms. There also may be a consultation where the organizer explains to the homeowner how to keep their belongings organized in the future so that clutter doesn’t start to pile up again. Getting into the field isn’t hard, but there are some tips you should consider before calling yourself a professional organizer.

• There is a national organization for those that enter the field, the National Association for Professional Organizers. If you’d like to start a business from home as a professional organizer, visiting the association’s website will get you started. There are courses that you can take to further your knowledge, and there is an annual convention where you can connect with other people in the field to learn how to better run your business to maximize profits while offering superior service to clients. Certification is also available through the association, which boosts your earning potential by raising client confidence.
• One of the positives of starting a professional organizing business from home is that there are little to no startup costs. You may incur costs if you wish to take courses or become certified, but these expenses are still relatively low compared to the startup costs of other businesses.
• Establish your rate before you start to work for a client. There is a large range in rates for professional organizers, generally starting around $35 per hour and rising to hundreds of dollars per hour. When you’re just starting out, stay on the low end of the range. As you gain experience and a professional reputation for superior service, you can begin to raise your rates.
• To start gaining clients, offer your services to friends and family members. If you do an exemplary job, your friends and family members will tell people they know about your organizing services, and you’ll gain clients through word of mouth advertising. This is the best way to find clients when you’re just starting your business. Once you’ve established your abilities, you can advertise through online classifieds, newspaper ads, and fliers around the neighborhood.
• Build a portfolio by taking pictures of rooms you are organizing before you provide your services and after. This will show potential clients that you have the abilities necessary to complete their organization project.
• Be sure that professional organizing is a career that you’ll be able to handle. It can be difficult to wade through other people’s messes, and some people will not enjoy the challenge of organizing clutter. You may even have clients that are hoarders. Hoarders keep huge stockpiles of various types of items, and filth often builds up on these stockpiles. You have to not only be willing to sort these piles, but to treat your client with kindness even if they become belligerent regarding your attempt to discard some of their belongings.

Starting a professional organizing work from home businessis a great way to put your natural talents to use. Be sure that the field is for you, and gain certification through the National Association for Professional Organizers to gain credibility. Embark on this new career today by organizing for family and friends!