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10 Things Professional Organizers Look For When They Walk Into Your Home

Picture of Heather Aiello

10 Things Professional Organizers Look For When First Walking Into Your Home

There are lots of things that professional organizers look for when we first walk into someone’s home. We quickly look around to identify areas that need our help. We have seen all types of projects. We can usually help with all of them. Below is a short list of the most obvious things that we are looking for so we can prepare our recommendations. 

  1. Clutter: Piles of paper, clothes, or other items that have accumulated and are taking up space can be overwhelming and make it difficult to find what you need. Though almost every organizing project begins with clutter, some clutter is worse than others. We look for clean clutter vs. dirty clutter. Clean clutter is mainly piles of items that need culling and organizing. Dirty clutter are things like food, dirty dishes, overflowing wastebaskets, and dirty sinks. 
  2. Disorganization: If items are not stored in a logical or consistent way, it can be difficult to find what you need when you need it. We know this is why we are in your home so don’t fret. What we look for is an organizational system that makes sense so we can understand what you do naturally and work on a plan customized for your natural instincts. 
  3. Adequate storage areas: A place for everything and everything in its place. If there are no designated storage areas or containers for items, it can be hard to keep things organized and tidy. We can perform miracles in all size spaces so we look at the entire area and quickly determine what the blank slate can look like. 
  4. A lot of stuff: If a person has more possessions than can be reasonably stored in their home, it can be difficult to find a place for everything and keep things organized. Sorting is a major step in the organizing and decluttering process. We are patient and will help you through the Keep, Toss, Sell, and Donate decisions. 
  5. An organization maintenance system: Without a plan for maintaining an organized space, it can quickly become cluttered and disorganized again. As we are looking at the space, we are determining if there appears to be a system to keep it organized. There is no one size fits all in organizing. We work with our clients to develop an organizing system and strategy that they feel comfortable maintaining on their own. Our job is to make ourselves extinct. 
  6. Clear surfaces: Countertops, tables, and other surfaces that are cluttered with items can make it difficult to use those spaces effectively. We will work with you to clear your surfaces and help with decisions on what is most important to leave out and what can be stored.  
  7. Available designated space(s) for frequently used items: If there is no designated place for items that are used frequently, it can lead to disorganization and clutter. We will help you find dedicated places for regularly accessed items like keys, money, purse/handbag, and kid’s book bags. 
  8. Efficient use of space: If a space is not being used to its full potential, it can lead to clutter and disorganization. You have more space than you think you do. We always find additional space in our client’s home. As long as you are open to suggestions, we will work together to transform your space.  
  9. A plan for dealing with incoming items: If there is no system in place for dealing with new items as they come into the home, it can lead to clutter and disorganization. Once we have figured out everything above, we need to make sure there is a plan for new items. For a closet or a pantry, it might be the “one in, one out” rule. For other spaces it might be "old in the front, new in the back" rule or vice versa. 
  10. Procrastination: Putting off organizing and decluttering tasks can lead to a build-up of clutter and disorganization over time. This is known as delayed decluttering. Only in extreme cases do piles grow without ever being cleaned. We will provide tips and tricks to help you avoid delayed decluttering. 

Professional organizers look for the things listed above so we can prepare the best plan for you. We don’t judge. We just help. We know that your clutter is causing you stress and it can be difficult to know where to begin. We will help you get started and develop a strategy with you to guarantee you can live with the organizing solutions that we developed together.