Even if you are a DIY kind of person, there comes a time when you could use a little help. You know to call a CPA for filing taxes. You call a plumber for a leaky pipe. But who do you call when you just can’t get yourself organized enough to figure out what you need? You call a professional organizer (PO). They are also sometimes called personal organizers, home organizers, or productivity consultants.

To be honest, finding the perfect professional organizer for you is kind of like dating, but finding a good fit can make your life so much better. In the best case, it’s like finding the other half of your brain.

What Can You Accomplish with a Professional Organizer ?

Professional organizers and productivity consultants will help you with things that you didn’t know you could get help with.

• reducing clutter in the home or garage
• setting up a paper-based or online system for paying bills
• teaching you how to use a daily planner
• helping your child learn better study habits
• setting up a system for estate or medical papers
• helping you find time for big goals and projects, like writing a book
• setting up a budget to save money
• helping organize your job search
• teaching how to use your computer and apps better
• helping you get organized at work to impress your boss
• preparing for your move
• unpacking after a move
• improving the look of your home with carefully chosen organizing supplies
• organizing physical and digital photos
• planning storage spaces to make a renovation more successful

No professional organizer does all of these things. Some of them offer other services beyond those listed here. You’ll want to ask specifically if your professional offers the services you need.

How Do You Know if Your Organizer is a Professional?

Professional organizers in the United States are usually a part of a professional organization, most notably the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), which is the oldest and most respected professional organization in this industry. NAPO provides continuous education, advanced certification, and an annual conference where PO’s learn, present and practice skills that benefit their clients. Certified Professional Organizers® are NAPO members who have documented a higher level of practical hours working with clients and who have passed a rigorous exam.

There are some related organizations with a slightly different focus, including the Institute for Chronic Disorganization, Association of Daily Money Managers, Real Estate Staging Association, and International Virtual Assistant Association, just to name a few. Membership and leadership roles in one or more respected professional organization can signal a business owner’s commitment to their business, ongoing education and your results.

What to Ask Your Professional Organizer

Just like anyone you hire, you’ll want to research to find the best professional organizer for you.

• Ask your friends and neighbors who they have worked with.
• Create your list of projects, so you can be clear on what skills your PO needs.
• Check the company’s website to make sure it is current.
• Check the professional organizations above to see if your PO is listed as a member. (Steer clear of a company displaying a membership badge without actually being a member.)
• Ask if their website pictures are their actual client results or stock photos.
• Ask for proof of insurance. Professional companies carry business insurance.
• Ask how long they have been operating as a business.
• Ask if they have a team of employees, subcontractors, or a single owner/operator.
• Contact them directly by phone to determine if they are the right fit for you.

What to Discuss With Your Professional Organizer

Once you’ve hired a professional organizer, be sure to communicate up front around:

• contract
• scheduling and timing
• expectations
• project priorities
• hands-on work versus consulting advice only
• project pricing versus hourly pricing
• terms and conditions

Professional organizers generally go out of their way to make sure they are the right resource for you. After all, they’ll be working as closely with you as you will be with them. And they have a professional reputation to protect. They want you to be thrilled with your progress and results.

How to Find the Best Professional Organizer in Pennsylvania for You

HeartWork Organizing is located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburbs. While we have an employee team with various backgrounds, it’s just impossible to be everything to everyone. We focus on doing four things amazingly well for you:

• Organizing for busy homeowners and small business owners
• Home staging for those who are selling their home
• Redesign using things you already own
• Photo organizing for physical and digital photos

Focused organizing projects start at $350 per project. We prefer project pricing to hourly pricing, so we eliminate unpleasant surprises.

We have some close and respected NAPO colleagues, and you can find professional organizers in the Greater Philadelphia region (PA, NJ, DE) by searching here by zip code. Don’t we look like a friendly bunch?

If you are searching for the best professional organizer outside of the Greater Philadelphia area, NAPO is the place to look.

Why Would HeartWork Organizing Even Mention Our Competitors?

We’ve been in business for over 12 years. We know our best clients are informed clients. We’ve seen it all, and we’re still learning every day, so that we can do the absolute best job for you.

We don’t do it all. If you need help with senior downsizing, hoarding disorder, accounting or event planning, there is probably a better resource, and we want you to find it!

We have great respect for our colleagues. We would rather have you easily find a trusted and knowledgable NAPO colleague, than have a bad experience with an unprofessional provider.

We know that our resources, like weekly articles, the free Facebook Clutter-Free group, and frequent classes are valuable to you. Even if you can’t hire us right now, these resources might be just what you need.

You’ll like us. You may not think of organizing as a rip-roaring good time, but we do! We’re nice. We’re fun. We’re organized. We’re honored to be invited into your home or business.

Have a question about how to find the right personal organizer in Pennsylvania for you? We’re just a click away.