FAQs about Organizing
Do I need a professional organizer, photo organizer, redesigner, or home stager?
How far will you travel for organizing? Where are you located?
How much do you charge for organizing?
Is organizing considered a business expense?
How long will organizing take?
How long have you been organizing and decorating?
Did you go to school for organizing or project management?
How does scheduling work for organizing projects?
Do you send a crew or organize alone?
Will you make me get rid of everything?
What do I have to do to get ready for my organizing session?
What other kinds of things can you help with when organizing my home?
Do you offer free organizing consultations?
What if I don’t have a big budget for decorating?
Can you help with color selection and painting?
What if you decorate and I don’t like it?
What if you stage my home and it doesn’t sell?
Do you offer unpacking services?
Do you offer photo organizing services?
How do I get started with organizing?
Do I need a professional organizer, photo organizer, redesigner, or home stager?
Professional organizing, design, and staging are all related, but you probably don’t need all three at once. With professional organizing, we focus on improving function, making your home work better for you. We work together with you to organize so the systems continue to work for you well after we are done with your project. Interior redesign is the process of totally transforming the look of your space using mostly things you already own; your familiar belongings create a pulled-together, decorator look with a new attitude that is personalized for you. Home staging helps to create the model home that a wide variety of buyers are seeking, in a cost-effective way, and it is less likely to reflect your own personal style. The outcome of these three projects in the same space might be very different. Photo organizing is often that “important but not urgent” project you’ve been meaning to get to. We’ll get it done, but you can still take the credit for organizing a lifetime of photos. If you still aren’t sure which service is for you, please call us at 856-905-3202 to discuss.
How far will you travel for organizing? Where are you located?
HeartWork Organizing primarily operates in the 5-county Philadelphia area, including Chester county, PA, Delaware county, PA, Montgomery county, PA, and Philadelphia, PA. Our office is located in Wayne, PA.
How much do you charge for organizing?
We offer session pricing to book your first appointment, or project pricing after we scope a larger project, so you’ll always know what the charge for your services are when you accept the agreement. We do not charge hourly fees, so we have the flexibility to end at a good stopping point, and you have confidence in the pricing that you’ve agreed to. Organizing consultations via phone/email are free, decorating consultations are generally $395 and hands on services start at $695. Please call 856-905-3202 for more information about your project.
Is organizing considered a business expense?
We organize for many small businesses, corporate, and government offices. Organizing services and productivity training that we provide are often tax-deductible. We provide invoicing for your project. Please check with your tax advisor.
How long will organizing take?
A simple room redesign takes place in under a day. Home staging can take from one day to a week for most projects. Home organizing projects or office organizing projects are determined on a case by case basis, but are usually between 1-10 visits plus a defined maintenance plan carried out by you alone or with our assistance. We can often organize a single space completely within one session. The outcome depends on the space, your involvement, and your ability to make decisions quickly. Purchasing products happens after getting organized, so we purchase the right products and the right amount. See the SORT and Succeed system for more information.
How long have you been organizing?
HeartWork Organizing started in 2005, but Darla’s experience includes over 20 years of organizing, home improvement and corporate project management. Her employees all have professional backgrounds and are trained in the SORT and Succeed system.
Did you go to school for organizing or project management?
Yes. Along with a Master’s degree in business (MBA), Darla also pursued formal training in organizing, redesign, and home staging. Darla continues to pursue ongoing training by attending annual conferences and additional topical training each and every year. She is a Certified Professional Organizer® and is also a sought after trainer within the organizing industry. You can read more about Darla’s qualifications here, About the Organizer.
How does scheduling work for organizing projects?
Scheduling is built around you, weekends or weekdays. In-person home-organizing appointments are scheduled for 3 to 4 hours at a time. Virtual organizing is scheduled for an hour. You can request an organizing appointment online or call us to discuss.
Do you send a crew or do you organize alone?
It depends. Despite what you’ve seen on TV, we won’t show up with a large crew and trucks to alert your neighbors. Depending on the work we need to accomplish, we’ll bring an appropriate sized organizing staff. Sometimes there will be just one person. You’ll always know in advance who will be working with you, and if schedules allow, you’ll continue to work with the same team member. All staff are employed, insured and trained. We do not hire sub-contractors. Our team members are professional problem-solvers, not just hired hands.
Will you make me get rid of everything?
We’re here to help you organize your home and find space for the things you really love. We can help you decide what to keep, what to display and what to share with others. We NEVER insist that your stuff be thrown out, but we’ll gently guide you towards your stated goals. You make the ultimate decision about what stays or goes. Your stuff is an important part of you, but if it is making you crazy we can help.
What do I have to do to get ready for my organizing session?
Actually, we’d really like you not to try to get ready for your first organizing appointment. By seeing what you are struggling with firsthand, we can help you address it. For organizing, please do not attempt to “clean up” before we arrive. We need to see your day-to-day situation so we can set up systems that will work for you. We promise, we aren’t there to judge. For interior redesign, please feel free to share any inspiration photographs or treasured items that can help us design the space. For home staging, if possible, please call us before you clear out the house or paint or begin showing your house. We can help you make really good, cost-effective decisions about how to prep your home for sale. For photo organizing, you do not need to organize before handing over your project. Yes, we really can organize your photos faster and better than you can; there’s already a lot of information in your project to guide us.
What other kinds of things can you help with when organizing my home?
We have a great network of service providers, contractors, and business professionals that can make your life easier, from donations, to online sales, to trash removal, and more. We love sharing good resources for organizing projects. Just ask.
Do you offer free organizing consultations?
We don’t need on-site organizing consultation to know that we can help get your life more organized. With over 20 years of professional organizing experience, it’s unlikely that you’ll have a situation that we haven’t seen before or can’t improve. We know you are eager to get started and improve your life. Hey, your life is busy, too, so why schedule a second appointment? We’d still like to know what your project is before we meet for the first time, so please set aside about a half hour to talk with us by phone to share your story and your goals. If you’d like to email a picture or two, we can use that to suggest specific supplies or products, but it’s not a requirement that you send pictures. (Please email; do not text.)
What if I don’t have a big budget for decorating?
Interior redesign is about being creative with what you already own. You’ll be amazed at how great your stuff can look with some strategic space planning, color, accessorizing and lighting. If you are already planning on making some purchases, just let us know. We’ll work with you to make your best selections, or we can shop for you.
Can you help with color selection and painting?
Yes,we are thrilled to help you pick your perfect palette. Darla is certified in the expert Color with No Regrets color selection system that guides you to pick your perfect palette for one room or your entire home, or exterior paint projects. Just call to schedule your color selection appointment. We got out of the painting business long ago, but we can connect you with some great painters.
What if you decorate and I don’t like it?
We guarantee that won’t happen. How? In a redesign, we use stuff you already own and love. The space is about you, not just about what’s hot or in style. We also cover what your goals are for your redesign before we start. We will tweak any part of a design that doesn’t seem to work for you, you need only ask. Finally, in the unlikely event that you don’t like the redesign, we’ll put things back the way they were, no charge.
The best time to stage your home is before you meet with your Realtor®. We’ve often seen situations where the realtor increased the price of the house after staging, because the house was that much improved. At least stage before you list the house, even if that means holding off on showings for a few days. By presenting an attractive, appealing property, you maximize the chances of the first buyers falling in love with your home, and that increases the chances of early offers, more offers, and offers that are closer to your target price. Many of our staged homes even receive offers over their list price.
What if you stage my home and it doesn’t sell?
Staging is about creating a home that emotionally appeals to most buyers. Marketing, pricing, and negotiating are also keys to achieving a sale. We highly recommend that you are working with a proven, professional Realtor® to maximize your exposure to the market and your ability to respond to buyers. If you aren’t connected with one, we might be able to help.
Do you offer unpacking services?
Yes! We LOVE unpacking you. We’ll get you feeling at home within hours, not weeks or months. You do not need to be home while we unpack.
Do you offer photo organizing services?
Yes! Photo organizing combines our love for storytelling, your desire for organization, and our expertise in technology. We’ll organize your physical photo collection, digitize it, organize your digital collections, and teach you how to use all of it to share your story with people who are important to you. Read more about our photo organizing services here.
How do I get started with organizing?
Email darla at heartworkorg.com or call 856-905-3202 (preferred) or 610-688-8595, and let’s talk about getting you organized!
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