Benefits of Hiring A Trained Professional Organizer

Have you ever wondered what do Trained Professional Organizers really do?  Who are they and how can they help me with the mess in my house?

This blogpost will help answer some of these questions as well as clarify some misconceptions.

Who Are Trained Professional Organizers (TPOs)?

Before we talk about the benefits of hiring a trained professional organizer, we need to talk about who they are and what they do.

Trained Professional Organizers are specialists who help make improvements and bring order back in their client’s life.  TPOs are there to help a specific aspect of their life, something that they are unable to do it themselves. 

You may ask, why do people need to hire a TPO if they can just do it themselves?  I would explain it this way:  we all know to eat healthy and get regular exercise in order to lose weight, but if it is that easy, how come there are so many books, coaches, apps that are specifically catered to weight loss?

Similarly, think of specialists such as accountants for your taxes, investment professionals for your wealth management, life coaches for other areas in your lives, TPOs are there to help you control the clutter and organize your homes and offices to make them more efficient.  It’s not that you can’t do it, it’s that you don’t have the time or energy to do it.

Trained Professional Organizers in Canada are members of the Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and POC is affiliated with International Federation of Professional Organizing Associations (IFPOA).  You can read more about each association here:

Professional Organizers in Canada (POC)

https://organizersincanada.com/about/what-is-poc/

“Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) is the national association that represents professional organizers across the country. We provide a supportive environment for our members to share ideas, network and exchange referrals.  Our Mission and Vision: Providing Visibility, Credibility, and Connection.”

International Federation of Professional Organizing Associations (IFPOA)

https://ifpoa.wordpress.com

“The International Federation of Professional Organizing Associations (IFPOA) is a worldwide forum facilitating appropriate communication and collaborative efforts among professional organizing associations. Its purpose is to elevate the reputation, visibility and professionalism of the organizing industry worldwide through, among other things, the sharing of information among Federation members”

Visibility, Credibility, and Professionalism

It is important to note that both associations emphasize visibility, credibility, and professionalism. They provide a platform that consumers can rely upon. Similar to a plumber who is part of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating, consumers can trust a trained professional organizer who is a member of the Professional Organizers in Canada.  They can find a TPO on the POC website who align with their own values and subsequently hire them for their projects. 

Benefits of Using A Trained Professional Organizer

There are many benefits of using a Trained Professional Organizer.  Here are some of them:

• Education – TPOs have taken courses, passed at least one exam, attended meetings, seminars and conferences to study, learn and to continually educate themselves to better serve their clients. Some TPOs, such as those who focus on clients with hoarding behaviours, may continue with certifications offered by Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD).
• Experience, references, and testimonials – with work comes experience. TPOs would be happy to provide references and testimonials from their happy clients to prove that they continue to provide exceptional work.
• All members of POC are abided by the POC’s Code of Ethics. You can find them here: https://organizersincanada.com/about/code-of-ethics/
• TPOs are truthful, they respect their clients’ confidentiality, and they are not judgmental.
• They listen to their clients’ wants and needs. Based on these findings, they work with their clients directly to devise a step-by-step plan to create a functional space for them.
• Organizing and decluttering are what they do! They are small business owners and they take their work seriously, i.e. it is not a side gig or hobby.
• They don’t make their clients throw out everything! Let’s reiterate one point, the organizing plan is built with the client’s input.  If the plan doesn’t include throwing everything out, then the professional organizers will not do so.  In fact, most TPOs like to repurpose anything that is deemed useful, even in unconventional ways.
• There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every client and their situation is unique, TPOs would create customized solutions based on the client’s needs and wants, along with their home/office structural space.
• In addition to clients with hoarding situations, TPOs may also specialize in home organizing, office organizing, clients with ADHD’s, or those who deal with electronic information or paper management.

Misconceptions of a Trained Professional Organizer

TPOs are sometimes misunderstood.  Here are some things to clarify:

• They are not cleaners – They are not there to just clean up. They determine the source of clutter and pain points and devise a customized plan that works for the clients so the clutter will not reappear down the road.
• They are not movers – they are not there to move the hutch or bedroom sets. They are often at their client’s house prior to the move to declutter items that are no longer needed, and to reorganize some items around the homes. They often work with moving companies to ensure their client’s moving process is smooth sailing.
• They are not psychologist or psychiatrist – although some organizers may have a psychology background and may have clients in hoarding situations, most are not trained psychologist or psychiatrist.

Trained Professional Organizers, like myself, love to help our clients conquer the clutter and find organization back in their lives.  If you are interested in looking for a Trained Professional Organizer who works in your area, click on this POC link to find an organizer:

https://organizersincanada.com/get-organized/find-an-organizer/