Spring Cleaning is just the tip of the iceburg to getting yourself Organized & On Track. See what I learned about the challenging career of being a Professional Organizer from Heather Burke of Smart Spaces & get some great tips along the way!————————————–
Q. How long have you been a Professional Organizer & is it a difficult career to take on?
A. I have been a Professional Organizer for over fifteen years. I was not born with the “neat gene” so I do have a greater empathy for my clients. I specialize in working with clients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, those with Chronic Disorganization, clients who hoard and those clients for whom traditional organizing methods do not work. I have extensive training through the Professional Organizers in Canada http://www.organizersincanada.com ; National Association of Professional Organizers www.napo.net and the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization http://www.nsgcd.org ; in addition to learning from my hundreds of clients.
Q. What made you decide that this career is right for you?
A. Being a Professional Organizing is my third career, I have a passion for helping people to achieve their goals. I have been a forensic accountant, which is puzzle solving; an Interior Designer which helps with the use of space and now a Trained Professional Organizer that uses the above skills in addition to life experiences.
Q. Is there a difference between organizing & decluttering?
A. I find being organized is about finding your natural rhythms and flows, having a home for everything and having a space that functions for you and your family. Decluttering can mean just clearing off surfaces and disposing of what is unnecessary to your daily living. .Decluttering is a part of the organizing process.
Q. How does your work come into play with the downsizing effect that’s been seen so much lately?
A. My husband and I have been through the downsizing process so that helps when working with clients going through the same process. There is also the fact that times are changing and children no longer want to inherit or use parents and grandparents furniture so we help find worthy homes for the unneeded items.

Q. Does a show like Hoarders bring more clients to you looking for help before they end up in a dire situation?
A. Shows like A&E’s Hoarder and TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive has brought attention to the condition. I have received many calls from clients and family members of clients who hoard. I am one of the few Professional Organizers in Canada trained in collaborative therapy (with mental health professionals) to work work with hoarders.
Q. What happens to the items that you deem unworthy of staying in the household?
A. I don’t deem anything unworthy. The client has to choose what stays and what goes, we just provide guidance. I believe that nothing should be added to the land fill. Most items are donated various places around the city and to the client’s charity of choice. I do have a huge list. Some items are consigned and some are passed on to family members.
Q. How do your clients feel after you have worked with them to re-organize their homes?
A. Primarily they tell me that they are relieved to have a space (home or office) that works for them. Some say they feel empowered to take on new challenges.
Q. What kind of feedback do you receive?
A. Some clients have called me a miracle worker. I am upfront about telling all clients that it not an overnight process, it took them a while to get disorganized and the process to get organized is just that, a process to find out what works for that individual client.
Q. What hints & tips can you give the readers when it comes to keeping the clutter under control?
A. Tips and Tricks
In addition to hiring a professional, the following are some basic tips and tricks that all Canadians can employ to improve their organization skills to make 2010 a more productive year.
1. Set daily priorities. Make sure the most important tasks are at the top of your list! If you don’t determine what is most important, you may spend the day being reactive instead of proactive and find that you haven’t completed any important tasks by day’s end.
2. Know how you like to work. For instance, take advantage of your “power hours”; if you are an early riser, schedule the most important tasks for your most productive time of day. If you work best with a clean desk, spend a few minutes getting your desk cleared before you start work—you’ll get more accomplished.
3. Put it in your schedule. “Ink it, don’t just think it”, Determine which rooms or areas you want to organize, and schedule one per week until the list is complete. Start with something easy like a linen closet, decide how much time you can devote to the project, and put it in your calendar – or you will never get around to it.
4. Prepare for tax time. January is an excellent month to go through your file cabinet and prepare for you taxes. Review your files, tossing anything that is outdated or obsolete like instruction manuals for items you no longer own. While you’re doing this, consolidate your tax records and receipts so that you are not in a panic on April 30.
5. Consolidate tasks for efficiency. Return calls or respond to emails at one time, pay all your bills, even group your errands together by geographic location. You’ll get more done in less time when you don’t have to switch from one activity to another.
6. Everyone should pitch in. Make sure that all members of the household know where items are kept, whether it is sporting equipment, photographs, or even incoming mail and newspapers. Create a simple map of such zones if you like, and make sure that storage areas are kid-friendly so that even the younger members of the household will be able to help return items to the proper home.
7. Edit your wardrobe. Does everything fit, look good, and make you feel good when you wear it? If not, should it really be taking up valuable closet space? Remember, we wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time!
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Heather Burke
Trained Professional Organizer
Chronic Disorganization Specialist.
organizer@smartspacesdesign.com
Definitions & Additional Information
The Defining Features of Chronic Disorganization (Judith Kohlberg)
· Chronic, severe disorganization that has persisted over a long period of time, often the majority of one’s adult life, and is prone to continuing into the future.
· Disorganization that undermines one’s quality of life on a daily basis.
· A history of failed self-help efforts.
Common Characteristics of Chronically Disorganized Individuals (Judith Kohlberg)
· Accumulations of large quantities of possessions or papers beyond apparent usefulness or pleasure
· A high degree of difficulty or discomfort letting go of things
· A wide range of interests, unfinished projects, and incomplete tasks
· Reliance on visual cues like paper piles or stacks of things as reminders to take action
· A tendency to be easily distracted or to lose concentration
· A tendency to lose track of time
Definition, Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring (Frost, R.O., Steketee, G, 2007)
· Acquisition of and failure to discard possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value.
· Living spaces sufficiently cluttered so as to preclude activities for which those spaces were originally designed.
· Significant distress of impairment in functioning caused by the hoarding that adversely affects their quality of life.
Hiring a Professional Organizer is similar to hiring any service consultant. Be sure to do your research first to find the best consultant to fit your needs.
· Ask around for referrals from others who are using organizing services.
· Search our website for the organizers serving your local area.
· Seek an organizer who belongs to a national association and is thereby bound by a specific code of ethics.
· Initiate contact via e-mail or phone to obtain more information.
· Set a date for an initial consultation and needs assessment. Note that charges for initial consultation and assessment vary.
· Ask about testimonials or references from other clients.
· Together with the organizer, determine the scope and duration of the project.
· Establish time frames for each stage of the plan of action.
Enjoy freedom from disorganization – getting expert help is the first step.