What are the biggest hurdles to getting organized?

The good news is that the physical act of organizing is usually the easy part!

The biggest hurdle is usually getting started. Sometimes, when we get busy, depressed, injured, or occupied with other things, we allow clutter to accumulate. After a period of time, the clutter can become so overwhelming that it's difficult to take the first step.

The second hurdle is emotional. When you begin this task, you will be surrounded by a multitude of items, and many of them may have personal significance. The nostalgia, memories, and possibly the thoughts of unfinished business can become overwhelming. For advice on how to overcome these hurdles, see Andy's Organizing Tips.

What are the benefits of organizing?

The benefits of organizing are many:

1. 1.Greater Efficiency. You can find things easily, and don't spend so much time searching for missing items. You don't have clear a space before doing anything. When Andy was in college, his roommate used to laugh at how every night he would move everything from his bed to his desk so that he could sleep. Then every morning, he would move everything from his desk to his bed so he could study. Now, whatever he wants to do, he can begin right away.
   
   

2. 2.More Room. A huge volume of stuff can, after organizing, be stored in a fraction of the space it once occupied. This gives you more room to work, to live, or possibly for other stuff.
   
   

3. 3.More peace of mind. It's been said that "Mess is Stress." Clutter on the outside contributes to internal clutter. A cluttered room fills our vision with business and reminders of things to be done. An uncluttered room is more relaxing and peaceful to be in.
   
   

4. 4.Save money. Sometimes it's harder to find a missing item than to buy a new one. So we go and buy something that we already have. This, in turn, contributes to the collection of unnecessary objects in a self-feeding cycle of wasted money and accumulated clutter. Once you know what you have, you stop buying redundant supplies.
   
   

5. 5.Locate items you forgot you have. On every job, we hear, "Oh, there it is!" On several jobs, we found enough money, in cash and uncashed checks, to more than pay for our services.
   
   

6. 6.Feel more comfortable having guests. If your place is so cluttered that you feel embarrassed having friends over, organizing could allow you to be a more confident host/hostess.

How do you work?

We can work in several different ways, depending on the needs of our clients.

Some clients need advice in simplifying and getting rid of unneeded items. In this case, we can give advice on how to decide if it is "safe" to let something go. How long has it been since you used it? If you let it go, and do need it someday in the future, how hard would it be to obtain? How likely is it that it will be obsolete or outdated in the future? We also provide a list of resources including recycling, places that reuse old computers, thrift shops, etc. And, if necessary, we can haul items away.

Some clients don't want to get rid of anything, but just want to organize the things they have. This could be because they are running out of space, because they can't find things, or because they want their place to be more attractive and aesthetically pleasing. It is not necessary to get rid of anything in order to be more organized and make more effective use of your space.

In some cases, we physically do the work of organizing. We will

1. •Look over the area to be organized and make an inventory of the different types of objects present.

2. •Create classifications that accurately categorize the content.

3. •Sort the items into those classifications.

4. •Design systems that allow everything to be stored in a way that is presentable and accessible.

5. •Label any boxes, folders, or other storage containers, so that an observer can quickly ascertain the contents without having to search through or even open the container.
   

Although we have done jobs totally independently, it typically works better for you work along with us, or at least to be physically present during the organization process. You are the only one who knows how regularly you will use something, and that information is crucial to designing a system where the most frequently-used items are the most accessible. We will also need you to identify objects we are not familiar with and to help in the categorization process. In most jobs, we have worked side by side with our clients.

We can also function as a consultant, giving advice on how to organize and helping design organizational systems in order for you to do the actually organizing work on your own.

Shouldn't I do it myself?

One client said, "I always felt like I should do it myself—like I'd be a better person if I did it myself." Whatever standard you want to hold yourself to is up to you, but objectively speaking, two people working together can often accomplish four times what one person can alone.

Is it possible that I won't be able to find something afterward?

This is always a possibility. Even if you organize yourself, it is possible that you won't be able to find something afterward, even when you knew where it was beforehand. However, it is usually much easier to find things when they are organized than not.

Do you do Feng Shui?

Any Feng Shui expert will tell you that one of the most important concepts of Feng Shui is that "Clutter stagnates energy," and therefore organizing is almost always the first step. Although we know something about Feng Shui, and incorporate some of its ideas on our organizing work, we are by no means experts. For people interested in Feng Shui services, we recommend consulting directly with a Feng Shui expert.

What are your Professional Policies?

Guarantee

100% money back guarantee on all services (not including travel fee if applicable).

Privacy/Confidentiality

We will not give any information about you to any other source. This includes your name, phone number, email address, and any other information we obtain through emails, through the website, or by interacting with you directly. If you have agreed to be a reference, we may give contact information to those considering our services, but we will do this only with your explicit permission.

We recognize that as a personal organizers, we may be asked to organize a person's belongings. We acknowledge the confidence and trust that has been placed in us. We have great respect for your privacy and guarantee not to disclose any information to any source about the state of the environment (before or after organizing) or any names, medications, papers, or any other objects we encounter while working with you.

With your permission, and only with your explicit permission, we may take before and after pictures for our portfolios. The photos will not focus on personal belongings but rather to show the type of transformations that organizing brings about. Ultimately you have the final say about whether any photos are shown to any other source.

Cancellations

Full payment of the minimum fee is required for cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance.

Travel

No travel fee for any sites within 30 miles of San Francisco or Union City. Outside of those areas, a travel fee may be required.

Contact us for more information.