Any certified professional organizer will tell you that this role is challenging, yet valuable. Your job is to create a lifestyle of comfort and ease for your clients, and help them sustain it long term.
When it comes to professional organizing careers, however, did you know that there are several unique places you can find yourself working as a certified organizer? You’re not limited to the attic, basement, or office of a client – we can bet that some of these locations never crossed your mind! Read on and be inspired.
Retail stores
Organization is the name of the game for retail stores, especially ones that recently opened their doors to customers. Think about it – no matter what a store is selling, be it furniture, clothing, books, or house wares (to name a few!), everything must be easily located by both the store employees and customers. This starts with on-the-floor display organization and maintaining an immaculate inventory. Without an organized space, they won’t be successful – it’s as easy as that!
Once you complete your professional organizing course, you’ll be prepared to provide organizing services to households and businesses. Retail stores are one of several unique locations you’ll find yourself working as a professional organizer – your services here will be extremely important. Once you’ve helped a business owner sort through the items they want to sell and have configured their store in an orderly fashion, you can expect your reputation as a professional organizer to soar.
This is a hugely useful service, and it shows that you can work in different types of environments!
Seniors’ homes
Over the years, homes accumulate a great deal of nostalgic items, and there’s nothing wrong with that! Clutter, however, is a problem, and it can affect seniors much more than the younger clients you’ll work with. Seniors tend to be more sentimental when it comes to the decorations, documents, photos, and furniture in their homes. Although it is important to hold onto memories and photographs, it’s also vital to have an organized system in place.
This is where your services come in!
After your professional organizing training, working in retirement homes and senior communities is a great way to gain experience quickly. These residences have dozens of unique clients, all with different needs. You’ll be exposed to a variety of different personalities and challenge yourself to accomplish many clients’ goals.
Senior citizens don’t want to be surrounded by clutter and disorganization – after all, this is supposed to be the most relaxing time of their lives! Coming into their suite in a seniors’ home, you can help organize their wardrobe to ensure that they are ditching or donating clothing that hasn’t been worn in years, hang up those treasured handbags they’ve accumulated over the years, and organize their shoe rack.
Your professional organizer training will also allow you to provide a-la-carte services. For example, you can provide services on organizing important documents and photos. Some organizers even go as far as to become certified as Personal Photo Organizers. It’s worth looking into, as it’s an up-and-coming niche for professional organizers. Offer to help clients organize their memories, whether they be in print or digital.
Storage units
Let’s face it – sometimes, after downsizing to a new space, there simply isn’t enough room for all of your belongings. It happens, and that’s why storage units are such lifesavers!
For a small fee, treasured furniture, books, dishes, and other items can be stored safely and securely. However, this is not always an easy task for homeowners who are not used to organizing their belongings in the first place. The majority of storage unit contracts state that the space must be kept clean and in good condition – this also means relatively organized.
Using your professional organizer training, you can offer services to clients who need to maintain an orderly storage unit. Think of this space as an extension of their home, and encourage them to keep that in mind. Although these items are not actually in their house, they are no less important and should be kept in specific areas to ensure they’re not destroyed (or lost!).
Furniture should have its own area, while smaller household items can be grouped together. Anything breakable should be placed out of harm’s way, and not directly in the entrance of the unit – it’s more liable to be broken if someone walks in!
Check out our guide to organizing large storage spaces within the home!
Estates
When it comes to clearing out an estate, there is much more to the process than simply removing items and distributing them among family and friends. If a loved one passes away, often their family will want to keep or sell their personal items, and will put the house on the market. However, estates must be emptied out. This requires a great deal of sorting, organizing, shipping, and potentially even organizing an auction to sell valuable items.
Certified organizers can find themselves working on clearing out estates, as clients will need expert assistance in sorting through countless items. This is an emotional process, as well, so having a professional organizer in charge will allow for peace of mind and a compassionate process.
Be mindful of the family’s feelings, as they will likely be grieving and having trouble parting with the items in the home. A kind word and a patient demeanor will go a long way, and word will get around that you’re a professional individual who can lend a helping hand and listening ear to families going through a difficult time.
