Lianne Cousvis is a graduate of QC Design School with certifications in decorating (IDDP), home staging and redesign (ISRP), color consulting (ICCP), and professional organizing (AIOP). Lianne grew up in the Bahamas, where colors are celebrated and regularly utilized. She now owns her own design company, ChiChi Fringo Designs, in Toronto, Canada. Today, she reveals how to become a professional organizer in 3 easy steps!
The field of professional organizing has gained an immense amount of popularity over the years. Thanks to popular programs such as Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, many are now wondering how to become a professional organizer themselves, and launch a career in this ever-growing field.
These days, there are all kinds of social media posts that give people a glimpse into the kind of glam and beauty a professional organizer can bring to a mundane space, such as a pantry or cluttered closet. Because let’s be honest: there’s nothing like opening those pantry or closet doors and seeing everything beautifully balanced and neatly placed.
Everyone is now looking to have that perfect set-up for themselves. Even the biggest A-list celebrities are hiring professional organizers! Following the explosion of popularity in this field, more and more people are seeing the endless possibilities that this career path offers.
So, could this career be for YOU?
If so, then join me as I reveal 3 tips to become a professional organizer – as well as three mistakes you should avoid along the way!
How to Become a Professional Organizer in 3 Easy Steps
DO: Think About Your Personality Traits!
If you’re someone who likes to live in a clutter-free environment, then this is a great foundation for becoming a professional organizer! That being said, a knack for cleanliness alone isn’t enough to thrive in this particular industry. What’s just as important is the type of person you are at heart.
For instance, do you have patience? Are you compassionate? Can you be understanding to another person’s plight, regardless of how it makes you feel?
There are certain emotional skills that one MUST have if they want to become a professional organizer. Above all else, your integrity is key. After all, you’ll be trusted with prized possessions, personal emotions, and even secrets. In return, your client has to be able to trust your instincts for what is truly best for them.
For a lot of people, these are NOT innate skills. But they can be learned, if you get professional training. This is one of many reasons why QC Design School’s Professional Organizing Course should be regarded as the first step at setting your career up for success!
DON’T: Try to Be Someone You’re Not.
For some people, it’s hard to throw out the vase that Aunt Betty gave them when they were five. But if that vase is still sitting in a box above the fridge, all it’s really doing is taking up space and creating clutter. A practical alternative could be to suggest that your client gift the vase to someone who will really use it.
Remember: it’s impossible to organize clutter! This is why de-cluttering a space is such a large part of a professional organizer’s job.
If you’re thinking about this career path, you need to first understand that professional organizing is not like you’re typical Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 job. Often, you’ll be working during irregular hours, and certain jobs can take up fair chunks of your time. If none of this is your cup of tea, you likely wouldn’t enjoy being a professional organizer.
Similarly, if you like the familiarity of working in the same place every day, as well as with the same people, then this career might not be right for you.
If you want to know how to become a professional organizer, it starts with knowing that you have to be adaptable. Some clients will live in unfortunate circumstances and environments; others will fight the idea of letting go of sentimental objects. Working through these things can sometimes take time – time that you need to be willing to give.
If you take the QC’s Professional Organizing Course, you’ll be given realistic scenarios to better help you anticipate the kinds of clients you’ll be working with in the future. You’ll also be guided on how to effectively deal with these real-life situations. This will help give you the tools you need to succeed in this career!
DO: Determine Your Strengths!
Think about what area of professional organizing you think would suit you best. You can then hone on in this area, refine your skill-set, and offer superior services to your clients!
When it comes to professional organizing, there are different methods and different specialties you can excel in. After all, this job is not simply a matter of putting things away! Rather, it’s a very thoughtful, logical process. Your ultimate goal is to empower your clients to continue their success, long after you have left the job.
In the beginning, though, one way you can get your business off the ground is to establish your niche. Perhaps you want to focus on corporate organizing, or maybe you want to work with elderly people who are downsizing their homes. Whatever your area of interest may be, take the time to evaluate your passions and skills!
If you really have a passion for organizing, and people are already seeking your help (with or without a niche), then I recommend getting your certification through QC Design School as your next step. Being reputably certified will help further move your career in the right direction! It gives you credibility and puts you in control of your destiny as a professional organizer.
If you don’t yet have a niche, proper training can help you discover it. If you do know what you wish to specialize in, proper training can refine the skills needed to excel in that area.
DON’T: Forget to Do Your Homework.
Here are just a few critical questions for you to consider…
Are there other professional organizers in your area already?
Even if there are other professional organizers operating in your general vicinity, there may be an element of this field that you specialize in that they do NOT offer. Maximize this to your advantage!
Do you offer any eco-friendly services?
These days, taking care of the environment has become more important than ever. By offering eco-friendly services, you can potentially open your business up to a much wider clientele!
Do you offer any virtual services?
2020 has launched us into a whole new world, with a whole new way of doing things. COVID-19 has forced us to come up with new and creative ways to offer services that keep our clients (and ourselves) safe.
If you offer a virtual element to your available services, you can adapt your business to the digital world, show the value of your unique skills to your clients, and continue making an income during a global pandemic!
Either way, and I cannot stress this enough: just because you watched an episode of Hoarders does not make you a professional organizing expert. To earn this title, you first need to be trained. By getting a reputable education and being taught by real industry experts, you’ll be able to discover the kind of organizer you want to be. Plus, you’ll also learn how to approach any possible client or scenario this career may throw at you!
DO: Start your dream career NOW!
If you’re wondering how to become a professional organizing, the single greatest piece of advice I can offer you is to just GO FOR IT! If this sounds like a profession you’d be really great at, then approach it the same way you would approach organizing any messy space: by diving right in and getting started!
DON’T: Wait any longer.
Don’t let life pass you by. As the old saying goes, there’s no time like the present! Start your exciting new professional organizing career by enrolling with QC Design School today!
