Why You Should Hire A Closet Organizer

“I absolutely cannot find anything to wear!”  Does this sound familiar? We stand there staring at a closet chock-full of clothes, shoes, scarves, ties and belts— yet we have nothing to wear. Wouldn’t it be amazing to just walk into your closet and easily find your favorite black pants and that perfect shirt to match—without a lot of stress or the time-suck of trying on one-thousand different outfits?

It is possible to achieve and maintain an organized closet through the help of a professional closet organizer. While some of us can clean out the clutter in our closets on our own (maybe even make it look organized), but we seem to lack the skill(s) to make it stay that way.  This is why people need to hire a closet organizer.

After all, we hire professionals in numerous other aspects of our lives (such as professional trainers).  Why? Because they know the tips and tricks of their trade— they are experts.

Professional closet organizers are full of tips, unique methods and organizing systems that can help us get organized and, more importantly, stay organized. They are creative forces whose main goal is to make our lives function better.

Let’s look at more reasons why we should hire a professional closet organizer, and the things we should think about before hiring one: 

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Can You Organize Your Own Closet?

As mentioned above, some of us are capable of getting organized on our own, yet fast-forward a few months later and once more we are staring at a messy unorganized closet, asking ourselves what happened to our clean closet and how did it get this way, again?

This scenario happens to us time and time again because we are not skilled in the trade of organizing. Professional organizers go through years of training and work experience in order to learn how to customize our wardrobe spaces into something functional and beautiful. They know the unique systems to put in place in order to get us organized, and they know the triggers that cause us to collect clutter—and how to beat those triggers.

Some of us have life challenges that deter us from getting and staying organized, such as those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), or those who have hoarding tendencies, and then some of us are just too busy and stressed to do it on our own. Professional organizers have skilled training in these life challenges—some organizers even have degrees in psychology and training in the behaviors of hoarding and ADHD.

Your first step should be to attempt to get organized on your own. Get three boxes and mark them— toss, donate, sell. When you feel yourself at a stand-still— hire a professional. They will step into your closet and  immediately know what systems and methods you need to get and stay organized. But first, let’s read more about the things we need to consider before hiring…

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 What Will A Professional Closet Organizer Provide You?

Professional closet organizers are full of unique methods to help you get your closet from packed to priceless. Hiring an organizer is like hiring a coach. They orchestrate ways to train you and help you excel at getting and staying organized.

The number one thing that a closet organizer can give you is peace of mind. It is very pacifying knowing that someone is in control of your messy situation and can help relieve your stress. Closet organizers can take our disorganized closet of chaos and turn it into a dreamy designer walk-in.  Today’s modern closet organizers are professional interior designers who literally think outside of the box; they know how to use space that you never imagined you had —coming up with amazing storage solutions that work.

They can also design your closet into a room you will want to use. Essentially,  they can make your closet an extension of your home, mimicking the rest of your interior style. An organizer may find space to install that much-needed vanity, or elegant dressing room/sitting room, or a place to display all your luxury silk ties and leather purses. You will be surprised by the ingenious, inventive ideas these professionals can come up with.

We hear you, how much is this magic going to cost?  We will get to the nitty gritty of cost in a minute, but if cost is a concern, then consider hiring a professional organizer to plan out the design and then leave you to implement it, saving you a lot of money, but adding to the time you will have to personally commit to the project.

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 How Much Does a Professional Closet Organizer Cost?

As with all professions, cost varies. There are numerous ways that fees/costs can be structured. Some professional organizers charge on an hourly basis, while others charge a set rate based on the immensity of the project.  With closet organization there are a lot of factors to consider: time, effort, cost, materials, etc…

It is best to set-up consultations with a few organizers to give you a cost estimate of  your project. Begin your search by going to NAPO’s Directory where you can search for professionals in your local area (the NAPO directory covers 24 different countries).

While most organizers have a set rate of $55-$85 per hour, you must also consider the extra costs of the materials that will be needed to complete the project, and any possible hiring of outside contractors. Before beginning any closet remodel be sure to know all the costs up-front.

A true professional organizer should be able to give you a pretty accurate price range before going into the project. Yes, there will be some unexpected costs that arise (as with all home projects), so have a little wiggle room in your  budget. Don’t forget— a closet organizer can help with not only your bedroom closet, but ALL the closets in your home.

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How To Choose the Right Professional Organizer

Allowing a complete stranger into one of the most personal rooms of your home can be intimidating, and it takes a pretty special person to be able to come into your home and tell you what you are doing wrong—without insulting you.

The organizer you hire should have years of experience under their belt. They should be able to provide numerous references and pictures of completed projects. Most importantly, you should hire the person that fits your personality the best.  It may sound silly, but you should hire the person that you like most—because honestly, no matter how much you may like them at the start, when they begin telling you to toss things, you will begin to dislike them.

There are a lot of  questions to ask (see below for examples), but there are some basic questions that when asked will give you an idea if you’re hiring the right person. Essentially, closet organization is a very personal process—you don’t want just anybody digging through your personal belongings, so do a lot of inquiries before hiring.

The ultimate closet organizer is professional, kind, well-trained and there to educate you on how to achieve a more functional closet space.

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Here are some questions that you should ask your potential closet organizer:

• What are your areas of expertise?
• Are you certified?
• What training have you undergone?
• What supplies do you foresee this project needing
• Will this project require an outside contractor?
• What is your fee structure?
• How long will this project take?
• What do I need to do with regard to this project?
• Do you have references and photos of past projects?

Are you still standing there, staring at all the clothes in your closet wondering what to wear? Well, get going and begin  the search for a professional closet organizer.

Begin by allocating your goods into three boxes — toss, donate, sell. Once this is accomplished, start the search for the ultimate organizer in your home town.

Remember to choose a professional that has years of experience, lots of past projects to show you, glowing references, and most importantly, someone who you feel that you can get along with. For further closet inspiration read this Top 30 Walk-In Closet Ideas post.

Are you ready to dive in and get organized? What room of your home nes the help of a professional organizer?