We got this tip from AT:LA reader Jonathan about a company who will go through your mucky closets...and organize them! And while you may sputter, "But...but...all I need is a free Sunday!", we say: Wouldn't you rather spend that time brunching with your friends, hitting up the farmer's market, or haggling over a painting of underpants at the Fairfax High swap meet? Of course! So why not shell out and let the hardcore organizers at New Order Professional Organizing do the dirty work and the heavy lifting for you?
The process works something like this: you get a free phone consultation where you pour out your woes (like how it takes you 30 minutes to find a matching pair of shoes in your closet), and they tell you ways to help. And then there is the obligatory budget talks which then determines how in-depth they'll go: Hands On (they come and handle the mess), Organizational Assessment (they tell you how to handle the mess), and Purchasing/Products (they tell you what would help organize your space).
As an added bonus, they also offer the service of taking your old but still functional things (clothes, office supplies, small electronics), donate them to charity, and give you the tax-deduction receipt.
Sounds like something you need before winter hits? Then check out their site New Order Professional Organizing...aside from their contact info, they also have great testimonials and before and after pics of their recent work.
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
How to Cook Rice on the Stove
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Oh my god...that mess looks like what I had to go through for 3 months.
It was tough but worth it--I reduced all of my clutter and my friends were happy for all the free stuff I gave out (old Super Nintendo games, vintage 90's poster, underwear).
I'm still not done since I have to hit the kitchen next but it's worth the time to clean out what you don't need.
meltendo... you gave your friends your old underwear? :)
Kudos though, I can agree it feels good when actually clear stuff out. Like a weight has been lifted.
I LOVE that there is a firm locally that can help me out with this when Sunday brunch is calling...
Craigslist has tons of professional organizers under "household services"
Yes, but be careful. I hired a few from craig's list to help catalouge china I wanted to sell and store, and various projects after a move... the two I hired did a terrible job and didn't seem to have much knowledge or experience once they got here. I would only use someone that you have heard is actually good that advertises on there, I wasted money and still needed the job done.
Jeri,
You're right, you absolutely want to hire someone from The National Association of Professional Organizers. NAPO is a trade organization for business people who own and operate organizing businesses. Members also include authors, trainers, speakers, hands-on residential and corporate organizers, retailers and manufacturers of organizing products-- they all invest themselves in promoting organizing principles to the public. Fay's company, New Order, is a member of both NAPO National and the local Los Angeles Chapter.
- John
I can concede that some people need help in organizing, but I found this post a little offensive. I've helped friends organize messes like the one depicted in this post, but I've never done it while my friends were "off enjoying their Sunday". It makes it sound perfectly acceptable for someone to make a mess and have someone clean it up for them, instead of working with them to try to solve their organizational problems. Kind of like hiring a cleaning lady to clean up a child's room instead of teaching the child to pick up after himself.
Jeri and John,
I’m glad to see you both were on top of this. I would definitely recommend anyone checking with NAPO before Craigslist.
Rappy,
I agree and organizing is a learning process. Most often hands on does mean that we are working right next to the homeowner guiding them through the whole process. Having someone come in and doing it all for you will not ultimately fix the problem. Organizers are here to help you get to the source of the problem, set up systems that fit your style, teach you to maintain them, and provide motivation in areas that normally overwhelm you. After checking New Order’s website I noticed they do provide this type of hands on. It does not mention coming in and doing it all for you.
I actually have no objection to the concept of professional organizing. Organizational skills are far from a given, as far as I'm concerned, and some people have them in spades while others lack them completely. I'm by no means a professional, but I do have above-average organizational skills, which I've used to help a number of friends. I used a fair bit of my own common sense, coupled with a lot of ideas that I found in the AT book.
My objection is to the tone of the post, which implied that the organizers are some sort of clean up crew, coming in to clean up other people's messes while they're off on some hedonistic endeavor. I think that an organizer is more than just a cleaning service; it is a service that, in addition to the physical work of sorting and paring down, imparts systems and methods to help those lacking in these skills. The process *has* to be done together with the client.
I'm glad there is a debate going on about this. Listen, there are lots of people who call for "help" and many reasons why.
Organizing "skills" are indeed transferable. And that's a question a professional organizer should ask a potential client. "Are you looking to learn new skills?" Some people (in fact, many) say yes-- they want and need to learn. Now there ARE people who need it done for them too. Both these individuals are viable clients, and both need you. If the goal is to pull an area together, and you've heartily reviewed the area beforehand with the client, why can't you do the work without them and review at the end of the day? Questions will still need to be addressed of course.
Of course, if you have gone through the area before hand with the client and have agreed upon the terms involved I think there would be no problem in coming in and doing the work for them. The client would need to be available in some manner to address the questions that do arise. I do think the tone of the initial post did seem like an organizer would come in and do it all and the client could kind of wipe their hands clean of the whole situation.
I agree some clients would not care to be involved in the actual “hands on “work, just like there are those that would prefer to have someone come in and maintain it as well.
I have personally experienced New Order's services and I can tell you first hand that they're anything but enablers. New Order came in and showed me how to help myself, greatly empowering me in the process. Thanks to them my apartment is in great shape, in large part because I have the skills to maintain it. I would highly recommend their services to anyone.