Professional organizers come across all sorts of situations. From cluttered desks to overflowing garages, we see it all. As a beginner, you can expect the job to keep you on your toes since every client has a different home, lifestyle, and set of possessions.

As much as we wish we could walk into a chaotic space and click our heels three times to make everything magically appear in order, it doesn't work that way. While every professional organizer has some tricks up their sleeves, there's no magic button to reveal a clean, mess-free space in a jiffy.

The reality is that organizing requires planning, dedication, and, most importantly, a system.

Today, I want to share some of the most helpful organizing tips and tricks that made my entrepreneurial journey rewarding, both intrinsically and financially.   

5 Organizing Tricks for Professional Organizers

Here are a few organizing tricks that will upgrade your skills and make the process of organizing clients' homes and offices easier and more enjoyable.

1. Open Clients' Eyes to the Clutter

An old saying goes, "the eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend." This is especially true when it comes to organizing. Often, clients can't see the clutter for what it is. They may be unable to identify items that serve no purpose in their space.

Professional organizers must be able to open their clients' eyes to the clutter and show them how it impacts their lives negatively.

Sometimes, all it takes is a quick video to make them see the problem!

By recording a room and then showing the client the footage, organizers can help them see what needs to be changed. This will make them look at their space from a different lens and spot the clutter they may have ignored for months or even years!

2. Commit to One Space at a Time

Often, you may come across clients with extremely unorganized homes. The sight of an untidy house with messy rooms and overflowing desks or closets can feel like an itch you can't scratch. You may feel overwhelmed at tackling such a huge job and be tempted to try to declutter every room at once.  

Resist the urge to get in there and do everything at once!

There's a reason professional organizers focus on decluttering one space at a time - it's the most efficient way to work. When you're multitasking, you spread yourself too thin and can't really focus on any of the tasks at hand, leading to scattered efforts and wasted time. In my course, I say, we must have a waffle brain, not a spaghetti brain. Structure, not chaos.

In other words, when you try to do too many things at once, you end up doing none of them well.

So, as soon as you step into a cluttered home, decide which room you want to start with, and don't let yourself get distracted by the work that needs to get done in other rooms until the space you start in is under control.

By focusing on one task at a time, you'll be able to accomplish more and make your clients happier in the process!

3. File, Not Pile

Clients who call you to organize their workspace and office may have desks piled high with old and new documents that can't go digital. This may include tax papers, bills, and important contracts. They may complain of struggling to find what they need when everything is jumbled together and experiencing the frustration of searching through a stack of papers to find the one document they're looking for.

This is where a professional organizer's secret weapon for saving clients from document chaos comes in: accordion files!

These files keep documents sorted vertically instead of piling them up haphazardly, enabling your clients to see all the documents at once. They can enjoy the best of both worlds by stacking these folders horizontally while ensuring all papers are in vertical arrangement when they pick one up.       

4. Follow the 20-80 Rule for Closet Organizing

When it comes to professional organizing, one of the most common goals is to help clients clear out the clothes they never wear and stick to a wardrobe that makes them look and feel great.

But how can you be sure you're helping your clients wear the clothes they love?

The 20-80 rule is a great guideline to follow!

Most people only wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time, so keeping the most used items in the front of their closet will make it easy for them to get dressed every day. Occasion wear, party dresses, and even some formal outfits that are only needed once a week or so can be put in the back.

Moreover, if certain items haven't been worn in the past six months, it's probably safe to donate or sell them. Always ask!

5. Teach Clients to Do a Daily Cleanup Reset

Living in a cluttered and chaotic space can be extremely overwhelming and stressful. Not to mention, it's not very conducive to productivity or relaxation.

Many clients struggle with maintaining a clean space after a professional organizer does their job because they lack time or interest. Some might just be overwhelmed with the concept of constant upkeep. This is where you have the golden opportunity to provide extra value to your clients.   

If you want your clients to remember you and become loyal customers, consider teaching them how to maintain a clutter-free space without much effort.

You can suggest they tidy up and keep everything back in its place before lunch and dinner every day. A five to ten-minute effort will help them stay on top of things and keep their living and work spaces looking great. This way, they'll be able to keep their home or office organized long after you've left!

Pro Tip - Always sell a follow-up visit with every job. Your clients need the maintenance visits, so figure this into your offering.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to professional organizing, there are two key essentials that every expert must have to succeed: efficiency and willingness to go the extra mile.

You must be able to work quickly and thoroughly to meet a client's needs. In addition, you should be reliable and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done right. This includes going above and beyond what is expected to clean a space and sharing a few tips to help them maintain the change.

By following the organizing tricks in this post, you'll be on your way to starting a thriving and reputable professional organizing business!