How to Be a Professional Home Organizer

Professional home organizers can take a disorganized area and create order by designing systems that make everything in your home more readily accessible. If you like restoring a sense of order, you can parlay your talent into a successful small business.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Decide whether professional organizing is the right job for you. You may be neat and tidy, but you also have to be flexible. If you prefer a clear office desk, and your client likes to "see everything" in his workspace, you'll have to adjust your thinking and design a flexible system for your client.

2. Practice. Organize your own home first, and then organize the homes of friends and family, including your mother's cluttered kitchen, your sister's nightmare office space or your buddy's bulging collection of memorabilia. You'll learn the ropes of the business and gain confidence.

3. Find out how to start a small business by consulting the Small Business Administration. Your accountant can advise you on setting up a business in your state and give you information on taxes.

4. Look into membership with the National Association of Professional Organizers. Becoming a NAPO member will add credibility to your business, demonstrate your ethics and give you opportunities for growth.

5. Decide how you will market yourself. Get some business cards made with your contact information, and start announcing your new business venture to family and friends. Your business will thrive through word-of-mouth advertising in addition to a Yellow Page listing and a brochure or flyer.

6. Get certified through the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers. While not required by the industry, becoming a certified Professional Organizer will boost your credibility and demonstrate that you know what you're doing.

Resources

• National Association of Home Organizers
• Board of Certification for Professional Organizers