Benefits of working with professional organizers
Welcome to Simplified Austin's blog page. You might be on this website checking out this whole Professional Organizer thing, knowing you need some help but not knowing what kind or who to ask for it. You might be wondering, what’s the difference between someone who is good at organizing and someone who is a "professional organizer"? What do we do that is so special? When you hire us, what is in it for you?
Professional organizers are great at organizing, but also…
We LOVE it!
It may go without saying, but we are truly passionate about helping others reclaim their space through organizing. Yes, we belong to a personality type that likes everything just so, but we also love seeing your countenance light up when you drop what's been weighing you down and shed what's been holding you back. Take our word for it: this is a win-win relationship. You get something big checked off your to-do list (and maybe learn it's ok to ask others for help), and we get to nerd out while exercising some humble servanthood.
we never judge your unorganized spaces
One of the attitudes we see often from our clients is that of embarrassment, or worse, shame. We're here to take that burden off of you, too. You have done a big, vulnerable thing by asking for help, by asking strangers into your home to witness your mess. But you LIVE here, for goodness' sake! Life is messy! Dishes pile up and laundry doesn't get folded for days and kids track mud and pets shed and drool, and--hear me--everyone else has skeletons in their closet, too. I've been in enough houses to know.
Do you want to know a secret? Organizers' own spaces get disheveled, too. No, my house is not perfectly organized. It has come a long way (I've gotten married recently and combining inventory is tough!), but I'm still using cheap plastic drawers in my office closet and most days I have no hope for my laundry room. And honestly? I think it's this truth--that organizers are human, too--that is part of what makes us good at this job. We're not here to judge you against some standard created by the internet. We're here as humans to help other humans. We are here to guide you and support you in making the decisions about what is worth keeping in your life and what you need to let go. And we cheer for you when you make that hard, final decision!
We're not here to judge. We're here to celebrate.
we promise confidentiality
Speaking of celebration, we LOVE to share before and after photos of finished spaces on our website or on social media. Testimonials, too, because they help others who are on the fence about doing this whole organizing thing see and hear about the very real possibility of success.
But we won't publish your name or space unless you give us permission. We hope (very much!) that you will feel so much lighter that you will be ok with admitting that you asked for help. I'll reiterate that it's a vulnerable thing you've done in hiring us, and we respect and are honored by your humility. But at the end of the day, it's your decision to share, not ours.
we offer a fresh perspective
So you finally worked up the energy to tackle your closet and tell it who's boss, setting aside an hour to pull out every last scarf and t-shirt, only to get overwhelmed and to throw it all back in again. You throw up your hands because you're too close to the mess (I mean, subject) and you don't know where to start. You can't seem to zoom out.
And unfortunately, the habits and thought processes that snowballed into this disorganization likely won't help much in escaping it.
We can help you zoom out and see more of the picture.
Let us be your outside perspective. Let us gently hold a mirror to you and your space, reflecting old hang-ups and patterns and how they're choking the life you want instead.
we are Familiar with developing sustainable systems
We're not just here to make your space pretty once; we're here to tailor it to your exact needs, to make it sustainable for your life, and to teach you steps for upkeep.
The layout and product you need in your space is specific to YOU and YOUR life, and we want to honor that. Where you need your Tupperware may be different from the needs of another client. Where you need your linen closet or game cupboard or entertaining ware are probably different, too. We will get to know your routines and we will space-plan (sometimes obsessively) accordingly, so that what you need is where you need it, when you need it. And when organization and placement makes sense, guess what? You're more likely to keep it up!
We want to help you to feel at peace and in control in your own home, and we want to equip you with new habits to keep you feeling that way.
(Be on the lookout in the next few months for a blog about Organization Maintenance!)
we have extensive knowledge of organizing products
I can't quantify the number of hours I've spent either in certain stores or on websites, scouring and searching by bin color, or bin size, or turntable diameter, or product material, or random criteria such as "foldable" or "adhesive" or "airtight" or "lipstick." But each of us organizers are kind of obsessed with organizing products, and The Container Store is our Toys R Us.
Rest assured that we are constantly seeking out the latest trends and research in the organizing field. We follow fellow organizers on social media for inspiration, we attend conferences (yes, conferences!), and keep up with interior design trends so that we can source products for you that are both fashionable as well as functional.
we pass along our discount
We want everyone to believe that getting organized is an attainable goal, that peace of mind doesn’t have to come at a ridiculous financial cost. Therefore, here at Simplified, we are happy to pass along our trade discount (20% off, and 30% off The Everything line!) when we purchase products for your space from The Container Store. We know and trust the products, and who doesn’t love a discount?
we are Knowledgeable about donation centers to ensure items will best serve others
Part of the above-mentioned research we do includes where to take your unwanted items. There are Goodwill stores and Salvation Armies on almost every corner, and those are great institutions. There are also plenty of local institutions who cater to certain clientele and needs who are also just trying to pass along some good in the world, and your donations to them are a win-win: your life is Simplified, and someone else's needs are provided for.
We also have a little black book of recycling centers, so your unwanted or out-of-date technology is properly disposed of.
If you’re on the fence about hiring an organizer, please keep this list in mind. We make a living by helping busy people get and stay organized! This could be the beginning of a beautiful, win-win relationship. If you're in the greater Austin, Texas area, DM or email us today to schedule a free consultation.