Name: Beth Chi
Age: 34
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Education: Bachelor of Science in Dietetics at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.
Job Title: Professional Organizer
What She Does: Beth, who works for herself, provides personal assistance, planning, and products to help people organize their homes and offices. Specifically, she’s involved with setting objectives for a space, cleaning out clutter, and identifying whether items should be saved or thrown away. She also helps her customers with moving and packing, and creates storage or filing systems.
How She Got Her Gig: While the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) does offer a certification program involving a mix of paid work hours and course work, most organizers agree that formal education isn’t necessary. “I got my start at another organizing company in Chicago, which I found by doing a search on the Illinois NAPO website,” says Beth. “However, if you are going to work for someone else, be careful of non-compete agreements that may prohibit you from starting your own business in the same area.”
A Day in the Life: Beth may spend a few hours, or several days, teaching a client simple organizing techniques for reducing waste, making everyday processes easier, and simplifying daily responsibilities. “Organizing is not necessarily a steady job where you work seven or eight hours every day, but it’s rewarding because when I put in a good day’s work, I get to see the results immediately,” she says. “I set my own hours in order to be the most effective, instead of languishing in an office on someone else’s watch.”
Getting Off the Ground: Want to launch a business as a professional organizer? Your biggest challenge will be attracting clients. Professional organizing is still a new field, and there is a general lack of awareness of the benefits organizers can provide. “People don’t need organizing services like they need a dry cleaner or a cleaning lady,” says Beth. “Tell everyone you know about your business and ask them to refer you to their disorganized friends and family members, and offer prospective clients a free consultation to get them in the door.”
This Job’s for You if: You have business savvy, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, and the ability to teach new ideas. “You have to be able to read people and listen to what they’re really saying,” Beth says. “It’s important to be patient and even-tempered even when a situation seems overwhelming, and to recognize that people have different lifestyles and preferences. What works for you might not work for the client, and inevitably things won’t turn out as perfectly as they do on TV.”
