27 September 2012

Biggest Problem for Organizers

I got this email from a concerned cititzen recently:
       Hello to the folks at The Intrepid Declutterer,

      My name is A.K. and I am currently doing research on making home inventory/organization more fun, productive and profitable.

      As a home professional what are the biggest problems you face on a day-to-day basis?

     This is not spam and I am not going to try and sell you anything, I would just like to learn about the pain points you experience in your profession.

      I would love to hear back from you, even if it is only one sentence!

      Kind Regards,

      A. (names have been abbreviated to protect the innocent)

At first I didn't know what my biggest challenge was.  Every day is so different!  Then I realized what I fear the most, what haunts organizers everywhere.  Poor house hygiene!

Here is my response:

      A.,

      Thank you for your interest in the organizing industry.

      I think the biggest challenge of being a professional organizer is personal & health safety.

     The people who request organizing help come in all shapes & sizes - as do their homes.  What one person considers normal living conditions may actually be quite dangerous because of trip hazards, animal feces, and even human hygiene issues.

     I have no idea what sort of situation I will be walking into on a daily basis.  Leading questions help to identify potential problems, and I try to carry a mask and gloves with me at all times. 


    Fortunately, most of the people I work with are aware of their environment (that's why they call me!).  But you never know!

    Hope that helps. : )

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing organizers?