10 Commandments for Professional Organizers
By Allison Carter, CPO®
1. Do unto your clients and fellow organizers as you would have them do unto you.
Allison Carter - organizing prophet
Treat your clients with respect and expect the same back.
2. Thou shalt personalize systems to fit the needs of the individual.
No system is perfect for everyone. Find the best one for the client.
3. You shall have no other self so you shall take care of this one.
Set boundaries with clients. You can be their friend, but only if works for you.
Many of our clients have little to no support system and can become a burden on your emotionally if you allow it.
4. You shall help your clients in the way they need to be helped. It is not for you to decide their goals but rather to help them figure out their goals and help them to get the results they want.
5. You shall not try to be everything to everyone.
You may be good at many things related to organizing. But when something isn’t in your expertise, you can ask fellow organizers for help or refer someone else to the client to do what you cannot do. If you don’t have anyone nearby to contact, get on the phone and call someone far away. Professional Organizers are a uniquely helpful bunch.
6. You shall not judge the cluttered masses.
They are asking for help. Be careful how you word things so that you are not making them feel worse than they already do.
7. Thou shall not reveal one’s clients identity without express permission, nor talk about them in an undignified manner. If you are talking about clients because you think it’s interesting, you may just be turning away someone who would have hired you except for the fact that you talk about your clients. Even if you’re not saying their name, if you are not discussing the situation in a respectful tone, a listener may “hear” that disrespect in your voice.
8. Thou shalt listen with 2 ears. One ear is to hear what clients are saying. The other is to hear what they are not saying. What do they skip over? What have they stopped noticing? What are they in denial about? What is too difficult to talk about? What don’t they want to be challenged about?
9. Thou shalt teach your clients to organize for themselves. An organizer’s job is to pass on skills, not just be a re-arranger. Find ways to express principles, processes and best practices of organizing.
Thou shalt return to the client and offer to help with any backsliding, tweak anything that isn’t working, or move them forward on another project. Many clients are too embarrassed to call back if they have been backsliding. They may be glad for your call and pleased to get back into the organizing.
10. What would your 10th Commandment be???
Would you like to use this in your newsletter, blog, or website? You can, as long as you use this complete blurb: Allison Carter, CPO® is the lead trainer at Organizer U, providing learning opportunities for Professional Organizers everywhere. If you’re ready to start your business, learn about the organizing industry, or refresh your current PO business, you can get your complimentary “10 Steps to Starting a Successful Organizing Business” at http://www.OrganizerU.com .
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