Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need a professional organiser?
You can of course do it yourself, but by working with a professional organiser, it makes the job much easier, faster and more efficient. Often it can be overwhelming knowing where to start decluttering and if the time is scheduled in your diary, there's less chance that it will slide to the bottom of your priorities.
My home / office is such a mess, I would be embarrassed to let you see it.
There is no need to be embarrassed. As a professional organiser and declutterer I will have seen it all before and will not judge you. We will be working together to help you manage it and I will always respect your privacy and confidentiality.
Do I have to be there?
You do have to be there to decide what you want to keep, sell, donate or recycle but I'll help you make the decisions by asking questions about how and when you use those items. For the clearing, decluttering, organising and tidying part, I'm fine working alone, especially if you fancy putting the kettle on!
Will you force me to throw things away?
This is a big concern for many people when engaging with a professional organiser and the answer is absolutely not! You will be making the choices as to which items to keep and it is ultimately your decision. I will guide you through the decluttering process and make recommendations as to how to store and / or display things. The end goal is to make your life more manageable by creating space around you and removing the angst of having too much "stuff" to deal with.
Do I need to buy more storage?
The idea of decluttering is to free up your space so that it can be used more efficiently. Many people tend to have bought storage in the past to help them with their clutter but have just not managed to use it efficiently. If you haven't and something is needed, we can help with suggestions as to what will be of most use to you.
Do I need to clean and tidy first?
You do not need to clean and tidy first as we can tackle this as necessary as we go along. We will clean shelves and under cupboards where it will assist the decluttering process but please bear in mind that I am not a cleaner! If a full cleaning service is required I can suggest some local professional companies you could use.
Can you take items away for me? What will happen to items that I no longer need?
I am happy to deliver your unwanted items to charity / recycling area / local dump as necessary, up to one car load. This is included in the cost of the service.
I can arrange for larger furniture items to be collected by a third party company. Charges for this service will be extra and discussed in advance.
I would encourage you to donate or recycle items wherever possible. Should you not have any specific charities in mind, I can suggest several local ones that would be delighted to receive the goods and can take them to the charity shop on the day of decluttering.
The British Heart Foundation often need donations of good quality furniture and can usually collect unwanted items.
Mind, the mental health charity are always in need of good quality donated goods for their charity shops around the country.
Beauty Banks are the perfect places to donate any unused and unwanted toiletries or personal hygiene products
For clothing and equipment for families with young children under the age of 5 we can recommend Baby Banks.
If you have items you would prefer to sell rather than donate, and don't know how to go about doing this, I can guide you through selling items online through Ebay during our session.
How long will it take? How many sessions will I need?
Each client is different and it depends on your pace. Some people find it easier once they get started with their decluttering and some find it harder. I will work at a pace that suits you and encourage you to keep on track but I can guarantee that by using a professional organiser it will be far quicker than doing it on your own.
I offer an initial 30 minute telephone/skype/ whatsapp consultation session and then you can book either a half day (3 hours) or full day (6 hours) session.
A half day session is generally the minimum time needed to make good progress, but it always depends on how much needs doing and how much energy you have. You may want to book some repeat sessions so that the area gets totally decluttered but you may find that you are energised by the session and have learned enough about the basic principles to continue by yourself.
What if I have to cancel?
We all understand that plans change so if it is necessary to cancel, please give me as much notice as possible and we will first aim to re-schedule. Please note if you cancel with less than 48 hours' notice before a session and you do not reschedule, your deposit will not be returned.
Are you insured?
Yes. I hold Public Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
What records will you keep about me?
I keep a record of your contact details but these will not be disclosed to anyone else. Any information you give to me whether written or verbal will be kept confidential.