Frequently Asked Questions
Help Center
What do professional home organizers do?
We organize personal items by category and functionality. We optimize storage by decluttering, rearranging and making the best use of existing space. We manage personal papers, including photos, and create document filing systems. We can tell you where and how to sell, donate, and recycle items you no longer want. Some of us have advanced training and degrees to address hoarding and chronic disorganization issues. In short, we optimize the functionality of your home, resulting in a calmer, tidier, and more pleasing environment.
Are you going to make me throw my things away?
No. As a professional organizer, I help you determine for yourself what to do with each item, based on your goals and the plan I create to meet your goals.
Personal possessions contain memories and emotions that need to be acknowledged and respected. We all have things we keep as long as we live, and many other things that cycle in and out of our lives based on changing needs and desires. Things we decide to let go of can be honored by passing them along to a family member or friend who also treasures them. They can also be donated so that someone else can appreciate their value.
How did you get started as a home organizer?
I knew I wanted to provide a service to those who, like me, were preparing for, or experiencing, a life transition. Everyone has some clutter in their home, but those of us who have had decades to accumulate stuff may need help downsizing and decluttering to meet our shifting needs. Having used my organizational skills to help simplify and beautify my own living space, I wanted to help others do the same. That's how Joyful Home Organizing was born.
What are your qualifications?
I earned my certificate in professional organizing from the American Society of Professional Organizers. As a former technical writer, I bring advanced organizational skills and a keen attention to detail. My B.A. in Journalism, with a Studio Art minor, helped me develop my skills in writing, layout, and design. The same spatial relationship skills that make me a great suitcase packer also allow me to quickly assess spaces and the best way to fit items into those spaces. Finally, my own whole-house reorganization taught me a lot about the decluttering process and the hard decisions that need to be made when deciding what to keep and what to let go of. I feel that since I've been through the process, as well as the training, I have the knowledge and sensitivity to help others.
How can you help me manage my photos and create a custom photobook?
Online photobook services are fine when using standard templates with a limited number of pages for finished quality photos. If you need to edit photos, optimize photo resolution, create custom layouts, or make hard decisions about which photos to leave out due to a photobook service’s storage constraints, it can get frustrating and time consuming.
I can help you get paper photos restored and/or digitized (using a local, reputable photo restoration shop). I can also help you add images to online photo management applications. I can then work with you to organize and edit your online images. Together, we can choose the photos to use in your photobook (including images I can take of anything you don’t have photos of), create a paper layout of each page, and write narration and captions as needed. I can then create the book online, which I’ll later review with you before ordering the final version.
What do you charge?
Reorganizing services: $65 - $75 an hour, depending on nature of work and total hours required.
Photo/photobook services: $85 an hour.
Senior discount: 5% off for those 60 and over.