Can I Make a Career Out of Organizing?

Hey! If you are a nerd then I am too! ;o) I was just wondering the exact same thing recenetly actually. Let me know what you find out! I even looked at www.domesticplanner.com

A.

Hi M.,

You can check out the National Association of Professional Organizers. I don't know anything about it personally, but thought this might help you out.

Good luck! C.

I've seen professional organizers on TV before, mentioned on the news and on a show called Organize my House or something like that. It was one of those on TLC or something similar. It's been a while ago, and gosh, I've slept since then, so my memory is fuzzy.

There are plenty of people who are very disorganized(me!) and don't have the time or motivation to straighten things up. I'm sure you'd find quite a few willing to pay for your services. Maybe just start out with weekend and/or summer hours since you're a teacher, and see how it goes, or grows?

I don't think you are a nerd. I only wish I had those organizational skills you have. Also, if I was already out of school with a job and could afford it, I'd be more than happy to pay you to organize things for me! But alas, as it is now, I'm broke and unemployed, relying on my husband's meager(for now) income to pull us through.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

M.,

you may want to check out this Web site. This person is doing what you're thinking about so her Web site may be a good source for you and you may want to call her as well.

www.mooreorganizedonline.com

My girlfriend started a business called Happy Kamper Kleaners. She started out doing it just to organize b/c like you, she was great at it and wanted to do it professionally. But she ended up getting more requests for "cleaning", I guess a lot of people didn't get the whole organizer thing.... so she changed her business (and name to reflect the cleaning aspect).

The HGTV show is called Mission: Organization and if you do a search for it, you will find that they are hiring in Portland, Oregon.
I think you may be on to something without that kind of move right here in Texas where they don't build homes with basements.
The web site called the position, Professional Organizational Consultant.
If you really want to share your gift, I would suggest contacting a few established interior decorators and giving them your name for special projects and see how it goes. Pick their brains as you call to introduce yourself and see what the going rate is. Then there is the business end of organization. I have been to doctor's offices and other small businesses where I wanted to say, "Pay me for two weeks and I'll have this place running like a well-oiled machine!" Guess that's a bit of a different animal though. You would have to walk in and sell yourself and be a psychologist in the process of helping them.
My gift is spacial relations and I blew the top off the aptitude test in high school. I have found that it actually can work against being organized, especially with a family who never puts things back where they belong! I could use your talents from now until Christmas of 07!
One more thing, as a young adult, I was a substitute teacher for nine years. I took on some long assignments at times and with experience, I began to notice that the most organized teachers had boiled down their subject matter and teaching for them was a dream! They were making a difference with the kids and they were truly the master teachers! For this reason, I hope you keep your day job for our kids sake!
Good luck with your endeavers,
C. S.
Afterthought: Our senior citizens often downsize their lives when moving to a smaller home or a retirement facility. They often lack the strength to face this challenge. Might leave your name with some retirement villages too. I would think you could earn some money organizing estate sales and auctions along the way as well.
Just brainstorming here.