It's the morning after the day before...the day before having been 6.5 hours with Professional Organizer Donna McMillan, as referred to me by y'all here in cyberspace. Here's how my morning has been so far (started work about an hour ago in my home office):
--received call from candidate for secretary position, had file with her resume right at my fingertips in my "hot file" rolling file box (which is a significant improvement over my "hot file" pile on the floor next to me)
--found employment app form in my blank forms book, which was within arms reach on bookshelf next to me (it was previously semi-lost across the room). Put book back in "its place" next to similarly useful items.
--wrote letter to a reporter (I'm in PR), found some address info I needed in reference book within arm's reach (it was close before, too, but always in a different place)
--made up FedEx package for reporter (with all FedEx shipping stuff in one location -- what a concept!)
--pulled important working file about client out of rolling file box to make some notes
....get the picture? <G>
It was great for me, Donna, hope it was good for you too!
And if anyone who's wondering about hiring a professional organizer has ANY doubts as to whether it's a good idea, doubt no further. I was, in fact, reasonably well organized (very little was actually LOST), or so I thought. After Donna's whirlwind trip -- and with some Office Depot shopping and file color coding still ahead of me -- I am 200% better off. Sheesh, I shouldn't rave TOO much, Donna will raise her fees!
Jonathan
Dear Jonathan,
Ah, *this* is the stuff we love to hear about!! Thanks so much for taking the time to report it here. Yes, Donna *is* excellent at what sh does and has great passion for her work as an organizer. And, well, if you're worried about her raising her fees, sooner or later most of us do anyway <s>. It's always great to hear results like yours. It *i *is* what professional organizing is all about.
Warm regards,
Paulette Ensign NAPO President
Wow ... Jonathan ...
Thank you sooo much for your generous compliments <blush>!!! Am so glad to hear that my "Near-Far Rule" works so well for you. Yes, it was good for me too ... it always feels good to help a terrific client like you to Gain Control again. I'll admit, being a Professional Organizer is the most rewarding career I've _ever_ had (and there have been several).
<<<And if anyone who's wondering about hiring a professional organizer has ANY doubts as to whether it's a good idea, doubt no further ... I am 200% better off.>>> This is fabulous -- your support is greatly appreciated -- and, it was a pleasure to work with you!! };-D
Wishing you much success, Jonathan, personally and professionally in the year to come. You deserve it!!! <bg> Hope you'll stay in touch ...
Donna D. McMillan, NAPO-LA President
Jonathan/Donna,
Way to go! Would love to see more messages like this!
Happy Holidays to you both.
Mikki Lesowitz
Yo, Jonathan.........
You had the priviledge of working with one of our best!!!
I have to note that your message is very well organized!!! We organizers love to hear such wonderful support for the value of our work!
Happy Holidays!!!
Bunky Lundberg
Having read about the Donna/Jonathan interaction success...
Would you or any of the NAPO members let me have an idea of how much it would cost me on a per hour basis to hire you, if I lived in your region ? If you are afraid to disclose this here in the forum (or CIS rules do not permit) please send me a rpivate mail. The success behind your work is so fascinating that I wonder people dont go bankrupt after being organized by your goodselves (G)
And trust me I am not going to tell anybody what your charge is !
Arnd
____________________________
Some of us hire house cleaners, send out our shirts to the dry cleaners, or hire the neighborhood kid to mow our lawn, because those are simply chores we detest. I guess organizing can be one of those chores, even though it is one most of us PO's love as much as life itself.
My goal as a PO is to help people get and stay organized, but today I learned a new perspective.
I had a Christmas lunch with a client today. We stopped in his office, and when I looked inside I wanted to say "what do I have to do to keep you organized?"
He must have read my mind because he quickly said, "I know the office is a mess. I'm going out of town in two weeks. Will you put me on your schedule?" Then he admitted that he deliberately schedules a trip periodically so that he will have an excuse to hire me in to organize his office while he's gone. He says it's a real treat, like a full body message is for me.
So, I'm curious. Has anyone ever run across someone who hated to organize and routinely hired someone to periodically get them organized?
Jackie Tiani, NAPO Member
>> So, I'm curious. Has anyone ever run across someone who hated to organize and routinely hired someone to periodically get them organized? <<
Certainly have! A good friend is European Editor of an American publication, and works from home. He would have you believe that his office and living environment reflects his "creative" personality! (In fact, he was burgled a few months ago, and most of his office equipment, i.e. PC, fax, answerphone etc. were stolen, and a lot of mess was made. He has a lovely woman come in every week to do the domestic organising, and it was she who noticed the disarray. I was tempted to ask, "how could you tell the difference?"
Anyway, recognising that he DOES need some order brought into his working life, his solution is much as you describe. He's regularly out of the country, and arranges for one of four or five trusted individuals to come in and organise him in his absence. They all know him well enough to understand how his mind associates things for retrieval purposes, and he's flexible enough to know that different organisers will treat things slightly differently. He'll never learn to keep order himself - this way he doesn't need to.
Hope this is of interest. Merry Christmas!
John
John,
Thanks for your story about your friend. Very interesting and intriguing that successful business people actually operate this way. Great to hear that this arrangement works.
Jackie Tiani
Hi Jackie,
<<<hire me in to organize his office while he's gone>>>
I think that is so interesting that you are able to work without your client being in his office. When I first began as a professional organizer, I worked once or twice without the client being there and it did not work out well for me at all. Since I wasn't able to ask questions (do you need this phone number, is this name important, have you read this stack of magazines, etc., etc., etc.) I was not very effective. After those few experiences of not feeling good about myself or the job I did for my client, I vowed that I would never again work in a client's office without him/her being there. Likewise, I don't accept third party contracts until I talk to the potential client and we understand each other - I undestand what he/she needs and he/she understands the level of commitment needed to begin - and finish.
Holly Uverity, TX NAPO
Hi Holly,
<<I think that is so interesting that you are able to work without your client being in his office>>
Thanks for your comments. I agree that it is difficult to organize someone's office without their presence and input. I hope you read John Porter's reply. He describes a friend who regularly hires an organizer while he's out of the country. His specific comment: " <<They all know him well enough to understand how his mind associates things for retrieval purposes, and he's flexible enough to know that different organisers will treat things slightly differently. He'll never learn to keep order himself - this way he doesn't need to.>>"
You mentioned not feeling good about yourself or the job you did for your client when he/she was not there to organize with you. I know the feeling, but over the years, I have let go of some of my perfectionism and as a result, I am okay with having a few files, stacks or piles that the client simply must go through him/herself and make decisions. The job is never completely finished until that step is taken. It is simply impossible for me to be able to take action on everything, and I accept that fact.
It's also difficult for me to be hard on myself when I have a client singing my praises to his neighbors and business associates - really builds the confidence.
Jackie Tiani
Hi Jackie,
<<<stacks or piles that the client simply must go through him/herself and make decisions. The job is never completely finished until that step is taken. It is simply impossible for me to be able to take action on everything>>>> That's exactly where I had my problem, I felt like I hadn't completed the job because I left the client with stacks to go through. You are right, there are stacks that absolutely must be gone through by the client, but where I made my mistake was in my expectations, in other words, what I could really do. When I first started, I expected to be able to organize anyone, anywhere, anytime, and expressed that to all who would listen :-) I didn't realize that the client has to make the same commitment to the project that I do, and I thought I could do it without him/her. Now, the expectation is different, I know that I cannot organize anyone who is not interested in making changes in the way he/she does things and now I express that to all who will listen :-) I still won't work in a client's office without him/her being there, however, because even tho' I now realize that I can't sort thru everything, that there are some things that must be left undone by me, it goes back to commitment to organization - not just the job we are doing together - but to the concept itself. It's time consuming to make changes, and sometimes very difficult, and I think that by having the client be active in all aspects of the project, he/she may be less likely to slide back into the disorganized habits of old. If he/she sees exactly how long it takes to file a 10" stack of paper, maybe he/she won't allow the stack to get to 10" in the first place.
Holly Uverity
Holly,
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience.
Jackie Tiani
Jackie,
<blush> That's one of the greatest things about this forum, everyone gets to see a different way of doing something. It's like having new eyes all the time. Oh, btw, the article I wrote for NAPO News on the great experiences I've had on C-serve is not going to be in this issue of the newsletter <I did quote you :-)>, there is just no room. Maybe in the spring.
Holly Uverity
Jackie,
I remember my very first client. He wanted to hire an "Order-Keeper." What he really needed was a Professional Organizer to design, establish and implement systems and procedures for operating his business. In addition, he needed a part time administrative assistant to support his business activities, especially since he did not want to maintain the new design himself. (He loved his new, organized environment. He just didn't want to put his energies into maintenance. So, we found someone who could follow through with support.)
Can you see the delineation?
As you have probably read in this section, a perfect example is the thread from Jonathan on his experience and solution.
I find it very sad and frustrating in the process of serving someone if only to come back and find that their investment in my services is wasted. I want my clients to succeed with their organizing challenges and part of my support is direct communication on the importance of follow through and using the systems we put into place, no matter how that is acheived, via themselves or support staff.
That's my 2 cents worth. :)
Alan Aurich - NAPO SFBA President
PMFJI, but I am adamant that many people are not as successful as they could be because they do things themselves they should hire other people to do! In my experience, many people need to hire a professional organizer in order to identify what those things may be.
In some cases, it can be cost effective to have the professional organizer maintain those systems if the po enjoys doing that, but in other cases, the po can help the client hire someone else.
Happy New Year!
Barbara Hemphill NAPO - NC
Happy New Year, Barbara ...
<<<... many people are not as successful as they could be because they do things themselves they should hire other people to do!>>>
You're so right ... we entrepreneurs (and others as well) can get "stuck" thinking we have to "do it all." After 11 years in business, I realized it was time to "practice" what I preach and this year finally hired an assistant to do my bookkeeping and database input -- it truly *released* me!!! Now, I am focusing my energy on what I enjoy most -- working more with clients, networking and marketing my own services & products. Even though I monitor what my assistant does weekly, most of my time is now spent with the folks who will help my business (and me) to grow ... without that, there'd be no books to keep or no new prospects for mailing lists.
Thank you for all your valuable advice and support!!!
Donna D. McMillan, NAPO-LA President
Happy New Year, Jackie ...
I've not been on-line for a short time ... so while taking a few minutes to catch up in WFH, I really enjoyed this thread!!!
I'm a firm believer in hiring order-keepers (for clients and me, too). One great example is that I've been moving this week/weekend, and who is helping me pack and unpack? Professional Organizers from my local chapter ... and, my goodness, is it wonderful to be so well cared for by such order-conscious people. Moving is at the top of the list of "tramatic life-changing experiences" ... and even I experienced "overwhelm." These wonderful experts just took charge packing and unpacking without hesitation. Even organizers can enjoy the skills of other Professional Organizers to accomplish goals! <bg>
Donna D. McMillan