Many of us have so much stuff we can't control it and throw up our hands and let it accumulate — or hide it in drawers and closets.
A professional organizer can help you address such messes. These specialists can help clear out and clean up garages, closets, dirty dens, even your e-mail inbox and computer files.
Who are these neatniks for hire, and how should you choose one?
To examine how organizers work and who would (or maybe wouldn't) benefit from their services, nonprofit Twin Cities Consumers' Checkbook asked six staffers and neighbors to try out professional organizers on very different projects, ranging from a junked-up garage to a kitchen that needed a new space-saving scheme to a blind author needing help sorting piles of paperwork.
We found that pro organizers offer a wide range of work styles. Some are hands-on, tossing and stacking stuff alongside their clients; others just survey the mess and suggest improvements. Surprisingly, although we expected organizers to recommend purchasing expensive furniture, bins, boxes, hooks and other materials to cram everything into, they were conservative in recommending these purchases.
We were shocked by differences in fees charged by organizers we contacted. A few wanted large retainers and would take on projects only if our subjects agreed to pay for a minimum of eight hours or more of consulting time.
Overall, we find that people who are disorganized or messy tend to get the most benefit from bringing in a pro; tidier folks often agree organizers provide some ideas and help, but after learning tips on how to tackle their messes, they often doubt they'd shell out again for these services.
Start by assessing whether you really need to enlist an organizer. As is the case with most life challenges, if you suspect you need help, then you probably do.