Trust & Working with Professional Organizers
Over the last few years I have found that each of my clients have different lifestyles, different items of stuff, different requirements for getting organized and they want someone to transform their lives. Organizers don't have a crystal ball to show them what their home will look like after we have worked with them, so we have to build trust to enable the client to grant us permission to change their lives.I have client who books me every quarter for a few hours to assess her home, organize a room which is disorganized and advise what she needs to declutter or buy, to remain organized for the next quarter. I met her during the initial big sessions a few years back and built a relationship with her. She now trusts me to leave the house key for me to enter and to go through her items. I know when she has bought new clothes, I know when it is time to declutter some food items and I have that kind of relationship where I can leave a pile of items I believe should be decluttered for her to assess quickly when she returns home.Another client asked if I could spend 2 hours in their home recently to reorganize their kitchen and also allow the pest control men to come into their home. They were not in town and had already booked for the pest control to come. As they trusted me, they thought of me when dealing with this task. It might seem simple, but they needed someone they trusted and who knew their home well, to be there to guide the men whilst they sprayed their home.Sometimes clients are able to trust me immediately, sometimes it takes a while. People let a stranger (that would be me...) come into their home and life. It is their private place, which not many people get to see. My role is to make sure that the client feels comfortable in their home, so that they can show me how they live and how they want to change their lifestyle.They have taken that major step to call me and too allow me into their home, when often they would be too embarrassed to allow anyone into their home even their family.I don't see the clutter, I see the space post declutter and organizing. In my line of business, I get to see everything from bank statements, underwear, hidden chocolate bars, banned books, anything and everything. Nothing is too embarrassing or surprising to see now. I don't consider how terrible a condition a person is living in, I visualise how it will be after we have cleared the space and made it "livable".I always like to remind clients that I am here to help, not to embarrass or criticise. I do like to tease and joke with clients whilst working together. Not only does it alleviate the tension of dealing with the clutter, but it builds a rapport with each other. Some clients like to declutter with me silently, some need to talk to be at ease. I am happy either way as long as the client is comfortable in their home.The bottom line is that I am here to help you release the tension that you are feeling from your living space. A huge part of that process is building trust with you when I am in your home. The same applies in offices, but more so in homes as it is your private space with your belongings.If you want to find out if you can trust me to help you declutter and organize, contact me using the contact form here. 