FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
During my Free phone consultations and in emails I often find myself answering the same questions, so in the hope of saving some time and making it easier to decide if you would like to move forward here are some often asked questions and answers.
How far do you travel?
I service most areas of NYC and some parts of NJ and Long Island. It all depends on how long it takes to get there and how far you are from mass transit. I reserve the right to refuse service if I feel the area is not safe (this will include any borough) and/or the commute is too long. I do not work in any type of government housing, or NYCHA buildings.
What are your days/hours of operation?
I work 7 days a week and my operating hours are 9 am to 6 pm depending on your location. If the commute is short I might be able to stay longer. If you require custom hours including on Holidays it can be discussed. In general I prefer to start in the morning so I am fresh and rested.
Are there any factors that would stop you from working with me?
Yes, I reserve the right to refuse service under any of these circumstances, so please inform me ahead of time or cancel/reschedule your session.
- There are sick individuals in the home (Covid or else)
- People are actively smoking. NO SMOKING indoors while I am there.
- There is presence of any type of bugs or mice in the home, like roaches, bed bugs etc. I am not referring to flies, ants or spiders.
- Home/apartment needs cleaning. I don't mind a certain amount of dust, but the level of dirt has to be moderate.
- Presence of large dogs, or other dangerous pets. They will have to be in a kennel or a garden. Cats and small dogs are OK.
- Children that are not supervised. I do like children and sometimes they just want to be helpful but I would prefer they are not underfoot while I am moving things around, especially if they are not well behaved. For their safety and my peace of mind they will have to be in a different room and monitored by an adult. Also children tend to remove their masks and get too close.
How long does it take? How much does it cost?
I often get asked for an estimate of either time or cost. I would love to give you one but it might be completely off. Every project is different, every client moves at his/her own pace, it takes time to make decisions, some people are more focused than others. There is also the factor of size of home/rooms versus amount of belongings, and the state that it’s in, the presence or lack of organizing solutions, the need to do research to find the best solution for your problem. So it’s really hard to estimate. A closet can take 3 to 8 hours depending on size and amount of stuff in it.
Do I have to buy a package or commit long term?
No, I don’t sell packages or require any sort of commitment other than to the session you book. I work by the hour, one session at a time and you can schedule your next session at the end of the current one. If you feel we are not a good match there is no commitment on your part.
Do I have to be present?
Yes, someone will need to be there, and although I might not need you working along with me 100% of the time, it is your living space and your belongings, so the more you are involved with the process the more it will be tailored to your needs, rather than general guidelines.
You will be responsible for making decisions during the decluttering process, I do not decide what is no longer needed, that is up to the client. I can only give advice and suggestions.
If you are moving things around or moving into a new place, the more you are involved in deciding where things go the better you will be equipped when it comes to maintaining the systems. Organization is different for everyone, so it is best if it is tailored to your personality and needs.
Do you offer FREE consultations?
I do not offer FREE in-home consultations as traveling is time consuming plus travel incur cost, unless I am already in your area and I can pass by at the end of my work day.
However I do offer FREE phone consultations, you can send me photos and we can discuss your problem areas, I can answer questions and we can get a feel of each other. I take care of phone calls at the end of my work day or on my days off. Understand that I cannot answer the phone while I am on a client’s time.
Do you accept cancellations?
Cancellations happen, it’s a fact of life. I do understand that there are things we cannot control, like your child getting sick and not being able to go to school, but I need clients to understand that when they book a session that day is RESERVED for them, and it cannot be used for anyone else. If you cancel last minute I am unable to reuse that day, whoever else might have wanted it has moved on and I can’t recoup. So while I understand it I require cancellations as early as possible if you know your plans change, 48 hours notice at least.
If last minute cancellations happens more than once you will be required to post a deposit, that will be non-refundable, before you can schedule another session. This will protect me from losing any further work.
Do you offer Maintenance Sessions?
Yes, after the initial organization is completed, I instruct clients on how to maintain it. It may take a while for the new habits and routines to set in so I offer Maintenance Sessions to help them stay on course. Some clients do not have the time or inclination to do much maintenance on their own so I revisit from time to time to reset the organization.
Maintenance sessions need to be some time apart in order for me to have enough to do, in short there has to be enough disorganization to require my assistance. In time some clients will manage on their own without any further assistance.
What do you do and don’t do?
At times there seems to be some confusion about what a Professional Organizer does or does not do. I have been asked if I install closets, clean, run errands and more.
A Professional Organizer is someone that comes to your home and help you create order, help you put systems in place so you can easily retrieve and return your belongings, and possibly assist you in learning new habits and creating routines to maintain organization. While I try to be of help as much as possible if I think it is something I can do, my abilities have limits.
what I do NOT do
- I do NOT clean. If the home needs cleaning it needs to be addressed prior to my visit.
- I do not purchase furniture, do repairs, install closets, or anything that requires drilling wholes into walls.
- I do not watch your children/pets while you run errands
- I am not an exterminator thus I don’t deal with bugs/mice issues
- I am not an interior decorator so you will need to find one if you need such services
- I am not a moving company. I assist with packing/unpacking but NOT moving
- I do not sell your items for you (I just don't have the time it requires)
What I do and have done so in the past
- Home organizing
- Decluttering
- Packing/unpacking for a move and/or supervising packers/movers in your absence
- Unpacking at times include setting up things to make space ready to use
- Assisting with finding suitable donation options
- Assisting with finding/purchasing the right organizing solutions
- Sorting/filing papers, documents, mail, and creating a filing system
- Help you complete long overdue tasks, like returns, cancel subscriptions, empty email inboxes
- Light furniture assembly
- Closet Design consulting including taking inventory
- Space Planning, furniture repositioning
- Light staging in preparations for showing/listing (decluttering included)
- Teaching how to implement routines and habits to maintain organization
- Providing accountability, assistance and motivation for people with executive skills issues.
- Helping you find solutions to little household problems, like a sliding mattress, how to defuzz a sweater, how to move a stubborn kitchen shelf, how to disassemble a stroller etc.
- Assisting with categorizing and inventorying
Do you work with Hoarders?
No, hoarding is a mental condition and require the help of a therapist. A professional organizer needs special training to work with hoarders, and the assistance of a therapist. I do not offer such services.
Note: just because someone has a lot of belongings he/she is not necessarily a hoarder, he/she may be a clutterer, someone who owns too much for the space they have, or is naturall unorganized. Hoarding needs to be diagnosed by a medical professional.
Will you make me throw away my stuff?
I get this question a lot. People afraid of being forced to get rid of stuff. I DO NOT FORCE anyone to throw away anything. I can advise you, suggest what might be discarded, but the decision is not mine. The client always make the decisions, that is why client’s presence is required during the decluttering phase. If there is no more space to store your belongings you may have to make decisions.
I want the Pinterest look, can you help me with that?
This is another topic I hear a lot and get asked about. People see beautiful pictures of kitchens, pantries etc. online, and want to have one looking just like that. Yes, I can do that if that is what you really want, have the budget for and are able to maintain.
This is called Luxury or Boutique Organizing and unlike Functional Organizing focuses more on aesthetics rather than functionality, although both can go hand in hand. It requires a larger budget for products purchase and time to research but if that is your goal I can certainly help you.
I have a dog/pets in the apt, will that be a problem?
I have no allergies to pets but it will depend on the size and type of pet. If you have exotic pets (see snakes etc) they can’t be roaming free, if you have birds they will need to be in their cage.
Large dogs will need to be in a kennel, garden or locked in another room while I’m on premises.
Cats and small friendly dogs are fine.
Do you have pictures of previous work?
Yes, they can be found under the tab “Portfolio”. These are the pictures that I am allowed to use, unfortunately not all clients allow for pictures to be used, and I respect their wishes of privacy. If you do not wish for your home to be photographed or used in my portfolio, it won’t be.
Do you have references?
References are old fashioned, and in my industry I get to work with new people daily, imagine every new client asking for someone else's contact info. I do not like to put my former clients through that. This is why I have REVIEWS on my facebook page, Google page and on Yelp. You can find all my reviews under testimonials, and by following the links provided there.