So, Steven, how similar are you to Marie Kondo?

Many people wonder if all organizers are like Marie Kondo, the multimillionaire personal organizer of Netflix and authorial fame. The short answer is no--and, without saying anything negative about Kondo, diversity among professional organizers is a good thing!

Different people need different organizing solutions, and sometimes that means a different organizer. As with any personal service, no single individual or approach will be a good fit for everyone.

Here are some hallmarks of my philosophy:

• Personalization: I value my clients' individuality and work with each client to find customized solutions. I don't have a single method that I apply with every client. Instead, I offer many ideas and possibilities.

 

• Acceptance: I value you, as you are. I work with your existing preferences, finding ways to support how you prefer to live. Fighting yourself a) would be unsuccessful in the long run and b) make both of us feel bad! My goal is to set you up for contentment and continued success.

​

• Partnership: I view our work together as fundamentally collaborative. You are the expert on you: your preferences, experiences, and what's worked for you in the past. I will never tell you what to do. I bring expertise about both organizing methods and how to "fit" those methods to individuals. ​

• Affordability: People do not control the circumstances of their birth: financial, familial, or otherwise. In the U.S., many unexpected events beyond an individual's control can also damage personal finances--including medical bills, disability, family crises, and the effects of climate change. I deliberately price below what is typical for the DC area and offer sliding scale discounts in cases of financial need... because I believe organization should be available to everyone.