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.

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• 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. 

Long time, no post, for the best of reasons: I've been busy with a fun and fascinating range of client projects!

So, if you're like many people, you have a Post-it/sticky note habit... which makes sense because they're just so handy. This is not judgment, but rather offering information so you can make the decisions that feel right for you.

Sticky notes:

• Usually cost you money, unless you get them for free from your job or a promo
• Definitely cost us trees
• Are frustrating when you can't find a specific note--or when it turns out the adhesive weakened and the note fell somewhere
• Also, did you know that sticky notes can damage your books and damage recycling equipment?!

If you want to save money, trees, and time spent on the floor searching for Post-its... you've come to the right place! 

Here are a few suggestions to reduce the eco-impact of sticky notes. These are roughly in order of increasing eco-friendliness:

• If you're buying stickies, get recycled ones that are also compatible with future recycling, like these (as always, no product endorsement implied: this is just an example).
• Use scrap paper for jotting notes or reminders
• Purchase a reusable, erasable board, ideally something glass instead of plastic
• Use a note-taking app on your phone: Apple also offers a proprietary Notes app, while Google has a Reminders function in Google Calendar. There are also many free options in app stores. 
  • Most of these programs are searchable and back up to the cloud, so you never have to worry about losing a specific note again!

Ah, office supplies. Necessary--and yet so easy to misplace!

Searching for a stapler, scissors, or tape isn't just frustrating: it also takes up your valuable time and risks interrupting your work flow. Plus, many people just end up buying more when they can't find what they already have. 

Save stress, time, and money: let me help put your supplies at your fingertips! Here's an example, posted with client permission.

Note: your solution will be tailored to you, just as this client's was. I believe that you know yourself best, and that my role is to facilitate how you prefer to work and live!

Sometimes, people come to a professional organizer having heaped labels--often insults--upon themselves: "I'm a mess." "I'm disorganized, a pack-rat, a slob."

That is NOT how I see you. By contrast, I see you as competent, wise, and moving forward in a positive way!

If your ceiling was leaking, you'd call a roofer, right? You wouldn't expect yourself to automatically know how to fix it, let alone call yourself names.

Instead, you'd ask a professional, someone with years spent honing the necessary skills, to help you--and that would be a smart way to address the issue and get on with enjoying your life.
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Hiring an organizer is no different. No one is born knowing how to implement customized organizing solutions, just as no one is born knowing how to assess roof damage.
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​Please let me help--and please be kinder to yourself!