Why should I choose SOS over another Professional Organizing service?
SOS has a proven track-record (since 1998) of creating outstanding results with many others who have been in a similar situation as you. Besides the client testimonials on this site, SOS can provide you with references of clients who would be willing to talk with you on the phone or by email about how SOS helped them get unstuck.
If you want to work with someone who is confident and experienced enough to make things happen for you as quickly as possible, without sacrificing quality, choose SOS. By choosing SOS, you will also benefit from Jana Hartwell’s warm, matter-of-fact, and often humorous personality. Jana can turn what you may view as drudgery into an energizing, fun event.
Did I mention credibility? Jana has been an active member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) since 1998. She has served on just about every Board position with the NAPO-San Diego Chapter, including two terms as President! Jana is a CPO® which is a (Board Certified Professional Organizer). This adds to her level of professionalism and commitment to the industry. For over 11 years, Jana’s passion has been to help smart, busy, sometimes overwhelmed people get organized and learn to stay that way.
What is a Board Certified Professional Organizer (BCPO)?
BCPO® Certification is a voluntary, industry-led effort that benefits the members of the organizing profession, as well as the public. It is a recognition of professionals who have met specific minimum standards, and proven through examination and client interaction that they possess the body of knowledge and experience required for certification. This program recognizes and raises industry standards, practices and ethics. For the public, while the CPO® designation is not an endorsement or recommendation, certification of professional organizers maximizes the value received from the products and services provided by a CPO®.
I’m not sure I can afford a highly experienced Professional Organizer. Can SOS work within my tight budget?
Yes! Working with a confident, more experienced Professional Organizer will automatically save you money! Jana possesses the experience to:
- Ask all the right questions to quickly analyze your situation
- Formulate tailored solutions within the least amount of time possible
- Keep her clients focused and on task so no time is wasted during organizing sessions
- Spend focused time between sessions developing solutions for your project
- Empower you with tips and solutions on how to keep making progress on your own
A timid or less confident organizer can still get good results, but often those results take much longer to manifest and sometimes it is hit or miss.
If you are paying by the hour or by the session, it is wise to hire someone who is experienced, confident and focused enough to keep your project moving at a swift, steady pace. This will SAVE you time, which will save you money. Plus, SOS offers several retainer-package options to provide you with special discounts. These options will be discussed with you during your first session with SOS, The Needs Assessment.
Okay. The potential cost of hiring a Professional Organizer is still a concern for me. How will I know I am getting the best value for my investment?
You will know this by the results. Remember, since Jana is highly experienced and talented, the results will be realized swiftly. You will see and feel a heavy load lifted (physically, emotionally and spiritually) during and after each session. Who can put a price on "peace of mind"?
The cost of clutter and being disorganized can be quite expensive. How often have you bought duplicate items because you weren’t able to find something at the time you needed it? How many times have you had finance charges assessed to your credit card bills because you lost track of what had been paid? Have you frequently been late or missed out on events and opportunities because you couldn’t keep track of your schedule or find your keys in time?
The time and money you invest now to get organized will multiply itself back to you, once you have taken back control of your life and possessions.
As the clutter is cleared, space is opened for prosperity to flow. You begin to think more clearly and creatively. Opportunities that were once stifled now begin to miraculously appear.
And… Would you believe… each time Jana works with a new client, she helps them find money and treasures they either didn’t know they had or thought were lost forever? Cash, checks, family heirlooms! During an SOS organizing session, we begin recouping the money you invested on Jana’s fee immediately.
Does SOS charge by-the-project or by-the-hour?
Normally, the only time an organizer charges by-the project is when the client is a large, Corporation and the project is broken down into phases. Most organizers charge strictly by-the-hour. This is because it is virtually impossible to estimate how long an organizing project will take (See below: "How Long Will It Take Me to Get Organized?"). Because SOS puts a great deal of offsite time, effort and thought into your project, we charge by-the-session. A typical organizing session will be a ½ day, with an hour’s lunch break in the middle. Sometimes, a modified, 3-hour session can be arranged. We would work straight through, with lunch taken either directly before or directly after the session. For larger, more time-sensitive projects, a full-day session may be what works best.
The important thing to remember is that SOS offers you many options. You may pay by the-session or you may pay with a "Retainer Package Plan." A Retainer Package Plan is a set of hours you have purchased in advance. The more hours you purchase by retainer, the greater discount you will receive on the basic session cost. SOS rewards you for your commitment-level to the project. If you are serious about SOS helping you to see the project through from start to finish, you may want to choose one of the Retainer Package Plans. The exact breakdown of these options and discounts will be discussed during your first session.
I’m a little nervous and feel vulnerable having a stranger view all of the clutter and mess in my home. What can I expect during my first organizing session with SOS?
It’s natural to feel a little hesitant and nervous about your first session with a Professional Organizer. After all, it took great courage for you to pick up the phone or send that first email asking for help. You are taking a leap of faith that this person you’ve entrusted to enter your home will be respectful of your privacy, keep your personal business confidential, and not make you feel judged or ashamed of how things got to this point. Not to worry. Jana has just about seen it all and has never run away from a project, no matter how insurmountable it seemed to the client. For as long as you want the help and will follow the advice given to get the project done in a safe and effective manner, Jana will happily assist.
During our first session, we will first do a "walk-through Needs Assessment" to determine what is working well and what is not working optimally for you. As you talk about how various areas feel and function, Jana will ask to look inside cupboards, drawers, closets and cabinets to assess how you are currently using your space, discuss your living (or working) habits and observe what kinds of containers are being utilized. The more Jana sees, the more she will be able to assess your options and provide sensible organizing solutions. However, it is your right to not reveal any areas you wish to keep private. We’ll take it at your pace and comfort-level.
After the "show & tell" portion, Jana will help you determine where to start and provide a brief action plan. Jana comes prepared with boxes, bags and bins to use during the sorting process. We begin the physical transformation during our very first session so you can feel and experience some positive, immediate and dramatic results. Ideally, we will have identified items you no longer wish to keep and many of these will be boxed for charity donation. By the end of the first session, you will feel energized and empowered to continue your organizing project, with or without Jana’s assistance.
How long will it take me to get organized?
The time it takes to get you where you want to be depends on many factors. Most importantly, it depends on you. While Jana will proceed at a reasonably swift pace (depending on your comfort-level) to keep your project moving forward, sometimes there are delays. Delays are usually caused when the client hesitates or is not fully committed to the process. Sometimes delays are caused by what project managers refer to as "scope creep". A drawer or cabinet may be opened and the client says "Oh yes, I would like to have a system for filing my tax receipts (or decoration ideas or subject articles for my next book, etc.)….Could you do this for me?" This could open up a whole new "mini-project" that may not have been discussed during the first phone conversation or assessed during the first session. To help determine how long a project will take, you will want to ask yourself:
- How long has the clutter been collecting?
- How much space is the clutter taking up?
- How motivated and willing are you to follow through on your SOS organizer’s advice?
- How swiftly can you make decisions, once you’ve been presented with options and ideas?
- How easy is it for you to sit in one place for perhaps an hour at a time and focus only on
what your organizer is directing you to do?
- How cooperative and supportive are other household members (if any)?
- How detailed do you want to get as we set up specialized systems for you?
- How much money do you wish to spend on containers or other special organizing aides?
- How much time can you devote per day/week/month/quarter to working with your organizer?
- How much progress can you make on your own, between sessions with your organizer?
- How much time will you allow to lapse between sessions with your organizer?
- Is there other work being done in or around your home that may create obstacles or delays?
- Have you allocated enough money in your budget to keep your organizer involved with the
completion of your project?
Ultimately, you decide how often and for how long you will work with an SOS organizer’s guidance. You may decide to simply have someone ASSESS your situation, offer suggestions and get you started on a project (The Needs Assessment session). If you have the self-discipline and focus to follow through with the recommendations your SOS organizer gives during the Needs Assessment session, much of the manual work can be done without paying your organizer to do it for you or with you. Or, you may want SOS to physically DO much of the work (set up the filing system, clear out the garage, sort office papers, organize desk drawers, shelves and cabinet, redesign your office procedures) with your direct or occasional involvement.
Each client’s situation is different so each organizing project can be designed around what works for your budget and desired level of participation. SOS is prepared to provide whatever level of service you find most helpful.
