Start a Professional Organizer Business

Some people are born with the organizing gene, while others are lucky if they can find a blue sweater amidst the heap of clothing on their closet floor. Professional organizers are the people who help those without the organizing gene to straighten their lives, either personally or professionally. Some personal organizers work exclusively for businesses in their area, while others offer residential services as well.

If you love to organize everything from DVDs to power tools, you might want to start a professional organizer business. This is a career that requires very little in the way of overhead, and can produce an extremely large profit margin. Since the tools you need are in your clients’ homes and offices, you spend very little money outside of advertising to keep your business running.

What do I need to get started?

I mentioned above that starting a professional organizer business has very low overhead, but you’ll still need a few things to get your business off the ground. First, take care of the legal aspects of business, including a license, a checking account and liability insurance. You can take care of most of this over a two-week period, and then you’re ready to go.

You’ll also need supplies to help your organize your clients’ homes and offices. Although you can ultimately bill them for anything you buy for their organization, you’ll need to purchase them first and then send an invoice. Things like pens, pencils, highlighters, plastic gloves, file folders, boxes and garbage bags are essential. You’ll also need professional invoices and contracts, plus an organization schedule of your own.

How do I attract clients?

Once you have the essentials, you’ll need to attract clients to your professional organizer business. This is easier said than done, though you’ll find that word of mouth works faster once you’ve served a few clients. In the beginning, however, traditional advertising will be far more effective. Set up a Web site, distribute a press release, hand out flyers at local businesses and print an ad in a local newspaper.

Starting a professional organizer business means putting a professional foot forward from the very beginning. Show before and after photos of rooms you’ve organized in the past. To do this, you might volunteer to organize a friend’s home for free to get your portfolio started. You can also organize your own house, but don’t count on this alone to attract customers.

Are residential or business services better?

When starting a professional organizer business, you’ll need to decide who you want as your clients. In many cases, you can make more money working for businesses, but they are also more difficult to impress. Examine your own organizational skills to determine where you would most be needed. For example, if you also have a flair for interior design, residential services might be your bread and butter. If, however, you prefer filing and bookkeeping, try your hand at business organizational services.

How can I gain credibility?

Some clients will want to know that you’re reputable and experienced. To do this, you can join professional organizations and associations, which will also present networking opportunities. The National Association of Professional Organizers is a great place to start, followed by Organizing Academy.

Reference:

• www.napo.net