FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Here are answers to questions I’m commonly asked. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, please give me a call on 0423 694 452, or email me at tracey@professionalorganisingsolutions.com.au. I’d love to hear from you.
Q I’m very embarrassed about the state of my home. Is it one of the worst you’ve ever seen?
A The answer to this question 99% of the time is no, not by a long shot. Even if your home is in terrible condition, please don’t feel that I’m going to judge you. The purpose of my work is to help you.
Q Will you make me throw things away?
A Definitely not! You are in control of making all decisions about your possessions. Before we start any hands-on work, we will have a discussion about what you want to achieve and decide on a course of action that is tailored to your individual situation. I will encourage you to make decisions that are consistent with the goals you want to achieve, but the decision to keep or discard an item is yours entirely.
Q Is your home perfect?
A No! I have four sons and a dog, so that’s just not possible! It’s a normal home, not a show home. Having said that, being organised helps me in so many ways. Here are some examples:
- I feel calm and in control of my surroundings most of the time.
- I don’t lose things very often. That saves me lots of time and stress.
- There’s a lot of cooking and laundry to do at my place. Having good systems in place makes these jobs quicker and easier.
- Simple menu planning allows me to feed my family healthy meals. I don’t have a huge fridge and enormous pantry, but because I only buy what we need that isn’t a problem. Menu planning also saves lots of money and food wastage is minimal. I rarely stress about what we’re having for dinner, because I always know in advance.
- Minimal clutter makes cleaning quicker and easier. For example, because surfaces such as benchtops, tables and desks are fairly clear, I don’t need to spend time moving things when I clean them.
- I display ornaments and photos, but only the most precious ones. They are more striking because they don’t have to compete with things that aren’t as important.
- I never waste money buying “double ups” (things that I’ve already got, but I can’t find them). Everything has a logical home.
Q What do I need to do to prepare for our first session?
A Nothing at all. It’s best if I see your home in it’s normal, “warts and all” condition.
Q Do I need to buy storage and organising products?
A Not usually. I find that most of the homes I work in have storage containers that can be repurposed. Sometimes specialised organising products can be of benefit though, for example, in a pantry that is still cramped even after decluttering and organising.
Q Are you going to boss me around?
A No. I will be respectful towards you and your home. I will offer advice and suggestions, but it is up to you to decide whether to follow them or not.
Q Which areas do you service?
A I primarily work in Adelaide and surrounding areas. I’m happy to travel further afield, but there is a charge for travel time if your location is further than one hour from my base at Magill (first hour of travel each way is free).
Q Why are there no before and after photos on your website?
A I would hate for someone to avoid seeking my help because they are afraid that I will ask for a “before” photo. Many of my clients are embarrassed about the condition of their homes, and I don’t want to make them feel even more anxious.
You are most welcome to take your own “before and after” photos when we’re working together. It’s a great way to remind yourself of the progress we’ve made.
Q What will happen to the things I decide to discard?
A We’ll make arrangements to dispose of the things you don’t want to keep during our sessions. There are three main categories that items fall in to:
- Donations to charity. I can arrange for a charity to come to your home and collect them.
- Saleable items. You may wish to sell things yourself online. Want to sell online but not confident? I can teach you how during our time together and help you to create your first online ad. There are also other options available for selling things you no longer want that we can discuss.
- Rubbish. If it can’t fit into your household bins, our options are to book a council hard rubbish collection, hire a skip bin, or have the rubbish collected by a rubbish removal business. I’ve got some great contacts, and I can arrange all of this for you.
Q Are our sessions confidential?
A Yes.
Q Do you have business signage on your car?
A No. No one will know that a Professional Organiser is working at your home unless you choose to tell them.
Q How much will my project cost and how long will it take to complete?
A The cost is based on the amount of time your project takes. This varies widely between clients. If you are able to make decisions quickly, the work will proceed quickly. The opposite is also true. I am able to provide a time and cost estimate at our initial meeting if you wish, but please be aware that this is an estimate only. Click here to view prices and packages.
Q Do you offer advice so that I can declutter and organise my home myself?
A Yes! If you would like to do the hands-on work yourself, but would benefit from advice on where to start, how to tackle each area, what to do with the things you’re not going to keep, storage solutions, etc, an Expertise and Advice Consultation is ideal for you. The consultation involves discussing the changes you’d like to achieve, inspecting problem areas and creating a plan designed to achieve your unique goals. An Expertise and Advice session usually takes around two hours, and the cost is $300.
Q Do you offer a discount for larger jobs?
A Yes. If you have several projects or one large job you’d like me to do, I recommend purchasing a Bonus Package. To receive the bonus, you need to pay in advance for a block of 10 hours. You will then receive one extra hour of services for free.
Q Will you teach me new skills so that I can continue to be more organised after we finish working together?
A Yes. This is a very important part of my job. It’s one of the reasons we will spend time discussing which organising solutions are best for your unique situation. We will set up simple systems to make the space easy to maintain. As we work side-by-side, you will be supported in practicing how to declutter and organise. My aim is to give you the confidence to continue using your new skills.
Q Do you offer gift vouchers?
A Yes! Prices start from $220 for a two hour session. To purchase one, please call me on 0423 694 452 or email tracey@professionalorganisingsolutions.com.au.
Q Can I use funding from my NDIS package to pay for decluttering and organising support?
A Yes, I work with many NDIS funded clients. The only exception to this is if you are agency managed (your plan is managed by the NDIA). This is because I’m not a NDIS registered provider. If you are plan managed or self managed, you can choose to spend your funding on services from a non-registered provider such as myself.
Q Are you an NDIS registered provider?
A No, unfortunately the NDIS doesn’t have a code for services provided by Professional Organisers. However, if you are plan managed or self managed, you can choose to spend your NDIS funding on services from a non-registered provider such as myself.
Q Can I use funding from a My Aged Care package to pay for decluttering and organising support?
A Yes.
Q Why did you become a Professional Organiser?
A I chose to become a Professional Organiser because being organised helped me to survive as a single mum with four children. I want to help others who feel overwhelmed to gain freedom from the stress that clutter and disorganisation cause.
Q Will you throw things away when I’m not looking?
A I know this sounds like a strange question, but people do sometimes ask! The answer is no, I’m not even tempted. My work is based on trust and respect between myself and each of my clients. If I broke that trust, our whole working relationship would be jeopardised.
Q Does Professional Organising Solutions have insurance to cover accidental breakages?
A Yes.
Q Do you have a Police Clearance Certificate?
A Yes.
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Call Tracey on 0423 694 452 to discuss how she can help you