Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a professional organizer?
• How can a professional organizer help me?
• Why should I hire you?
• I’ve never been able to stick with an organizing system. How will this be different?
• Will I have to throw away my things?
• I feel embarrassed, should I be concerned that the process will be difficult for me?
• How do you know where to start?
• How long will it take?
• How much will it cost?
• Is it worth the money?
• Will I stay organized?
• Should I tidy my house before the organizing consult?
• Is our work together confidential?
• Will I have to buy new furniture or a lot of organizing products?
• Do you work with children, seniors, ADD/ADHD clients?
• Do you travel outside the Southern California area?
• Is this something I can purchase as a gift for someone I know?

 

 

What is a professional organizer?
A professional organizer is an expert in creating elegant solutions to organizational and personal chaos. A professional organizer provides ideas, information, resources, structure, direction, solutions, and systems, which can increase productivity, reduce stress, and give you more control over your time, space and activities.) . A Certified Professional Organizer (CPO®) has met specific minimum qualifications and proven through examination and client interaction to posses the body of knowledge and experience required for certification.

According to the National Association of Professional Organizers; “Professional organizers use tested principles and expertise to enhance the lives of clients. By designing custom organizing systems and teaching organizing skills, they help individuals and businesses take control of their surroundings, their time, their paper piles, their lives!”

How can a professional organizer help me?
If you crave order and can’t seem to create it in your space, a professional organizer can help you achieve and maintain that order and the peace of mind that comes with it. Get the benefit of our expertise, and our objective eye. Let us guide you in discarding the unwanted or unnecessary objects cluttering your life. By hiring a professional organizer, you’re making a commitment to work toward creating the environment you long to live in.

Why should I hire Pella Professional Organizing?
Rhonda Pella is a Certified Professional Organizer®, a credential conferred by the Board of Certification of Professional Organizers. Pella Professional Organizing brings experience and compassion to the job. To top it off, we have empathy. No job is too big, too messy, too tough or too small.  We also work around your pets–it’s their home, too! To get a feel for what working with Pella Professional Organizing is like, please visit our Reviews page for client testimonials.

I’ve never been able to stick with an organizing system. How will this be different?
Trying to use an organizing system that doesn’t mesh with the way you think is like trying to shove a square peg into a round hole. We’ll start by establishing your goals and vision for your space. We will ask you many questions and make suggestions based on what we think will work for you. We’ll work with you to change the habits that have made it difficult for you to stay organized in the past. We can also provide support until the new system is firmly in place.

Organizing is about learning the process of making decisions that will enrich your life. New physical and behavioral systems are created which foster long-term success. We can assign tasks for you to do on your own in between sessions if you want. The coaching work has many layers and you can decide how often you want to work, and for how long.

Will I have to throw away my things?
I promise you will keep everything you love and love everything you keep. Anything you discard will be your decision alone. If clutter is a problem, you’ll almost certainly need to part with unneeded or unwanted items in order to attain your goals. We’ll help you identify those items and guide you in your decision making. We never try to influence people to give up something irreplaceable. However we will cheer you on as you decide to give up things that no longer have meaning or value for you.

I feel embarrassed, should I be concerned that the process will be difficult for me?
We are here to help you, not judge you. What we see, hear, and do remains confidential. Change can be challenging, but holding fast to self-defeating habits and mindsets is actually much more uncomfortable and limiting in the long run. Our clients have remarkable results!

How do you know where to start?
Each client we work with has different needs. In the time between the consultation and the first organizing session we prepare an assessment based on information gathered during the consultation. The assessment is a tool we use to break the project down into manageable steps. At our first organizing session we will go over the assessment together and decide where to begin.

How long will it take?
That depends on the size and scope of the job, how quickly you’re able to decide about thinning out your belongings, and how much you can do on your own, between appointments with us. If you’re willing and able to do “homework” between sessions, the process will go faster and be less expensive.

Even small projects take 3 hours or more. Creating an organized system takes longer than just cleaning the area in question. The cost of organizing an entire room depends entirely on how quickly you make decisions about your stuff.

How much will it cost?
We offer competitive prices and unparalleled service. The rate depends on whether you are working with Rhonda, an assistant organizer, or a team. Hourly rates vary from $80/hour to $125/hour. All projects start with a free assessment in which we will provide an estimate of cost. For larger scope projects and our corporate clients, we provide proposals.

We encourage clients to consider purchasing a service package. Packages offer discounts and allows us to block large chunks of time for sessions, which typically equates to getting more done per visit. After you’ve completed a package, you may choose to purchase another one or you may choose to hire us on an hourly basis, with a minimum two-hour session.

If you live more than one hour from our West Los Angeles office, you’ll be charged for travel time in excess of that hour each way.

Is it worth the money?
When you hire a professional organizer, you make an investment in your future. Being disorganized is expensive. It hampers your productivity and can be financially draining and taxing on your schedule. If you’re disorganized with your finances, you could end up with needless late fees and higher-than-necessary interest rates on credit cards. Freeing your time and your mind by overcoming your barriers to organization can pay dividends you can’t even anticipate now. Being disorganized costs you more than you realize!

•Overdue charges – penalty fees
•Retail therapy – out of control spending
•Buying duplicates – emergency purchases
•Spoiled food – dining out costs
•Missed tax deductions – lack of financial planning
•Losing clients and business
•Missed opportunities
•Fees for storage units
•Wasted time – lost productivity
•Increased depression and/or anxiety
•Reduced or lack of peace of mind

The real question is: How can you afford not to do this? If you’re serious about getting organized and changing your life, then taking the first step in this transformation will provide you a commodity that increases in value as time goes on.

Will I stay organized?
We will work with you to establish an organizing system that works for you and will teach you the skills needed to maintain order. We’ll work with you to change habits that have prevented you from staying organized in the past.

If you’re having trouble staying organized after the hands-on work is completed, and you need help staying motivated, our habits coaching can help. Or if you don’t have the time to stay on top of your particular organizational challenge, you can hire us for maintenance work.

Should I tidy my space before the organizing consult?
No - Please don’t! We will want to see the full extent of any disorder in your home/office and get a chance to see how you live/work with it. It’s imperative that we see the piles that habitually appear, so we can figure out how to make them disappear and stay away. Piles provide valuable clues!

Is our work together confidential?
Yes – absolutely! Professional organizers are people of integrity. As a Certified Professional Organizer® we are required to adhere to the Board of Certification of Professional Organizer’s Code of Ethics. We also adhere to the Codes of Ethics of the National Association of Professional Organizers. All these ethical codes stipulate client confidentiality. We recognize that clutter and disorder are personal and respect each client’s privacy. Upon request, we can provide you with a freshly signed Non-Disclosure Agreement before we start any project.

Will I have to buy new furniture or a lot of organizing products?
No, we will strive to use items you already own. We prefer to work with materials you already have and very rarely recommend purchasing more organizing gadgets. When the need arises, all incurred costs are approved by you before the purchases are made. If you’re like a lot of people who crave order, you’ve amassed a large number of organizing products already. In the instance you do want to purchase new organizing or storage supplies, whether or not to purchase items will be completely up to you.

Do you work with children, seniors, ADD/ADHD clients?
Yes! Children need to have a say in the process so that they feel empowered by their choices. Seniors have many special needs that this sort of guidance can assist them with. We also help families sort through an estate after the death of a loved one. We don’t believe in labeling people, but former ADD clients are thrilled at how their lives have turned around with our help.

Do you travel outside the Southern California area?
If you live too far to drive back and forth each day, Rhonda can travel to work with you. When Rhonda travels to work with you, she charges a daily fee, and will work with you as long as you want each day, up to ten hours. You’re responsible for her travel costs (hotel, food, airfare or gasoline), as well as the daily fee. We have found this type of intensive work to be very productive. (Please contact us for more information about having Rhonda come work with you outside Southern California.)

Is this something I can purchase as a gift for someone I know?
Absolutely! We have gift certificates available. Getting organized is a great gift for the holidays, a birthday, Mother’s Day, group gift for someone retiring or moving, etc. The lucky recipient is responsible for calling Pella Professional Organizing and scheduling their session(s).

If there is something we missed, please give us a call or send us an email and we’ll be happy to answer it for you.