How to Become a Professional Organizer
You’re passionate about Organizing and you’re sure this is your calling but… you just don’t know how to turn this passion into a career.
We’re sure you have many questions. Let us walk you through the steps!
Do I have the skills?
Yes! Even if you are not a natural born Organizer you definitely have transferable skills. These are the skills you have developed throughout your life, which can be from current or previous careers, school or life experience.
Everyone has some organizing skills but you might not have thought of them that way. Studying at school requires organizing your time and coursework. All jobs and careers require organizing your time, tasks, assignments, paper and possibly people. Managing a home and a family definitely takes organizing skills ranging from simple to complex.
All of these skills are valuable and are “transferable”. Meaning that the organizing skills you have developed throughout your life in these other areas transfer as true knowledge and are usable in your Organizing career.
Where do I begin?
You may have already begun to search for a Professional Organizing training program.
We did too when we started out. There are very few programs out there. Some of us joined them and others of us used our business experience and passion for organizing and jumped in solo- making lots of mistakes but lots of good decisions too along the way.
You can choose to join a training program or spend years reading, researching and forging your own path. Or you can join us, the American Society of Professional Organizers. (We know you are going to like us!)
Here are the basics of what you need to do to begin. (Assuming you are already comfortable with your Organizing skills).
1. Define which organizing skills you are most experienced with.
2. Define the services that you would like to offer.
3. Define your niche of clients that you would like to work with.
4. Set up your corporate structure. (Taxes and legal)
5. Gather your tools and your business forms.
6. Brand yourself! Name, website, business cards.
7. Market your business.
How much can I make?
Before getting started you probably want to make sure that your efforts and resources will not be wasted.
According to Payscale.com, Professional Organizers earn from $35,000 to $137,000 per year.
That’s quite a wide swing but Organizing is a flexible and versatile profession.
Some Organizers work part time. Many Organizers boost their incomes by offering additional services including discard donation services, reselling, or speaking engagements.
Others have larger businesses with team members. There are many opportunities to build your own unique business.
You may have great organizing skills, but so much of your financial success depends on knowing the harder learned skills of building a strong business model.
You can learn these quickly and simply with the ASPO Simple Systems® courses.
What are my upfront costs?
Your investment, when you join ASPO is $475. This bundled price includes Annual Membership ($200) and both of ASPO's Certification Courses. You can choose to break these down and take the courses one at a time for $175 each.
Professional Organizing is a rewarding career for so many reasons. It enables you to have flexible hours and make a positive impact on your community. We don’t know of another career choice with such low start- up costs with this potential ROI (return on investment).
Our team has spent many years Organizing, researching, learning what works (and what doesn’t). By becoming a member of ASPO you have a lot to gain and with our guidance, will be on the road to a successful and rewarding career!
If I know that I am a natural Organizer then how does taking Organizing courses benefit me or my career?
Did you ever try to explain to someone what you do at work, or if you are a stay-at-home mom or parent, what you do all day? Did you ever have to write your own job description?
You KNOW what you do, you know what you are GOOD at , and you know that you are BUSY, but explaining it in detail is challenging.
It’s like that with Organizing. There are basic Organizing rules and Organizing principles. You should have clear methods for any organizing project and be able to explain these to your clients.
Let’s not forget, an Organizing business is a business! There are steps to follow for start-up, business management and best practices for marketing and development.
ASPO Courses were designed into these two simple categories:
ASPO Simple Systems®: Professional Organizing
ASPO Simple Systems®: The Business of Organizing
We make it Simple to Learn and Launch!
How does joining a Professional Association like ASPO and becoming certified benefit me?
Annual Membership in ASPO is packed with helpful resources and helpful people. Here are our current Member Benefits:
ASPO Member's Community Forum to network, learn from and support each other.
Member promotion to the public on our ASPO Find an Organizer Directory and the ASPO Member Spotlight article.
ASPO Membership Badge to display on your website, social media and marketing materials to let others know about your commitment to the Profession of Organizing.
Free Essential Business forms designed to get you started right- right away! These include the Client Service Agreement, Client Intake Form, Maintenance Form, Photo Release and many others.
Member Library with additional forms, templates, worksheets and helpful resources.
Free Virtual Organizing training including detailed instructions, business forms and resources.
Monthly Social Media Calendar and Content- designed for Organizers.
Monthly Virtual Meetups with guest speakers and learning presentations.
Video Library with all past member meetings and trainings.
Opportunities for trade discounts (up to 20%) with The Container Store.
Access to an exclusive discount on business expanding courses with the QC Design school, including Interior Decorating, Home Staging, Staging for Designers, Feng Shui, and Aging in Place.
ASPO is an emerging leader in the field.
FORBES Advisor recommends choosing an ASPO Organizer.
In their article, “How to Hire an Organizer for Your Home”, they recommend vetting a Professional Organizer’s credentials.
“VET A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER’S CREDENTIALS
First, you’ll want to search among those with the right credentials. Most professional organizers with training and experience are members of professional organizations, such as NAPO or The American Society of Professional Organizers, and have certifications indicating that they know the ins-and-outs of the field.”
Annual Membership is just $200.
Only ASPO Members may take the Simple Systems® Certification Courses.
Some organizations only allow you to become certified after years in the business. However, we encourage you to get certified before you start your business or in the early stages.
We know that certification is preparation.
It’s what you need to know now to get you to a portfolio of hundreds of clients- not something you achieve after having worked with hundreds of clients.
ASPO wants to ensure Organizers enter the field responsibly. Education, skills and ethics are what make you a professional.
Becoming a Certified Home Organizer® proves your skills, competency and professionalism.
What makes ASPO different?
We believe in Simplifying.
Simplify Possessions
Simplify Tasks
Simplify Lives
We value Simplicity over Productivity. Our goal is make client’s lives easier - not encourage them to do more. We streamline their homes to make life more efficient so they spend less time on tasks and maintenance.
People who Simplify are less stressed, they spend more significant quality time with family, eat better, have time to enjoy hobbies and most of all report being happier.
We don’t aim for perfection. We help create easier, more satisfying lives.
Our philosophy is to simplify so our courses were designed to be simple to learn and implement in any situation.
We are generous with our knowledge. We have 2 information packed Certification courses- not several drawn out and costly courses.
The Simple Systems® Certification courses are self-paced so you can learn on a schedule that works for you.
Our Business Course is designed as DIY- we show you how to create a professional appearance, low cost and on your own.
No need to spend $1000s to hire out website builders or graphic designers.
Our Organizing Course gives you the knowledge and tools to tackle any organizing project with confidence.
With 3 simple criteria, you can become a Certified Home Organizer®. And you are certified for life. Why? Because Organizing principles do not change.
Our goal is to make a positive impact on the careers of our Organizers and the communities they serve.
You can do this.
Learn more with our FREE Guide to Starting Your Professional Organizing Career.
