Frequently Asked Questions
Why hire someone to help me organize my paper and financials?
|
For the same reason you might hire an attorney or accountant—to have someone with knowledge and experience provide advice and help you get things done. I have many years of experience and training in the field of Professional Organizing, particularly in financial organizing. I can suggest solutions and products to enable you and/or your business to keep on top of bill paying and tax deadlines, while maximizing your income and avoiding unnecessary fees and penalties.
|
|
My papers have accumulated for such a long time. Is it possible to get them under control?
|
|
Yes, and please do not try to clean them up before I get there for the initial meeting! I’ve “seen it all” over the past 20+ years. Nothing shocks me, and I make no value judgments about anyone’s “mess”. Most people have not been born with the “organizing gene” as I have, or do not have the time, patience, or ability to do what I do.
|
How long will the process take and what will it cost?
|
I never know how long it will take until I assess the project in person and work with you for the first time. While de-cluttering, some people make rapid-fire decisions and others tell me long stories about every sheet of paper.
I work with a client for a minimum of 4 hours, which, historically, gives me an adequate amount of time to take an area of a home or office “apart” and put it back together again. On a project basis, the number of visits it takes depends upon the scope of the project and your budget. I schedule regular bookkeeping clients on a weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or quarterly basis. |
Do I have to worry about any of my papers being thrown away?
|
Nothing of yours will disappear on my watch without your involvement. Only you will decide what gets tossed, recycled, shredded, sold, or given away. I will give you advice and input, but the final decision is yours. Unless you tell me that empty envelopes can be recycled as a matter of policy, I’ll show you each and every one before recycling them. I’ll even open up a crumpled sheet of paper that I find on the floor to show it to you before tossing it.
|
What about privacy issues?
|
Everything I do is confidential. I do not discuss names of clients with anyone, nor do I share anything I see at a home or office with anyone—not even my husband! I live by the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO), which is fully consistent with my focus on privacy and integrity.
|
