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.
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My papers have accumulated for such a long time. Is it possible to get them under control?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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