Top 5 Questions About Becoming a Professional Organizer

We frequently receive inquiries and questions from people across the globe about how to become a Professional Organizer and is it the right career path for them.  Questions range from “How did you get started in this business?” to “How do I get certified?”

While I’m always willing to spend time answering basic inquiries, I usually recommend that you start by reading my book, Mastering The Business of Organizing.  It will answer the majority of your questions.  Then, if you want something more in-depth, I recommend our Fast Track Method Training Program as it is fast, affordable, and highly comprehensive.

To get started, I’ll answer some of your burning questions:

What is the trend in the professional organizing business?

Professional Organizing is one of the fastest-growing service businesses today.  NAPO members have grown from less than 1,000 in 1995 to approximately 4,000 in 2019.  People have an abundance of stuff and not enough space or time to declutter.  And, due to the number of television shows like “Hoarders,” the topic of organizing has become less taboo.

Can I make money working as a Professional Organizer?

Yes, you can!  How much effort and focus you put into marketing your business in the first years and beyond will make the difference in your profitability.

Never, ever stop marketing!

 

How do you find clients?

Initially, reach out to everyone you know and talk with them about your new career.  Ask your friends, family, and business connections to listen to others for clues that they need your services and give them explicit instructions or scripts on referring you.  We have the most success finding clients through speaking, networking, building strategic power partners, and our website.

How is your training program different from other Professional Organizer training programs?

Our Fast Track Method™ Training Program is a training and education opportunity for you to (1) plan and launch your business as Professional Organizer, (2) have focused and guided work on your business infrastructure, work with an actual client, a rewarding ongoing mentor relationship with Anne Blumer, CPO®, and (3) the option to become a Master Professional Organizer®.

    • Most training programs only include how to organize client spaces and do not cover how to start and manage a business.
    • Some focus purely on marketing an organizing business.
    • Others do not cover specialized client populations or virtual organizing.
    • We offer ALL.

Our goal is to expediently provide you with the latest industry practices (including our proven and easy to implement 5 Steps to Organizing® process), small business foundational information, and essential skills to enable you to have a highly successful and rewarding career as a professional organizer.

Participants receive a comprehensive digital manual containing sought-after information, sample forms, reference materials, and resources.

We are competitively priced for the comprehensiveness, quality, and ongoing support you will receive.

Here is what one participant had to say, “The sessions are jam-packed with important, complete and relevant information for getting your business started shortly. Also, I looked at NAPO’s classes, but the Institute for Professional Organizers™ program was going to cover all the areas of getting a professional organizing business started in a short time frame. I could have a complete and comprehensive overview without worrying about having holes in my training. And I could be up and running much faster.”  Nicola Wood”

We continue to support our Certified Organizers and Master Professional Organizers® after their training by phone, Zoom video conference, and e-mail at no cost.  Different training programs offer an advanced training program or follow-up support for a substantial fee.

We believe our comprehensive approach will substantially increase the success of a professional organizer’s business.

Do I need certification to be a Professional Organizer?

I am often asked, “After completing your training course, will I be a Certified Professional Organizer®?” The short answer is no.

The long answer is you will receive a “Certificate of Professional Development and Attendance.” Certified Organizer Course participants receive the designation of the Institute for Professional Organizers™ Certified Organizer.  However, this does not give you the title of Certified Professional Organizer® or CPO® (see below).

 

The Institute for Professional Organizers™ Trained Organizer, or Certified Organizers, are credentials and international brands for the professional organizer’s business launch through their first years and for those who want comprehensive training and certification on our methodologies, systems, and procedures.  Our credentials also inform your clients that you have taken a rigorous training program.

There are specific requirements to become a Certified Professional Organizer® or CPO®, and they are explained in The Board of Certification for Professional Organizers (BCPO) Candidate’s Handbook for the Certified Professional Organizer Credential.

When you compare the BCPO exam content with our curriculum, you will find that our training program, combined with the 1,500 hours of paid client experience, will give you a tremendous amount of information and expertise towards the BCPO certification.

Certification of any profession should never be as basic as completing a seminar or self-study course.  To answer the question, “Do I need to be certified?” I’ll quote the BCPO handbook, “From an industry perspective, by becoming certified, an organizer will validate their knowledge and experience, based on the highest industry, psychometric, and legal standards.  From an individual business perspective, preparing for the examination is an opportunity to stay current in an increasingly competitive job market.  From a personal perspective, sitting for the examination provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the candidate’s self-confidence, professional commitment, and personal initiative in a professional environment governed by rigorous standards.  A Certified Professional Organizer® will exemplify the importance of professional standards and contribute to evolving standards in the industry as a whole.”

Are you ready to launch your professional organizing business?  Get started here.

What questions do you have about becoming a Professional Organizer?  Please post them here.

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