34: The Problem with Professional Organizing with Professional Organizer Alison Lush

Can you afford the services of a professional organizer? Most people can’t, and that’s one of the big problems with the industry. Many professional organizers have come up with alternative ideas that allow them to reach more people with their services. Join us to learn more!

I’m happy to welcome back to the show Alison Lush, a Certified Professional Organizer who specializes in chronic disorganization. Alison last joined me for Episode 5 about Gentle Organizing. Today’s discussion is about the problems with professional organizing and how the industry is evolving to be accessible to more people. The good news is that there are different levels of help available more than ever before for organizing and decluttering your spaces!

Show Highlights:

• Why a main problem with the professional organizing industry is that the services are not accessible for most people
• How the pandemic massively impacted professional organizers in beneficial ways that are far more economical for clients
• How Alison’s focus has changed to educating and empowering the individual to get unstuck
• Why there is a spectrum of disorganization in which most people exist somewhere in the middle
• Highlights of new gap-filling services that some innovative professional organizers are offering (See Resources and Links)
• Why Accountability Groups and Body Doubling have become the cornerstone of Alison’s work with clients
• Why the biggest question for professional organizers to ask regarding the client is, “What do they need?”
• The difference between being unwilling and being overwhelmed in organizing and decluttering
• Alison’s advice about finding a professional organizer 

Resources and Links:

Connect with Alison: Website and TikTok

JUDITH KOLBERG

Conquering Chronic Disorganization book – emotion-based decluttering and organizing strategies

https://www.judithkolberg.com/

HAZEL THORNTON

Go With the Flow!: The clutter flow chart workbook https://www.org4life.com/

SUSAN GARDNER

The Focus Project “If your possessions interfere with your quality of life, The Focus Project is a way to look at them through a different lens.” Frame, Value, Edit. Exercises that promote looking at your belongings from a different angle. Reflection, partnering, creativity are encouraged, along with curiosity about the root causes of clutter. – Self-directed

LYNNE POULTON

Declutter GO! by Lynne Poulton - Once you start, you’re on a roll. Declutter GO! GAME NIGHTS – Group body doubling – weekly guided activities, prompts – group body doubling or autonomous - 

JONDA BEATTIE AND DIANE QUINTANA

Release-Repurpose-Reorganize CARDS

https://releaserepurpose.com/?fbclid=IwAR3UkkdN6FdroVrQ260VV17XqvA2MnuMl5Hf9DHfzdMD_OaiYLz8tFbyYag - Self-directed – focused areas – systematic

VICKIE DELLAQUILA

Ophelia the Organizer – Follow her adventures and hear her organizing advice

https://www.opheliatheorganizer.com/

JULIET LANDAU-POPE

Organizing Bootcamp (5x15 minute sessions over weekdays) https://jlpcoach.com/

Connect with KC: TikTok, Instagram, and Website 

Get KC’s book, How to Keep House While Drowning

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