Questions a professional organizer will ask when editing your space...
When editing your spaces with a professional organizer, our role is to ask you the tough questions to help you evaluate your stuff and determine whether you want to keep something or not, as well as where it may need to live in your home. We try to choose the right question at the right time based on what we are seeing and sensing during the organizing session. Please know that these questions are never asked in a judgmental or snarky way – they are a way to gather information and figure out the needs plus often verbalizing something can be the key to making a decision. You can ask yourself these questions when editing your space yourself as they may help guide you in your own decision making when decluttering and organizing.
Questions a Professional Organizer will ask...
Our best questions to help with the organizing process:
- When was the last time this was used? This generally relates to items we dig out of the back of a closet or seems unused or dusty but could also relate to specialty kitchen gadgets or formal clothing.
- How many of these are actually used? This question is usually when we see multiples of something or an atypical volume.
- How is this used? Sometimes there are items that may not make sense in an area or are not something we've come across in a particular space. This doesn't mean it needs to go away or it's in the wrong place but figuring out why something is in a particular spot can help make the decision easier.
- Who uses this? It may not be used because it's not accessible to the person who needs it or it may be something that isn't used by anyone currently in the home. It's also helpful when we are determining where it ends up at the end.
- How does this make you feel? If we notice a change in your demeanor or tone of voice we may ask this question - and we don't recommend keeping things that bring you guilt, shame, or sadness. Often we have things in our home from a stressful situation, a bad relationship, a former vocation, family drama, and the like. Having reminders of painful times isn't a great way to have a serene home in our experience.
From Professional Organizers to you...
Even more questions to help you edit and make decisions about your stuff...
- Is this serving you as you are now? Often we have things that used to work for us or we enjoyed in the past but our lives and situations have changed. We are always changing and growing so things that use to be great may no longer really work for who you are now.
- Do you have another item that serves this purpose or that you like better? Often we'll hang on to things just in case even if we have an updated or better version. This is when we feel like we are in archaeological dig!
- Do you see yourself using this in the near future? Down the road? This question can determine where the time may be stored - and sometimes reveal that, in fact, you won't use it.
- Does it fit/work/function? These are more practical questions that focus on that actually usability of an item. I can't tell you how many broken appliances, unused toys, too small clothing, etc. we find on the daily. Just identifying them and letting them go frees up mental and physical space.
- Does it bring you joy (a la Marie Kondo)? This is a very valid question especially for those non-practical items like decor, books, clothing, memories, and the like. I love thinking about a space as curating it to fit you and the life you lead now.
Get Organized
Organizing & decluttering isn’t about getting rid of everything – it’s about being mindful about what is in your space and how it works for you. Often we bring things into our homes because we get excited about a new hobby or activity, we are trying out new products to help us with something, we want to embrace a new style, or our lives have changed in some way that brings more stuff with it. None of these are bad in themselves but if we haven’t edited out the stuff that is already there, this is where trouble starts! You can’t keep adding new things without letting go of at least some of the old or the laws of physics will catch up with you because there’s only so much you can fit in a space before it becomes unusable. Decluttering is part of life and getting organized can make your life feel the way it is supposed to.
These questions can guide you in the process – and if you are overwhelmed – that’s what professional organizers are for! Drop us a line at hello@afreshspace.com to get started!
