FAQ

How does it work?
If you are ready to work with a professional organizer, call or email me and I can tell you more about the service and what changes we can immediately make in your life. If you decide to make an appointment, I will come to your home and you can tell me what areas you want help with and we can get started. Depending on the size of the project, I will give you an estimate of how many hours I think it will take to complete. Once we’ve settled on a realistic plan for creating an organized space, you and I will work together to make it happen. At the end of the process, you’ll have what feels like a brand new space to live and work.

How much does it cost?
Feel free to email (lelah@lelahwithanh.com) or call (818.269.6671) at any time to discuss your project and my rates. All appointments are scheduled for a minimum of two hours. Prepaid packages of ten or twenty hours are discounted.

How do I pay?
For regular sessions of 2 or more hours you may pay by personal check or cash at the end of the session. If you want to buy a multi-hour package, the full amount of the package is due in advance.

What guarantees are there that I will be happy with your work?
My pledge: Getting organized can be a life-changing process. I pledge to support, teach and motivate you to make decisions about your spaces and get organized.

What is required of me?
You are required to be on time at the place we have agreed upon and must be present for the entire session. Because we have to develop an organizational system that will work for you, and because we may be working with sensitive documents and objects, it is important that you are involved with the process at each step along the way.

Does organizing just mean throwing things away?
No. While I encourage people to think hard about their possessions and if they really need certain items in their life, organizing a space is about much more than throwing things away. It is about creating a system them you can live with every day to make life simpler and allowing room for more time to spent on more meaningful things.

What if I live with someone who doesn’t want to get organized?
You can’t force someone else to be organized, but you can definitely make changes to your own sphere. Once the positive repercussions of your newly organized lifestyle become apparent, your clutter-loving domestic partner or offspring may decide that it isn’t so bad and will want to join you in this positive renewal and rededication of domestic space.

What if I get organized, then after you leave I immediately become disorganized again?
While we work on clearing the clutter you have in your life and setting up systems of organization to make your space work for you, I will go over some long term strategies for staying organized and keeping the clutter at bay. No one can have a 100% organized life all the time, but some simple changes to the way you think about your stuff and your time can make fairly sure you stay on an organized path.

Why can’t I just get rid of things myself?
You can. But a lot of people find that having another person, particularly an objective person, with them while they sort through their things, helps with the process of assessing what it truly important to keep.

What happens to the clutter you help me clear?
I will help you decide how to dispose of the clutter, either through trash and recycling, or by making donations.

What should I do to prepare?
Don’t clean up or try to hide any of your things—having clutter or being disorganized doesn’t mean you are a bad person. Do think about what spaces you want us to focus on. Try to visualize your ideal space. Make notes if that helps you to remember what you’d like the space to look, sound and feel like when we are through.

Will I need any special equipment?
The answer to this varies with each situation, but the answer is usually no. If you want to work on your home office or filing system, then you will likely need to invest in some hanging files and file folders if you don’t already have them. For other areas of the home, plastic storage containers are about the most sophisticated products you will probably need, and if you already have empty boxes lying around, we can re-purpose those if you like!

If you have any questions about the process not answered here, feel free to contact Lelah Baker-Rabe by phone (818.269.6671) or email (lelah@lelahwithanh.com) for more information at no obligation.