Why it's Important Your Professional Organizer has Their CPO

"Why can't I just have my friend/sister/neighbor help me organize my space?" 

You might be familiar with the concept of a professional organizer from reality shows or popular books like "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo. Contrary to how it might appear in some of these cases, certified professional organizers do more than just hold you accountable to throwing away your old stuff. 

A Certified Professional Organizer (CPO) is a certification given to professional organizers who have worked in their field for a minimum of 1500 hours, passed an extensive exam to verify their knowledge, agree to a strict code of ethics and are required to take ongoing educational classes to get recertified every 3 years. 

CPO Certification is voluntary at this time. There are, however,  many benefits to working with someone who holds this certification over someone who does not.

Certified Professional Organizers have been educated and trained to improve and enhance day-to-day living of their clients by creating organization, systems and processes that are specificto the client's needs. The CPO takes into consideration space, functionality, existing habits, ongoing needs and overall desires before putting together a unique plan.

Certified Professional Organizers have extensive resources. You may feel you have exhausted options for the right kind of shelving or adequate storage solutions that meet your needs. Through their networking organizations and affiliations, CPO's can offer options that the average client may not have access to. 

When inviting someone into your home, you want to know that they will treat you with respect and have your best interests in mind. The Certified Professional Organizer agrees to and follows a very specific Code of Ethics. With this Code of Ethics, you can be assured that your case will be held in the strictest confidence.

As part of an ongoing education requirement to maintain certification, CPO's gain knowledge on topics ranging from Space Design and Planning to "Green" Organizing. Many of the Continuing Education Units (CEU's) focus on helping a Certified Professional Organizer learn how to work with specific client challenges such as ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Autism.

To keep it simple, it is important to select a certified professional organizer for your organization needs because:

• They receive rigorous testing to validate expertise allowing you to be confident that they are qualified for the work you need done.
• They receive ongoing education so that you are always getting the best and most up-to-date systems and plans available.
• They follow a strict code of ethics making sure that your information is safe and secure and that your best interests are always top priority.
• They have resources not readily available so that you always get the best products and services you might not have access to otherwise.
• They specialize in specific needs so that you know you are working with someone who can truly help you and not just offer a one-size-fits-all solution.

It's important to remember that getting organized isn't just about putting stuff in boxes and slapping on a label. It also isn't about having a showroom model home that isn't livable. The best results that a Certified Professional Organizer can obtain for you will be the ones that help you live in your space comfortably.