To-Do-List

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of our most frequently asked questions:

The Core Question

How Does Organizing Work

About You and Others

Payments and Policies

Answers:

How do I know if I'm ready to hire a professional organizer?

Are you committed to creating a positive change in your life? Organizing is a combination of systems and habits. In order to create the organized life you want, you have to be ready to shift your environment and to develop the basic maintenance habits that will allow it to be sustainable. Your Organizer will help you to create the systems and identify the necessary habits, but the change and commitment must come from you. If you are ready for your daily life to be easier, simpler, and more peaceful, then call us.

How long will it take to get me organized?

That depends entirely on you. You set the pace for our work. How long our work takes is a factor of: (1) How quickly you make decisions; (2) How ready you are for the organizing process; (3) How much work you do in between our sessions. We will support you at whatever pace you prefer to make progress.

How much does it cost and how do you charge for organizing services?

You can decide what level of support you would like from Living Peace for your organizing projects, which means that you can control the cost. Frequently clients choose to schedule organizing sessions on a weekly basis to start. However, bi-weekly and as-needed sessions are also available, as well as Organizing by Phone services. Our ongoing organizing sessions are charged at an hourly rate depending on the type of service required.

Our Initial Consultation is charged at a flat-rate and includes our Needs Analysis Process with two members of our staff, your personal Plan of Action, and a collection of articles and handouts to help you begin your project.

Do I have to be there while my space is being organized?

Since the decisions being made are about your life and your stuff, we encourage you to be fully involved and available during your organizing sessions. Occasionally our organizers can make progress without direct client involvement, but the outcome of your organizing process will be significantly improved if you can offer your full attention during your sessions with our staff. Thus, we encourage you to have appropriate care arranged for your children and to avoid answering unnecessary phone calls.

Will I be forced to get rid of items?

You will never be asked to make any decision with which you are uncomfortable. You are the only one who knows whether something continues to have meaning and purpose in your life. We provide you with the opportunity to ask yourself whether particular objects still have relevance for your life and to assist you with donating and finding appropriate homes for those which do not.

Should I buy supplies?

Aside from making sure you have some trash and recycling bags on hand during our sessions, we encourage you NOT to buy any additional supplies until we are through the first steps of our work together. There are many details that go into deciding about appropriate containers and tools to help you stay organized, and until the first steps have been taken there is no way to identify the best possible solutions for your situation. It is possible that you already have everything that you need.

I'm embarrassed about my space. Should I clean up before my appointment?

We understand how sensitive it may be to invite a stranger into your home. However, we ask you, please, do NOT clean up for us. You must remember that we are used to seeing VERY messy and disorganized situations. We pride ourselves on our authentic and non-judgmental approach to your life, and there is most likely nothing in your environment that we have not seen before. Also, if you clean up for us, then you are removing all our wonderful data about how your life usually works.

Will sessions with my organizer be confidential?

We take the honor of being invited into your home VERY SERIOUSLY, and that is why we include a confidentiality agreement with our Initial Consultation materials. We guarantee that your project will never be discussed outside of your work with our company, and we will never provide identifying details to anyone beyond Living Peace without your express written permission.

Shouldn't I be able to organize myself?

Organizing skills are not innate. They are learned abilities that many people simply were never fully taught. For many more of us, as our lives transition from one phase to the next we are asked to face physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels of change and confusion, and it is quite easy to be overwhelmed. At times like these, it is completely appropriate to ask for help and support. Our Professional Organizers are prepared to help guide you through your transition and to assist you in creating peaceful order in your everyday life.

My messy space doesn't really bother me, but it drives everyone else crazy. Should I work to change?

Only you know if you are ready and committed to change, and getting organized “for” someone else rarely sticks. However, it is important to recognize that our relationships are our most valuable assets, and when our habits put them in jeopardy then we are frequently risking a lot. We have seen jobs, partnerships, and marriages end due to one person’s disorganization, so don’t underestimate the consequences. You may also wish to consider whether there might be additional benefits that could make the effort worth it for you, even if creating less “mess” in your world isn’t a goal by itself.

My spouse (or family member) is the one who is disorganized. Can I set up an appointment for you to work with him/her?

We only work with clients who are willing. If your partner is not committed to the process, then there would be little lasting effect from our work. We encourage you to enlist your spouse in your own desire to become more organized, and frequently by starting to improve your own organizing systems he/she will begin to appreciate the benefits and may decide to participate more fully. 

How do I know if I'm chronically disorganized?

There are three questions to ask yourself to identify chronic disorganization.

  • Have you struggled with disorganization your entire life?
  • Have you tried self-help organizing solutions and failed?
  • Does disorganization negatively affect your life on a daily basis?

If the answer to these three questions is yes, then you are almost certainly chronically disorganized. If only one or two is correct, then there may be other situational explanations for your organizational challenges.

What type of payment do you require and do you take credit cards?

Payment in full is required at time of service. We accept checks, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover.

Do I have to pay for travel time?

Living Peace operates from two bases in the Greater Boston Area: Winchester, MA and Beverly Farms, MA. If you are less than 30 minutes travel time from either of those locations, then there will be no additional charges for our travel. However, if you are beyond the 30 minute radius, then we will charge for the additional time at our standard hourly rate. Also, clients are required to provide parking for our staff, and clients in downtown Boston and other urban areas will be required to reimburse our parking expenses.

What are your cancellation policies?

If you contact your organizer more than 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment, then there will be no cancellation fees assessed.

If you contact us with less than 24 hours notice, then 50% charged for the scheduled time will be due immediately upon cancellation.

If we show up for your appointment and you cancel on-site or do not show up within 20 minutes, then the full 100% of the scheduled time will be due immediately.