Rate Your Need for a Professional Organizer

Answer the below questions, keeping track of the letter that corresponds with your answer, to determine if it's time to hire a professional organizer.

1. I can find important papers I need within a few minutes

A. All the time.
B. Most of the time.
C. Rarely. I have them but they're not in any order.
D. Never. They're scattered all over.

2. My clothes are

A. In order and I can get dressed easily. I rarely get behind on laundry.
B. In order most of the time, but the laundry sometimes stacks up.
C. In stacks waiting to be washed or ironed or put away.
D. In piles all over, getting stepped on.

3. The clothes in my closet and drawers

A. Fit me and have been worn within the past year.
B. Fit me but I haven't worn some of them in a long time.
C. Some fit me and some do not. I don't wear many of them anymore for various reasons.
D. I have no idea what is in my closet, if it fits, or the last time I wore the clothes.

4. Mail

A. Gets read and sorted daily.
B. Gets read most days. Then it sits on the counter or desk waiting for me to make decisions.
C. Doesn't get read sometimes and gets piled up until company comes. Then it goes into another room until I can get to it.
D. Some is in the house, some in the car. I don't really know.

5. My bills get paid

A. On time every time.
B. On time most of the time, unless there is an oversight.
C. Late sometimes. I don't have a routine for paying bills.
D. Often they are late and I pay many late fees.

6. In the Kitchen

A. I can make a meal easily because I can find all the utensils and my pantry is stocked.
B. I can usually find everything, but sometimes I'm out of things I need.
C. I don't cook much. It's too much trouble to put a meal together.
D. I eat frozen meals, order in or eat out most days because I can't manage my kitchen.

7. My filing cabinet

A. Is in order and I can find items quickly when needed.
B. Is mostly in order but some items are waiting are not where they need to be.
C. Is in use but in no particular order.
D. Is not being used at all or I don't have one.

8. My Desk

A. Is always clear on top so I can work.
B. Is messy while I'm working, but I put papers away regularly.
C. Is messy almost always until I toss everything in a pile on the floor.
D. Is somewhere under that big pile of stuff.

9. The attic in my home

A. Is orderly and being used for storing things I don't use very often.
B. Is somewhat in order, but sometimes things get lost.
C. Is cluttered with junk I never use and would probably earn me a great deal of money at a garage sale if I ever cleaned it up.
D. Is a big black hole. Stuff goes in and never comes out.

10. My Calendar

A. I use it daily to remember appointments and prioritize tasks.
B. I use it to write down appointments and hardly ever miss one.
C. I write down appointments most of the time but forget to check it regularly.
D. I don't have a calendar I like so I don't use one.

11. I ________ get distracted when trying to organize.

A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Always

12. I _______ feel overwhelmed by the size of my organizing projects.

A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Always

13. I know the logical spots where things in my home should be put away.

A. Always
B. Often
C. Sometimes
D. Never

14. I feel confident that I can pick the right containers for the things I need to organize.

A. Always
B. Often
C. Sometimes
D. Never

15. I am able to purge items from my home when they are no longer a service to me.

A. Always, I don't hold onto things.
B. Often, but I have some emotional attachments.
C. Sometimes, but I can but I struggle with it.
D. Never. I don't even try anymore.

16. When I start an organizing project, I finish it.

A. Always. This is not a problem for me.
B. Often. I usually finish, but sometimes get bored or distracted.
C. Sometimes. But I sometimes get bored or distracted by something or someone.
D. Never. I love the idea of organizing but am often too distracted to see it through to the end.

17. My family helps keep the home in order and running smoothly.

A. Always or does not apply
B. Often
C. Sometimes
D. Never

18. My home makes me feel happy and comfortable.

A. Always
B. Often
C. Sometimes
D. Never

19. Being at home and seeing my clutter makes me feel stressed.

A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Always

20. On a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the most cluttered, my home feels like a:

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

Scoring:
A = 1
B = 2
C = 3
D = 4

20-29 points - You are very organized and get to enjoy your life because you are not ruled by your possessions and distractions. Sometimes you may take it too far though and spend more time organizing than is necessary, and forget to spend time doing other things you love. Be sure you are taking time to relax and enjoy life. Many people in this category are perfectionists or just born organized.

30-45 points - Reasonably organized. Most people in this category know how to organize but sometimes life gets in the way and things slip. Don't let that get you down. Give yourself a break for being human. You may be able to get some tips from a professional organizer or from reading an organizing book. You are more likely to be a do-it-yourselfer.

36-57 points - Somewhat disorganized and probably frustrated. You haven't figured out systems to get you through daily routines and have trouble taking the time to clear out your clutter. Find an organized friend who can help you out, or call me to motivate you and teach you some new ways to stay on top of life. Reading books on the subject may help, but you will likely need someone to work with you to keep you on task long enough to finish the job. Learning to organize at this point is critical so you do not fall deeper into trouble.

48-80 points - Disorganization rules your life and you are likely to be very stressed out. Your possessions own you instead of you owning them. Your time management is keeping you from enjoying life the way you want to. Seek out a professional organizer who can help you implement systems, teach you basic organizing skills, and keep you on task so you can finish what you begin.