A day in the life of a professional organizer
People often think that as a professional organizer, I spend my days putting away wardrobes.
And yes... sometimes. But the reality of this job is much more complex than that. A day of organizing requires preparation, thinking, listening and a lot of physical energy. Behind my "before/after" posts, there's a whole process that people don't always realize.
Today, I'm taking you on a typical day at work to show you what really happens behind the scenes!
@stezenrangement S'getting organized on a budget With the holiday season behind us and the cost of living on the rise, our budget can quickly melt away... and some important projects, like home organization, take a back seat. The good news is that getting better organized doesn't have to require a big budget. Stéphanie shares her low-priced finds at Dollarama for efficient, affordable storage. ✨ Our essentials: 1️⃣ Lazy Susan: perfect for seeing and catching everything in one gesture 2️⃣ Small containers with wooden lids: practical and aesthetically pleasing for drawers and desks 3️⃣ Drawer box: ideal for perfumes, jewelry or small objects 4️⃣ Long, deep containers: for easy access to products at the bottom Sometimes, a few good storage items are all it takes to make a real difference to everyday life. 💚 __________ With the holidays behind us and the rising cost of living, our budget can disappear quickly... and projects that matter for our well-being, like organizing our home, often get pushed aside. The good news? Getting organized doesn't have to be expensive. Stéphanie is sharing her favorite budget finds from Dollarama for simple, effective storage ✨ Our essentials: 1️⃣ Lazy Susan: perfect for seeing and grabbing everything in one spin 2️⃣ Small containers with wooden lids: practical and aesthetic for drawers or office supplies 3️⃣ Drawer storage box: ideal for perfumes, jewelry, or small personal items 4️⃣ Long, deep bins: great for reaching items at the back of cabinets Sometimes, a few smart storage solutions can make a real difference in your everyday life. 💚 #SteZen #Desencombrement #Decluttering #Reorganization #HomeOrganization #EspaceFonctionnel #FunctionalSpace #POC #OPC #ProfessionalOrganizersinCanada #TrouvaillesDollarama #DollaramaFinds ♬ original sound - StéZen
Even before arriving at the customer's premises: preparation
A day of organization starts long before you arrive at the customer's premises.
Before setting off, I make sure I have all the materials needed for the day's project. I prepare the car with various storage items: containers, dividers, specialized organizers, side shelves and sometimes even some small storage units.
I also bring all my work equipment: my bag with the labeler, cloths, cleaning products, masks, gloves, and even a toolbox. Every contract is different, so you always have to be ready to adapt.
I may also have to stop by the store before the meeting if I realize I'm missing certain elements to properly organize the space. A good organizing day always starts with good preparation.
Reaching customers: understanding their reality
Once we've arrived at the customer's premises, the first step is to get all the equipment out of the car and settle in.
If it's the first day of the project, I also take the time to make introductions between my organizing assistant and the customers. We've often already met the customers at an assessment meeting, but this isn't always the case for the person accompanying me.
Next, customers usually give us a short guided tour of the spaces to be organized. This is an important moment, as it allows us to understand their reality, habits and priorities.
After this visit, we draw up our action plan for the day. We identify the areas to be given priority and divide up the tasks between the organizers. Once the plan has been drawn up, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
The key step: decluttering
The first major step in any organization project is always the decluttering.
To get things right, we usually start by emptying everything: drawers, cupboards and surfaces. This may seem daunting at first, but it's essential to get an overview of everything in the space.
During this stage, we already begin to group objects by category or family of use. This makes the organization work that follows much easier.
We also take the opportunity to clean the inside of drawers and cupboards, so that everything is ready to receive the items that customers have decided to keep.
It's an energy-intensive stage, but it's essential if we're to get off to a good start.
Sorting: the important decisions
Once all the objects have been grouped into categories, it's time to sort them.
This is where you decide what to keep, what to give away, what to recycle and what to throw away. Sometimes, some items can even be sold.
Customer involvement is very important at this stage. They are the ones who have to make the decisions about their objects and souvenirs. We're there to guide them, ask the right questions and help them make clearer choices.
It also happens that customers are not available during the day. In these cases, we sometimes do a pre-sort that customers can validate later.
Contrary to popular belief, organizing a home isn't just a matter of moving things from one place to another. It's often a process that involves making a lot of decisions.
Finding the right place for everything
Once sorting is complete, we can move on to reorganizing the spaces.
Our aim is to find the "ideal home" for each family of objects. This requires a great deal of thought, as each space needs to be organized according to the customer's lifestyle.
We take a number of factors into account: how often items are used, the age of family members, their physical limitations, and the home's storage capacity.
An efficient organization must be logical and easy to maintain on a daily basis. It's not just a question of aesthetics, it's above all a question of functionality.
When space needs improving
Sometimes, existing storage space just isn't enough to optimize organization.
In these situations, we can recommend the purchase of additional furniture or storage items. These can be specialized organizers, bins, dividers or even new storage units.
Shopping can be done online or in-store, and we also sometimes plan furniture delivery and assembly days for customers.
The aim is always to create a sustainable system that truly meets the family's needs.
The satisfying moment: putting everything back in place
When all the storage equipment is ready, it's time to put everything back in place.
It's often at this stage that customers begin to see the transformation of their spaces. We install organizers, dividers and bins, and make sure that every item is stored in a practical and accessible way.
I often like to say that it's a bit like playing Tetris. You have to optimize each space so that the result is functional, simple and pleasing to the eye.
It's a very satisfying stage, because we can finally see the result of all the decisions and all the work done during the day.
The end of the day: what people don't see
When the spaces are finished, the day isn't quite over yet.
We generally take between 15 and 45 minutes to pack up everything: put away our equipment, clean up the area and load the car with items destined for donation or the ecocenter. Because yes, we even take care of carrying the items to be donated!
After leaving the customer's home, we often make a stop at the donation center or ecocenter to drop off the items the customer has chosen to donate or recycle.
This is an important step in ensuring that objects find a second life whenever possible.
Back home
After this final stage, it's time to head home.
An organizing day is surprisingly physical. Between sorting, moving things around the house and loading the car, it's easy to rack up several hours of activity.
There's no need to train in the evening: a day of organization is often the equivalent of a good workout!
And even though I'm often tired after a day's work, sometimes I still find the energy to go and play pickleball, my sport of choice. 😉
More than just storage
In the end, being a professional organizer isn't just about tidying up spaces. It's about understanding families' lifestyles, helping them make decisions, finding appropriate solutions and creating systems that make their daily lives easier.
Behind every well-organized drawer, there's a lot of thought, work and collaboration.
And above all, there's the satisfaction of seeing customers return to a simpler, more functional and more pleasant space.
But that's not all. At StéZen, our mission is also to accompany you and share with you the tools you need to make organization a more natural part of your daily life. With this in mind, we've created the StéZen blog, where we regularly share advice, thoughts and tips to help you introduce organization into your life, at your own pace.
If you feel your home has become difficult to manage, or you don't know where to start, you don't have to do it alone. At StéZen, I'll work with you step by step to transform your spaces and create a lighter, more soothing environment.
Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss your project.
