You organized your toys into neat piles when you were just 5.

You love to move and change furniture around and re-design your living room often.

You’ve helped your friends and relatives get organized for as long as you can remember.

Sound anything like you? Great, but do any of them mean you would make a good professional organizer? Not necessarily. Being a professional organizer takes a lot more than just being organized. Take this quiz and see if you have what it really means to be paid for your skill as an organizer.

Answer YES or NO to each of the following 25 questions.

1. I am okay around spiders or droppings?
2. I can find anything quickly on the internet or a department store?
3. I can move heavy objects by myself?
4. I’ve trained, taught, toured or counseled people who were not my friends or family?
5. I cringe at the word miscellaneous (or have difficulty spelling it)?
6. I can easily spot personal identifying information on a complex document?
7. I like dogs and cats?
8. I can function well on less sleep?
9. I’m physically flexible and don’t mind crawling into small spaces?
10. I’m good at getting to know people quickly by asking the right questions?
11. I’m decisive but not pushy?
12. I can work outside in the rain or cold?
13. I’m just as good at organizing a cluttered garage as a gourmet kitchen?
14. I know how to comfort people at times of distress?
15. I am NOT a perfectionist?
16. I have multiple skills beyond organizing?
17. I can operate a hand drill with ease?
18. I know practically every product sold at The Container Store?
19. I’m good at negotiating?
20. I have excellent spatial perception skills?
21. I like people?
22. I have a great ‘poker face’?
23. I’m a great networker?
24. I never assume something is trash?
25. I know what my time and talents are worth?

If you answered yes to a majority of these questions, congratulations!  You may have what it takes to be a professional organizer. Want to know more? Consider joining NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers), share your comments or contact us at LET’S MAKE ROOM.

 

 

 

Posted January 17, 2014 by Lis McKinley, M.A., CPO®