Q&A with a Professional Organizer - Scott Roewer

Scott Roewer, CPO – Washington, DC Metro – www.solutionsbyscott.com or www.declutteryou.com

1. How long have you been a professional organizer?
Friends have often joked, that I’ve been organizing people since I could say the word container.  Although that may be a tad extreme, as a child I was always good at puzzles.  I approach each new client like they have a new puzzle for me to solve.  The puzzle is disorganization.  Solutions by Scott was started in 2003 after I moved to Washington, DC.  It was part time venture that turned into a full-time career quickly. It’s critical that in these busy times, we find ways to make our lives at home and at the office easier to navigate.

2. What inspired you to become a CPO?
There are a few different reasons.  First, my goal to earn the CPO® credential was so I could push myself to gather and learn more information that would be helpful while working with clients.  Secondly, our marketplace is being flooded with individuals who are starting a business overnight, without any client experience or body of knowledge. Having the CPO® designation has given my clients reassurance that I’m the right organizer to hire, and they understand I have the skills and I’m serious about the work I do.

Finally, I have found that having professional credentials, particularly the broader-spectrum CPO®, enhanced my standing with clients. Living in Washington, D.C. where it seems everyone has advanced degrees and initials after their name, it was only appropriate that I should, too.  As more organizers enter the profession, consumers will continue to ask about certifications and experience.  This certification shows my clients that I have the experience, has taken time to become educated on organizing principles, and is committed to the professional organizing industry. 

3. What is the most common organizing project you’re hired to do?
The overall theme with many of my clients’ organizing projects includes the goal of maximizing their space.  This may be in their closet, which requires us to downsize their wardrobe to what they actually wear or possibly redesign their closet based on their needs.  This may be about their kitchen so they can use their space wisely and efficiently for cooking.  There’s an art to cooking and to an organized kitchen.  We often look at space utilization in their home office, where the files are over flowing and their desktop is covered.  We need to maximize their space for storage, which often starts with a good purge of the paper and then tweaking their storage to work best for their needs.  Others need to maximize their storage space in their garage or basement.  We often install storage on walls, which are often under utilized or when clients lack the tools or resources to use their wall space.  We install shelving, wall racks, and hooks for our clients all the time.  In fact, the FastTrack® system by Rubbermaid works great in these spaces.

4. What is the most common organizing challenge people have?
Remember the philosophy of the paperless office?  It didn’t happen.  The reality is, with the use of technology we’ve increased the amount of paper we use.  We fax, print, copy material we already have in hard copy.  With technology, we’ve dramatically increased our paper consumption.   My recommendation is to not print emails or website articles unless it’s absolutely necessary.  Use a tool like delicious.com to track online information.  If you need to save a copy of it because you think it will disappear, print it as a PDF and save the article on your computer.  Use a desktop search tool like Google Desktop, X1 or Mac users can use Spotlight to find emails and information saved on their computer.  If junk mail is the problem, check out this post on ways to stop junk mail: http://www.declutteryou.com/2008/08/stop-junk-mail-i-dare-you/

5. If you had to pick ‘your’ biggest organizing challenge, what would it be?
I’m a visual person, and if I put something away that I’m working on, I’ll forget about it.  You can imagine that leaves a lot of loose paper around.  I’m sure this sounds familiar to you.  Miscellaneous things to do, calls to make, receipts, contacts, things to enter in the calendar, mail – it’s never ending!   Just like everyone else, I’ve had to implement tools and systems to help me.  For example, I have clear folders on my desk that hold my projects and tasks.  Three folders I’m usually working with include; “enter into computer”, “call these people”, “complete and mail”.  Each folder holds the task associated with the paper.  One thing to remember, it’s the tasks that need organizing, not just the paper.  When I come home late in the evening after a meeting, I don’t have to shuffle through the phone calls, I can move directly to the “enter into computer” folder, or the “complete and mail” tasks.  If I am going to have down time while I’m out with clients, I can grab my “call these people” folder and have everything in one spot.  This works great for me and for many of my clients who’ve adopted this same system.

6. What one tip would you give to people who are trying to get organize?
There are a few questions we always are asked when someone calls.  “How long is this going to take” is usually one of them.  People who are living with chronic clutter need to remember it didn’t become this way over night, so it’s not going to be undone over night.  Develop a plan you can live with and make sure it is realistic for you to maintain.  Start working in one area, or on one project and finish it before you move on to another space.  It may take you a while to finish that area, and that’s OK.  Start with small intervals of time 10-30 minutes if necessary.  I recommend setting a timer so you know when you started and when the ‘end’ arrives.  If you have more time and more energy, set the timer again.  If you work using this method, you’ll be done before you know it!

One more, quick tip for all you paper lovers.  If you often print drafts before you print a final copy, one way to keep them from getting mixed up is to print your drafts on a colored or recycled paper.  Don’t put the white paper or stationary paper in the printer until you know you’ve created a masterpiece.

7. What is a certified professional organizer® (CPO®)?
The CPO® certification is a voluntary effort that recognizes professionals who have met specific minimum standards, and proven through examination and client interaction that they possess the body of knowledge and experience required for certification.  The standards, examination and qualifications were developed by the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers, a self-governing organization formed in 2007 to recognize and raise industry standards, practices and ethics through independent certification of professional organizers.

While the CPO® designation is not an endorsement or recommendation, the public can rely on this certification to maximize the value received from the products and services provided by a CPO®.

8. How many CPOs® are there currently?
The inaugural examination was given in April of 2007.  Since then over 275 professionals have earned the right to be called a Certified Professional Organizer®.

9. Where do you see organizing as a profession in the future?
I think the industry will continue to grow as more people learn about our industry and how we can enhance their life.  I think society will learn we do more then what is seen on the dramatic before and after reveals on TV. We truly are a benefit to people and I hope everyone someone day will realize the value of what we do.

10. How can potential clients get in touch with you?
I encourage people to visit the Solutions by Scott website if they’re interested in hiring a professional organizer in Washington, DC, Maryland or Virginia. Others should check out the DeClutteryou.com blog where we provide organizing tips, introduce cool products and help readers solve common household organizing problems.  We can also be found on Twitter as @DeClutterYou or people can join our Facebook fan page.