Not all organizers are created equal

I heard 2 disturbing stories this week about "professional organizers". One involved a new organizer who took a job with a client whose needs he/she could not serve. The second story involved someone advertising themselves on Craig's List as a professional organizer and turning out to have been convicted of theft.

So, here's the thing. These days anyone and everyone can put up a fairly convincing website or post an appealing ad calling themselves "professionals" and "experts" and "specialists", when in fact, they have few or none of the skills they profess. As always, it is imperative that you check references and credentials of those who you invite into your house.

I wish I could tell you that being a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) was a sure sign of quality, but alas, I can not. While I believe it is important to be a member of this group, it does not assure that an organizer has the skills to solve your particular issue or will abide by the NAPO code of ethics. Many people simply pay the dues, put the logo on their site and hope that you won't ask about their training and experience. I'll be posting a list of questions that I think everyone should consider asking when they are interviewing organizers.