A Professional Organiser Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
Nathalie Ricaud is a professional organiser and there are a few things she wants clients to know
When it comes to being organised, Nathalie Ricaud from Get Organised & Beyond knows exactly how to make your home – and your life – better just by helping you become more organised.
“I work with families who feel overwhelmed by all the stuff they’ve accumulated in their homes or by all the activities they’re trying to fit into their schedules,” explains Ricaud. “They want to learn to let go of things that are stressing them out and feel in control again.”
However, nothing is easy, and there are some things that Ricaud would like clients to know about getting organised before they start.
“I work with families who feel overwhelmed by all the stuff they’ve accumulated in their homes or by all the activities they’re trying to fit into their schedules,” explains Ricaud. “They want to learn to let go of things that are stressing them out and feel in control again.”
However, nothing is easy, and there are some things that Ricaud would like clients to know about getting organised before they start.
2. Invest in getting organised as the returns are beyond expectations
“I won’t lie, getting organised is an investment. It’s an investment in time – clutter didn’t happen overnight and won’t get cleared overnight either,” explains Ricaud.
“It’s also an investment in discomfort, because you’re going to have to face your stuff and make decisions you may have been postponing for years. And it’s an investment in money if you use a professional organiser.
“But on the flip side, there’re plenty of benefits for getting organised. You free up space eliminating the need to rent external storage space or move to a larger home. You know what you own so you save money by eliminating the need to buy something you already have but don’t remember you have or can’t find. You save time by finding what you want when you need it.”
And then there are the “emotional and mental level” benefits too.
“I won’t lie, getting organised is an investment. It’s an investment in time – clutter didn’t happen overnight and won’t get cleared overnight either,” explains Ricaud.
“It’s also an investment in discomfort, because you’re going to have to face your stuff and make decisions you may have been postponing for years. And it’s an investment in money if you use a professional organiser.
“But on the flip side, there’re plenty of benefits for getting organised. You free up space eliminating the need to rent external storage space or move to a larger home. You know what you own so you save money by eliminating the need to buy something you already have but don’t remember you have or can’t find. You save time by finding what you want when you need it.”
And then there are the “emotional and mental level” benefits too.
Ricaud also says that being more organised, “increases your energy because you no longer have to process the chaos around you which used to make you feel tired before even getting up or starting any work. It reduces stress because you regain control over your home and life and feel more at peace.”
Want to be happier? Ricaud also says that being more organised will help with that too.
“You enjoy your surroundings more. Your mood is improved and so are your relationships as you spend less time arguing with your spouse and children over clutter or lateness. Ultimately it provides clarity because you let go of the past and of some of your hopes for the future, and in the process, figure out what’s really important in your life at that point of time.”
Want to be happier? Ricaud also says that being more organised will help with that too.
“You enjoy your surroundings more. Your mood is improved and so are your relationships as you spend less time arguing with your spouse and children over clutter or lateness. Ultimately it provides clarity because you let go of the past and of some of your hopes for the future, and in the process, figure out what’s really important in your life at that point of time.”
3. Get involved even when the pro is at work
She stresses the importance of getting involved especially during the throw-or-keep stage where decisions about what to keep and what to discard are made.
She recalls a bad experience a client of hers had with another professional organiser. The pro got rid of paintings from the client’s late mother while she was not around and she was so devastated, she stopped working with the organiser immediately.
“It took her four years to find the courage to resume the process and engage my services,” says Ricaud.
It is also important for the client to be involved in creating the various systems in their homes since Ricaud says that there is no “one size fits all approach when it comes to home or workspace organisation”.
The goal is to keep things organised and clutter at bay for the long term, not just immediately after the pro has done her job.
She stresses the importance of getting involved especially during the throw-or-keep stage where decisions about what to keep and what to discard are made.
She recalls a bad experience a client of hers had with another professional organiser. The pro got rid of paintings from the client’s late mother while she was not around and she was so devastated, she stopped working with the organiser immediately.
“It took her four years to find the courage to resume the process and engage my services,” says Ricaud.
It is also important for the client to be involved in creating the various systems in their homes since Ricaud says that there is no “one size fits all approach when it comes to home or workspace organisation”.
The goal is to keep things organised and clutter at bay for the long term, not just immediately after the pro has done her job.
My golden nugget…
“Don’t wait for the perfect time to get organised, it’ll never come,” says Ricaud. “If clutter and lack of organisation affects your life or the life of your loved ones, just make a start.”
“Instead of focusing on the task itself, focus on the benefits. Envisioning how your life could look like once you get it organised is very powerful; it’ll give you the motivation to get started and keep you going when the going gets tough.”
TELL US
What room or aspect of your home do you find hard to organise? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
“Don’t wait for the perfect time to get organised, it’ll never come,” says Ricaud. “If clutter and lack of organisation affects your life or the life of your loved ones, just make a start.”
“Instead of focusing on the task itself, focus on the benefits. Envisioning how your life could look like once you get it organised is very powerful; it’ll give you the motivation to get started and keep you going when the going gets tough.”
TELL US
What room or aspect of your home do you find hard to organise? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
“According to a survey conducted on behalf of Extra Space Self Storage in 2014, 88 per cent of Singaporeans are bothered by their clutter at home,” says Ricaud. “Yet many are embarrassed to ask for help.
“My clients are often highly-educated individuals who hold, or used to hold, important jobs with large responsibilities. They’re successful in what they do because they focus on the big stuff. Unfortunately the small things, like clutter, get in their way.
“Some of them think that something is wrong with them, that they should know how to declutter and get organised and it takes them a while to decide to engage my services.
Ricaud assures us that it’s never too late to learn organising skills and she teaches clients through hands-on sessions.