Frequently Asked Questions

Click each question and the answer will appear below it.

Questions about how we do our work:

What exactly does LivingOrder® do?

We transform your chaos into tranquility.^SM We help people get control of their stressful living and working spaces, such as closets, kitchens, garages and home offices. As highly trained Certified Professional Organizers^®, we teach clients how to understand their core issues causing disorganization and thereby prevent it in the future. We provide visible and lasting results with easy-to-maintain systems.

Sometimes we work independently if that is more convenient for the client, but most of the time we work alongside the client to teach and encourage as we make progress.

How we work with spaces

For SpaceScaping^® Services, we come prepared with our normal tools and supplies. Usually you won’t need to purchase supplies in advance, but if you do, we’ll guide you in getting the right items before we arrive. We tour the home and assess the situation to make sure we understand how the space is used and by whom, and we quickly outline a plan to move forward. After identifying the highest priority areas, we then work with you hands-on to sort and make decisions about your items and find the most efficient ways to dispose of, store, or use them.

We may recommend products, such as bins or shelving units, that you can purchase on your own to improve the space, or you can have us do the shopping for you. We leave you with useful handouts and resources to reinforce what we’ve taught you during our work together, and in some cases we’ll give you assignments to work on before our next appointment.

How we work with time, data, and paper

For services related to Time, Data, and Paper, we will first go over our 15-point Personal Productivity Plan assessment. We help you decide what calendar, task list, and other options are best for your situation, and then we go through the piles on your desk (and floor!) and make a system that will work for you.

Call us if you have any questions about how we would approach your projects. We’re happy to help you find out if our services are right for you, and if we’re not the best solution, we’ll help point you in the right direction.

What sets LivingOrder® apart from other organizers?

The team leaders and owners are Certified Professional Organizers^®.
We are industry leaders who have pioneered unique methods, systems, products, and teaching materials.
We use a holistic approach based on years of experience and training.
We are actively involved at the international level of organizing; the team leaders serve as experts on the team of Certified Professional Organizers^® at The Clutter Diet from 2006-2017, helping thousands of members from over a dozen countries get organized via the Internet.
We are actively involved at the national level of organizing as volunteers with NAPO and the BCPO.
We abide by all ethical and legal guidelines put forth by the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers (BCPO).
We enjoy powerful relationships with Certified Professional Organizers^® across the country, allowing us to advance innovative practices.
We annually attend NAPO’s national organizing conference for continuing education from nationally known trainers and updates on the newest organizing products.
While we study products in order to better help you with solutions, we’re not about selling products. We’re about systems, routines and peace of mind.
LivingOrder^® has been in business since 2000.
We are insured and bonded.

What is a Certified Professional Organizer® (CPO®)?

To achieve certification, a professional organizer must pass a grueling national exam. In order to qualify to sit for the exam, a professional organizer must catalog a minimum of 1,500 paid organizing hours within a three year period in order to show that s/he is a serious full-time professional and not just a part-time hobbyist. Once an organizer is certified, s/he must maintain certification by cataloging at least 1,000 hours of paid organizing in addition to a minimum of forty-five continuing education hours every three years.

The BCPO^® says that “certification is a recognition of 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. This program recognizes and raises industry standards, practices and ethics. For the public, while the CPO^® designation is not an endorsement or recommendation, certification of professional organizers maximizes the value received from the products and services provided by a CPO^®.”

What are the benefits of working with LivingOrder®?

Get expert coaching from a highly trained Professional Organizer or Certified Professional Organizer^®.
Work with industry leaders who have pioneered unique methods, systems, products, and teaching materials.
Get maximum results in less time.
Bring order to your living.
Reduce your stress.
Know where to find what you need, when you need it.
Live and work in an environment that inspires you.
Save time and money.
Think more clearly and improve your focus.
Transform your chaos into tranquility.^SM

How do you find an organizer who's right for you?

Getting organized is very personal, so it’s important that you know who you are allowing into your home or office and whether that person is qualified to help you with your organizational challenges. Here are some questions to ask when you are interviewing prospective professional organizers.

How do you handle confidentiality and privacy?

Our work can indeed be very personal in nature. All of our work is done in a patient, nonjudgmental, and respectful manner. We will hold all client information, business or personal, written or verbal, in confidence. LivingOrder conforms to the written Code of Ethics for members of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). Our Service Agreement also contains a confidentiality clause for your protection.

What about cost? How do you charge?

You can expect to pay about the same hourly rate for a highly trained Professional Organizer as you would for an interior designer, personal trainer, image consultant, or other similar service professionals. Our pricing structure is based on education, certification, extensive training, national association membership, local chapter membership, insurance, bonding, experience, and proven success. You deserve quality, and we can provide that for you. We work by the hour, with different rates for residential and commercial work. Please call to discuss your situation and we will be happy to quote you our rates.

While hiring a professional organizer is definitely not for everyone, we can usually help people with a variety of budgets. Even if you only work with us for one session, you’ll find that being organized is an investment in yourself, your family, and/or your business that pays huge dividends of decreased stress and time savings. Our innovative online program, The Clutter Diet, may be a perfect match if you are on a budget—give it a try and see what you think!

We have a 2-hour minimum appointment time for all work done on-site, but for your initial appointment we highly recommend 3-4 hours minimally so that we have time to provide strong visible results for you that first day. Payment is due at the time of service. We accept personal and business checks, and all major credit cards.

Please call us at 512-301-2426 (Austin) or 210-892-4990 (San Antonio) for additional details, or contact us using our convenient form.

How long will it take to organize me?

We can usually give you a “ballpark” estimate based on our experience, but it is generally quite difficult to give estimates in our industry since every situation is so different. There are many factors impacting how long it will take:

How quickly you can make decisions.
How long you can work without distractions or interruptions.
How much time you or your assistant can devote to the project.
How well you follow-up on your assignments.
How long the disorganization has been going on and why.
What may be uncovered during our work that impacts the scope, direction, or progress of the project.
How large the space is and the volume and complexity of items you have.
How easily and quickly you can learn to use new systems and establish better habits.

Call us and we’ll be happy to talk through your situation to find out if we are right for you. If not, we’ll help to point you in the right direction.

What type of people normally work with LivingOrder®?

Our clients are ready to invest their time and resources to produce a higher quality lifestyle and know that our expertise will get them there. Our clients are…

Homeowners who want to:

Reduce stress by organizing problem areas in their homes such as closets, kitchens, garages, and home offices.
Save time by setting up systems for better household management of functions such as filing, purchasing, laundry, and family communications.

SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) business owners who want to:

Set up an effective filing system and manage their actionable papers.
Identify ways to improve efficiency and personal productivity.

Businesses and Corporations that want to:

Teach their employees ways to improve efficiency and productivity.
Increase company profits.

Anyone who:

Is going through a major life transition such as relocation, marriage, a new baby, promotion, or retirement and needs help organizing to adapt systems to get back to normal.
Wants to make better decisions about their time, information and belongings.
Wants to save time and get more done.