As a professional organizer, I encounter a lot of household materials that require responsible disposal or donation.  Whether this disposal is clothing and household items, recyclable materials, hazardous waste, hard-to-recycle items, or *sigh*, straight to landfill, it can be overwhelming.  With this last option, it is disheartening to see things go straight to the trash when there are options to avoid it.

I’m often asked, “how long do you think this will take?” when I receive an inquiry on an organization project. My answer is always the same, it depends on the job. Some jobs are big, we’re talking entire households, while some are smaller, like a home office. Either way, the expectation that professional organizers can complete a job in a short amount of time regardless of the household circumstances isn’t realistic. We are really good at what we do…but we are also human. Clutter creeps in over the years, settling in and making itself at home. When the day comes to address clutter, it takes time to go through it all. There are ways, however, for clients to prepare for a project that contributes to its success…