A. A professional organizer is someone who works with you to bring organization, simplicity, and efficiency to your living and working space. Organizers enhance the lives of their clients by designing systems and processes using organizing principles and through transferring organizing skills. They help their clients take control of their possessions, paper, and time.

A. If you feel overwhelmed by your 'stuff,' if you promise yourself that you'll get organized soon and time keeps slipping away, or if you can't find the time to get organized, a professional organizer might be the answer to your problem.

A professional organizer will help you make the commitment to get organized, assess the obstacles, and find the most efficient and effective way of solving the problem, all while focusing on the big picture and keeping you motivated to finish the project.

A great way to think of a professional organizer is them being a personal trainer for your stuff. Just as a personal trainer can help you come up with an exercise plan and learn new techniques if you're not sure where to begin, a professional organizer can help you get started with your project and learn new habits to help you get and stay organized. For those that already know what they need to do to get fit or get organized, but just aren't where they want to be, a trainer or organizer can help that person stay motivated to reach their goals.

A. Each person and situation is unique. The length of time it will take for you to get organized will depend on your goals, the complexity of your project, how quickly you can make decisions, and your commitment to getting organized.

A. With Starbuck Life Design you will always get a free phone consultation before deciding to book an onsite organizing session.

A. There is not a lot you need to do to prepare for your first appointment. It is not necessary to pick-up or clean the space we will be organizing. It will be most helpful to see your space as it currently is.

It is also not necessary to buy organizing products before we meet. Buying products comes toward the end of the project after we sort and categorize. The container should fit the contents rather than the contents fitting the container.

Depending on the project, it can be helpful to have garbage bags, zip-lock bags, and extra tubs for sorting on hand. Starbuck Life Design will bring basic office supplies, tubs for sorting, as well as labels.

It is also important to be free from distractions during our sessions such as phone calls and visitors so that you can get the most out of our time together.

A. During the initial session, we will have you lead us on a tour of your home or office. We will discuss what you like, what you don't like, and what your goals are for each space. After the tour, we will sit down together and begin to prioritize your projects based on your goals. Depending on the length of the session, we may begin to dive into the first organizing project.

A regular organizing session begins with a brief overview of your project, your goals, and what we plan to accomplish during that appointment. Most session involve purging, sorting, and containerizing various belongings. We will also work on helping you to develop organizing skills and habits in order to help you get and stay organized.

A. While a majority of clients prefer to be present for each session, it isn't always necessary. Depending on your situation, there may be times when some organizing work can be done without you being there. If desired, this option can be discussed and worked into your plan according to your needs.

A. The choice is entirely up to you. One thing to take into consideration is that having young children at home during your organizing sessions may increase the length of time it takes to complete your project. It may be in your best interest to consider having your spouse or a friend watch your children during your appointments.

A. Absolutely not! A professional organizer will ask you questions and make observations and suggestions to help you decide what is or is not important to you. The final decision on whether to keep something or not is entirely up to you.

A. Every situation is unique. The cost of your project will depend on the length of time it takes for you to get organized, whether you would like to re-use organizing products you currently own or would like to purchase them new, and how much work you would like to do on your own. For more information about our rates, please see our residential organizing or business organizing pages.

A. Payment is requested at the time services are rendered, unless other arrangements have been agreed upon in advance. Some large projects and those located outside of the Denver Area will require a deposit in order to begin work. Payments can be made by cash, check, or credit cards via PayPal. (A 3% fee will be added to all payments made by credit card.)

A. At Starbuck Life Design, we understand that life happens. If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please call at least 48 hours in advance. Appointments rescheduled with less than 48 hours notice or cancelled indefinitely will be billed at 50% of the rate for the number of hours scheduled and will become due immediately.

The need to reschedule may occur when weather makes for hazardous travel conditions to the client's location or when the organizer, the client, or the client's family becomes ill. There is not a cancellation fee for weather related issues or illness when the appointment is rescheduled within 14 days of the originally scheduled appointment. Otherwise, the regular cancellation fee applies. This policy takes into consideration that both of our times are valuable.