The most common 7 Mistakes Newbie Professional Organizers Make when they are starting out. Written by Karen Koedding, Australia's First Certified Professional Organizer ®.

1. 7 Mistakes Newbie
Professional Organizers MakeProfessional Organizers Make
Karen Koedding, CPO
®
A Little Elf

2. 7 Mistakes Newbie
Professional Organizers Make
Have you organized things your whole life, and organize your friends'
homes for FUN? Have you been counting the days until you can quit
your "real" job and start your own Professional Organizing business?
In meeting with and speaking to hundreds of Professional Organizers
over the last 10+ years, I’ve learned that new Professional Organizersover the last 10+ years, I’ve learned that new Professional Organizers
(“newbie POs”) can make a lot of mistakes.
I’d like to help you avoid some of these mistakes, so I’m going to
provide you with some information on the top 7 mistakes new
Professional Organizers make. I’m sharing this information to save you
time, to allow you to make more money, and get started on the right
foot.
There are many mistakes, but these are the top 7...
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3. 1. Get stuck in planning mode.
So many want-to-be POs love the planning process, so they are planning,
and planning and planning. And they’ve been researching and
researching. They've fully set up their home office, they’ve chosen their
business name, designed their business cards, have a business plan on
PowerPoint, maybe even spent thousands of dollars on their website
already. Months or maybe years have gone by.
And yet, they have had zero or very few paying clients.And yet, they have had zero or very few paying clients.
But wait, there’s reasons (excuses) for it: I can’t quit my job, I’ve
organized everyone I know already, I need a website, I need to register
my business name, I need my logo designed...I’ll do it after I _______
(blah, blah, blah).
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4. 1. Get stuck in planning mode.
Here’s my advice:
Stop where you’re at, and move forward with clients. In the history of your
business, you will modify your brand, update your website, probably even
redesign your logo. There is tons to know, and you will learn more each time
you work with a new client. If you haven’t organised your family and friends,
ask them if you can. Once you have, work on getting paying clients. You will
need to do marketing, research, and learning for your whole career.need to do marketing, research, and learning for your whole career.
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5. 2. A lack of confidence.
Many newbies want SO bad to start their Professional Organizing business
and work with clients but they’re afraid to. They are master organizers at
home and for their friends, but have yet to work with a client that is a
stranger to them. They don’t have the confidence that they know the “right”
way to declutter or organize. Or they say, but I’m not comfortable yelling at
or bossing people around like they do on TV shows.or bossing people around like they do on TV shows.
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6. 2. A lack of confidence.
My advice: here’s the truth, most of your clients are nervous too. They’re
inviting in a stranger to see their “secrets” and paying them no less! They
think they’re a hoarder, they’re embarrassed, and they think you’ll judge
them to the end of the earth. Relax, and approach it from the mindset that
someone has asked you for help, and you have the skills to help them. (And
definitely no bossing required in working with clients.) Confidence comes
from doing.from doing.
www.alittleelf.com

7. 3. Don’t realize that they
need business skills.
Many newbies have never had their own business or had to rely on
their self generated income. Many are lacking accounting knowledge,
marketing skills, and/or sales skills. The lack of knowledge is not a
mistake, but not seeking the knowledge is. That, and also dismissing
the need for this knowledge.the need for this knowledge.
www.alittleelf.com

8. My advice: at the very least, take a starting a small business course.
Beyond that, I’d also suggest a marketing course (or heaps of them), a
basic bookkeeping course, and either a sales course, or educate
yourself via sales videos.
3. Don’t realize that they
need business skills.
www.alittleelf.com

9. 4. Not charging for their time
or the results.
Many newbies give away their services for free due to their lack of
confidence. They give their services away for free via free initial
meetings, long phone calls, endless emails, driving far distances for
initial meetings, allowing clients to cancel last minute without penalty.initial meetings, allowing clients to cancel last minute without penalty.
Another problem is undercharging.
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10. My advice: create a policy for your services, including how much you
are willing to give away, if anything, and then stick to your policy. It’s
important to create a cancellation policy for your clients, similar to
what a dentist would do. I also remind newbies to not undervalue their
4. Not charging for their time
or the results.
what a dentist would do. I also remind newbies to not undervalue their
life experiences and previous career experience in determining their
rates. There is so much more around this, including future referrals, to
talk about. For now, don’t be casual about your policies.
www.alittleelf.com

11. 5. Not charging for their
intellectual property.
Many newbies don’t even know what intellectual property is. If you
don’t, it means the knowledge you have, your advice, and all of your
branding. This mistake occurs when POs provide lengthy consultations
where they provide customised advice and don’t charge for it. It canwhere they provide customised advice and don’t charge for it. It can
also happen when a PO gives a discount, or they work with the client
for 6 hours but only charge them for 5.25 hours. The biggest mistake is
not realising that people chose you and hired you mostly because of
your intellectual property.
www.alittleelf.com

12. My advice: list all of your intellectual property, plus bullet point your
knowledge like you would on a resume, then value it yourself, then
charge for it. It’s what accountants do, lawyers do it, personal trainers
do, as well as any service provider.
5. Not charging for their
intellectual property.
do, as well as any service provider.
www.alittleelf.com

13. 6. Working on organizing jobs
that are over their head.
This newbie mistake can be bad for both the newbie and the client.
This can happen when a newbie takes on a client with a mental illness
such as hoarding or OCD. The mistakes that can happen are for the
newbie to rush the client, judge them, pressure them, give themnewbie to rush the client, judge them, pressure them, give them
homework, or use words that are insensitive. There is a lot of
psychology to learn in working with clients, and it takes time to learn.
The result of this mistake is that the client may not call the PO back,
and it can cause the client to not use a PO for years.

14. My advice: get clarification from potential clients by asking more
detailed questions, especially if they use the word “hoarder” in your
original conversation. Questions that you can ask include, are you using
the word hoarder literally, i.e. are your rooms filled where you can’t
6. Working on organizing jobs
that are over their head.
the word hoarder literally, i.e. are your rooms filled where you can’t
open the door? Are exits blocked? (and much more) If they say yes,
then I’d suggest you have a more experienced PO that you can refer
them to until you have enough experience and have taken lessons on
the more challenging jobs.
www.alittleelf.com

15. 7. Don’t learn from others that
are more experienced.
Many newbies read articles about Professional Organizers, say to
themselves, “I can do that” and then do their best. They make many of
the mistakes above as well as others not mentioned. This causes them
stress, time, money, and lost opportunities.stress, time, money, and lost opportunities.
www.alittleelf.com

16. My advice: the Professional Organizing industry has existed for more
than 30 years. Although it’s possible that your family or friends have
not heard about the industry, it is strong and goes way back. It’s
important to recognize that there are many resources for learning, and
7. Don’t learn from others that
are more experienced.
important to recognize that there are many resources for learning, and
you should do whatever you can to learn your profession.
If you don’t learn the skills from those that have come before you, you
will have to learn them the hard way - by losing a client, or damaging
your still new and fragile reputation.
www.alittleelf.com

17. How we can help:
I’m offering some get started products:
The “Intro Kit”
A “Basics of Decluttering” audio recording
A phone call with me
These can help you get started on your career.These can help you get started on your career.
I also offer my PO 101 program for newbie Professional Organizers in business
one year or less. The program is a do-it-yourself program, that you can do
from anywhere in the world. The program will fast track your learning so that
you can be confident that you know what you're talking about and what
you're doing. There are further options to receive one on one consultations
with me.
www.alittleelf.com

18. Karen Koedding
A Little Elf
www.alittleelf.comwww.alittleelf.com
Australia +61419446109

19. About Karen Koedding, CPOTM
Karen is Australia’s first Certified Professional Organizer and started her
Professional Organizing business, A Little Elf, in 2004 in New York City. She
started the business a second time in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. A Little Elf
has historically offered hands-on decluttering and organising assistance,
organising consulting, project management, as well as relocation and move
management services. There is a team of Elves that work with Karen. A Littlemanagement services. There is a team of Elves that work with Karen. A Little
Elf works on both residential and business projects. Karen has worked with
hundreds of lovely clients, many of which are recurring clients.
Karen also offers do-it-yourself programs as she enjoys sharing her knowledge
of Professional Organizing and helping both Professional Organizers and
clients to succeed whilst enjoying simplicity and having fun!
www.alittleelf.com

20. Thank You