Questions for a Professional Organizer
People who are diagnosed with ADHD are advised to build systems that can help them organize their space and their time. For a lot of ADHDers, this is easier said than done. A medication can help with focus, but it won’t create a system or magically clean your house or office.
This is the second blog, where I ask experts how they help people with ADHD. In this blog, I’m featuring Tracy Schwier, proprietor of Proud 2 Be ADHD.
She is a professional organizer, and most people with ADHD could really use some extra help in that area. Frankly, most people could stand a little help in the area of organization.
How would you describe the job of a professional organizer?
Many people do not realize there are two types of professional organizing. The most familiar one is the stylized aesthetic side that is heavily focused on products being the solution. The second type of professional organizing is the behavioral side; this includes ADHD, chronic clutter, and a lack of systems. That’s where I come in. I use a 4-core method, which can be used to declutter and organize any space. Step one, we identify and gather any trash or items that do not belong in the space. Step two: We categorize, which allows the client to see everything they have. Step three, assign each category a specific storage location. Step four is to maintain, which involves establishing routines and habits to ensure long-term success.
I like to stay consistent with these four steps because it’s so easy to get sidetracked. Sticking with the 4 Core method keeps the client focused and the process moving forward. My job goes beyond just straightening up; it involves understanding a client’s habits, lifestyle, and goals to tailor organizing solutions that truly work for them long term.
What are the big ways a professional organizer helps people change their lives?
Having clutter and being disorganized causes a sense of feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, and depression and wastes valuable time searching for things daily. A professional organizer can organize your spaces, but we also help individuals transform their lives by creating functional, clutter-free spaces and implementing systems that promote efficiency and well-being.
What are the most common problems among your clientele?
The biggest challenge is getting started. For someone with ADHD, getting clutter under control is a dreadful thought and is easy to procrastinate. Some clients feel shameful, embarrassed, or afraid of judgment. Once I explain to them it's not laziness but rather a struggle to initiate and complete tasks due to challenges in time management, organization, and focus because of their ADHD, they become more at ease. Some individuals with ADHD may exhibit traits associated with hoarding disorders. When this happens, it makes it even more challenging for them to let go of their possessions.
What are the biggest challenges you and your clients face?
As a professional organizer, I face unique challenges with clients' cognitive processes when they are impacted by ADHD along with executive functioning deficits. Oftentimes, this makes it more challenging to initiate tasks, maintain focus, and manage their time and belongings effectively.
Do you see a lot of people with ADHD? And if so, what are the problems people with ADHD bring to the table?
Yes, I do see a lot of people with ADHD; it’s my specialty. People with ADHD struggle with several things. They have difficulty with sustained focus. They get sidetracked by interesting items or unrelated thoughts and often tell stories while sorting through belongings. Deciding what items to keep, discard, or where to store them. Many experience stress and frustration associated with their clutter and disorganization. This may trigger emotional responses. They may feel sad, angry, irritable, or overwhelmed.
What books have helped you to understand the needs of your clientele? And what books would you recommend to people with organization problems?
My degree in psychology with a minor in applied behavioral analysis helped me understand the needs and desired outcomes of those who have autism, AuDHD, and ADHD.
A book that helped me in understanding ADHD coaching:
ADHD Coaching: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals
Frances Prevatt and Abigail Levini
This book is an A-Z guide for mental health professionals who want to develop or expand their ADHD coaching skills.
People with ADHD often struggle with time management, staying organized, maintaining relationships, and other life skills. Professional coaching can help them overcome these obstacles and regain confidence in their own problem-solving abilities. Drawing on over a decade of research and clinical work with ADHD clients, Frances Prevatt and Abigail Levrini have established an empirically based model for ADHD coaching. Their approach uses elements of cognitive behavioral theory and psycho-education to target executive functioning deficits and focuses on clients’ key impairments.
The chapters, organized by the type of room or task, consist of practical organizing solutions for people living with ADD:
At work: prioritizing, time management, and organizing documents
At home: paying bills on time, decluttering your house, scheduling and keeping appointments
With kids: driving them to various activities, grocery shopping and meals, laundry, babysitters, organizing drawers and closets
And you: organizing time for your social life, gym, and various other hobbies and activities
Color photographs that capture the short attention span of the reader are featured throughout, as well as sidebars and testimonials from adults with ADD, providing numerous organizational tips, such as the importance of dividing time into minutes or moments, task completion, how to avoid procrastination, asking for help, and how not to be a pack rat.
How would you differentiate your job duties from those of an executive functioning coach?
While the two complement each other, they are different. I focus primarily on maintaining organized systems, whereas an executive functioning coach will work with people who wish to better manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to achieve success in various aspects of their lives.
Is there a society/professional organization for your profession?
NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) is an organization in the US for professional organizers and productivity consultants.
Tracey can be reached at (513)218-9222 or proud2beadhd@gmail.com
Also, check out her website, which should be up soon: www.Proud2beadhd.com