Organization FAQs

Questions we hear from time to time...

What is a professional organizer?: A professional organizer is an individual who teaches organizing principles to individuals who desire change in their lives, homes, and offices.
What is the National Association of Professional Organizers?: NAPO is a non-profit group formed in 1985 dedicated to developing, leading, and promoting professional organizers and the organizing industry. It is also affiliated with the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) and the Professional Organizers in Canada (POC).
What is the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization?: "The NSGCD is a non-profit organization serving professional organizers and related professionals who are interested in the study and methods of serving chronically disorganized people." - NSGCD website
What does it mean to be chronically disorganized?: According to the NSGCD, it is "having a past history of disorganization in which self-help efforts to change have failed, an undermining of current quality of life due to disorganization, and the expectation of future disorganization."
Who uses a professional organizer?: A wide variety of people use a professional organizer. Whether you are single, married, kids, no kids, work in or out of the house, you can benefit from the services of a professional organizer.
Do I have to be considered chronically disorganized to use a professional organizer?: No. Everyday people, even people who consider themselves organized, use a professional organizer at times. Sometimes we simply get stuck in certain areas of our lives and want to make a change, but we often need new information in order to make a new choice.
Why should I use a professional organizer and not simply get the latest book?: Tips and tricks are very useful and can be handy for quick and simple questions. However, a deeper level of change occurs when methods are introduced and reinforced over time. Our primary goal is to develop organizational skills in our clients so they can apply these principles to all areas of their lives.
Why can't Ubeu provide a specific bid for a project?: Due to the wide variety of circumstances that surround a person's life - the amount of work that needs to be done, the rate at which that work can progress, the need for various materials, etc. - providing an exact bid for time and costs is simply not possible. In the service package descriptions on this site, we offer time frames as a guideline to help you better budget for projects. These are simply guidelines and not definite timeframes - some people will need less, some more. When we meet with you, we will be able to more accurately assess how long a project will take, and how much it will cost.
What is a Needs Assessment?: Once a letter of agreement has been signed by Ubeu and the potential client, a Needs Assessment can be scheduled to better determine the needs and requirements of a working relationship. Typically, this session runs a minimum of 2 hours. We will go through a series of steps to define problem areas and the individuals involved, examine lifestyles, develop a budget and review the policies and procedures of Ubeu. Together, you and Ubeu will come up with a comprehensive plan. This plan can be executed independently, or with the help of Ubeu.
Can I give the gift of organizing to someone I know?: Yes and no. If you know someone who wants to work with a professional organizer, and you would like to support them, Ubeu offers gift certificates. However, Ubeu doe not support purchasing gift certificates for someone who has no desire to work with a professional organizer.