Over the years I have written once or twice about how you can go paperless at home or in your business, and many of you have been very successful doing it yourself.
However, sometimes you just don’t have the time, energy, or expertise to do it on your own. It’d be nice if there was someone out there that could physically come in and help you out. Some sort of professional at getting organized.
I just returned from my third time at the National Association of Professional Organizers annual conference, and more than ever before I came away impressed with how many professional organizers and productivity consultants there are out there that live and breathe this stuff.
(Photo stolen from Vanessa Hayes – Brooks tipping over trying to fit in the frame. Story of my life)
I think many of us think of professional organizers as people who will come in and organize closets and garages, and there are definitely superstars out there who will do that.
There’s a whole other group of organizers that specialize in working with paper and digital organization. They’ll look at the paper coming in, the paper you have laying around, and work with getting that and the files on your computer under control.
You can learn more about working with an organizer here, and if you want to find an organizer in your area to chat with, check out NAPO’s directory.
There is even a Certified Professional Organizer® designation if you want to make sure that the person you’re working with has met a minimum qualifications of knowledge and client work.
(I would also be remiss if I didn’t point out that there are three awesome interviews with NAPO professional organizers Deron Bos, Amy Payne, and Vanessa Hayes in the Paperless Document Organization Guide.)
If you are trying to get your paper or digital files under control and struggling, it might be a good investment to bring in a professional.