Fundamentals: Organization Tasks

Imagine this: You’ve just gotten home from a long day of work. You kick your shoes off and wander over to the pantry to figure out what two ingredients you can throw into a bowl for dinner. Just when you thought the workday was over, you find that you can no longer ignore the state of disarray your pantry is in. It’s time for a serious reorganization!

We’ve all been there. Organizing our homes and our lives can be a very therapeutic exercise, but it can also feel overwhelming if you’re starting from a jumbled mess. Enter the Organization skill in the Personal Assistance category. It’s an opportunity to help clients reinvent their living or work spaces and ease their stress while you’re at it. 

New to Organization or want a refresher in how to put your best foot forward with this skill? We’ve got you covered!

Organization Task Scoping Questions to Ask in the Chat Thread

Check out this blog article on sample scoping questions or read below to help you scope any Organization task with ease.

  1. When was your closet/room/office last organized?
  2. What are the highest priorities for this organization task?
  3. Are there any fragile items or items that need to be handled with extra care?
  4. Do you have a preference in organization style? Or should I act on my best judgment?
  5. Would you like the items labeled?
  6. Is there anything you’d like me to throw away?
  7. Will you be present during the task? If not, what is the best way to reach you for questions? 

Organization Category Skills & Experience Pitch Tips

Need some inspiration for a Skills & Experience pitch? See a few examples below for great Skills & Experience pitch for the Organization skill, and don’t forget to check out our blog article on tips for writing Skills & Experience pitch:

“Very organized. Can color coordinate, alphabetize, and label with the best of them.”

“With a Polish cleaning lady as a mother, I quite literally was raised to be a perfect home cleaner, organizer, and caretaker. Being neat and efficient is in my personality, so you might say

Organization Tips from Top Taskers

We reached out to some of our highest rated and top-billing Organization Taskers to collect their top tips for acing their tasks: 

GENERAL TIPS

  • Give yourself time. Organizing a pantry will take less time than packing up an entire garage. Make sure you scope in advance to set proper expectations with your client before the task begins. 
  • Think about accessibility. Ask your client before you start tasking which items they will need the most frequent access to. This will help you determine where to position items, and which would be best suited for a higher shelf!
  • Organize thoughtfully. As you’re organizing, make sure you take note of how you group items together. Everything has a place—everything needs a home. Bins, baskets, and hooks are your friends!
  • Take before and after photos. This can be fun for the client to see and for you to build your business photo portfolio!
  • Stay supplied. Keep markers, Post-its and a tape measure ready to go as you organize. These items will frequently be useful during the task and it makes you look great to have them on hand!

ORGANIZING A CLOSET

  • Color coordinate. Whether you’re organizing a closet, pantry, or an office, organizing by color can be a great way to group belongings in an aesthetically-pleasing way.
  • Organize clothes by how the client lives. Group clothes for work, clothes for winter vs. summer, clothes for exercise etc.
  • Labels. Labeling items can help clients easily identify where you’ve put things so they aren’t lost once you leave.

ORGANIZING A FRIDGE/PANTRY

  • Clean before you re-organize. Once you’ve cleared out a closet, fridge, office or other space, make sure you wipe off the surfaces to make sure you’re building organization into a clean space.
  • Put like-items together. Fruit with fruit, beverages with beverages etc. That will make finding a midnight snack easier!
  • Re-package bulk items. If a package contains multiple servings that will be used over time (think rice, pasta, flour, etc.) transfer the food from the original packaging into clear containers with tight-sealing lids—and labels! 
  • Label. You can label them with a label maker or even cut names from the original packaging and insert it in the front of the container. This will keep your food fresh longer, as well as keep the pantry neat and organized.

The Finishing Touches

To leave a lasting impression on your client and to tie the bow on an organization task, offer to help them discard or donate any discarded items through the Trash & Furniture Removal skill!

 

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