Have you ever wondered how much it would cost to transform your home into an organized paradise? Well, your budget plays a crucial role in your decision-making process but there is more to it. Beyond the dollar value, we will discuss the hidden price tag of organizing and decluttering an entire house. We will also break down the costs associated with transforming your home. Get ready to discover the smart way to plan these projects and how it can positively impact your life forever!
Joybird did an awesome survey where they ask American families a few questions about their perception in regards to their organizing systems in their own home. It’s surprising that only 2% of Americans organize their house twice per year, while 48% do it once a week. These numbers are very insightful for a simple reason—functionality. Think about it, these numbers let us assume that home organizing systems in 48% of these peoples' houses don’t work too much for them. Rather, people work to keep the system up and running or in this case, tidy. The survey also shows that the top most cluttered and messy areas in American homes are the living room, kitchen and bedrooms.
Living in a cluttered and disorganized home can be overwhelming, but the thought of organizing can sometimes feel daunting, especially when it comes to considering the people and lifestyle of those living at home. It's also essential to understand the costs involved in the organizing process and the time and knowledge that it takes to make an informed decision and find a solution that fits your budget. We're here to unveil the hidden price tag and help you navigate through the financial considerations of transforming your home.
Why do people want to organize an whole house?
Have you ever wondered why some people feel so compelled to tidy up their spaces and create a sense of order in their homes? To understand this we may need to go back in time. This desire for organization is deeply rooted in our history as humans and has evolved alongside us for centuries.
From the earliest human shelters to modern-day fully-custom-homes, just like our ancestors did, people today yearn for the functional and personalized living spaces. A home becomes more than a place of shelter, it can be a sanctuary where the most important people are and the most important memories can be made. Organizing our homes isn't just about aesthetics or convenience—it's about cultivating a habitat that nurtures our well-being, fosters productivity, and provides a sense of security and comfort for the people living there.
The frustration of living in a disorganized home can lead to stress and affect your overall health and well-beign. I’m not just talking about the physical clutter; it's also the mental clutter and decision exhaustion that can weigh you down. The agitation caused by constantly searching for misplaced items or feeling overwhelmed by clutter can hinder your productivity and drain your energy.
“An organized home is a sign of an organized mind.”
Sometimes life can get really busy and the attention you have to keep everything tidy may decrease significantly. However, organizing doesn't have to be out of reach. Hiring a professional organizer can seem expensive if you just search an hourly rate on the internet, but this is why we’re goin to explore the (very often) hidden price tag of organizing an entire home and see how investing in professional organizing services can help you bring relief and peace of mind at home.
What to expect when investing in a whole home organizing project?
As we’ve discussed so far, organizing is an investment in your well-being and quality of life. We believe that every house deserves to have organizing systems that are designed to meet your unique needs, lifestyle and of course, work with your budget. Let’s discuss a few key points that will help you understand why, and what to expect if you invest in a whole house organizing project.
Understanding Financial Cost
Professional organizers are individuals who have a gift and experience to quickly arrange, group, categorize and order items so that it’s easier for anyone to find and use such items. They are experts in creating functional organizing solutions. Since these professionals are at different stages of their career, and of course in different locations, pricing for their services will vary.
Because of these variables, a lot of people have a hard time finding the justification on the pricing differences from one company and organizer to another. This sometimes leads them to resorting to a DIY approach. We will give you a quick summary of each approach so that you can see all the pros and cons and make the best decision.
DIY VS Hiring a Professional Organizer
To start discussing this popular debate we will break down the Do-it-Yourself organizing approach versus the Hiring a professional organizing company option. To make a smart comparison, we can break down the investment into the following sections:
Financial Costs
Time Investment
Skill and Expertise
Let’s break it down for the DIY approach first. Roll up your sleeves and let’s break it down together.
The Do-It-Yourself Approach
While DIY organizing can save on labor fees, there are still expenses for organizing supplies such as bins, shelves, labels, and storage solutions. The learning curve is bigger too. Here is a table breaking down each section for you.
Financial Costs | Tools and Materials: Depending on the project, you may need to purchase tools like drills, hammers, or specialized equipment for building or installing storage solutions. Opportunity Costs: The time you spend organizing is time not spent on other activities. This could be time away from work, family, or leisure, which has its own inherent value. |
Time Investment | Research and Planning: Significant time may be required to research effective organizing methods, watch tutorials, and plan your approach. Execution: The actual process of decluttering, sorting, and reorganizing can be very time-consuming, especially without prior experience. It can also be overwhelming mentally and emotionally. Maintenance: If the system is not designed correctly it can lead back to mess. Regular upkeep and adjustments are needed to maintain the organization system, which can add to the overall time investment overtime. |
Skill & Expertise | Learning Curve: There can be a steep learning curve when it comes to effective organization techniques. Mistakes or inefficiencies can lead to wasted time and resources. Customization: Tailoring solutions to fit your specific needs and space may be challenging without professional insight and experience due to personal bias. |
Hiring a Professional Organizer
A professional organizer can create systems that are designed to last, reducing the need for frequent reorganizing and saving time in the long run. An organized home can lead to increased productivity and reduced stress, providing intangible benefits that improve your quality of life. A professional organizer can also enhance the appeal of your home, potentially increasing its market value and attractiveness to buyers. Here is a quick breakdown if hiring a professional organizer is what you’re considering.
Financial Costs | Service Fees: Professional organizers typically charge hourly rates or flat fees. Rates can vary widely depending on location, experience, and the scope of the project. Consultation Fees: Initial consultations may come with a fee, although some organizers offer them for free as part of their service package. Added Fees: Sometimes, organizers offer their services in packages or they customize them according to their client needs. For example, some may charge you for a traveling, disposal, consultation or shopping fee. Always ask an organizer if there are any added fees to their services. Product Recommendations: Professionals often have knowledge and access to high-quality, effective organizing products, which can add to the overall cost but provide long-lasting solutions. Their experience also helps when planning and purchasing containers as they often have measured and used them on other projects. |
Time Investment | Expertise: Professional organizers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, allowing them to work quickly and efficiently. Such experience also helps them budget very accurately. For example, at JO Organizing, we just need to know your budget and the goal for your area and with that we give you product recommendations if needed. They know what works and can avoid common pitfalls. Project Management: Professional organizers can handle all aspects of the project, from planning to execution, freeing up your time for other activities. Sometimes, projects require you to be the decision maker, but for other type of projects such as moving or unpacking professional organizers can make huge progress by themselves. Quick Results: With a professional, you can achieve a well-organized home in a shorter time frame compared to doing it yourself. It may come with a bigger price tag, but the time you save and the life-time the systems a professional creates for you might be worth the investment. |
Skill & Expertise | Personalized Solutions: Professional organizers tailor their services to meet your specific needs, lifestyle, and preferences, ensuring that the systems put in place are long-lasting and effective. Experience: Especially speaking of experienced organizers, they have dealt with a variety of organizational challenges, people and personalities and can provide creative solutions that you might not have considered for your home. Emotional Support: Organizing can be an emotionally and mentally charged process, especially when dealing with sentimental items. Professionals can offer objective, supportive guidance making it an easier journey for everyone at home. |
Making the decision: Which one is best?
Finally, you need to consider what’s important for you and a few other things such as your budget and time constraints and the scope of your project before making a decision. When you quote an entire-home organizing project with a professional or an organizing company, always make sure you have these important variables clear. This will help you get more accurate quotes and set realistic expectations for your project.
Budget: If budget is a major constraint, starting with DIY or virtual organizing methods can be a viable option, gradually investing in in-home professional services as needed.
Time & Availability: Consider how much time you can realistically dedicate to organizing. If time is limited, a professional organizer or a team of organizers might be a worthwhile investment.
Project Scope: For larger, more complex projects such as moving, packing, unpacking or decluttering an entire house—professional expertise can be invaluable. For smaller, less complicated tasks, DIY might work best.
Personal Preference: Some people enjoy the process of organizing and find it therapeutic, while others may find it overwhelming and prefer professional help.
So far we know that weighing the costs and benefits of both DIY organizing and hiring a professional, can help you make an informed decision that best fits your needs, budget, and lifestyle. Each home and individuals are unique, a professional organizer will charge you accordingly. If you want to understand the professional organizing services pricing structures we have an awesome article and a comparison table in our blog, but for now, let’s continue understanding the often hidden secrets when organizing your entire house.
How long does it take to organize an entire house?
We estimate that if you hire a home organizing company and let professionals guide you and take care of the work for you, a good starting budget is $5,000 for a complete transformation. Of course, depending on the pricing structure, the price can go higher or lower, but that’s a good budget to start with. When investing in a whole house organizing project, a lot of people have tried to go the DIY route to save money before giving up and resulting in hiring an organizing company instead. If you have the time flexibility to declutter, pack, unpack or organize your home, maybe breaking it up into monthly sessions is the way to go, but if you want it done faster you may need to hire a company that can bring more organizers to take care of the work in less time.
We put together a list of common areas and some very conservative estimates on the time commitment for organizing different areas of a home. Use this as a starting point when creating your list of possible vendors.
1. Kitchen
Decluttering and Sorting: 4-6 hours
Designing organizing system and Organizing: 3-5 hours
Total Time: 7-11 hours
Details: This includes going through pantry items, cabinets, drawers, and appliances. It's essential to discard expired items, donate unused ones, and categorize and store everything efficiently.
2. Living Room:
Decluttering and Sorting: 3-5 hours
Designing organizing system and Organizing: 2-4 hours
Total Time: 5-9 hours
Details: Focus on sorting through books, magazines, electronics, and decor. Arrange furniture for optimal space and functionality, and create designated areas for various activities.
3. Bedrooms:
Decluttering and Sorting: 3-4 hours per bedroom
Designing organizing system and Organizing: 2-3 hours per bedroom
Total Time: 5-7 hours per bedroom
Details: Includes organizing closets, dressers, and under-bed storage. It's crucial to assess clothing, accessories, and personal items for decluttering.
4. Bathrooms:Decluttering and Sorting: 2-3 hours
Designing organizing system and Organizing: 1-2 hours
Total Time: 3-6 hours
Details: Sort through toiletries, medications, and linens. Establish a system for everyday essentials and create a tidy, accessible space.
5. Home Office:
Decluttering and Sorting: 4-6 hours
Designing organizing system and Organizing: 3-5 hours
Total Time: 7-11 hours
Details: Focus on paperwork, office supplies, and electronic files. Develop a filing system, declutter the workspace, and set up an efficient work environment.
6. Garage/Basement:
Decluttering and Sorting: 6-8 hours
Designing organizing system and Organizing: 4-6 hours
Total Time: 10-14 hours
Details: These areas often become dump-all areas for storage. Sort through tools, equipment, seasonal items, and miscellaneous storage. Implement storage solutions to maximize space and accessibility.
To give you an idea, our team organized and decluttered an entire home of over 3,000 sq. ft. for a dear client who had a baby on the way. Our client wanted every inch of her home decluttered and organized and she was on a time crunch. Her baby was due the next month so she needed someone who could make it happen in time before the baby arrived. She wanted to have areas cleared so she could make space for the baby but also know where everything was in her home so she wouldn't feel so overwhelmed with a newborn at home. Our team took care of everything for her, from guiding the decluttering process, organizing, to discarding, donating and shopping and designing organizing systems. The ENTIRE home was organized in 9 five-hour sessions including 4 organizers per session for a total of 180 labor hours, making it an approximate $10,000 project. Imagine the time it would’ve taken our client to do it herself!
How to get started, when organizing an entire house?
Now that we have a better understanding of costs, time and a good list of pros and cons of the DIY versus hiring a professional organizer, let’s talk about the importance of planning and scheduling when organizing your entire house. Always start by assessing each area to understand the extent of the clutter and what needs to be organized prior to jumping on consultations with organizing companies. Then, prioritize areas based on their impact on your daily life and the level of clutter and trash. Set clear, achievable goals for each space. For example, define what a "finished" organized area looks like to you so that the professional has a clear expectation of the results you are looking for.
Be prepared to adjust your plan as needed. You could see that after estimating you may want to get rid of even more stuff than what you initially thought. If a particular area takes longer than expected, it’s okay to extend the timeframe or break it into sessions. Celebrate small victories to stay motivated. Consistent effort, even if it’s a little at a time, leads to significant progress over time.
By understanding the time commitment required for each area and emphasizing the importance of planning and scheduling, you can easily approach a whole home organizing project with a structured, efficient, and stress-free mindset.
Beyond money, what does it take to organize an entire house?
As we have mentioned before, the journey to organize your entire home is not as easy as it seems. For it to be really transformative it's crucial to recognize the hidden costs that extend beyond money and time: the physical, mental and emotional labor involved in sorting, decluttering, and reorganizing. Understanding and accepting the toll these aspects bring can help you better prepare and navigate the tidying process.
Physical Effort
To better understand this, let’s list first the physical aspects involved in a full-home organizing project.
Sorting and Decluttering:
Lifting and Moving: Organizing often involves moving heavy items, lifting boxes, and rearranging furniture. This physical exertion can be taxing, especially if you have a large volume of items or if you’re working in cluttered spaces.
Repetitive Actions:
The repetitive motions of sorting through belongings, bending, reaching, and lifting can lead to physical fatigue. It’s important to take breaks and pace yourself to avoid strain and injury.
Cleaning and Maintenance:
Along with organizing, you’ll likely need to clean areas that have been hidden by clutter. This can include scrubbing, dusting, and vacuuming, adding to the physical workload.
Reorganizing and system design:
Installing Solutions: Setting up new organizing systems often requires the use of tools to install shelves, hooks, or other storage solutions. This can be physically demanding and time-consuming.
Fine-Tuning:
Adjusting and fine-tuning your newly organized space to ensure it meets your needs involves additional effort and can be an ongoing process.
Emotional Toll
Letting go of emotional valued items is not an easy task, but even with things you don’t want anymore you can encounter a few distractions and obstacles when decluttering and organizing a home. Here is a list of common things to consider.
Dealing with Sentimental Items:
Emotional Attachments: Sorting through sentimental items can be emotionally challenging. Deciding what to keep, donate, or discard often involves confronting memories and emotions tied to these objects.
Guilt and Regret:
You may experience feelings of guilt or regret when parting with items that have sentimental value, even if they no longer serve a practical purpose. This can make the decluttering process emotionally draining.
Decision Fatigue:
Constant Choices: The process of organizing requires making numerous decisions about what to keep, where to place items, and how to organize them. This constant decision-making can lead to mental exhaustion, known as decision fatigue.
Overwhelm:
Facing a large amount of clutter can feel overwhelming and lead to procrastination or paralysis, where you find it difficult to make any progress.
The Benefits of Professional Support
Physical Assistance |
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Emotional Support |
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Decision-Making Guidance |
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By recognizing the physical and emotional labor involved in organizing, you can better prepare yourself for the journey. Recognizing the value of professional support can also help you make informed decisions about how to approach organizing your home, ultimately leading to a more enjoyable and successful outcome.
What are the benefits & outcomes of organizing an entire home?
Investing in professional organizing services for your home offers numerous long-term benefits and value that extend beyond the initial transformation. Here’s a detailed look at how an organized home, achieved with the help of a professional, can positively impact various aspects of your life:
Enhanced Productivity and Efficiency |
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Improved Mental and Emotional Well-being |
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Better Home Maintenance and Longevity |
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Financial Benefits |
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Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Practices |
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Enhanced Family and Social Life |
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Customized Solutions for Lasting Impact |
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By investing in professional organizing services, you’re not just paying for a one-time transformation; you’re investing in a foundation for a more organized, efficient, and fulfilling life. The long-term benefits and value of a professionally organized home can significantly enhance your overall quality of life, providing lasting peace of mind and a sense of well-being.
Final thoughts
Countless individuals have experienced the transformative power of organizing their entire homes. They've discovered the value of investing in a personalized organizing system and have witnessed improvements in their productivity, mental well-being, and overall happiness.
When considering the hidden price tag of organizing, it's important to remember that investing in an organized home is an investment in yourself and your well-being. If your budget is not that big, then you may need to consider options such as virtual organizing and asking for help from family members and friends who can help you tackle more clutter faster.
At JO Organizing, we're here to provide personalized organizing solutions that fit your budget and help you enjoy life more fully. The benefits of an organized space are invaluable—increased productivity, reduced stress, and a more peaceful living environment. Don't let cost deter you from transforming your home.
Reach out to our team to get a personalized quote for your whole-home organizing project.
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