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Blog: Minimizing Financial Clutter
 The Turn-off Notice
Yesterday, when I was almost finished conducting an initial on-site consultation with a new client, something disturbing happened. The phone rang. My new client let her answering machine pick up the call. A recorded voice from our local gas and electric company reminded my new client that she had recently received a "turn-off" notice: her electricity would be turned off in a matter of days if she didn't pay her bill. Uh-oh…
I'm sure she was very embarrassed that I overheard that call. After all, she and I just met. (And she just wrote me a check! What must I be thinking?!)
What she didn't know, however, is that I have seen many, many, many gas and electric turn-off notices during my years as a professional organizer. The recipients of those notices seem to fall into one of two categories…
People in Crisis
- Something has happened to the client (usually something bad, but not always)
- Any previously-existing mail management and bill paying systems have gone down the drain because of the crisis
- Lack of money isn't the issue; it isn't that they can't pay their bills, they just don't (see above for the reasons why they don't)
I can tell when a client's crisis began when I sort through their paperwork. The old, pre-crisis papers have been filed in a relatively organized system. The crisis began on the date marked on the oldest unfiled piece of mail. That is also when they stopped paying their bills on time.
Chronically Disorganized People
- They have never had a system for paperwork or bill paying
- They have poor credit ratings and (frequently) are in trouble with the IRS for non-payment of back taxes (sometimes WAY BACK taxes)
- They are unable to get out of their situation without outside help
- Their situation will likely continue and worsen if they don't get outside help
- Their disorganization affects them negatively across many areas of their lives – not just the financial area.
None of us is self-sufficient. There are things you do better than I do. If I need to do those things, I'm going to hire you to help me with them. It only makes sense.
If you (or a loved one) receive turn-off notices, have a poor credit rating simply because of disorganization, or experience other effects of crisis disorganization or chronic disorganization, please hire a professional organizer to help you. You don't have to continue to live that way. The National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net) and the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (www.nsgcd.org) can help you find a qualified professional organizer in your area.
There is hope for your situation. You may just need someone to help you turn the lights back on.
posted on: 2/17/2008 11:30:00 AM by Katherine Trezise
category: Finances
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Minimizing Financial Clutter
by Katherine Trezise
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About Katherine:
Katherine Trezise is president of Absolutely Organized, based in Baltimore, MD. She is president-elect of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization. Katherine holds a masters degree in business administration, is a Certified Professional Organizer® and a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®. Absolutely Organized specializes in helping people organize their homes, paperwork and financial records to make room in their lives for the things, people and activities that are most important to them.
Katherine's Website:
www.absolutely-organized.com
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