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	Virtual Organizing - How to Get Your House in Order on Your Own!

	by Kim Leggett

Are you a victim of clutter and a disorganized home or office? You probably already know that there are professional organizers who specialize in helping clients clear out the clutter and organize their spaces. Sometimes this can be an expensive solution for some people. But did you know that there is an affordable option called Virtual Organizing? If you like to work on your own, and at your own pace -- if you are embarrassed to have someone come into your house -- then Virtual Organizing can be a great solution for you.

Virtual Organizing Process

Virtual Organizing is similar to a do-it-yourself project, but done with the guidance and help of a professional organizer. This is done almost exclusively through email, but can also involve phone calls if needed. Here's how the process works:

You send the Organizer an email outlining what your areas of concern and needs are
Upload and send her pictures of the spaces that need to be decluttered and organized
The Organizer will assess your situation, provide recommendations and help you set goals
The Organizer will provide an estimate of time and price
You will have email and/or phone contact with your Organizer during the contract period at any time
You will send your Organizer periodic reports and pictures of progress

As you can see, Virtual Organizing is flexible, personal, and private. You can really pick from a "menu" of options that work best for you. The key to getting started is to find an organizer who is willing to work within the parameters of an electronic age. Once you have found someone to work with, the rest is easy.

Tricks To Rid Your Closet Of Clutter

Let's say that your closet is suffering from over-stuffing! Here are a few tricks that a professional organizer might give you to tame that clutter:

1. Take pictures of your closet -- don't clean it first! Show the Organizer how it really looks.
2. The next step is to analyze what's in your closet. Have you worn it in 6 months? If the answer is NO, you need to get rid of it. Donating clothing, shoes and accessories that you haven't used, don't like, or don't fit, is a great way to help you and someone else at the same time. The bed is a great staging area for the things in your closet. Take out every item. Sort them into these piles: Donate, Throw Away, Keep.
3. Make sure that if anything needs washing or ironing, you don't put it back in the closet until it's ready.
4. Once you've identified the clothes going back in the closet, it's time to sort. First, arrange items by category. There are many you can choose from, but you should be able to limit yourself to such areas of Dresses/Skirts, dress pants/suits, dress shirts/blouses, t-shirts, sweaters, etc.
5. Within each category, sort clothes by color. An easy and eye-catching way is to use the color spectrum "ROYGBIV" acronym (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).
6. If you have shelves available, fold sweaters and jeans and place on the shelves with the folds facing out. This provides a neat look and easily identifies colors. Shoes also need storage, so purchase a simple shoe rack or hanging bag so that you can find what you need easily.
7. Once you've completed these basic steps, take pictures and send them to your Organizer. Great job!

Conclusion

This is just an example of some tips you might expect to receive from a Virtual Organizer. As you can see, it's not always necessary to have someone come to your home to get the benefits of a professional. Once you've decided to rid yourself of the clutter and get organized, you're halfway to your goal. Contact a Virtual Organizer and get ready to get your house in order!

Kim Leggett helps people get organized and dump the clutter. Follow her on Twitter @kimputsimply.

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