Will they make me throw everything away?
Nope. Being organized is not the same as minimalism. There are organizers out there that see tossing stuff out as the mission. A worthy, effective organizer will help you figure out what’s important in your world, and then how to arrange, contain, and take care of it so that it works for you.
How much does it cost?
Charges depend on the level of skill required, and we’d be happy to discuss this during the initial consultation.
How long does it take?
Of course that partly depends on how much there is and what your goal is; and we aim to work at a pace that suits you. More specifically, to completely sift, categorize, contain, and label a typical room in a typical home takes 3-6 hours. If it’s not typical – e.g. the person is no longer with us, it’s been many years since the last effort, there is a great deal of material – estimate more accordingly.
Who decides what to keep?
You. We will provide whatever support is appropriate. If your overall goal is to reduce, we’ll encourage you to do that and help build habits that support you. If your goal is to curate and display, we can help with that too. We will never tell you something has to go.
Should I get a dumpster?
No :o)
The answer really is no, unless the space has been so badly damaged that most items won’t be salvageable. We exert ourselves considerably to divert stuff from landfill. We sponsor the ChambanaMoms Where can I donate? page and we’re also active users of the cities’ Where do I recycle it? pages, including diligent attendance at the Illinois EPA’s electronics and hazardous waste recycling events. All material things do come to the point where you no longer need them, and eventually to the end of their lives. Let us help you minimize the environmental impact of disposing of them.
Do I have to be there?
It depends on the project. If we’re sifting your archival family photos, then probably – but, as with other projects, if you’d like to provide clear guidelines and then leave the bulk of the work to us, that’s also fine. In projects where the client’s presence is essential, no matter what the reason, we can pace the work to make sure your commitment to the project stays in balance with your others.
Do you have references?
Yes, these are available on request, as I ask permission before I give out people’s contact details.
How long have you done this?
My first concrete memory of organizing involves the drawer containing rubber bands and twist ties in my mother’s kitchen, probably in grade school. My first major projects were for them too – the attic in around 1988, helping at my grandmother’s in 1990 or 1991. I began helping people professionally in 2014, and incorporated the business in 2022.
Is there a minimum commitment?
Nope! We do a free, no-obligation consultation to start out, and then you can do one session, regular sessions, from-time-to-time, or whatever works best for you. And if you start out with one pattern and then want to change it, that’s fine too.
What does a professional organizer do?
We help people manage their material things, their time and task management, and their digital assets (like email, photos, files and folders).
SYLVIE KHAN LLC 