What is a professional organizer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Peter Herbst MSW, LCSW
introduction image

A professional organizer is someone who can help their clients organize any physical or digital space in their life.

A professional organizer will offer support for decision-making, facilitate actions around the removal of unwanted belongings, and set up systems, from shelving to labels, that help their clients establish order and clarity.

A professional organizer should have skills for identifying what is worth keeping and what items are disposable. They will work with clients to decide what they want to keep and to identify where unwanted items will go. They will, in many cases, facilitate the disposal, donation, or sale of belongings a client wants to part with.

They also work with clients to determine what the functions of their spaces should be and to set up those spaces in ways that can be easily maintained. Professional organizers should be good problem-solvers and have great attention to detail. They should also be able to teach their clients skills to maintain their newly organized life.

To become a professional organizer, you don't need any special certification or specific training. There are helpful teleclasses, webinars, websites, and books that someone can explore if they are interested in pursuing this career path.

There is a certification from the Board of Certified Professional Organizers® (BCPO) that you may consider obtaining after you've been in business for a while. However, to become a Certified Professional Organizer, you'll need at least 1,500 hours of paid experience over the past three years.

What general advice would you give to a Professional Organizer?

P

Peter Herbst MSW, LCSWPeter Herbst MSW, LCSW LinkedIn Profile

Instructional Specialist, Website

Get solid experience, take some hits, win some battles. Community organizing takes place 'in the trenches' and requires hard work, perseverance and a thick skin. Results count.
ScoreProfessional OrganizerUS Average
Salary
3.5

Avg. Salary $44,525

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
-

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.10%

Asian 5.97%

Black or African American 9.67%

Hispanic or Latino 16.05%

Unknown 6.38%

White 60.83%

Gender

female 79.22%

male 20.78%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Complexity Level
1.8

Complexity Level is simple

7 - challenging

Professional Organizer career paths

Key steps to become a professional organizer

  1. Explore professional organizer education requirements

    Most common professional organizer degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.6 %

    Associate

    13.1 %

    Master's

    12.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific professional organizer skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Organizational Systems29.93%
    Office Space Planning14.39%
    Professional Organizations6.65%
    Storage Solutions6.21%
    Real Estate6.20%
  3. Research professional organizer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage voter contact tactics, organize phone banks, GOTV canvasses and visibility events such as campaign rallies.
    • Assist in website design and Facebook page of the company.
    • Alert staff and patients to imminent weather threats, including updating Facebook.
    • Facilitate meetings and coordinate logistics between community members and community leaders to improve civic literacy among the Latino community.
  4. Prepare your professional organizer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your professional organizer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a professional organizer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Professional Organizer Resume templates

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    Professional Organizer Resume
  5. Apply for professional organizer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a professional organizer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Professional Organizer Job

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Average professional organizer salary

The average Professional Organizer salary in the United States is $44,525 per year or $21 per hour. Professional organizer salaries range between $27,000 and $72,000 per year.

Average Professional Organizer Salary
$44,525 Yearly
$21.41 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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