The National Association of Professional Organizers has deemed January "Get Organized Month." It seems appropriate since I tend to go on a huge clean, purge, and straighten "kick" after New Years.
If you're like me and you're setting some goals in this area, you'll probably enjoy "meeting" Debbie Lillard, a professional organizer serving the Philadelphia area and author of Absolutely Organized: A Mom's Guide to a No-Stress Schedule and Clutter-Free Home.
Q. How many kids do you have of your own and what are their ages?
A. Three – my daughter is 11, and I have two sons, ages 8 and 5.
Q. How long have your been a professional organizer and what attracted you to the field?
A. I started in 2003. I had done several other part time jobs after my daughter was born. I worked for my husband. I sold Mary Kay. But I liked the idea of having my own business and being able to set my own hours. I thought, “What can I do from 10-2?” Then, I saw Julie Morgenstern on Oprah.
Q. What did you do to get your business off the ground?
A. I found someone who was doing it full time. I went on the NAPO website. I made up business cards. I spread the word to moms club. I offered a discounted rate for my first 10 customers....
Q. If a mom wants to hire a professional organizer, what can she expect to pay for the organizer’s time and expertise?
A. The average is $50-65 an hour, but it varies.
A professional organizer can help bring order to your garage, your pantry, your closets, your kids rooms, your home office, your filing systems, even your time. You can find a professional organizer near you on the NAPO website. You'll also find some home organizing tips and office organizing tips there.
Debbie also has a "Tips of the Month" section on her website and a cool YouTube video where you can watch her help a client transform a kitchen from cluttered to clean.
WIN IT! One winner will receive a signed copy of Absolutely Organized: A Mom's Guide to a No-Stress Schedule and Clutter-Free Home. To enter, simply leave a comment and your e-mail address prior to Saturday, Jan. 12. The winner will be contacted and announced on Sunday, Jan. 13. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.
* UPDATED * The winner is #46 twitchy. Congratulations!
That sounds like it was made for me! Sign me up!
neato..i need a good decluttering
sounds great! Thank you for sharing!
I need so much organizational help. Maybe this book would be a good starting point.
Am I too late? My email is [email protected]
I would love this!!!
My poor dh would love it if I read and actually applied this book! The baby's taken over the house!!!! :)
Will this keep me from forgetting where I left the baby? Okay, it's not that bad yet, but getting close...
sounds like a book I really need to help me with my resolutions....thanks for the great giveaway!
I really need this book! It would feel so great to be organized again.
sign me up for this one!
I need so much help! My email is tgerner at att.com
You don't even know how much I need this book! Thanks for the website links. My word for this year is Simplify & this book sure could help :)
great giveaway-please enter me!
SIGN ME UP!!!! Jan 12 is my 30th birthday...pick me!!! :-)
Sounds like a great book!
taureau AT yahoo DOT com
I really need this book! Count me in!
I need this!
sign me up...
This would be great!
Cool. She's local for me, so I'll have to check her out!
[email protected]
I could really benefit from a product like this. I am so busy with product reviews, book reviews, Women's ministry and parenting 7 kids, and I don't know which end is up some days!
Oh, did I mention that I babysit???? Yep, crazy.
sign me up too, this house could use some organizing!! :D
Count me as someone else in need to help! Thanks for the chance...
[email protected]
I sure could use this book!
I could definitely use some help in this dept...ask hubby!
OK, this is the story of Me....I have a mess here and there. I get tired of being cluttered and/or unorganized. I wait to be in the 'mood' to organize. I organize. A few weeks (or sometimes only days) goes by and then I have a mess here and there....and so on and on and on.
I would really LOVE this book. I need a good kick in the tush (and some great advice) to help keep me on the right path. We're getting ready to move into a new house and I want to start off organized and then STAY that way! :)
Awesome giveaway!
~melody~
I would love to learn some tricks from this book!
disarray [at] onebox [dot] com
Exactly what I should use - I need help. [email protected]
Should I win (and miraculously find time to read this book) my husband will sing your praises.
I need some organizing help!
mccammacks(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
She should want to come to my house for free...I like dictating people's desires for my own good. :) [email protected]
This book would help me with my New Year's Resolution! Sign me up!!! Hollie
[email protected]
I could use any possible help getting and keeping my family organized! I'd love to win!!
Any busy mom could use this to help keep the family organized.
I would love to win this!
I like to think of myself as organized, but there's always room to learn something new.
blogged ya:
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2008/01/thursday-edition-of-contests-galore.html
Thanks!
Laura
lauraw68 @ yahoo.com
I am the clutter queen, this would be great to have.
Would LOVE to win this! I really could use help in the area of organization.
I try to not allow so much clutter in our home but I could be doing so much better. With seven children it's hard necessity we NEED to learn!
Fantastic prize! I hope I win. If not, I'm sure I'll buy it!
i'm sitting here bleary-eyed in an apartment exploded with clutter and i see this post.
if i don't win it, i'm going to have to buy it!
What a life saver, SInce taking on my homemaker responsabilities again becasue I let my home based business go I can really use the help. Happy New Year
I will be needing this soon!
Thanks for another great giveaway!
Definitely need this. My place is a mess. Count me in :)
How helpful! I could certainly use the advice in this book, and the interview and links are also nice.
Count me in!
Yes! This would be a good start!
This would be a godsend!
I would love to win this book. My email address is [email protected]
i love to be organized and am alwasy looking for new ideas!
Wow, organization is an area that I am totally lacking in! As a full-time working mom of a 2.5 year old, this would be great!
Thanks for the contest!
Yes, I could really use some organizational help! Thanks for the contest.
i need it!! [email protected]
http://www.allaboutthemomofem.blogspot.com
I could definitely use this book!
the_angel_forever at yahoo dot com
http://www.theangelforever.com
Oh boy, could I use this! Thanks for offering it!
:) Angie
[email protected]
I am so ready for this!
I desperatly need this!!
apparently my new years resolution is kicking me in the pants. Declutter, de-junk and get over it!
need... organization... now...
Wow, I could really use some tips in this area. Thanks for the giveaway!
Oh this is an item that I DEFINITELY need!!!
dansan826 at yahoo.com
very cool...count me in!
very cool! count me in...
I would love this book!
-Megan
kings.3(at)comcast(dot)net
Sounds like a book I could really use ;)
The book looks very interesting and useful (and I can use all the help I can get!). [email protected]
Oh, my, I'd simply adore this book. ( meg dot wilson at gmail dot com )
Sounds like a great book--I could use the help!
im_just_lori (at) yahoo (d0t) com
Help organizing? Yes please!
I could definitely use some help in this department!
This sounds excellent!
kelli (at) pfrog (dot) net
Sounds like a great book!
danascraps(at)comcast.net
Wow, how interesting- I can use all the help I can get!
Hey I would love a chance at winning this book. Thanks
I am hoping this kind of thing could help me. Organized I am not these days. Thanks!
Oh, I would LOVE this book! Thanks for including me!
cbdulrich[at]yahoo[dot]com
I need this!!!
Wow, this sounds exactly like what I need! Enter me please!
This would sure help me get better organized. I need it!
With two children under 3 and no time...I would love this book
[email protected]
Im in my decluttering mode and this sounds like a great help! [email protected]
Oh I can't wait to get my hands on this book! I so need the help in organizing everything right down to my time!
With 6 kids I am always looking for inspiring organizational products! Thanks for the great giveaway!
fructifying at ourblessedarrows dot com
O M G I need this! No seriously, I NEED this!! :)
I have a feeling I'm going to need this!
I love organizing books. Thanks for offering this!
I've had alot of trouble getting back into the routine of things since we got back from our vacation so this would probably help.
I am so out of control with things lately...I really could use a book like this~ to help get more organized! I am tired of the clutter everywhere, too...and I am learning to "let go". Really, if I haven't used it in the last 5 years, am I going to ever use it? LOL
Thanks for another great giveaway and review!
sharvey at connections-etc dot net
Thank you both for the information! I definitely need help with organizing and decluttering! I drive my sister and my niece ( her daughter ) crazy because they are throw-awayers. Please enter me in your contest of this wonderful book! Thank you very much.....Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
sounds like a great book!
Sounds like a winner - sign me up!