Your questions

We've created a list of frequently asked questions to answer all your organising queries.

If your question isn't listed below, please get it touch with us and we would be delighted to help.

Why do I need you?

We can help you save time and money! It's easy to get mystified by our mess and overwhelmed by our many responsibilities. Overwhelm leads to inaction, causing clutter to build up and crowd our space and affect our wellbeing. The cost of clutter can be lost paperwork, missing cheques, forgotten money, not to mention wasting stacks of time looking for wayward items. Sometimes you need fresh eyes and a helping hand to get you focused on your goals and help you get organised once and for all. No one is born organised - you too can learn the simple steps to organising your home, office or life and take back control. By hiring a professional organiser, you can simplify and streamline your life and live more peacefully, in much less time and effort than it would take to de-clutter a space on your own.

What is a professional organiser?

Professional organisers are part of a very exciting and dynamic industry, whose goal is to help you live an easier and simpler life. We can help you to de-clutter your home and office and create greater efficiency in your life. We're those crazy people who actually like organising! Our goal is to get you motivated for life and ensure that after our session, you never need to hire an organiser again! We will coach and guide you, teach you and transfer our organising skills to you, so that you are equiped with the knowledge and practical steps to get organised for life.

The Australasian Association of Professional Organisers (AAPO) is the industry body for professional organisers in Australia. Visit their website to read more about the role of professional organisers.

What is a Mess Manicure?

Well, we think organising should be FUN as well as helpful and our Mess Manicure is a unique way that helps take the yawn out of getting organised.

It works the same way as having a manicure for your hands. First you discuss how you would like your nails to look and function (i.e. long or short, French or normal polish). Then your nails are buffed, filed and polished.

We manicure your mess in the same way. We chat about your goals and needs and then we work at buffing, filing and polishing your space. We also show you how to maintain it after we’ve gone.

Will you make me throw anything away?

No way! We know that there are some things you just don't want to part with. So we won’t make you throw anything out. Although we may identify items that you would be happy to toss and guide you towards making a decision.

I've been through a major life change - can you help?

Often when we go through a major life change or upset in our life, we find it hard to keep things moving and stay on track. Many of our clients come to us after going through a break-up, a divorce, the loss of a job, or when experiencing depression or anxiety. We've been there too, so we know how overwhelming it can be. In a confidential and caring setting, we will help you to get organised and keep motivated as you move through life's hurdles. On the other hand, many of our clients have moved home, are newlyweds or are anticipating the arrival of a new baby. We can help you move through these exciting transitions with planning and hands-on action.

How should I hire a professional organiser?

Make sure they are registered with the Australian Association of Professional Organisers (AAPO). Kat & Kaboodle are active members of AAPO and adhere to a strict code of ethics, so you can be sure we will do a fabulous (and ethical) job.

How did you get into professional organising?

Professional organisers are either naturally organised (as the result of having very organised parents perhaps) or learned how to get organised later in life. At Kat & Kaboodle, we are natural organisers and have been helping people to simplify their lives for as long as we can remember!

Find out more about us.

Do you actually do the work with me?

This depends on the project and how you would like us to work with you. We discuss your goals and needs and together we create an Action Plan to reach those goals. However, when it comes to the hands-on organising sessions, it’s up to you if you would like us to work alone or if you’d like to pitch in. We will need you on hand from time to time to guide us in making decisions about items that can stay and go.

What if my friend/partner/child wants to help out?

Fantastic – the more the merrier! If you have a supportive friend, partner or family member who would like to help out and get some tips along the way, we’d be more than happy for them to pitch in.

What should I do to prepare for our session?

Don’t be too worried about cleaning your space before we arrive. It’s best we see your space the same way you do on a daily basis, so we can see how it functions for you. You might like to have some bin bags and zip-lock bags handy for our sessions so that we can get stuck into the work as soon as we arrive.

Really all you need to do is bring a smile and a positive attitude!

How much are your sessions?

The length and cost of our sessions vary depending on the size of your space and what you would like to achieve. It's up to you how long we work, which means you have full control of your budget as we move through the organising process.

You might like to just hire us for a consultation and implement your Action Plan by yourself. Or you can choose to  also hire us for hands-on Buff, File & Polish sessions to implement the Action Plan. It's up to you! Most of our clients, however, do prefer to hire us for hands-on organising sessions following the consultation.

Feel free to contact us to have a chat about your needs.

I have an organising project that isn’t listed on your website – can you help?

Most likely! However, if we do not feel we can provide you with the best service or advice, we may refer you to another fantastic organiser who is more equipped to help you with your project. Just contact us for a chat.

How long will it take to organise my home?

You know the saying ‘how long is a piece of string’? Well, getting organised is kind of the same. However, after our initial consultation, we will create an Action Plan, which will provide estimates for our organising sessions. As a guide, one space in the home can take between 4 and 14 hours. Organising a whole home could take up to 20 or 40 hours (or 5 full-day sessions).

How long will it take to organise my office?

Once we have had a look at your office and discussed your goals, we will be able to set out a timeline of tasks for the organising sessions. As an estimate, however, a whole office tends to take between 16 and 24 hours (so around 3 full-day sessions), which includes creating filing systems.

Do I need to be home when you are organising?

For the initial consultation you will need to be with us so that we can tour your space and have a chat about your goals and needs. For the hands-on organising sessions, it is ideal if you are there for at least the start of the session so that we can get started. However, we understand you live a busy life and cannot always be there so we are flexible.

Can I pay by the hour, rather than by a package?

Sure you can! You can book us per hour (min 3 hours). Or you can book us for a 1-day session (8 hours) which will see greater results. Most of our clients choose to start with a 1-day booking and see how they feel after that.

What are your operating hours?

We know that sometimes it's not possible to take time off work during the week, so we specialise in after-hours and weekend organising services to fit in with your schedule. So whether you are a nightowl and would like to book a 5pm-8pm or 6pm-9pm session, or would rather get organised on the weekend, we can see you when it suits you. We also organise each weekday, so the choice is yours!

I want to be a professional organiser! How do I get into it?

Check out the AAPO website to find out more about this very rewarding career. Feel free to also contact us and we would be delighted to share with you what it's like to be a PO.