Tori, please tell us a little about yourself? Where are you originally from?
I am originally from Canada - Windsor, Ontario, which is right across the border from Detroit. I moved to the US eight years ago. My first destination was Los Angeles to work in screenwriting, which I did for a few years. Then almost 4 years ago, I moved to NYC and restarted my business here.
When did you start Tori The Organizer? How long have you been a professional organizer?
In 2015, I started the company part-time in Los Angeles and when I moved to NYC in 2016, I went full time. The short answer is that my company is five years old, but I have been a professional organizer since I was three years old. I was that child who loved cleaning up almost as much – if not more than – playing.
How did you get into this profession? Do you have a team?
Growing up, I didn’t know that one could be a professional organizer. I just liked to organize every space I came across and friends and family would ask me for help. When I was twenty, I was the day camp director of a Jewish Community Center camp and I took it upon myself to clean out the JCC’s basement storage before the summer began.
I don’t currently have a team because most of my work is very intimate, one on one with my clients. It’s possible that I will in the future.
What type of clients do you work with? What is your organizing style?
My ideal client is a nice person who is motivated to get organized. I work with people from the age of six until ninety-six (I would work with older, but it’s never happened). My organizing style is function, function, function! Yes, I like it to look nice but if it’s not going to function for my client as a unique individual, it’s not a good system. I also put a heavy emphasis on decluttering. And contrary to what most people think, my clients rarely fight me on what they’re letting go of. I try my best to be kind and understanding and I never force my clients to get rid of items, they make all the decisions.
What are the different services do you offer?
I’m very much a generalist; I am comfortable working in any area of the home or office, as well as with estates, moves, etc. I love a challenge so it’s pretty exciting to me when I get to try something new.
How do you approach a new organizing project?
Like a jigsaw puzzle; I’m a puzzle enthusiast. I like to think of it like dumping all the pieces out – it usually gets worse before it gets better – and then building a border. There’s always a way for the project to come together, I just have to figure it out. And when I say figure it out, I mean listen to my client and tailor what I’m doing to their specific life circumstances.
When working with clients, what do you think are the biggest hindrances that keep people from being/staying organized?
Number one is not decluttering before creating a system. I often see people buy pretty bins to contain their items but if you haven’t taken care of the root of the issue, you’re going to keep adding to the problem and the system will fail.
Number two is not recognizing that just because a system worked for your friend/mom/ aunt, etc. doesn’t mean it will work for you. I encourage my clients to build on positive habits they already have.
What is your approach with a client who resists decluttering?
First of all, I always want to make sure a client wants to be working with me. If it’s a scenario where one spouse is forcing another to work with me, I kindly ask that the person who called me goes first or I decline. No one likes to be forced.
Second, I listen to my client. What is the resistance about? A common reason people don’t want to declutter is that they view one item as a part of a collection. I explain that although you, for example, have a collection of DVDs, there are certain ones you love and certain ones you had no idea you owned. Breaking it down into parts often helps, as does discussing the value of the donation. No one wants their stuff to end up in the trash, but a donation is a second life and I like to craft a story around that for my clients.
What is the most common question you are asked?
It’s not the most common but a funny question, I am often asked if I’m a hoarder. I am not in the slightest, I very much practice what I preach! A second one is, why I do what I do. I once had a 9-year-old client ask me why I do what I do because she was under the impression that I was being forced by an evil boss. I explained that I’m the boss and that I chose to do what I do because I love it.
What are your top three tips for staying organized?
Recognize that what works for other people may not work for you; work on creating systems based off positive habits that you already have.
Constantly declutter: I don’t mean always go through everything, I mean keep a bag in the bottom of your closet and when you pull out a shirt you know you’ll never actually wear, drop it in. Staying conscious about your stuff; you know what you like and what you’ll actually use.
Compromise: if you live with other people try to figure out systems that will work for everyone. And be very specific about responsibilities; I often find couples arguing about assumptions they’ve each made.
What are some of your favorite products that help you stay organized?
I’m not very product heavy but I love 9-inch spin trays in the kitchen, which are perfect for oils and vinegar. And I’m a big fan of the Container Store’s line of clear storage boxes, which has a ton of different sizes. I always suggest that my clients choose a line of storage containers and stick with it so that the containers stack nicely and look uniform.
What is the favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is working with my clients. My clients not only bring me into their homes, but they also allow themselves to be vulnerable with me and I do not take that lightly. I love hearing their stories and getting to know the people they are past the surface, it’s a privilege.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Is it sad to say organizing? I really can’t get enough of it but at this point, there’s nothing left in my apartment to organize. I also love to read fiction, puzzle and be outside.
What is the best way to reach you?
If you want to see some of my work, check me out on Instagram. You can also email me or reach me at (248) 686-6125.
Thank you Tori!
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