Today’s busy world means people are responsible for doing more than ever before. This multi-tasking environment requires a high-level of organization which few people have naturally. A professional organizing business helps clients develop these critical organizing skills through training and can jumpstart the process by providing a full range of organizing services.
You may also be interested in additional side hustle ideas.
Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.
Tailor Brands ($0 + State Fees)
Start a professional organizing business by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Professional Organizing Business
- Form your Professional Organizing Business into a Legal Entity
- Register your Professional Organizing Business for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Professional Organizing Business
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Professional Organizing Business
- Get Professional Organizing Business Insurance
- Define your Professional Organizing Business Brand
- Create your Professional Organizing Business Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your professional organizing business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Professional Organizing Business Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a professional organizing business?
The costs for starting a professional organizing business are minimal as most businesses of these type work from home. In addition to the typical costs of registering a business and getting legal, typical startup costs may include:
- Liability insurance, the cost depending on your area and how much insurance you need.
- Website design and hosting. This cost can range from very low to much more expensive. Since your site will be the main contact point for new customers, it is worth spending more. A budget of $1000 dollars should be more than enough to cover a well-designed site with one year of hosting.
- Transportation. Most likely you will use your own vehicle, so you won’t need to invest in a new one.
- Computer. Chances are you already have one.
- Education. This is where you will spend the bulk of your startup capital. Professional organizer are not required to have a particular educational background, but certain certificates and education can make you stand out. One of the most sought-after programs is from the National Association of Professional Organizers whose NAPO University offers courses ranging from free to hundreds of dollars.
- Membership fees in a national organization. Becoming a member of industry organization can help you attract clients and help manage your business. There are several organizations you can choose to join, including NAPO.
What are the ongoing expenses for a professional organizing business?
The monthly expenses are minimal, and usually just include advertising and transportation costs.
Who is the target market?
The best clients for a professional organizing business are people who lack the skills to get and stay organized, those who don’t have the time to stay organized, or individuals who hate to organize on their own. Many clients who employ professional organizers are busy professionals who are used to hiring assistants to take care of everyday tasks and are comfortable with handing over control without micromanaging.
How does a professional organizing business make money?
This business makes money by providing organizing services and training clients how to become better at organizing. Most professional organizers charge clients by the hour or per day. Other professional organizers choose to charge on a per task basis.
How much can you charge customers?
According to PayScale.com, the average hourly pay is just under $26 per hour.
How much profit can a professional organizing business make?
The income range for a professional organizer as listed on PayScale.com, is approximately $30,000 to $115,000 a year.
How can you make your business more profitable?
One of the best ways to make your business more profitable is to become a specialist in a particular aspect of the organization industry, such as moving organization. Choose whichever aspect of organizing is the most interesting to you, but it is usually more profitable to specialize in business-related areas.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your professional organizing business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your professional organizing business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?
Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a professional organizing business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Services Contract
Having a concise service contract will only help you. This will minimize your legal exposure to unknown factors, as well as align expectations between you and your client. Your contract should outline exactly what types of organization you will offer your clients, so there is no confusion. Here is an example service agreement.
Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your professional organizing business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Professional Organizing Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Professional Organizing Business.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a professional organizing business
Most clients look for services online, therefore, a website is essential for promoting your business. In addition to a company website, you should have a visible and active social media account. Opening an account on third-party sites like Angie’s List or HomeAdvisor can expose your business to more potential clients. Depending on the type of client you are targeting, you may want to advertise in the local newspaper or an industry-specific publication.
How to keep customers coming back
The main barrier to getting more customers is that most people don’t know that the professional organizing industry exists. Use social media and volunteer to give public talks on different organizing topics as promotions for your business.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
Starting a professional organizing business is perfect for anyone who is good at creating systems to keep things organized. Successful owners of this type of business love to work directly with a variety of different types of people, and have the ability help others learn new skills. A professional organizing business offers flexible hours, but owners will need to be able to stick to project deadlines without any oversight.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at a professional organizing business?
A large portion of the day is spent time working with clients in their home or office. If a professional organizer is hired to organize a business, the work usually revolves around organizing and creating storage solutions for business and financial documents. A professional organizer may also help business clients to find better ways to manage their time and put easy-to-follow systems in place. Meeting with a client at their home can mean organizing just about anything in the home from helping to arrange a functional clothing system to sorting through piles of boxes. When professional organizers are not visiting clients, they are usually promoting their businesses online or communicating with potential clients by email or on the phone.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful professional organizing business?
Of course, to succeed in the professional organizing business, you need to know how to organize, but that is not the only skill you need. A solid foundation in marketing, especially online marketing is important. There are a variety of companies that offer help with developing the type of skills you need to run a professional organizing business. Try contacting one of the several organizations which support businesses in this organization like the National Association of Professional Organizers to learn more.
What is the growth potential for a professional organizing business?
The growth potential for this type of business is very good due to the increasing demands on people from work. The job of a professional organizer is still quite new, and the market is not yet saturated. There are plenty of potential clients who are not yet aware of this type of service.
Not sure if a professional organizing business is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a professional organizing business?
Those new to the professional organizing business industry tend to have better luck concentrating on residential clients in the beginning. Unless you have an extensive business background, or are confident in your ability you may want to look for work organizing homes. Try to market your business to families living in your area at first. Volunteering to speak about organizing and productivity at your local library is a great way to drum up business.
How and when to build a team
Many professional organizing businesses are owner operated. It may be feasible to run a business managing a team of professional organizers, but you would need to build up an extensive list of clients beforehand to make it profitable.