The Gift of Organizing?

What should you do if someone wants to give your Professional Organizer services to a friend or family member as a gift? This can be a sticky situation.

You could end up with a client who does not want your services and resists everything that you suggest.

People think they are doing their "messy" friends a service by giving them some sessions with a Professional Organizer as a gift. They enjoy having an organized home, and think that their friends must be longing for one too.

I would tell these people, that, although you understand their motivation, you do not think it will work unless the friends really WANT to be organized.

It is just like therapy. Would you give your friends a gift certificate for a few sessions with a therapist? What would that be saying? Not to mention that it is a very personal relationship, where you need to have some rapport with the therapist.

In the same way, you must tell these well-intentioned people that their friends need to (a) want to be more organized, and (b) choose their own Professional Organizer, someone they are comfortable with. You can suggest that if their friends are interested, you will talk to them. Then, if the friend decides that he/she wants to use your Professional Organizer services, they can always arrange with the friend to pay your bill, or part of it.

At least in this way, the friend is involved in the decision and will be motivated to work with you. I would not do it any other way.