Moving is a major life transition, one that requires you to come to terms with how much stuff you have. It’s an opportunity to evaluate your collection of possessions and decide what is essential to bring to the next destination—and what is mere clutter. Letting go of what’s unnecessary can be challenging.
That’s where professional organizers come in. Working with a caring, expert organizer can bring peace of mind to the process. Most organizers recommend decluttering before you make the move, which reduces the labor and cost of moving. When you arrive in your new home, an organizer can also be useful to set everything up efficiently.
The organizers on this list, recommended by friends and colleagues, are frequently called upon by the media to offer expert opinions based on their work in the organizing trenches.
Dorothy The Organizer
You might recognize Dorothy Breininger from her appearances on A&E’s “Hoarders.” She carefully assesses each client’s values and uses them as the central organizing principle for creating order. In addition to traditional unpacking services for new Los Angeles arrivals, she also helps clients create organizational plans to begin wonderful lives here. Try her “Curb the Chaos” video course to purge before your move.
Nonnahs Driskill, Get Organized Already!
Serving Pasadena, Downtown, and the Northeast Los Angeles area, Nonnahs Driskill brings a regional focus to organizing. She knows exactly where in the community to take discarded items, from women’s shelters to animal shelters. Her dedicated unpacking team of four organizers can get your moving boxes emptied quickly. Team members specialize in home offices, spatial planning, organizing with kids and the KonMari Method.
Deborah Kawashima, Creative Organizer
Taking a family-centered approach, Deborah Kawashima helps both parents and children of all ages—from toddlers to teens—set up and maintain home organization. She recognizes that each individual has a different organizing style and creates systems that gel with each family member’s needs. As someone who moved a lot as a child, she strives to make new houses feel like home instantly.
Regina Lark Ph.D., A Clear Path
Certified to help people with chronic disorganization and other conditions, Regina Lark Ph.D. deals with the toughest organizing challenges. For those who are moving, she and her team can help with everything from delivering packing materials to hiring movers to completing change of address forms. New home buyers have the option of folding the cost of her decluttering and unpacking services into escrow.
Katherine Macey, Organize to Excel
Katherine Macey, Ph.D., utilizes her engineering training to create logical organizing systems and incorporate appropriate technological solutions. She’s dedicated to sustainability, so her physical and digital organizing processes are designed to minimize clients’ environmental impact. Her unpacking services help residential clients create zones of serenity amid the craziness of Los Angeles. She also provides coaching services to help clients learn organizing skills.
Julie Naylon, No Wire Hangers
Julie Naylon is notable for her green approach to organizing. After she assists clients with purging unnecessary possessions, she ensures that their items don’t end up in the landfill. Whatever you part with will be donated, sold, or recycled so that nothing is wasted. She can also help you lead a greener lifestyle by teaching you how to go paperless and conserve more.
Beth Penn, Bneato Bar
Bneato Bar‘s motto is “So much better.” Owner Beth Penn emphasizes that home organization doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be manageable. She and her team create straightforward organizing systems that are easy to maintain; her philosophy is to empower clients to stay organized. In addition to unpacking services, she also offers virtual organizing to help declutter your email inbox.
Cyndi Seidler, The Organizing Lady
With over 20 years of experience, Cyndi Seidler offers complete relocation services: not just packing and unpacking help, but also arrangements with movers and handymen as well as an overview of neighborhood retail stores, local services, and schools. She specializes in San Fernando and San Gabriel Valley neighborhoods. She’ll even organize your yard or garage sale.
Jodie Watson, Supreme Organization
The majority of Jodie Watson’s clients are professional women juggling work, family, and more who find themselves overwhelmed by clutter. She takes a whole-life approach to not only organize the home but also to investigate the “why” behind the disorganization, with the goal of helping individuals reclaim time and harmony. Her book Purge with Passion approaches organizing from a religious perspective.
Tanya Whitford, Organizing Wonders
Since home organizing can be daunting for many clients, Tanya Whitford does everything she can to make the process fun and keep her clients laughing. She takes a patient, non-judgmental approach to organizing and never pushes people to give up possessions until they’re absolutely ready to. Her one-on-one unpacking services are ideal for those who are anxious about losing control to multi-person teams.
