One of the most important jobs of a professional organizer is to educate clients and the general public about the benefits of being organized, and how to achieve that goal.  Today and this weekend I am participating in my first ever Home Show - you know the ones where vendors set up booths to sell their wares and tell people about their services.  There are usually a lot of cheap giveaways and free samples.  I'm nervous as heck, but I live in a smaller city, and many people here aren't familiar with what we organizers do.  If I expect to grow my client base in these tough times, I have to plow through my jitters and start educating!

Getting ready for this show, I'm reminded of one of the greatest rules of organizing:  Baby Steps!  There were so many details to think about in putting it all together.  How do I attract people to my booth?  What do I say when they get there?  What do I give away?  How do I make the sale?  How do I do all of this in a very small space?  How do I do it all by myself?  VERY overwhelming!  And I'm an organizer!  I can only imagine how difficult a big project is for my clients who have trouble getting and staying organized.

Breaking it into smaller projects, using to-do lists, and sometimes reaching out for help got me through the preparation stages.  The big reveal at the end of the show will come on Sunday.  I wonder what it will look like?  Will I feel satisfied with my results?  Is the Home Show a tool that works for me?  Just like I do with clients, I will have to evaluate everything afterward to determine what worked and what needs to change.

The Home Show has humbled me a little bit.  I help other people get organized all the time.  Yet I've spent the last several weeks in the trenches dealing with the very same issues as any other disorganized person - feeling overwhelmed, jumping between tasks, wondering how it will ever come together.  Honestly, I'm glad to be here.  It helps me regain perspective for what my clients go through.  Because I understand them, I can relate to them and have compassion for them.  I can't think of a better mindset to be in as I reach out to educate my neighbors and win their trust.

I'll let you know next week how it went!