The American Dream – by Janet Yaninek

Professional Organizers and The American Dream

By Janet Yaninek 

 When Rita, Danielle and I first discussed pooling our experience and going into the organizing business together, we began doing some homework to figure out why people would hire a professional organizer. What we discovered was that it all comes down to the Great American Dream.

The American home, which can be considered a prominent symbol of the American Dream, has grown from a frontier log cabin of about 450 square feet to the average home in 2009 being 2,700 square feet according to the National Association of Home Builders. 

Kitchens became larger to accommodate ‘luxury’ appliances like dishwashers, trash compacters, and microwave ovens. Counter space became larger to accommodate multiple small appliances like food processors, toasters, etc.

Bedrooms went from having armoires in which to hold clothing to having small closets, then walk-in closets.

Prior to 1960, the average home had 1 full bath and one half bath for guests. By 1982, ¾ of all new homes had 2 or more full baths.

Garages, too, have doubled even tripled in size over the past 75 years.

But there’s a price to be paid for this expansion. Bigger homes and garages mean more time and money spent on furnishing, decorating, cleaning, landscaping, and maintaining the interior and exterior of a home.

Enter self-storage facilities! The first ones opened in the early 1960’s and have been a flourishing business ever since. People simply can’t decide what to do with their unused possessions so they store them. The National Self Storage Association indicates that the self-storage industry earned more than $20 billion dollars in revenue in 2010 alone.

If human indecisiveness is the reason self-storage facilities have multiplied, then the propensity to buy more, while at the same time, not be able to let go of their unused items is the reason why professional organizers have found their niche.

While some Americans are convinced that paying for long-term storage is, paradoxically, economically prudent, others have decided to commit to reducing their possessions and call on a professional organizer to help them sort, organize or downsize.

Rita, Danielle and I thoroughly enjoy working with people to organize and downsize their homes and emphasize 4 guiding principals when helping them adjust to their weighty decision.

• Our possessions do not define us. Our values and beliefs do.
• Focusing on the positive aspects of downsizing helps move forward with resolve.
• Choosing to let go of something is far better than being forced due to circumstances
• Sentimental items can be preserved in a variety of ways including photographs, photo journals, shadow boxes, etc.

Is downsizing in your future – near or far? Start small….a drawer, a shelf or a closet. By starting small, you will be able to finish the task in a short time and feel the excitement of regaining control of your space if your deliberate and persistent.

You can still have the American Dream home. We just want you to enjoy it.