Are you considering a career as a professional organizer? It’s certainly a rewarding job for the right person, but is it right for you, and how much does a professional organizer actually make?
As a professional organizer, it’s likely that you’ll be running your own business rather than working for someone else.
This can be incredibly exciting; you’re your own boss, and when you make a huge profit, it’s all yours!
But, there can be ups and downs, for instance, you could be really busy in the run-up to the holidays, and then it could all go quiet for a while as people are enjoying the festivities and are not focusing on decluttering their homes.
Of course, the new year then brings many opportunities to score a lot of work as people make plans and want to start the year with an organized life, but your destiny is in your hands. The work is out there, but it’s up to you to go out and get it. Are you driven, motivated, and enthusiastic? Can you ride the waves of a fluctuating income? Are you prepared to put the time and effort into building your business?
You can earn a lot of cash, but it might not happen overnight
There are plenty of professional organizers out there earning upwards of $200 per hour.
But can you charge these prices right away when you’re setting up in business as a professional organizer?
Well, you can charge what you like. It’s your business and you set your own rates, so yes, you can set your fees at $200 an hour, but will you get the business?
When you charge some of the highest rates in the industry, people have certain expectations, and meeting these expectations will be key to getting work, now and in the future.
They’ll expect a professional organizer who is experienced, trained, and certified.
If you rush in with a high price tag on your services, you need to be very sure you can live up to your claims and deliver a service that is incredibly high quality, or else you risk receiving bad reviews that can put an end to your new career when you’ve barely got started.
So you should certainly put some thought into how you will set your pricing before you launch your business.
Check out the competition
The first step is to look at the websites of other professional organizers and see how they charge for their services.
You should focus primarily on those geographically closer to you as prices in general can vary by location. This should give you an overview of the price range of professional organizers in your area, and you can then set your prices somewhere in the middle.
As a rough estimate, you should be looking at a figure somewhere between $70 and $200 an hour.
You don’t want to be the most expensive, especially when you’re new to the industry, but nor should you be the cheapest, as potential clients may doubt the quality of your services and choose an organizer at a slightly higher price point.
Here’s what you could expect to make as a professional organizer in each state as of 2025…
| State | Entry-Level Employee | Senior Employee | Small Business Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| Alaska | $40,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Arizona | $38,000 | $54,000 | $76,000 |
| Arkansas | $34,000 | $49,000 | $68,000 |
| California | $50,000 | $72,000 | $100,000 |
| Colorado | $45,000 | $65,000 | $90,000 |
| Connecticut | $48,000 | $69,000 | $96,000 |
| Delaware | $42,000 | $60,000 | $84,000 |
| Florida | $38,000 | $54,000 | $76,000 |
| Georgia | $37,000 | $53,000 | $74,000 |
| Hawaii | $52,000 | $75,000 | $104,000 |
| Idaho | $36,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 |
| Illinois | $42,000 | $60,000 | $84,000 |
| Indiana | $35,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| Iowa | $34,000 | $49,000 | $68,000 |
| Kansas | $35,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| Kentucky | $33,000 | $48,000 | $66,000 |
| Louisiana | $34,000 | $49,000 | $68,000 |
| Maine | $38,000 | $54,000 | $76,000 |
| Maryland | $48,000 | $69,000 | $96,000 |
| Massachusetts | $50,000 | $72,000 | $100,000 |
| Michigan | $36,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 |
| Minnesota | $40,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Mississippi | $32,000 | $46,000 | $64,000 |
| Missouri | $35,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| Montana | $36,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 |
| Nebraska | $35,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| Nevada | $40,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| New Hampshire | $42,000 | $60,000 | $84,000 |
| New Jersey | $50,000 | $72,000 | $100,000 |
| New Mexico | $34,000 | $49,000 | $68,000 |
| New York | $50,000 | $72,000 | $100,000 |
| North Carolina | $37,000 | $53,000 | $74,000 |
| North Dakota | $35,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| Ohio | $36,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 |
| Oklahoma | $33,000 | $48,000 | $66,000 |
| Oregon | $42,000 | $60,000 | $84,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Rhode Island | $42,000 | $60,000 | $84,000 |
| South Carolina | $36,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 |
| South Dakota | $34,000 | $49,000 | $68,000 |
| Tennessee | $36,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 |
| Texas | $38,000 | $54,000 | $76,000 |
| Utah | $38,000 | $54,000 | $76,000 |
| Vermont | $38,000 | $54,000 | $76,000 |
| Virginia | $42,000 | $60,000 | $84,000 |
| Washington | $45,000 | $65,000 | $90,000 |
| West Virginia | $32,000 | $46,000 | $64,000 |
| Wisconsin | $37,000 | $53,000 | $74,000 |
| Wyoming | $36,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 |
Note: These figures are approximate and intended for general guidance. Actual earnings can vary based on specific qualifications, experience, demand, and regional economic conditions.
How to command higher fees and earn more overall
If you want to increase your ability to earn high fees for your services, there are several ways in which you can boost your credentials, even before you’ve got those all-important positive reviews and glowing recommendations.
Take training and earn certification
Taking a course in professional organization is hugely beneficial.
You’ll learn from experts, picking up a wealth of tips and tricks that you’ll be able to put into use throughout your career.
In addition to the invaluable organizational skills you’ll learn, you’ll also be taught some incredibly useful business management expertise. If this is the first time you’ve run your own business, this could truly help you avoid some common pitfalls and get the most from your marketing and advertising endeavors.
In addition, if you choose a course that offers professional organizing certification on completion, you’ll have the perfect way to prove your credentials. Being a certified professional organizer gives clients the peace of mind that you’re a true professional.
Expand your area
If you’re prepared to travel, looking further afield can open up new markets.
Target your advertising to a wider audience and you’re likely to increase your volume of work.
Do your research and find the most affluent areas. The richer the population, the more likely they are to enlist the services of a professional organizer and be happy to pay well for a high-quality service.
Fill work gaps by targeting a different type of clientele
But it needn’t be all about the wealthy clients. When we think about the type of people who use the services of a professional organizer, we do tend to think of those households that are better off than average, but when it comes to clutter and disorganization, nearly all of us could do with a helping hand at some point in our lives.
Of course, you want those well-heeled clients who will pay the highest rates, but so does every other professional organizer in the area.
If you have gaps in your diary, why not think outside the box and offer your services at reduced rates to those who are not in the top echelons of society?
You could fill a gap in the market for reasonably priced organizing services for ‘ordinary’ people.
Offer a specialist service
People are willing to pay more for a specialist, and there’s no reason why you can’t specialize when you’re a professional organizer.
Do you have any particular skills that you’d love to use more frequently? Maybe you’re great on a computer and would make an excellent digital organizer, perfectly curating a jumble of files, organizing their photo collection, and putting their documents in order.
Or perhaps your forte lies in organizing kitchen units or clearing out closets?
Or maybe you’d find it rewarding to help people who have issues with hoarding.
When you have a niche chosen, you can feature this in your advertising. Then, you’ll stand out from the crowd and be more attractive to anyone looking for those specific services.
Make yourself available at the most popular times of the year
Another great way to maximize your income is to ensure you’re available when the work needs to be done.
Put a little thought into it, and it’s all common sense really. Consider when you’d most like someone in your home sorting out your storage problems. In the school holidays or over Christmas? Perhaps not. In the new year because you want a fresh start, or in the spring because the sun is beginning to shine and you’ve got that spring cleaning feeling? Absolutely! So when you’re planning your vacations, consider taking them outside of the most popular periods for home organizing.
If you take your break away during the winter months when people are hunkered down and focused on the holidays, you’ll be refreshed and ready to hit the ground running come the new year and into the spring when the most work is out there waiting for you.