If you are new to the industry, or you’re just thinking about restructuring your pricing, knowing exactly how to charge for organizing services can be difficult.
Understanding how to charge is one of the most critical steps in learning how to become a professional organizer.
You don’t want to undersell your talents, and you need to earn a good living, but on the flip side, you don’t want to charge fees that are hugely out of whack with the industry average and price yourself out of the market.
There is no specific set fee that we’d advise you to charge. There are many factors at play such as your experience, your geographic location, your training, and certifications, but we can offer some guidelines and food for thought when it comes to deciding on your pricing levels and structure.
Should you charge by the hour or per task?
Charging per hour
When you charge a rate per hour, you know how much you’re going to earn. As explained in another guide of ours, there are plenty of professional organizers out there earning upwards of $200 per hour!
With hourly pricing, there’s no risk for you if a job overruns or the scope of the work has been underestimated. However, you do of course risk your reputation if a project takes longer than estimated and the client is faced with a much larger bill than they anticipated.
So, if you do decide to charge for your services on a per-hour basis, you need to be good at estimating how long a job will take as most clients will expect at least a rough figure quoted in advance.
Charging a flat rate
However, offering a flat rate fee for a task can really open up your business to a wider market.
Because many people like to know exactly what the costs are upfront, they can be put off by an hourly rate as it can seem rather vague, and they cannot properly budget for it.
For many, a flat fee is easy to understand and transparent.
But again, you need to be skilled in putting together your quotes. While you need to strike while the iron is hot and get those quotes out quickly before a potential client chooses the services of another professional organizer, don’t rush into deciding on a figure for a project without careful thought.
Once you’ve agreed on a price, it would be highly unprofessional to go back on your word and ask for more money for the job should it require more work than you originally estimated, unless, of course, the task turns out to be very different than first discussed.
When deciding on a set fee for a project, you need to listen very carefully to the requirements and get all the details. Never presume anything.
For example, if a client wants you to organize their bedroom closet, don’t assume that it’s a standard size, or you could turn up and find you’ve committed to organizing a thousand items of clothing in a closet as big as your own house in a millionaire’s mansion.
Get everything pinned down when you’re working for a set fee, or it could come back to bite you!
How to determine your rates?
So, you’ve decided on a pricing structure. You may be charging hourly, per project, or perhaps even a mix of both methods, but what figures should you be charging?
Let’s look at the influencing factors…
Location
The area you work in will, in part, dictate the prices you can charge.
The more affluent the area, the more people will be prepared to pay for your services. However, this doesn’t mean that you should only focus on high-end clients.
There’s also a great market out there for professional organizers to help everyday people with their decluttering and storage solutions. You just need to price it accordingly if you want to attract a high volume of clients.
If you’re based in a small town or a less prosperous area, you might find it tougher to secure new clients, so you may wish to look further afield for work, but don’t forget, if you take on a job that’s a good distance from your home, you’ll need to factor in travel and accommodation costs too.
Industry going rates
Researching the prices that other professional organizers charge can be incredibly useful when you’re developing your own pricing structure.
Look particularly closely at organizers in your area and make a note of their charges. You don’t want to be charging so much more than everyone else that you never get any work, particularly when you don’t yet have any rave reviews to justify an extremely high price tag, but nor do you want to be the cheapest option available either, as this may lead people to doubt the quality of your work and opt for a different professional organizer, simply because your prices seemed too good to be true.
Stop here and Google your local area and check their rates. Alternatively, take a look at Clutterless Home Solutions who publish their rates online here. California-based professional organizers, Simply Organized, also have a great article on this topic.
If you spot a professional organizer with particularly high pricing, take time to work out why.
It could be something you could aspire to. Is it their many years of experience? Do they have a professional organizing certification? Are they working within a unique niche?
Work out how they justify their prices and think about the future of your business and how you can increase your skills and expertise over time, and therefore, your rates.
As of the date of publishing this article (early 2025), here are some “going rates” to get you started:
Hourly Rates:
- Less Experienced Organizers: Typically charge between $50 and $100 per hour.
- Seasoned Organizers: With extensive experience, rates can range from $125 to $500 per hour.
Package Pricing:
Many professional organizers offer packages that cater to specific project sizes:
- Small Projects (e.g., single room): Packages may range from $150 to $500.
- Medium Projects (e.g., multiple rooms): Costs can be between $1,000 and $2,000.
- Large Projects (e.g., whole-house organization): Prices typically range from $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the project’s complexity and size.
Specialized Services:
Certain projects may incur higher costs due to their specialized nature:
- Hoarding Situations: Services can range from $2,000 to $15,000, reflecting the complexity and sensitivity required.
- Closet Organization: Basic organizing services typically cost between $150 and $250.
Hopefully, these help shed some light on how to charge for organizing services! For more data on organizing services, check our our Professional Organizer Statistics article next.
Experience
Your level of experience will also dictate the prices you can charge.
Once you’ve built up your business, and you’re doing an amazing job for your clients, you’ll establish an excellent reputation.
You can ask clients to write reviews, and they’re sure to recommend you to their friends, family, and colleagues if they’ve been pleased with your work.
When your skills become sought after, you can legitimately raise your prices, but when your business is in its infancy, it’s probably wise to keep your prices highly competitive until you have that experience that will speak volumes and make your services more desirable than that of other professional organizers in your area.
Certifications & Qualifications
Being able to prove your credentials and showcase your abilities is a great way to justify a higher price tag for your services.
The very best method for doing this is to take relevant training. You’ll find courses online that offer certification, and that certificate will be very important for fast-tracking your career.
Don’t be put off by concerns of courses being highly expensive or incredibly time-consuming.
If you search online, you’ll discover flexible, cost-effective courses available. You’ll learn the skills of your profession, but you’ll also benefit from vital business and marketing knowledge.
