Veteran profits from getting houses in order in Chengdu
Ex-soldier sets up a lucrative business as a professional organizer of internal spaces
After retiring from military service, Li Qinglong, 27, avoided the usual job paths of ex-soldiers and become a professional organizer in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
An occupation that is growing in credibility, professional organizers help people arrange physical spaces and items for greater order and efficiency.
“Ex-servicemen are born to be good organizers, at least from my perspective, as we have higher standards of order and cleanliness. I love organizing and am very happy seeing stuff well-organized,” he said.
“I have experience of serving in the military, which I think offers a sense of security to customers as door-to-door organizing services are quite private.”
Li graduated from Jincheng College at Sichuan University before joining the army. Most ex-military people work as security guards or drivers, but after finishing his service Li wanted a job that was special and well-paid.
“Actually, I got the idea of being an organizer from Douyin (a short-video sharing platform). I knew nothing about organizing before, so I took training courses just after I was demobbed,” he said. “I spent one week taking theoretical lessons and practicing on-site with my tutors.”
Operating in such a niche market, Yang said he encountered some embarrassing moments at the beginning, but this didn’t deter him. “An interesting experience is more worthy of remembering,” he said.
Li said when he started in the industry some customers mistook his job as providing domestic services such as cleaning or babysitting.
“But we are different, actually,” he said. “The job requires us not only to make the house clean by sorting out stuff, but use our abilities in design and color-matching to make full use of an internal space.”
Li recalled one incident that was quite touching.
“In December, when my team members and I were organizing wardrobes for the man of the house we found pin money in the pocket of jacket,” he said.
“The man said ‘Shush! Shush!’ and indicated to us to be quiet. He told us not to tell his wife who was resting in the neighboring room. He said that he was saving the money for a wedding anniversary surprise for his wife.”
Li’s procedure for a job involves consulting the client, evaluating the workload and preparing a work plan. He and his team usually get 20 or more orders per month and earn revenue of about 100,000 yuan ($15,300). Customers are billed at 150 yuan per hour for a team consisting of two to four organizers, Li said.
However, organizing is not always straightforward. Li said that he has encountered problems sorting out women’s cosmetics and clothes.
“I once mistook a girl’s top for a pair of pants,” he said, laughing. “Now I ask my female colleagues about cosmetics including makeup and skincare products. The job is demanding and I will be weeded out if I don’t keep learning.”
Li works almost seven days a week. In February, he created his own company with seven employees. “I’m really optimistic about the industry’s future as we still have a massive number of potential customers yet to be developed,” he said.
The future lies in the younger generation’s growing needs and greater consumption of goods, Li said. “Young people have better financial circumstances, but to be honest they are weaker at organizing themselves,” he said.
In November, Li opened a Douyin account to share tips on organizing spaces, which has attracted a large number of followers. “I enjoy sharing and don’t worry about losing my job if my fans master all the tips I’ve given. It’s a job that requires both brains and brawn.”
Li said he wants to build a team of organizers made up of military veterans. “I believe we veterans have great potential and can do a better job at organizing. It’s my wish to help more veterans as it’s not easy for them to find an ideal job.”