Before hiring a professional organizer, follow this BBB advice

January is Get Organized Month. It’s a great time to organize your home personally or you can hire a professional organizer.

A professional organizer can be a great way to get the organizing done faster and more efficiently. Professional organizers can organize your whole home or you can focus on a specific area like your garage, closets or bedroom.

But before you hire one, you need to do your research.

It’s important to remember that anyone can claim to be a professional organizer. There are no laws governing the use of the title. However, Better Business Bureau offers tips for hiring a trustworthy one:

■ Make a budget for your organizing project.

■ Ask friends and family for recommendations.

■ Set a goal for getting organized and communicate it to the organizer.

■ Find out if the organizer is certified, insured or bonded.

■ Ask the organizer to provide references for a project similar to yours.

■ Determine if the professional is a member of a trade association like National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals or National Association of Professional Organizers, which often provide training and hold members to a code of ethics.

■ Get a consultation, whether it’s by phone or face-to-face meeting, to get an evaluation and cost estimate.

■ Find out how long the company’s been in business, what services are offered and what his or her specialties are. Professional organizers offer a wide range of services, including chronic disorganization support, living spaces organization, closet organization, moving/relocation support, office organization, financial organization and more.

■ Ask the organizer to explain the process so you can gain a clear understanding of what will be done and how it will be done. Keep in mind a good organizer will not ask you to leave so they can do the job for you, but will include you in the process.

■ Ask for clarification on whether or not the service includes cleaning or purchasing of supplies for the organization process.

■ Ask if the organizer will donate the items you choose to get rid of for you.

■ Determine what you’ll be charged and if you’ll be charged by the hour, day or project?

■ Get everything in writing. Make sure it includes all costs, payment plan and expectations.

■ Be sure you’re going to be able to keep up with the organization after it’s initially done.

For more information about hiring a professional organizer, visit bbb.org or call (937) 2225825 or (800) 776-5301. BBB can provide lists of BBB Accredited Businesses in the industry and Business Profiles on businesses you may be considering.