What led you to become a professional organizer?

You are probably wondering how I know so much about being productive and being organized. The truth is, I’ve been there. I spent a lot of time ‘figuring it all out’. I’ve had the same struggles and challenges and at times I wasn’t even sure I was going in the right direction.

I started my “official” organizing journey in 2007. Although I have been organized my whole life, I never had effective systems in place or an easy to follow maintenance plan.  There is a big difference between being organized and being organized with effective systems and a plan.

When I moved from Maryland to Virginia in 2007 I thought I could just move in, unpack and be settled. I would be organized for life. All of the specifics of time management, systems, maintenance, and routines would somehow magically come together. HAHA! Looking back, I can laugh now – I was so naive! I guess it’s common to believe this though…

Once I was unpacked and moved in to my new place I found myself constantly trying new ways to organize and new systems to setup (at the time, I had just learned what a system was). When one didn’t work, I’d try again, and so on, and so on. It’s as if, I couldn’t mentally relax and feel calm until I was content with my physical surroundings. I just knew there had to be a better way to organize something if I wasn’t satisfied.

It took me about a year (2007) to learn that organizing is so much more than putting your stuff away. It’s about creating a productive lifestyle that results in clarity and order which leads to feelings of calmness and peacefulness. The truth is, if you don’t know how to organize yourself both physically and mentally, you won’t be as productive as you can be.

Looking back at 2007, I was searching for clarity in my own life and I couldn’t have got there until my physical surroundings were peaceful and calm. There is a saying that says ‘a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind’ and the same holds true for ’a clear desk is a sign of a clear mind’. Once my surroundings were peaceful, I felt peaceful and could then focus on what I really wanted.

Once I figured out how to repeatedly setup fool-proof organizing systems that were actually EASY and FUN to setup and maintain, the light bulb went off. I knew deep down inside of me, I had to share all of the secrets I discovered with others. I had finally found my life purpose. I finally realized the reason I was put on this universe and it’s to show you how to be productive and organized so you too can feel calm and be clear in your personal and professional life. That’s when I started Color-Coded.

Once I discovered my true life purpose and began my business, it was time to move again. You mean to tell me after a full year of organizing your new space, you picked up and moved? YES!

At the time, it was difficult. I was moving from a brand new luxury apartment with a city view and stainless steel appliances to the top floor apartment of a home built in the 1920s with no dishwasher, central air or washer and dryer, not to mention the storage space was absolutely minimal. That same year I also traded my brand new 2007 red BMW 335i  for a 2004 black Honda Accord.

I know you’re probably wondering why I moved and why I traded in my car. Well, there are two reasons why I downgraded my life.

Once I got clear and discovered my true purpose in life, which is to inspire others to live a more productive life, I knew I was on the wrong career path working as an IT engineer in the corporate world. I just felt it. I trusted the universe had a bigger plan for me and I knew I needed to make a drastic change which would require me to take a temporary pay cut. I knew I couldn’t immediately replace my high-paying six-figure job starting my very first company, so as a natural planner, I minimized my monthly expenses which required me to move and sell my car.

The other reason why I downgraded my home and car is because I learned that material possessions do not increase your long-term happiness. I’ll say it again, material possessions, such as a really expensive car or a luxurious home, do not increase your long-term happiness. You can be just as happy living in a 1920′s apartment with no dishwasher, central air or washer and dryer as you can be living in a luxurious brand new apartment with granite and stainless steel appliances. You see, material possessions satisfy ‘instant gratification’ not long-term happiness which is what the majority of us are secretly seeking (this is another story in itself but I’ll leave it at that for now).

Once I made the move to the ‘stink-bug house’ (Ed (my fiancé) and I called it the stink bug house because stink bugs would come inside through the AC units in the window since we didn’t have central air), I was left with another challenge – organizing with small, tiny, minuscule closets and unique architecture (random slants in the wall, shallow shelves, etc).

It was an organizer’s nightmare! If you’ve seen closets or architecture from the 1920′s then you understand. The dimensions of the spaces are so bizarre making it a challenge to use day in and day out. I still remember contemplating the closet over and over and googling “how do you organize a small space”, “best way to organize an old closet”, “how to organize a deep closet with a shallow doorway”, “how to convince my landlord he needs to invest in new closets!”. 

Trust me, I did my research, I did my shopping and I even asked around. Here’s the problem, I couldn’t find the answer. There was no formula that I could use over and over to overcome this obstacle that was in front of me. If you know me well, you know I don’t give up – regardless of what happens, what situation I’m in, I never give up. I always find the answer or meet the goal I’m seeking.

At times I felt so frustrated, I just wanted to quit and move back to my old apartment that had two large closets, one of which was a walk-in.

I knew turning around and going back to my old life wasn’t an option so I made it my divine duty to take each challenge ahead of me and turn them into opportunities. It was an opportunity to figure out a process, an exact science, that I could use each and every time I needed to setup a fool-proof organizing system. I wanted each step to be extremely easy and repeatable that the process would work in any space regardless of the size or architecture. I worked day in and day out to come up with a process, that works like magic. 

Since then, I’ve used this process to successfully (and beautifully) organize hundreds of spaces with an end goal of being more productive while feeling less stressed and more calm. It works each and every time without fail.

I’ve spent almost 5 years figuring this stuff out on my own. It’s cost me my blood, sweat and tears to FINALLY understand everything I need to do to start living with clarity. When I say blood, sweat and tears, I literally mean blood, sweat and tears (gaining/losing 20 lbs, sacrificing personal relationships and even a 3-day trip to the hospital). I still remember times I wanted to give up and had to literally push myself to continue – the beginning was pretty rough. However, looking back it was totally worth it.

I have since made a commitment to dedicate the rest of my life to helping people become more productive by setting up effective systems in their home and daily life.

What type of clients do you typically work with?

I work with all types of people just like you who aren’t feeling as productive as they want to be and have never been taught how to setup effective systems in their home and life.

With that said, my clientele includes busy moms, professionals, college students and individuals that are creative/visual who have a difficult time focusing and getting started.

Specifically, in the past four years I’ve worked with artists, musicians, teachers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, consultants, graphic designers, personal trainers, photographers, real estate agents, retirees and college students.

You seem young, are you qualified?

Yes, I am young but qualified! I started my productivity practice at the young age of 23. By 24, I had my first publication as an organizing expert in a local women’s journal. By 25, I was named one of Washington DC’s most creative and innovative woman entrepreneurs by CRAVE DC and also won ‘Organizer of the Month’, an online award for professional organizers across the country. During the same year, my creative organizing tips were featured in Family Circle, Woman’s Day, The Washington Post Express and The Washington Times. At age 26, I became one of only a few Certified Professional Organizers® in the country. During the same year, I did my first TV interview as an expert on organizing your dorm room on NewsChannel8′s ‘Let’s Talk Live’ morning show. Most recently I was named one of America’s Most Organized People by HGTV. So, although I am young, I am extremely qualified to help you become productive.

How are you different from other professional organizers?

I only work with dedicated and motivated individuals who are committed to becoming productive and organized for good. In other words, I don’t consult with people who are looking to have everything done for them without lifting their finger. If this is you, I’m happy to refer you to somebody who will do all of the heavy lifting for you. In my experiences, if you are dead serious about changing your ways for good, then it’s important you are dedicated to learning the process instead of having somebody do the work for you and then reverting back to your old ways once the help is completed. I’ve seen this happen time after time and these people don’t get great results. People who see the biggest benefit in working with a professional organizer are committed and eager to learn. Because of my narrow focus, you’ll receive my years of expertise, full support, no-excuses accountability and a side of down-to-earth love and quirky humor!

Do you actually come to my house and work with me?

I spent the first three years of my business working with individuals around the DC area side-by-side inside their homes.  We would work together hands-on to declutter their spaces  from sorting to labeling. I still remember the days, we would get SO much work done and my clients finally saw BIG results in their lives. It was amazing to see some of the transformations and it felt heart-warming to know I could change someone’s life for the better with the gift I was born with.

As my business grew and people started hearing and reading about me in articles, magazines, on the internet and even TV, things started to change. I started receiving emails from people across the country asking how we could work together. Living in Virginia, I was receiving emails from people living in Illinois, Utah, California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York and even Hawaii, people across the country who were inspired by my work and felt motivated to get themselves organized were reaching out to me because they wanted MORE of the stuff I had!

Soon I started receiving emails and follows from people outside the United States asking the same questions. Emails and follows came in from Portugal, Belgium, Australia, Greece, Italy, Ireland, and Finland to name a few.

I couldn’t believe some of the emails I was receiving – it put a big smile on my face to know I could be so inspirational to others – across the world. I thought I was already doing my divine duty by helping people live more productively in the Washington DC area. I learned it wasn’t enough and I needed to serve MORE people. I needed to figure out how I could get out there in a much bigger way to help the people that couldn’t sleep at night because of the clutter in their lives.

Nothing in this world is random and its no coincidence that people around the world were reaching out to me for help. I held the solution to their problems and I had no choice but to take it as a sign that I needed to change some things in my business in order to help all the people that were in need.

In the summer of 2011, I made the decision to stop traveling to client homes so I could start my Productivity & Success Inner Circle, a world-wide community of like-minded individuals who all have a goal of living more productively and organized.  Through online coaching, accountability and endless support, I can now help more people, regardless of where you live, learn how to become more productive on a daily basis, saving you time, energy and money.

I’m thinking about hiring a professional organizer. Do you have any suggestions?

If you can afford to hire a professional organizer to sit down with you one-on-one inside your house to help you sort, purge, organize, and label, then by all means go right ahead. You shouldn’t have a hard time finding a professional organizer in your city since there are roughly 3000 organizers across the country. However, I will warn you, hiring a professional organizer to come to your house is an investment…

In my experiences, most professional organizers charge between $60-$200/hour to personally come to your house and work with you one-on-one. On average, it takes about 8 solid hours to declutter any space. Yes, it does take that long to do it the right way.

You mean to tell me, it could cost $1000 to declutter one closet? YES (and that doesn’t include materials)!

Look, I’ve been in this industry for almost 4 years now. I’ve met every type of person who is looking to get organized. Based on my experience, the majority of people who really need the service, simply cannot afford to hire a professional organizer one-on-one. It’s just too expensive. Believe me, I know.

So, how does someone who cannot afford to hire a professional organizer get organized?

The same way someone loses weight if they can’t afford a personal trainer. They learn to do it on their own. With a push to get started, guidance along the way and support to continue, they eventually learn they can do it on their own. To be quite honest, anybody can do this stuff on their own if they really wanted to. You just have to learn to do things a certain way…

I knew not everybody could afford a personal organizer but I knew TONS of people needed the service, badly. So, I made it my duty to figure out a way to help normal people like you get organized without spending thousands of dollars. After all, being productive and organized is essential to everybody…

And that’s another reason why I created my Power Productivity Program. I wanted to give people a jump-start through motivation, the knowledge they need to see big results, and the accountability they want so they can start living more productively without breaking the bank.

Do your programs work for people of all personality types?

The programs at Color-Coded were designed for people who are motivated to get their lives (physically and mentally) organized for GOOD and cure (NOT treat) the anxiety that comes from living in physical and mental chaos day-to-day, meaning, getting frustrated at the house and family and constantly being stressed out and in a bad mood. Oh, and not to mention, blaming others…

Being an extremely organized, motivated individual, I love working with other motivated individuals who are committed to doing whatever it takes to get themselves organized physically and mentally.

Is there anyone your programs won’t work for?

If I could help anybody and everybody, I would. Unfortunately, my process doesn’t work that way. I’ll be completely honest, my programs won’t work for you if you’re the type of person who makes excuses for not taking action or you’re the type of person who constantly blames others for the issues in your life. If this is you, I simply cannot help you.

I’m a firm believer that each of us must take personal responsibility for our lives and actions. If were not getting the results we hope to be getting, it’s our own fault and we must take personal action to change our situation. It’s really that simple.

The internet can be misleading. How do I know I can trust you and your company?

Here are reasons you can trust that I live up to my promises:

• I have successfully completed a Top-Secret Security Clearance investigation.
• Have successfully completed a background check with a third party company and can show proof upon request.
• Color-Coded is fully insured and licensed to operate.
• Color-Coded is one of the only professional organizing companies to be a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB). We are currently in excellent standing.
• I will gladly provide you with references from previous clients.

Are past clients happy?

The proof is in the pudding. Please take time to read my client success stories.

Tell me 12 things about you I don’t know:

1. Although I love the color pink, I’m the opposite of a ‘girly-girl’. My bachelors degree is in Information Technology and I spent my younger years building, fixing and programming computers. In the past few years, I’ve even discovered a passion for working with power tools (I love Home Depot) and one of my goals in life is to learn how to build a house.

2. I’m an INFJ on the Myers-Briggs personality test.

3. I absolutely LOVE to bake (cooking, not so much). If you moved to my neighborhood, I would be the person that came over to introduce myself and welcome you to the neighborhood with cookies or my famous chocolate chip banana walnut bread. I also love making food art in my spare time.

4. I am marrying my best friend, Ed, of 4 years in 2012. Since we aren’t traditional people, we aren’t planning a large wedding, instead we plan to travel around the world for 2 months. We are still planning the trip but some of the places we really want to visit include: The Maldives, Spain, Italy, Greece, Ireland, and France.

5. I was born cross-eyed but thanks to my parents and the technology in 1984, I now have 20/20 vision. I’m also left-handed, left-brain dominant but very creative which is an unusual combination.

6. I’m a strong believer that when your faith is stronger than your fear, your dreams come to reality.

7. I was raised in a very humble loving family. My mom is Colombian and my dad is Italian – I speak Spanish (not fluently – but I can get by). I have an older sister and am a proud aunt to the best niece and nephew, Nicholas and Lilianna.

8. I’m a foodie at heart and LOVE to eat. I never get sick of pizza, avocado, pudding, crème brûlée, or white chocolate.

9. 3 words to describe me: creative, goofy, fun-loving. Once you get to know me, you’ll see I have a very quirky personality and love things that are silly and funny.

10. I love doing puzzles and the only show I watch on TV is Wheel of Fortune.

11. If I won the lottery today, I would still do everything I’m doing now. I genuinely love helping people and plan to never stop sharing my gift with others. There is so much personal satisfaction in changing people’s lives for the better.

12. I absolutely love and adore poodles.

Alejandra, based on everything I’ve read and heard about you, I know you’re the one I want to learn from. What are my options for getting started with you?

Congratulations on making a decision to become more organized! I’m so excited to get started with you and help you become productive and meet your organizational goals. To get started living a life more productive and stress-free with more time than ever before, enroll in my Power Productivity Program. This program was designed for individuals who are eager to learn the step-by-step process to getting yourself back on track, productive and organized for good. It contains ALL of the basics to help you make organizing a priority, take control of your life, face your organizing fears, stop blaming others, set realistic expectations that you will meet, set achievable goals that will be accomplished, understand the root cause of your disorganization, learn how to master any organizational challenge you are currently facing, learn about your personality and how it relates to setting up effective systems in your life, learn proven time management habits that will save you time and stop you from self-sabotaging yourself, create fool-proof systems in your physical home and daily life, and create an effective maintenance plan so you are consistently productive and never revert back to your old ways. Filled with real-life examples, exercises and reference guides, this is a must-have for anybody looking to begin living a more productive life that will show you every single thing you need to do (and stop doing) to begin living a  life of order and clarity, starting today. Click here to get the details, read success stories and enroll today.

BONUS: With the purchase of my 6-Week Power Productivity Program, you’ll receive 6-Weeks of FREE access to my members-only forum where you can ask me unlimited questions and upload your project photos to the discussion board for feedback or advice. After your 6-week free trial, you’ll be able to continue receiving the same expert knowledge, full support and accountability for a low monthly fee. Alejandra’s former in-home clients had to spend thousands of dollars to learn her secrets, which she’s now making available online at an affordable price. 

This all sounds great but I still have a few questions. Is there anybody to ask?

Yes, absolutely! Feel free to fill out your information below and a member of my team will respond to you within 1 hour via email.  If you don’t receive an email from a member of my team within 1 hour, please check your spam/junk box. I can’t wait to help you succeed – your life is going to change.