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Name/age: Alli McVann, 47

Occupation: Home organizer and life manager

Employer: Allicadabra (self-employed)

Years in field: Two

Salary range: Around $40 to $75 an hour

What does your job entail?

I’m an organizer and life manager. The organizing side is all about helping people get some space back in their lives, both physically and mentally. When folks are cluttered, even a little bit, good energy that is all around us can be blocked. I work with clients to purge things by helping them create a personalized organizational system and a maintenance system to stay organized. Sometimes clients are really ready to get going and sometimes they need to talk about how and why to let go of their stuff. People almost immediately trust me to be a gentle friend in this process and I take that responsibility very seriously. The life management side is also about clearing away clutter in the form of the day-to-day tasks that need to happen to allow life to happen. Anything from taking the cat to the groomer, grocery shopping, attending to DMV matters — anything that is legal and moral — I’ll take care of it for you.

How did you become involved in this line of work?

I’ve been an organizer all my life. Even as a little kid I always wanted my room to be just so. My mother instilled in me the value of being able to find things with zero effort, and it stuck. A four-year stint in the Air Force taught me discipline. I then became a set dresser for TV shows “Ellen” and “Mad About You” for 11 years, and that was an incredible test of my organizational skills. I was simultaneously finishing up work for the previous week’s show while preparing for the upcoming week’s.

What training or education is required?

I’m genetically encoded to be this way, but I do believe that learning to be organized is possible. There are plenty of books about getting and staying organized, and the National Association of Professional Organizers offers tools as well (www.napo.net).

What does it take to do your job successfully?

Honestly, it takes patience, compassion and a nonjudgmental attitude. Oh, and really good listening skills. People really love their stuff, and although I’m there to help them, they sometimes can’t let go. In that case, I just listen carefully to what their needs and help them stay as organized as possible.

What’s most challenging about your job?

When the client clams up. When they are unwilling or unable to let go. I try to figure out why they feel so guilty about letting go of certain belongings by asking them if those objects truly bring joy to their lives or help them in their work or in any other way.

What is most rewarding?

When I’m able to help clients find relief through organization and simplification.

Any advice for someone interested?

Do some research by reading about organizing and by visiting other organizers’ Web sites. Ask if you can sit down with other organizers to pick their brain. It’s also a business, so you need to have a business plan and a marketing plan. I always say “go for it.” Life is short and it’s a privilege to do what you are passionate about.

Every two weeks, Job Talk highlights a different job in the Triad area with input from those who actually do them. Interested in participating or have a suggestion for a job you’d like us to feature? Contact Patrick Collins at 412-5934 or patrick.collins@news-record.com.