ORDER OF BUSINESS

Linda Rothschild
President Cross It Off Your List New York, NY

LOOKING TO ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSETS? FILING system, garage? Look to Linda Rothschild. Her company, Cross It Off Your List, LLC, provides organization, relocation, and concierge services for people who don't have time to do everything. And if you're surprised that these services are the makings of a formal business, Rothschild, at one time, would have agreed.

"I had no idea I was starting a business when I began," says Rothschild, president of the National Association of Profesional Organizer, who has helped bring order into the lives of clients such as Naomi Campbell and Ethan Hawke. "It started with errands and bill paying and evolved into helping someone move and coordinating a party. It wasn't until a year and a half later that I learned this was an actual profession."

What as the biggest challenge in getting your business off the ground?
My real challenges began when I couldn't keep up with the phone calls, potential clients, and paperwork, and so I began to subcontract my work. Hirign staff, opening an office, managing people…that was a howl different ballgame.

What's the first advice you give to someone who asks how to start organizing her life?
To begin, you have to want to get organized. Identify your goals and determine where you will feel the most sense of accomplishment. Start with a small area - one closet, one drawer. If you decide to do the entrie office, you may feel as if you'll never get organized.

Would you let anyone see your bedroom closet?
Yes. My clothing is all categorized - jackets live with jackets, pants all hang together. I live in a small apartment, so it's critical to be organized.

Really?
Absolutely. Now about my file cabinets…