For a teenager, cleaning and organizing a messy bedroom seems rare, but not only did Amelia Barrett do that, she did it for her friends.

"They thought it was cool because they didn't have to do it," said Barrett, 23, who recently started her own professional organizing business.

Barrett of Grass Valley goes into people's homes, organizes paperwork, moves furniture and throws out items. She usually does it one room at a time.

Shawn Tuttle, 37, of Nevada City, similarly organizes office spaces professionally through her business, Project Simplify.

She and Barrett are the only two local professional organizers. With a burgeoning industry of self-help books designed for getting people organized and even a national nonprofit group working on organizers behalf, the two have immersed themselves in a growing industry.

Tuttle has operated her business for four years and has helped the younger Barrett get her business started. Despite Tuttle's years of experience, both end up hearing comments from clients with the same problems.

"The cost of clutter just becomes too high," Tuttle said of her customers. Being disorganized can hurt reputations and lead to someone missing deadlines, she said.

"Mainly, they just don't know where to start," Tuttle said.

That's where Tuttle and Barrett step in, depending on what needs organizing the most.

There's no right way to organize, Tuttle said.

Don't worry, Tuttle and Barrett won't start indiscriminately throwing things away. Both want their people to be there to make sure they get what they want out of the organization.

"Some people are very attached to their stuff," Barrett said. The sorting and reorganization is a lot for some people to take, she said.

But many customers express relief when a long lost item is found, the organizers said.

" 'Oh my gosh, I've been looking for that,' " Tuttle said, describing a customer's joy.

When the work starts, it easily can expand to repeat business.

Barrett already has heard from customers who want her to come back and do other rooms in their house.

"They're realizing what life is going to be like when we get this done," Barrett said.

ooo

To contact Staff Writer Greg Moberly, e-mail gmoberly@theunion.com or call 477-4234.