Kim Cosentino receives the same amount of mail in a day that her parents received in a week and her grandparents did in a month.

She has seen firsthand how quickly pesky mail piles can evolve into mountains. It is a phenomenon Cosentino has turned into a career.

Cosentino’s professional organizing business, De-Clutter Box in Westmont, helps people deal with the emotional and physical stress caused by disorganization.

“A lot of my clients call me because they are just overwhelmed,” Cosentino said, who has been dubbed “clutter therapist” by some clients. “It gets to the point where people don’t want to go home or don’t want to get up in the morning because of the stress of being so disorganized.”

January can be a busy time for Cosentino and the 100 other professionals in the Chicago chapter of National Association of Professional Organizers who have been busy promoting “National Get Organized Month.”

“People are stuck inside their houses and (have to face) the certain areas that drive them crazy,” she said. “Organizing is like anything else. If you have something that overwhelms you, why not deal with it?”

Getting organized was one of the top five New Year’s resolutions, according to NAPO president Standolyn Robertson. During Get Organized month she estimated NAPO members would help more than 10,000 people achieve their goals.

The Chicago NAPO Web site can pair overwhelmed people in all walks of life with a professional organizer based on their weakness — from chronic disorganization to attention deficit disorder to physical disability — or based on the type of organization needed.

Organization projects can range from an afternoon to months.

Chicago NAPO President Elaine Quinn, whose Chicago-based Space Craft Organizing company specializes in bringing order to offices, spent two days a week for five months physically organizing the job of a man who spent his career doing it in his head.

With the housing market flailing and the Baby Boomer generation aging, Cosentino said the industry is helping an increasing number of downsizers.

“There’s lots of emotional issues with downsizing,” Cosentino said.

She uses mantras like “file don’t pile” and provides tips for getting rid of unused clutter, such as starting each season by arranging clothes hangers so the hooks face out toward the room. After wearing an item, At the end of the season, get rid of anything that has not been turned. Cosentino said “maintenance is the key.”

Kim Cosentino can be reached at (630) 968-7557 or on the Web at www.declutterbox.com.