A stay-at-home mum turned professional organiser has embarked on a new 'decluttering' career inspired by Marie Kondo’s Netflix show. Emma George, 45, launched her decluttering business after youngest child started secondary school and she wanted to do something for herself.
As a busy mum-of-four she had always stayed on top of tidying her home and realised she could make it a job after watching Marie Kondo’s show and coming across other organisers. Since launching in January 2020, Emma has now helped loads of people organise their homes - by decluttering their spaces and giving them new storage options.
Emma said: “I wanted to do something for myself after looking after the kids for so long. I was a bit bored just in the house alone.
“I’ve always been a good organiser as I’ve got four kids. I didn’t realise it could be a job until I saw Marie Kondo's TV programme on Netflix.
“Now I help people sort and organise their homes. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Emma offers a personal service to help her clients declutter and organise their home to suit them. “We have a consultation first - either at their home if they live nearby or over Whatsapp - and then we figure out how to go about it," she said.
“I love being able to go in and help people and make them feel organised. I’ve had amazing responses.”
Since lockdown restrictions lifted, business has boomed, and Emma is now booked a month in advance. She charges £140 for half a day, £245 for a full day of decluttering and £70 for virtual coaching.
"Lots of women just need an extra hand or to know where to start," she said. "Even I have a messy house from time to time but if you're organised to start with it should make it easier to clean up.
"That's what I want to give others."
Emma is constantly researching and learning about new tips and hacks to share with her clients. “It takes a lot of work to find the right things,” she said.
“One of my favourite hacks is hanging your hairdryer of the side of the dresser with a hoop so it is nicely tucked away. The best thing is the reward of knowing you’ve helped someone out.”
Emma’s top tips for organising
Start with a small area so it’s less overwhelming, like one cupboard
Set yourself a timer for 30 mins to declutter that area - you’ll be amazed at how much you clear
Never buy storage solutions before you have decluttered
Once you have decluttered contain items with baskets, tubs etc
Use labels on the containers so everything has a place
