Stuff. So much stuff. We can’t take it with us and yet, while we go about our lives, we can’t seem to stop accumulating it.

And what we don’t even realise is something far more sinister – our clutter is stressing us out. Multiple studies have shown that a cluttered home reduces feelings of wellbeing, causes procrastination and difficulty focusing on tasks, and can even induce psychological stress.

Yet we still ‘Add to Cart’.

However, a simple online search for ‘decluttering tips’ or ‘home organisation’ is enough to prove that there is a growing demand for services that will help us keep clutter at bay for good. These services promise light at the end of the messy tunnel. Perhaps we won’t be defeated by those junk drawers and wardrobes packed with things that haven’t seen the light of day in years after all.

Organised Chaos is a company that provides such services.

Created by Sarah Reynolds, it helps homeowners to declutter and organise any space in their home – from kitchens to wardrobes, playrooms to attics. Her team also works with people moving house, providing a much-needed declutter before you move and organise your new home. Companies that want to organise their offices and employee spaces are also catered for – there is even hope for that cluttered farm office. As well as that, Sarah gives wellbeing workshops to teach people about the benefits of getting organised.

While that might sound like your average nightmare, for someone like Sarah, it’s a dream she’s harboured since seeing American organising and productivity expert Julie Morgenstern on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

“I just always enjoyed organising my things,” says Sarah. “I saw how happy an organised space made people. For example, if I organised a kitchen cupboard, my parents loved it, and I liked making people happy like that. So, when I saw Julie Morgenstern make a business and write a book about it, I thought maybe I could do it too.”

The idea for Sarah’s business started when she was only 15 years old and saw that episode of Oprah. Several years later, she saw an opportunity and grabbed it.

“I was working in television production in RTÉ before taking a year out,” she says. “I travelled during that time, and part of that was visiting friends in New York. I realised I could also do a course with Julie Morgenstern while I was there – so I did. After the year off, I came back to RTÉ but I got a small bank loan, built the website and about six months later, I got my first client.”

Embarrassing clutter

Despite her enthusiasm, she soon realised that building a business is a tough journey. And one in the organisational space provided obstacles that proved extra challenging.

“A lot of people feel embarrassed about their clutter and so for years many people turned me down or wouldn’t admit to using the service. The best marketing a business can get is word of mouth, and I could never get that.”

There is an assumption that if our home is untidy or cluttered, we will eventually get around to tidying it up. Do we really need an outside expert coming in to help us get rid of our stuff? According to Sarah, this is a common mindset that needs to be addressed.

“Decluttering and organising are non-urgent actions. There is always something ‘more important’ to do. This is why we often put it off. It’s also one of the benefits of hiring an organiser, because you make an appointment and pay money. This gives you accountability and helps you get it done rather than continually putting it off. You will never organise your home unless you’re willing to put regular time into it – like you would if you wanted to get fit and were going to the gym.”

When Irish Country Living asks Sarah if she’s ever met someone who has built an extension rather than clear out all their unused items, she suggests that would be an expensive way to declutter.

“But I know many people who have moved without decluttering first – and it makes the whole process much more difficult, stressful and expensive.”

Reader, I’ve actually done that. I do not recommend it.

As a result of books like The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo and later The Home Edit on Netflix, a shift started to appear in attitudes to decluttering.

Today, thanks to millions of aspirational homeowner accounts on Instagram and TikTok, many people want to know how to create a calm and organised living space. Sarah has plenty of tips to organise your space and answers some of the more pressing questions for our readers:

1. How would you advise someone with decades worth of ‘stuff’ – in spare rooms, attics, sheds – to get started tidying up?

“The first thing you must do is remove the pressure to declutter. When there’s loads of stuff in a spare room or a shed etc, you need to group things first. Spend time figuring out what is actually in the room. If there are items that can go straight in the bin – the ‘easy wins’ – then do that. But otherwise, just start by grouping. Then in separate decluttering sessions, go through each group and declutter. It makes it more manageable than looking into a sea of things spread throughout a room.”

2. Are people ever nervous about showing you their homes or going through their things?

“Every single one of them. It’s an incredibly vulnerable thing to show someone all the nooks and crannies of your home. We [the team] are very sensitive to that and try to reassure anyone who contacts us that everyone has clutter and there is zero judgement from us.”

3. So much emotional baggage is attached to things we keep. How do you approach clearing out a house after a death or for downsizing to a new home?

“Decluttering is emotional at the best of times, which is why having a professional organiser alongside you can make such a difference. We provide support, encouragement and a calm, objective perspective, while making what can feel like an overwhelming task much more manageable.

“We’ve worked with many clients who are downsizing from family homes into smaller houses or apartments later in life, and we’ve also supported families clearing a home after the loss of a loved one. In both situations, memories are tied to almost every item, which can make decision-making incredibly difficult. Having someone outside the family involved helps keep the process moving gently and respectfully, without the emotional history that loved ones naturally bring. Time and again, our clients tell us that having us there gives them a huge sense of relief and makes a difficult process feel far less overwhelming.”

4. What is the most common request you get from Irish people when it comes to organising their homes?

“Wardrobes and kitchens are the top two requests.”

5. What are the organisational items or gadgets that you think every home should have?

“Everyone needs a Lazy Susan/turntable which can be used in kitchens, bathrooms or playrooms. A label maker is also handy to make sure the whole family know where the new (more organised) homes are for things.”

6. How can you prevent clutter building back up after you’ve done a clear-out?

“Watch your spending habits. Make sure that you have a home for anything you buy. And do a declutter once or twice a year to keep on top of things.”

7. Of all the tips, hacks and advice you share on social media, what do you think are the most valuable?

Don’t zig-zag: “When decluttering, you will find items that belong in other rooms. Instead of bringing those items to the other rooms, delaying the declutter and getting distracted, create a ‘belongs elsewhere’ pile just outside the door. At the end of your decluttering session, distribute the items in one go.”

Have a landing spot for paper: “Paper is difficult to organise. Get rid of the junk mail and for paper you need but don’t have time to deal with right now, have a designated landing spot. That way you always know where the paper is. Just remember to go through it occasionally.”

Don’t put it down, put it away: “We are so time-poor that we think leaving something down and saying “I’ll come back to it” is saving time as we hurry to the next task. It’s not. It’s faster to finish a task when you’re still in it than come back to it later. If you can put things away as you use them, you’ll keep the home tidier for longer.”

See organisedchaos.ie Instagram: @organisedchaosireland