Is your home a mess? Do you feel the need to be more organised? If you are living in Hong Kong, it’s likely you have limited storage in your home. Being able to cull the clutter is an important way to maintain a sense of space. Hong Kong business D-Clutter was born after its Canadian founder had spent many years helping friends and family members organise and optimise their use of space. Donna Simchison decided to act on her longheld interest in decorating and organising, so she become qualified and accredited as a professional organiser (PO) and launched her business.
Then and now
The professional organising industry began in the US in the mid 1980s and has expanded significantly in recent decades; today, its leading association, NAPO, has 4,000 members and over 30 chapters around the world.
Tell us about D-Clutter. How does it work?
Professional organisers are trained and skilled specialists who assist with particular problem areas and specific concerns. After helping clients pinpoint their goals, they offer individualised solutions and options, and help put appropriate systems in place while teaching sustainable strategies for staying organised.
For many people, it’s hard to identify why their space keeps getting messy and disorganised. A PO can analyse a space and the reasons for the clutter. To me, clutter stems from delayed decisions and delayed actions; procrastination! When working with a client, we take the time to discover the root cause of the clutter, as well as what works, what doesn’t, and why. Once we know the answers to these things, we can start to resolve the clutter issues. We spend time sorting and categorising all items as it’s important for the client to see exactly what he or she has, and what we’re working with.
Is it for the whole home or do you concentrate on specific areas?
D-Clutter offers a range of services to help declutter and organise homes and lives. Whether it be a closet, kids’ play area, office space or a whole flat, clients are supported in purging, organising and putting sustainable systems into place, keeping them organised and reducing the stress that comes along with clutter and disorganisation.
What can someone who signs up for the service expect?
An initial consultation is scheduled to meet and access your needs, visions and challenges. Based on those needs, your time commitment and your budget, an individualised plan is developed. Some clients like to work with a PO until project completion; others prefer a combination of solo and team work.
The initial consultation fee is HK$500 and the overall cost of the project depends on the size, scale and complexity, taking into consideration your goals, commitment and budget. A plan outlining the cost and suggested time commitment for the project is sent out after the initial consultation.
Why is decluttering important?
Right now, there’s a huge movement towards minimalism; people are looking to reduce the stress and complexities of their lives. Decluttering can help achieve that order by providing less stress, and increased time, money and freedom; this allows us to pursue the things we’re most passionate about. It’s amazing how dealing with the clutter in our space can clear the clutter in our minds, too.
Any tips for readers who want to start decluttering?
There is a plethora of organising tips available – in fact, getting started can be overwhelming. And there is no magic wand; in order to reduce clutter of any type, one must have motivation and an action plan. My two key (and simple) rules of organising are: “like objects together” and “everything has a home”. With these two tools in the toolbox, plus the guidance of a PO, a decluttered home is within reach!
To find out more about D-Clutter, call 6323 1417 or email dclutterinternational@gmail.com
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This article first appeared in the April/May 2018 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
