Some might be embarrassed and shut door to the the spare room or garage overflowing with clutter to make sure it is out of sight, but for Gillian Opie, it is an opportunity.
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She calls this the "room of doom" or "room of delayed decisions", and something that should be gradually chipped away.
The avid organiser has been helping people declutter, pack, donate and move items for the past seven years across the Highlands, Goulburn and south-west Sydney.
It was a friend's idea to turn her passion for making clutter disappear into a business, when she was helping her downsize.
Daisy Declutter was then born, and she is even a member of a body called the Institute of Professional Organisers (IOPO).
"I love what I do, it's a perfect fit," she said.
"I just love being organised and tidy and love the variety of houses and people."
Whether she is helping people with general sorting and remove excess items, downsizing and packing items to move homes, reorganising spaces or being tasked with a deceased estate, Ms Opie goes over everything with a "fine-toothed comb".
This is because she has found a treasure trove of jewellery in clothing pockets, money in book pages and even discovered a will that missing for several years hidden underneath the lining of a drawer.
When she is called upon, the passionate sorter acts as a second pair of eyes and guides clients to see what should be kept, or works on her own, and then consults with customers.
Unwanted items that have another lease of life are donated to charities, or rehomed through community groups such as the Southern Highlands Pay It Forward or Southern Highlands Free Stuff on Facebook.
Other items are taken to be recycled, with the aim for as little as possible to end up in landfill.
A common trend she has noticed over the years was senior women who had "three generations of stuff" from their children, parents and in-laws, as well as their own.
This leaves them overwhelmed and not sure where to begin, and in these cases, she advises people to label items and give relatives time frames to pick them up.
Working with artists or quilters that house excess artworks and quilters has also been a regular occurrence for the IOPO member.
Being overcome with excess was common, and Opie said people should tackle a space "bit by bit".
"If things are in tubs and boxes, start with something and go through them one at a time and make a decision," she said.
The transformation of the space is what the Daisy Declutter founder looks forward to most.
"People [can be] reluctant at the beginning then [they are] on a roll bit by bit, then all of a sudden...they can see a difference already," she said.
"They feel lighter and freedom because they're burdened by stuff."
Another perk is helping others handle their family spaces, as well as the dogs she has met along the way, who follow her around while she sorts.
"It's just really satisfying to make something tidy for someone that can't do it themselves or aren't motivated," she said.
The business owner is also open to work with clients through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Find more information about Gillian and her services, head to daisydeclutter.com.au, where you can also sign up to a newsletter with tips on sorting and tidying.
Briannah Devlin
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
