We’re All Obsessed With Decluttering

We all know someone who’s constantly watching Marie Kondo or scrolling through Instagram accounts with those impossibly organised pantries. Yet somehow, their own kitchen drawers still look like they’ve been hit by a small tornado.

I sat down with Sally Bennett from Serene Space by Sally this week, and she confirmed what I’d suspected: we’re absolutely mad about the idea of decluttering, but actually doing it? That’s a different story entirely.

From Nursing to Organising

Sally spent 20 years as a breast cancer research nurse before becoming a professional organiser. The shift might seem dramatic, but she sees connections. “I’m still helping people, just in a different way,” she told me.

And honestly, when you think about how cluttered homes affect our wellbeing, it’s not that far removed from healthcare, is it?

Here’s what struck me most: decluttering isn’t really a luxury for the few, even though it looks that way on telly with celebrities getting their walk-in wardrobes colour-coded.

Sally works with everyone from busy professionals to families who’ve simply run out of time. “It affects wellbeing because people come into their home and don’t feel relaxed,” she explained. “They stop inviting people over, and it just gets too much.”

The Stuff We Leave Behind

The thing I found fascinating was her bereavement service. When someone dies, going through a loved one’s possessions can be overwhelming.

“We do leave a lot for the next generation to have to deal with,” Sally said. “It’s always good to declutter several times in life so we don’t leave everything to our family.” That hit hard.

None of us want our kids wading through decades of our junk, trying to work out what matters and what doesn’t.

The Great Spice Rack Scandal

And let’s talk spice racks, because apparently I’m not alone. I mentioned going through mine recently and finding half of it out of date.

Sally just laughed. “Yeah, most of them have to go in the bin.”

Baking stuff’s the worst. Who knew flour could go off? (Probably everyone except me.)

The reality is, most of us keep things for daft reasons. We’ve spent good money on them. We might need them someday. Sally sees it constantly with clothes – people who’ve lost weight but keep their bigger sizes “just in case.”

But here’s her point: hope you stay the size you tried to be. Don’t plan for failure before you’ve even started.

The Messy Middle

When Sally works with clients, the first step sounds terrifying: take everything out. “It looks worse at one point,” she warned. “We call it the messy middle.” But that chaos is necessary. You can’t organise what you can’t see. And some people genuinely struggle to let go – which is fine, Sally says.

Even decluttering a bit helps.

So what about those of us listening right now, looking around thinking, Yeah, I should probably sort that out?

Sally’s advice is refreshingly simple: start small. A drawer. A cupboard. And crucially, have an exit plan before you begin. Don’t let bags sit in your car boot for weeks. Know where they’re going – charity shop, tip, Vinted. Just get them out.

We’re obsessed with decluttering because deep down, we know it matters. Clean spaces, clear minds and all that. But here’s the truth: it’s not a luxury service for the few. It’s something most of us genuinely need. We’re just rubbish at actually getting started.

Maybe it’s time to stop scrolling through perfect pantry photos on Instagram and actually tackle that drawer that won’t close properly. You know the one I mean.

• Sally Bennett can be reached at sally@serenespacebysally.co.uk or on Instagram