Has your home become messy without you even realising?
Wanting the next best thing, holding on to things for sentimental reasons or just a lack of time to sort through your space can all mean you end up with too much stuff.
Sort Your Life Out hosted by Stacey Solomon helps people declutter and shows the transformational impact that getting rid of things you don’t need can have on your family and home.
If you’re struggling to clear items in your home, here are how three different families who took part in the series managed it and the one key realisation that helped them do it.
- For more practical advice on how to clear your space click here
I don’t want my kids to buy things to feel good
Sheeny Aphabhai-Heer lives with her partner Sohan, and children Milly, 22, Leila, 9 and Ethan, 4.
The house is piled high with clothes, shoes, suitcases and kitchen equipment, meaning they have to eat separately at mealtimes as there isn’t enough space to sit together.
This lack of space also means it is a struggle for daughter Milly to work from home.
Sheeny had Milly when she was 17 and in a difficult marriage.
She managed to leave the marriage and buy her own house as a single mum.
“My mum’s a superwoman, she’s been through a lot in her life and she came out of there knowing she had to do her best and provide for me,” says daughter Milly.
When Sheeny started to earn money, she wanted things that she could be proud of, and the purchases increased from there.
She says she often spends nights scrolling through shopping apps like Vinted, but wants to break this cycle for her kids.
“I noticed a growing trend in Milly and Leila. When something new is happening, they want a new outfit.
“That’s my habit. Buying something new to feel good cannot be the legacy I give to my children.”
By letting go of her clothes and shoes, Sheeny wants to be an example to her kids, showing that she can change and break the constant cycle of shopping.
It was this realisation which enabled the Aphabhai-Heers’ to get rid of just over 40% of their belongings.
This meant Stacey Solomon and her team were able to transform the dining room with added desk space for Milly to work, and there was also enough space for the family to be able to eat meals together again.
“It’s literally changed the dynamic of our family,” says Sheeny.
Giving away my wife’s things didn’t mean we’d forget her
Craig Bufton is a single dad to two daughters, Wren, 4 and Merywen, 6.
After Craig’s wife Lois gave birth to Wren she was constantly exhausted. Eventually she was diagnosed with cancer, dying just eight months later.
As a widowed father, the clutter built up as Craig focused on raising the girls as a single parent.
He struggled to tackle the house as he couldn’t face dealing with sentimental items tied to Lois, such as storybooks she wrote for the children, photos and a hoard of Christmas items she loved.
“There’s just so much sentimental stuff and so many of our plans that aren’t going to happen anymore.”
His office also got out of control as paperwork piled up, and the living room ended up covered in toys and different hobby equipment.
“It took me a really long time to realise I was buying stuff to just get the dopamine hit out of it. So much of the stuff I have is ‘oh this will make me happy’ and it did for about 20 minutes.”
Craig eventually decided to take action to create a house that was a special and relaxing place for his two daughters to grow up.
The key to doing this was to let go of sentimental items tied to Lois. Stacey and her team encouraged Craig to focus on the items he was keeping because they had real meaning and memories, and not the things he was letting go of.
One example is Lois’ Christmas baubles, which Craig disliked. Rather than keep them all anyway, he held onto specific baubles for their daughters.
Decluttering like this enabled him to downsize his office, creating a space for him to work downstairs instead. And in the place of his office they created a special reading room for the girls.
This space meant Lois’ love for stories and writing was kept alive, with her books on full display.
The family now has the space to eat together, and a room where Craig can read Lois’ storybooks to their children.
Since this episode aired, Craig has found a new partner and has moved house with his daughters.
Time with my kids was more important than crafting
The Clarke family consists of mum Sarah, dad Jon, and children Timeon, 14, Owen, 9 and Caitlin, 11.
Sarah is an avid crafts enthusiast, with an abundance of yarn, beads and other art materials in her home. Currently, her younger children, Owen and Caitlin, share a room, and Sarah’s crafts mean that a room that could be used for one of them can’t be.
The clutter of books, board games and toys in their house means making space for the family to sit and chat together is incredibly hard.
Both Sarah and Jon are deaf, and mum Sarah finds making crafts a way for her to destress from everyday life.
“I like making things, it makes me feel good, creativity is therapeutic, it makes me calmer and relaxed.”
“My mum holds everything dear to her heart” says Timeon.
The team found an array of unfinished craft items all over the house, including an unfinished crochet bag from 15 years ago.
Sarah feels a lot of guilt because she knew the time with her children was being impacted.
“I do lots with them but it doesn’t stop the guilt being real.”
Having the team come in helped her realise she had to prioritise time with the kids over her crafts.
“Children grow up faster, and my projects will always be there.”
It was this realisation which helped her to let go of half of their items.
Owen and Caitlin were able to have their own rooms, as Sarah’s crafts were compacted into the living room in a large cupboard.
After decluttering, Jon says there has been a massive improvement in their family life and now they are able to spend quality time together to sit and chat.
To appear on the upcoming series of Sort Your Life Out, click the link here to apply.
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