Frequently Asked Questions
A long list of questions can feel like a lot — please don't feel you need to read every one.
Browse what's useful, skip what isn't, and if you'd rather just have a conversation, please reach out, I’d love to chat!
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A professional organiser is a trained specialist who works alongside you to bring order, calm, and function back to your home — especially when you're too busy, too stressed, or too overwhelmed to tackle it on your own.
This isn't just coaching from the sidelines. I'm right there with you — sorting, folding, lifting, labelling, removing donations or waste, and physically working through the space alongside you.
As a declutter coach, I also provide one-on-one support throughout the whole process — helping you break big goals into manageable steps, work through what to keep and what to let go of, and build systems that actually work for the way you live. I'll help you focus, move past roadblocks, and feel confident making decisions about your belongings without guilt.
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I'm a Certified Organisational Specialist (Clutterbug) and a proud member of the Institute of Professional Organisers (IOPO) since 2021 — meaning I follow the IOPO Code of Practice in every home I work in.
Orange Organising Co. is fully insured. I hold a current Working with Children Check (also known as Working with Vulnerable Persons Check in some states), and a clear Police Record Check is available on request.
You can see the full list of my professional background, training and credentials on my About page.
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You can see all my current services and pricing on my Work With Me page.
This includes phone consultations, in-home sessions in Orange, and in-home sessions for surrounding towns.
Whether you're tackling a single space or a whole home — feel free to get in touch if you'd like to chat about what you need.
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Never. Decisions about what stays and what goes are always yours — never mine.
My role is to help you figure out which items hold real value for you and why.
If something is significant to you, we'll find a way to honour it — whether that's displaying it where you can enjoy it, or storing it properly so it stays safe. By gently letting go of the things that no longer serve you, you create space for the things that genuinely matter.
And if you're not ready to part with something today? That's okay too. We work at your pace.
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Please don't worry about the state of your home when I arrive — my role isn't to judge; it's to help you create spaces that work for you.
We'll start by walking through your home together, chatting about which areas work, which don't, and what's getting in the way of daily life. From there, we'll make a plan and choose where to begin.
Then comes the work — hands on sorting, decluttering, and organising side by side.
Decluttering always comes first, before measuring or buying storage; until we've reduced what you have, we don't really know what you need to keep it in.
Yes, I'll need you home and present throughout. Decisions about your belongings are yours to make, and being there together means we can talk through what stays, what goes, and how you actually use each space.
How hands-on you are is up to you. If you've got the energy, working alongside me saves time and brings real satisfaction at the end of the day.
If you're tired, cuddling babies, in pain, or your mobility is limited — that's okay. I can be your hands while you’re still actively involved in the decisions.
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I'll guide you through the options as we go — that's part of what I'm here for.
Generally, items in good condition can usually go to local charity stores.
Things that aren't quite charity-shop ready but still have life in them — furniture, kitchenware, household goods — can often go to the Orange Recovery Centre.
Items that are damaged, mouldy, expired, or otherwise can't be reused are best heading to general waste.
Of course, if you'd prefer everything go straight to general waste, that's a perfectly valid choice too — sometimes the simplest option is the right one. We'll talk through what works best for your situation, your time, and your budget.
I can take up to one ute load per session to the charity store or Recovery Centre on your behalf. General waste items at the Recovery Centre attract a small disposal fee — most other items go in free of charge. If you'd like to know more before your session, you can read more about our local donation, recycling and waste disposal services here.
Anything going to friends or family, I'll leave with you to pass on personally.
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Not necessarily — and definitely not before our session.
Many clients are surprised by how much they can do with what they already have once we've decluttered. Others prefer to invest in something new. Either is completely fine.
If you'd like to buy new storage, I can recommend products that suit your space, your purpose, and your budget. You'll handle the ordering, payment, and delivery yourself — Orange Organising Co. doesn't sell products directly.
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Yes — completely.
What happens in your home stays in your home. I follow the IOPO Code of Practice, and nothing you share with me is passed on to anyone else without your permission.The only exception is if I become genuinely concerned that you, a child, or someone else in the home is at risk of harm. In those rare situations, my care for the people I work with comes first — and I may need to gently raise it with you, or in serious cases, reach out to the appropriate support services.
This isn't about judgement. It's about making sure everyone in the home is safe and supported.You can read more in my Terms and Conditions.
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Only if you'd like me to — and you're welcome to say no, anytime.
Progress photos can be genuinely helpful. Looking back at "before" and "after" shots at the end of a session is often a really lovely moment — a chance to see how far you've come, especially when the work has felt hard. If you'd like, I can take photos throughout our session and share them with you privately at the end.
Sharing publicly is a separate question entirely. If you'd ever like to give permission for a photo to appear in my portfolio or on social media, I'd be honoured — but you're under absolutely no obligation, and I'd never assume. Any photo shared publicly is de-identified, and you'll always see and approve it before it goes anywhere.
If you'd rather no photos at all, that's completely fine. Just let me know, there's no pressure either way.
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Yes — and what a lovely thing to gift someone.
A gentle word first though: this kind of gift works best when the person already wants the help. Like a yoga retreat or a massage, it lands beautifully when the recipient is ready and excited — and not so well when it feels like a hint.
If you're not sure how your person might feel about it, I'm always happy to chat it through with you first.
If you'd like to go ahead, just get in touch with a few details — who it's for, the occasion, and roughly what you'd like to gift — and I'll send through an invoice and a personalised voucher you can pass on.
Vouchers can be made out for any of my services or for a custom amount.
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Yes — I work with clients across Orange and the surrounding Central West region.
I offer in-home sessions for those within Orange and up to 30 minutes from town.
Further out than that? Get in touch and we'll see what we can work out.You can find session details and pricing on my Work With Me page — and if we haven't worked together before, the first step is always a free 15-minute phone consultation.
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The honest answer is — it depends.
"Hoarding" means different things to different people, and a lot of homes that feel like "hoarding" are actually significant clutter that responds beautifully to gentle, hands-on organising.
I'm trained to work across a range of clutter levels, including hoarding behaviours and more complex situations.
That said, Hoarding Disorder itself is a recognised mental health condition, and at the more complex end it usually needs support from a wider team — including mental health professionals, GPs, etc.
If your situation is beyond what I can help with on my own, I'll be honest with you about that.
If you'd like to read more, the ICD Clutter–Hoarding Scale is a useful framework professionals use. Otherwise, please get in touch and we can talk through where things sit and whether I'm the right fit.
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Not at this time. Supporting people living with disability is genuinely close to my heart — both professionally and personally — but I'm not currently set up to work with NDIS funding directly.
The NDIS is going through significant change at the moment, and like many small providers, I'm watching the landscape carefully.
I'd love to return to NDIS work when the system stabilises and I can do that work well — for now, stepping back has been the right call for me.If you're an NDIS participant and you're interested in working together, please get in touch anyway. I'm always happy to chat about your situation, and we can talk through what might help most — whether that's working together privately, or thinking through other directions you could take.
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A few things, yes — and being clear about them upfront helps us both.
I'm not a cleaning service. I'll wipe down a surface before putting things back, or run a quick vacuum through a closet — but a deep clean isn't part of what I do.
I love helping with packing and unpacking around a move — and decluttering as part of either makes such a difference. The actual transport between homes is best left to a removalist though, as that's not covered by my insurance.
Full interior design isn't really my world — but I do guide clients toward visually calm, aesthetically pleasing solutions as part of organising, and I've designed whole rooms before when the brief called for it. So if styling is part of what you're hoping for, just mention it and we'll see what fits.
I can only work with people who've chosen this for themselves. That means I won't sort through belongings of a partner who's not present, or an elderly relative who hasn't actively been part of the decision.
With children, it depends on age and/or developmental capacity — younger ones are usually fine with a parent making decisions on their behalf, but for tweens and teens, their things are tied up with who they are, and I'd rather you have a conversation with them first.
If your household isn't fully on board yet, that's okay — we can start with what's yours. Often, once a partner or the kids see the difference, they want in on it too. And if a wider household conversation does need to happen at some point, I can offer some guidance on how to approach it if you'd like.
If you're ever unsure whether something fits within what I do, please ask — I'm always happy to talk it through.