Are you a fan of BBC One’s Sort Your Life Out but don’t know where to begin decluttering your own home? Then we may have the answer to organisational guru Stacey Solomon right here in Yorkshire.

Cher Casey, originally from California, now lives in York where the busy mum and PhD graduate has founded The Mindful Organiser after her personal experience of trying to juggle motherhood, moving home and academic work. Now she is dedicated to helping others from all walks of life reclaim their homes and lives by creating room to breathe.

A big advocate of spring ‘clearing’ rather than cleaning, Cher believes that a happy, relaxed home lies at the core of our overall wellbeing. After all, who wants to dread returning home after a hectic day to more chaos and mayhem?

Clutter can make us feel out of control and miserable – there is plenty of truth in the old adage ‘tidy home, tidy mind’. Decluttering can be tidying and therapy all rolled into one, giving both you and your home some well-needed TLC.

Whether you’re clearing out a wardrobe, a working mum finding it hard to keep your house spick and span, downsizing to a smaller property or are recently bereaved and need to clear personal belongings, Cher is here to help in a thoughtful, non-judgmental way. She offers clients support and guidance to assess what is most important in their lives, empowering them to make lasting changes by letting go of items they no longer need and establishing easy-to-maintain systems that ensure homes stay organised long after she leaves.

Why not follow Cher’s spring clearing steps to help restore a more harmonious household?

1. Focus your vision: decide what your goal is, whether it’s to create a welcoming space for guests in the spare room or to make the playroom more engaging. Keeping to your aims makes it easier to prioritise what to let go.

2. Change your point of view: rather than regarding decluttering as a chore, see it as a gift to yourself and your wellbeing. As your space transforms, you’ll start to enjoy the benefits, feeling much more positive.

3. Break down tasks: don’t get overwhelmed or distracted, leaving projects half-finished. Work out the time you can allocate to each task to ensure progress is achieved and completed step by step.

4. Set designated storage: organisation stems from creating homes for items, so that each has a rightful place in a drawer or hanging on a hook, where family members know where to find and replace them.

5. Declutter gradually: start by letting go of functional items, such as kitchen utensils or old clothes, before tackling more sentimental keepsakes like family photos or your child’s artwork. Select and showcase items with happy memories and let go of painful or sad reminders.

6. Donate to charity: rather than unwanted items ending up in landfill, it’s much more rewarding and motivating to find a welcome home elsewhere for clothes, books and toys. But don’t procrastinate – take any items cleared to charity shops straight away so that they don’t continue to encroach on home or garage space.

7. Get help: if you’re finding it challenging to declutter and make your home goals a reality, why not ask a friend, family member or The Mindful Organiser to assist? It’s helpful to have guidance to tackle the most difficult areas as well as emotional support for difficult decisions regarding items such as personal gifts or inherited heirlooms.

A minimum three-hour session costs £135 which includes a free 30-minute virtual consultation. There are no mileage charges within a 15-mile radius of York and travel costs further afield can be negotiated. An added bonus is that Cher takes all items cleared away with her to recycle or donate to charity. She also provides gift vouchers for birthday, Mother’s Day and other occasions.

For more information, email cher@themindfulorganiser.com, visit www.themindfulorganiser.com or call 07983 377015.

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