Our Mission
As you embrace a new life chapter we partner with you to provide respectful, kind, supportive and
bespoke
services in all phases of the decluttering to downsize and relocation journey.
What Do We Do?
Caring and understanding is at the heart of Decluttering Solutions, offering assistance and a new
perspective for those in need. Jennifer and her team work with you to develop a plan and strategies for
achieving your goals in a timely and efficient manner. Our decluttering services include relocation
management, support during sale of your current home, deceased estate, and downsizing.
Meet Jennifer
( Organising Professional )
My name is Jennifer Manefield and I’ve been an Organising Professional for over 10 years.
I specialise in assisting you with your decluttering and organisational projects during major life
moments like retirement and downsizing.
Especially when sorting through a lifetime of memories and possessions seems an
overwhelming hurdle that stops you living your best life.
I am an Expert Accredited member of the IOPO.
Our Services
Preparing for the next stage of your life? Downsizing for retirement to reduce your workload and streamline your life? With a home full of memories, possessions, and treasured items, decluttering can seem like an impossible task. Where do you begin?
One of the most challenging times you can face is having to clear out the home of someone you loved. The challenges are many and no two homes or situations are the same.
Personal possessions and home contents often overflow and go to one of two places. Either the garage, or off-site storage.
Is the clutter and disorder of areas of your home impacting you living life in a happy and productive way? When decluttering and organising can seem like an impossible task, where do you begin? Offering decluttering services in Sydney and beyond, take the first step with the experienced and friendly team at Decluttering Solutions.
There can be a variety of decluttering and organising situations that can be deemed more complex. The NDIS, the Aged Care sector, workplace injury claims, to name a few. Especially if there are multiple stakeholders involved.
The Decluttering Experts in Sydney
Declutter Your Life
Over a life well lived, our homes can become filled with memories, treasured items, and furniture
which can
take up both mental and physical space.
Whether sentimental possessions, useful supplies, or items you may be able to fix, the home can
quickly
transform from a relaxing space to a cluttered one.
No matter what stage you are on in your journey, Decluttering Solutions are here to offer professional
support, understanding, and hands-on organisation.
Who Are We?
Decluttering Solutions was started in 2014 to provide compassionate and effective organisation and
downsizing services for residences. Run by Professional Organiser Jennifer Manefield, Decluttering
Solutions brings its expertise to Sydney and the Greater Sydney region.
With an initial focus on new retirees and busy professionals, Decluttering Solutions was soon
providing
assistance to the Disability and Aged Care sectors. Today, our dedicated team offers decluttering
services including home relocation, deceased estate organisation, and project management.
Deceased Estate
Whether processing grief, dealing with family conflict, or struggling to be onsite, deceased
estates can be physically and mentally draining. Jennifer and the team at Decluttering
Solutions can efficiently organise and handle every aspect of the Estate, including:
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- Working with the family and/or Executors to assist in whatever tasks need to be completed.
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- Locating important items including jewellery, wills, and memorabilia.
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- Collecting, collating, or disposing of paperwork.
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- Removing and disposing of the home’s unwanted contents.
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- Identifying items of potential monetary value on behalf of the Estate.
As part of our service, we strive to find points of ethical donation for items that are not of interest to
the Estate. In this way, items can find renewed uses or new homes rather than being thrown away.
Downsizing
Preparing for a move and require a physical support network to assist? As experienced declutter
experts, we offer the organisation and stamina to accomplish what you need. This can include:
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- Removing unwanted household items including furniture, decorative items, clothing, and more, in preparation for a move.
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- Assist with layout planning of your new home and any necessary purchases.
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- Findi appropriate avenues of sale for valuable items, whether an auction house orother platforms.
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- Communicate with Coordinators and Managers of Aged Care villages or complexes in order to streamline the move.
Relocation & Property Services
Decluttering Solutions provide packing, unpacking, and styling services for your local moves or international relocations. Our extensive network of colleagues ensures your move is streamlined and timely. Our declutter experts can even communicate with your real estate agent as required, maximising efficiency and organisation.
For property sales, Decluttering Solutions can clean, stage, and style your home in order to present it in the best possible light for potential buyers.
Why Choose
Decluttering Solution
1
Professional
2
Qualified
3
PL & PI insurance
4
Experience with HCP
5
Covid-19 Safety Trained
6
Full discretion
Jennifer Writes
A Professional Organiser works with individuals, families and businesses to declutter, organise and streamline their personal possessions within their living and working space. They cater for different learning styles, life-stages, physical abilities and mental health when assisting their clients.
That is what a Professional Organiser does. But what IS a Professional Organiser?
Most Professional Organisers have niches, areas of expertise or specialisation. They are mature adults with a rich and varied life and work history. Exactly like their clients.
I specialise in decluttering services for retirees and seniors to make sure that the next phase of their lives are lived safely and surrounded by the items they love or need.
How to choose a Professional Organiser?
- Check out their website and social media platforms.
- Read what they write or share. Does it resonate?
- Check out their professional development journey if they highlight it. It may be on LinkedIn. There is a lot of ongoing quality training available for Professional Organisers to create their niche.
- Are they a member of a Professional Body with a Code of Practice?
- Do they hold Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance?
Occasionally I am approached by insurance assessors requesting decluttering and organising services for clients with work injuries and there is just not enough information to quote.
Recently, I have been asked to quote for 2 sessions of 3 hours, including teaching the client during sessions how to declutter & organise. No other information provided.
My experienced Professional Organiser brain immediately goes into overdrive. What injury has prompted the need for decluttering and organising services?
How was 2 sessions of 3 hours decided? What is the client's issue/injury that is impacting their ability to organise and declutter their own items? Prior to a person’s injury, how did they manage their home? In a naturally organised and orderly way or have they always struggled to stay tidy and find things they own? If the situation is temporary, like a broken leg, then decluttering and organising is just about making the space safe for the client. Access to items of daily and immediate importance needs to be prioritised until the client is back to managing life and their home as usual. If there is a brain injury however, then teaching them strategies might require far more than just squeezing it in, along with decluttering the space, which is already a mentally fatiguing exercise for anyone. If we are decluttering, that implies items leaving the home. Are the items going, in a suitable condition for donation or a council cleanup or a commercial rubbish removal? Will they be going into off-site storage for a period of time? This implies extra time and costs that impact the quote too. If someone has had a life changing injury, then having to relinquish personal items that are part of their identity can be very painful and challenging. That corporate wardrobe or the beautiful furniture they have worked hard to purchase might have to go, so they can continue to live and move around at home in a safe and accessible way. A lot of grieving needs to happen and you can’t ride roughshod over that.
The Self-Storage Industry metrics show that 10% of the population in our capital cities use self storage. 39%
of people use self storage because they need more space at home. What’s more, it comes at an average cost of
$298.00 per sqm .So if you are renting a self-storage unit the size of a single car garage for a year it is
costing you nearly $5,400.00. Ouch!
Using self-storage can be enormously helpful when you are downsizing and used wisely can make the whole
process simpler. WHETHER YOU ARE A RETIREE getting excess items out of the home during pre-auction open houses,
to SOMEONE DOWNSIZING storing packed items waiting for the move, they can be really helpful in the short
term.
Self-storage can also resolve short-term problems like what to do with your things before finding or
completing the renovation on your next home. People often use off-site storage while renting to store useful or
precious things, and excess furniture that won’t fit into the current rental.
Self-storage can be problematic if it is the repository of your delayed decisions.
Items deemed useful but never used. Valuables you think family members might or should want despite them
already telling you that they don’t.ARE YOU FEELING GUILTY BECAUSE THESE ARE GIFTS FROM LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS
or inherited by you? Sometimes it is just as simple as being overwhelmed or not wanting to bother about making
decisions.
Let’s look at some tricks and tips to help you make the most of self storage.
Ask why you need self-storage
If Self Storage is just a temporary measure while a reno or house move takes place, then it can really be a
really smart way to make sure you continue living in a comfortable space that isn’t swamped by boxes and other
clutter. But if it is about delayed decisions, you risk ending up with big annual self-storage fees as you avoid
the challenge of a declutter. Set a time frame once you know why you need self-storage and add reminders in your
calendar to ask if you still need it.
Do your research on self-storage
Is it traditional self-storage you are considering in one of the big complexes scattered around? Location
impacts cost as does local population density. An area with a high density of rental properties will have
different charges and a high rate of turnover compared to established suburbs with fewer.
Inspect the unit you are being offered. Does it feel humid? Is it on an external wall and impacted by extreme
seasonal temperature variation? Think of an oven in summer and an icebox in winter. That will impact how well
your items stand up to really long-term storage. If it has a roller door, ask yourself if dust can get in and
dirty your items. Pest control in managed facilities is generally excellent.
Remember, whatever you choose to send to storage has to be packed up. Are you going to do it and how then do
you get it to the unit?If you opt for a storage unit further away from home you either pay a contractor to
transport large and bulky items or you may find yourself making multiple trips.
What do you want to store?
It’s a good idea to pack it all up together so you are making a sensible rental choice based on volume, not a
guesstimate. Think about how to best pack your items to keep them safe both during transport and while in
storage. If you need to locate any item while it is stored, how will you do that?
Be smarter about self-storage.
What about alternatives like mobile self-storage? There are some great companies who deliver a self-storage
pod to your property where it can stay for you to pack and then empty as you need. They will also remove and
store the pod for you until you ask for delivery. Does a friend or family member have some self-storage that
isn’t full? Ask if you can share the space and the costs. A win:win
If you are overwhelmed then Decluttering Solutions can help with every step of your self-storage experience.
1. Rightsizing the current messy storage you may have to identify what’s there, find new homes for unwanted
items to reduce the volume and allow you to downsize or even eliminate your rented self-storage.
2. Assist you with space planning so things are stored well packed to protect them and in a logical manner.
Making for easy identification to find what you need at short notice.
3. We can organise and supervise the whole process from beginning to end
From space and storage planning, the logistics of getting everything there and away safely right up to
emptying the unit and getting items where you need them to be.
Not feeling confident? Please give us a call if you’d like to know more about our services.
As part of our month of tips and tricks to kickstart your ‘declutter to downsize’ journey, I showcased the transformation of a townhouse that was situated in a predominantly over 55’s zone into a home that would appeal to young families and professionals moving into the area.
Our focus was on keeping open house styling costs to a minimum and using what we had to present the home instead of purchasing or hiring unnecessary items. Following is another example of a similar journey. This time, our clients were leaving their apartment in an Over-55’s complex for a Supported Living unit in Residential Aged Care.
No change in the target market, but their home was imbued with wonderful family history and expressive creativity. We had to declutter to amplify the sense of space and reduce the stamp of the family’s personality. Inviting potential owners to imagine themselves in this lovely apartment.
This time a little bit more money was spent. We hired a single bed to turn the crafters room into a place for a grandchild to come and stay.
All the beds were covered with exquisite and lovingly made quilts with matching, but dated, coloured linen. The Real Estate agent asked us to tone it down so white linen was hired for the period of the open houses leading up to Auction day.
We reduced the volume of items in all rooms, and had some real fun with colour and the beautiful objects our clients already owned.
If you have to empty your home of items to relocate, then obviously this is not an option. But it helps to think creatively to save on costs.
Do consider the triple benefit of decluttering, packing and open house styling offered by Decluttering Solutions. It will lighten the mental stress and physical exhaustion and free you to enjoy the auction outcome and the new chapter in your life.
This time a little bit more money was spent. We hired a single bed to turn the crafters room into a place for a grandchild to come and stay.
All the beds were covered with exquisite and lovingly made quilts with matching, but dated, coloured linen. The Real Estate agent asked us to tone it down so white linen was hired for the period of the open houses leading up to Auction day.
We reduced the volume of items in all rooms, and had some real fun with colour and the beautiful objects our clients already owned.
If you have to empty your home of items to relocate, then obviously this is not an option. But it helps to think creatively to save on costs.
Do consider the triple benefit of decluttering, packing and open house styling offered by Decluttering Solutions. It will lighten the mental stress and physical exhaustion and free you to enjoy the auction outcome and the new chapter in your life.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY…
brothers cleaning
The best de-cluttering business we have gotten chance to work and colab with. Jenny is a sweet heart. De-cluttering is a very tough task but not for Jenny. She is so easy to work with.
Hope we will work together again.
Cheers
Jennifer Lawson
Jennifer and her team were a tornado of efficiency and effectiveness. They sorted through 30 years of items that reflected career changes. Although much was discarded my needs were considered at all times. They were a pleasure to work with and I'd recommend them to anyone. Many high levels skills were utilised and I felt grateful for all of them.
Gabi Muhlheim
for the past 10 years i have been thinking about de-cluttering and sorting my storage unit. Could not face the task until i found Jennifer's de-cluttering solutions service. Its all done now!
thank you Jennifer and team you did a brilliant job.
Luke Northcott, Ray White
My husband and I were daunted by the task of decluttering and after five years we well and truly had accumulated more than what would fit in our tiny one bedroom apartment.
Jennifer and her team were incredibly efficient and supportive, helping us tackle problem areas each week and find new solutions to our storage problems. We wouldn’t have been able to achieve the same results without their help and we feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders.
I love living in our apartment again and the systems now in place have made life so much easier. A big heartfelt thanks to Jennifer, Georgia and Sarah.
If you’re considering Jennifer’s Decluttering Solutions, know this service comes highly recommended!
louise Austin
Quite simply, we could not have made the move without the wonderful organisation and willing help provided by Jennifer and her fantastic team of helpers. It was a massive job. With Jennifer's Decluttering Solutions we managed to leave a large home, lived in for 50 years, to a much smaller apartment. A huge thank you to Jennifer and her assistants - all brilliant!
Henry The First
I used Jennifer’s consulting services for a move within Sydney in early 2020. I was moving from a large, two-bedroom garden apartment to share a house for 6 months, before moving back to a place of my own. I needed to work out what to move, store, sell, donate and dispose of, as well as coordinate how to make all that happen.
Jennifer coached me patiently through a series of questions about my current and future situations, before providing clear and actionable feedback and guidance. By the end of the session, I had an action plan and schedule, including contingency options.
The move was a success, I didn’t overspend on storage, made a bit of cash selling things I hadn’t used in years, and I haven’t regretted getting rid of things I would have kept if not for Jennifer’s guidance.
One phone session was all it took. Jennifer’s a natural communicator and was able to use her deep specialist knowledge to set me on the right track. A true professional.
Ross Wellings
INVALUABLE
Jennifer Manefield runs an excellent business. Her services over the past few months have been invaluable.
I asked Jennifer to meet an elderly friend with dementia and Alzheimer's whom I was about to help move into an apartment which offered Assisted Living.
EXPERIENCE
Jennifer's experience with Aged Care and with people who have dementia meant that my friend warmed to her quickly and they began to plan the process of decluttering a house in which she had lived for more than 40 years. This was never going to be an easy task, but Jennifer's very careful approach made it possible for my friend to make her own decisions and trust Jennifer's suggestions.
CARING AND CAREFUL
Jennifer was painstakingly careful, caring, thorough and entirely trustworthy.
When it became apparent that my friend needed to move to Assisted Living before the sale of the house, Jennifer's assistance was as immediate as her time allowed. She understood the need to reduce the stress which would have increased during the final preparation of the house for sale and the anxiety caused by house inspections and the auction.
ENTIRELY TRUSTWORTHY
When my wife was diagnosed with an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma I had no hesitation in asking Jennifer to take care of all the associated business of getting a house ready to sell, which I could no longer do. She more than capably managed the selection, packing and supervision of the loading and transfer of furniture and personal items. Jennifer took my friend to the apartment on the moving day and was at the apartment to manage, with the removalist's team, the unpacking and relocation of all belongings, staying until everything was in place; she saw the need for some missing items, made a list and sent me off to get them. A fabulous eye for detail.
Not only had Jennifer arranged for and liaised with the removalist, she also had been to the apartment at Westmead Uniting to meet management and to measure the apartment to ensure that the furniture and possessions would fit. Jennifer also took my friend on shopping trips to select new furniture.
THOROUGH and WELL ORGANISED
Furthermore, Jennifer organised the disposal or storage of items not needed in the apartment and the interstate transport of goods to a niece. She was on hand for other people involved, such as the Real Estate Agent, the stylist, the house cleaner, the gardener, rug cleaner and more.
DEPENDABLE
Jennifer never failed to do what we had planned to do. She was always in communication with me by phone or by email and after discussions I knew that I could depend on her to act on her own initiative when necessary.
INDISPENSABLE
In short, I could not have achieved the move to the new apartment or the sale of the house without Jennifer's assistance. My friend would not have had the relatively seamless transition to the apartment without the excellent work of Jennifer and her team.
I am completely comfortable with recommending Jennifer for any assistance people might need for decluttering and moving house, especially in situations with elderly people or people with dementia or Alzheimer's.
I am immensely grateful that I contacted Jennifer who has been exceptional in her work.
Fiona Sullivan
I feel very fortunate I contacted Jennifer's Decluttering Solutions
to manage the decluttering, downsizing move of a lifetime of possessions. She engaged an amazing team that at all times were professional, empathetic and flexible throughout a difficult move for my mother. With Jennifer's expertise and knowledge, we had a total solution including clearing, donations, packing, removalists, cleaning & restoration contacts . We couldn't have managed the move without Decluttering Solutions.
Len Mahemoff
Jennifer executed our project in connection with a deceased estate in a most professional manner, still managing to go "the extra mile" in a few small matters which were not part of her quote. All in all, I have no hesitation in recommending her services. Len M - Bondi Junction
Gabi Bywater
Jennifer and her Team turned a stressful situation into an organised transformational process. They reminded me that decluttering is not just about physical stuff - it's also about creating a sense of calm whilst acknowledging personal history. They applied just the right amount of "push" to get me going without creating an unhappy situation. I can't recommend Jennifer highly enough and I'm very happy with my new decluttered home!
Peter O'Connor
I unequivocally recommend Jennifer and her Declutter Solutions company having had extensive time with Jennifer and Co while we worked to "declutter" my Aunt's home and eventually "style and prepare" for sale .
Thank you Jennifer for showing such thoughtfulness, kindness and empathy .
Your willingness, availability and communication made the process very straightforward.
Your ideas and suggestions about how to style the home and were always thoughtful but style perfect.
Thank you for so beautifully allocating my Aunts property to places, agencies and people that really make a difference. The gift to Parramatta Mission really resonates and I feel so proud that my Aunt could posthumously help a family - such an important cause and so thoughtful. That really warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes ...
Sincerely thank you Jennifer.
