The Happy Home Blog
Decluttering tips and home organisation advice
- No judgement
- Based in Windlesham
Practical advice for deciding what to keep, organising your space and making everyday life at home easier. Written by me, Ruth Lawrence, with ideas you can adapt to your own home.
Featured · Professional organising
How to Organise Your Whole House: Where to Start
A step-by-step plan for organising your whole house: set up your sorting categories first, rethink where things should live and put everything into those categories as you move through the home.
7 October 2026 · 9 min read
Getting started
How to Declutter Your Home, Room by Room
A category-first guide to decluttering your home: decide what stays, plan where the rest goes and organise each room around everyday life.
5 min read
Moving home
Moving House Checklist: What to Do and When (UK)
A flexible UK moving checklist covering bookings, address changes, essential bags and your first night, with links to official services.
3 min read
Professional organising
How Much Does a Professional Organiser Cost?
My £60 hourly rate, real kitchen and wardrobe project examples, and how volume, pantry decanting, aesthetic finish and experience affect the total cost.
6 min read
Family life
Clearing a Parent’s House: Where to Begin
Practical sorting advice for a parent’s downsizing move or a home after bereavement, with room for family decisions and sentimental belongings.
3 min read
Wardrobes
How to Organise a Walk-in Wardrobe or Dressing Room
Plan rails, drawers, shoes and bags around what you wear, with practical storage and seasonal rotation for a dressing room that stays usable.
3 min read
Clutter & wellbeing
How to Declutter When You Want to Keep Everything
Gentle questions for belongings kept through guilt, memories or money spent, without forcing minimalism or decisions you are not ready to make.
3 min read
Kitchens
How to Organise a Pantry Without Creating More Work
Organise a pantry or larder with useful food categories, safe date checks and manageable storage. Decanting into matching jars is optional.
3 min read
Family life
Toy Storage Ideas for a Playroom You Can Actually Use
Choose reachable baskets, simple categories and sensible toy rotation without buying storage for every toy your family has ever owned.
3 min read
Professional organising
How to Organise a Garage Without Just Moving the Piles
A practical garage guide covering manageable sorting, disposal checks, sturdy storage and clear access for the things you actually use.
3 min read
Family life
How to Keep Your House Tidy When Family Life Is Busy
Make tidying easier with clear homes for belongings, useful drop zones and shared routines, not another unrealistic daily cleaning schedule.
3 min read
Wardrobes
How to Declutter Your Wardrobe in Four Steps
Find the clothes you actually wear, plan donations or resale, make confident decisions and rotate seasonal pieces using Ruth’s original four-step method.
4 min read
Professional organising
What Does a Professional Home Organiser Do?
What my work involves, how decluttering and organising fit together, and the difference between an organiser, cleaner and clearance company.
3 min read
Getting started
Where to Start Decluttering When It All Feels Too Much
Begin with an exit plan and one manageable category, so your first declutter does not leave bags and unfinished piles around the house.
3 min read
Moving home
How to Prepare Your House for Sale While Living in It
A lived-in home preparation checklist: clear useful spaces, plan a quick viewing reset and show storage without hiding every belonging in the loft.
3 min read
Clutter & wellbeing
Why Am I So Overwhelmed by Clutter?
Recognise the decisions, guilt and repeated tidying that make clutter feel overwhelming, then choose a manageable next step without blaming yourself.
3 min read
Moving home
How to Prepare Your Belongings for a Calmer House Move
Ruth’s original moving advice: sort before packing, keep categories intact and unpack around eating, sleeping and everyday life, not the nearest cupboard.
3 min read
Kitchens
How to Organise Kitchen Cupboards Around Five Useful Zones
Ruth’s five-zone kitchen method, decision questions and original storage links, plus why she does not personally decant everything into matching jars.
5 min read
Clutter & wellbeing
Shopping More Than You Want To? Ways to Pause Before Buying
Ruth’s original advice on shopping triggers, waiting before purchases and using what you own, with clear boundaries about when to seek qualified help.
3 min read
Clutter & wellbeing
Finding Your Balance Between Space and Stuff
Recognise when possessions are crowding out the way you want to live, and choose a comfortable balance without becoming a minimalist.
3 min read
Clutter & wellbeing
Too Much Choice at Home? Make Everyday Decisions Easier
A full wardrobe and nothing to wear? Look at the options you actually choose, the shopping prompts you can reduce and the belongings you want to enjoy.
3 min read
Getting started
Do You Really Need to Get Rid of Half Your Belongings?
A practical alternative to counting what you discard: set a useful goal, identify everyday favourites and finish the donation and organising steps.
3 min read
Rather someone just did it with you?
Book a free call with Ruth. A calmer home, with no judgement.