Craig Hoareau
Professional Decluttering & Home Organising Expert
My love for organisation begun as far back as I can remember. I grew up in the Seychelles Islands where life was simple & minimal, but with an abundance of beauty & meaning. My upbringing allowed me to appreciate experiences more than material things & being out in nature, on the beach with my dogs, was much more fulfilling to me than playing video games or watching tv.
Being a natural declutterer & organiser helped me tremendously to become self-aware, relaxed & content in my life. That’s not to say I am perfect. I have had many rough patches & when I would reach those points, I would do a massive clear-out to cope with the stress which helped greatly. By doing this I’ve always managed to find my focus & lift myself up again. It made me realise early on that the ‘things’ I was accumulating had an impact on my mental wellbeing & thinking space, so it is so important for me to share this with the world through my work. We live in a consumerist world where we are made to believe material possessions equals wealth and happiness, so it is so easy for anyone to accumulate things over a long period. Our homes do not need to be the perfectly organised dream, that is not always possible, but we should take care of it just as we do with our health, as I believe our physical environment is key to a calm, productive mind & healthy lifestyle.
When people get in touch with me to help them declutter or organise, it is usually because they are unhappy, overwhelmed or stressed with the number of things they own or simply do not know where to start. Organising is a true passion of mine & after first establishing your needs, I will look at your home with fresh eyes to come up with the right storage, routines & habits that suit your space & lifestyle.
My method is always to delve deeper into the reasons for the clutter or disorganisation. Simply going in and tidying does not solve the issue, it has to be something you are willing to do and change. I show the utmost respect for your home & your possessions & I listen to exactly what you want to accomplish so that we can achieve it together. It isn’t always about me coming in & doing it for you, we do it together & I support you in the process to make the right decisions that work for you. I use an empathetic, calm & supportive approach, learning all I can about your relationship with your home & things, to find solutions that work for your lifestyle.
One thing I should make clear is when decluttering, I will never force you to let go of your possessions if you do not want to. I will help you to find meaning in what you do have to discover if those things actually add value to your life & wellbeing. The end decision will always lie with you. My motivation is to always leave my client with a tidier & calmer, home & mind than when I first met them.
Prior to starting my organising Journey, I have worked in various industries from Luxury Fashion, Print Media, E-Commerce & Pet Travel. I am also the co-founder of animal rescue ‘Seychelles Pet Haven Society’ in the Seychelles. I am a member of APDO, have been highly trained as a professional organiser to the required standard by APDO & have a qualification in life coaching to support the practical side of my work.
Qualifications:
Diploma in Fine Arts & Critical Thinking – The Seychelles Polytechnic
Higher certificate in Graphic Design – The Seychelles Polytechnic
CPD Life Coaching Diploma – New Skills Academy
Hoarding Awareness Practitioner – Hoarding disorders UK
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS
Accredited member of APDO UK (Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers)
ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) on the Data Protection Public Register