The Secret To A Calm House - Anita Birges (Decluttering Expert) On Sentimental Items, Wardrobe Rules, & Home Organising

If you’ve ever stood in the middle of your home and thought, "Where on earth do I even begin?", this episode will feel like a deep exhale. 

Today on Tea With Jules, I sit down with the brilliant Anita Birges - professional home organiser, declutter queen, founder of Mise En Place, and the woman behind hundreds of beautifully calm, functional homes across Australia. 

But this episode isn’t just about cleaning cupboards and colour-coding pantries - it’s about the emotional clutter. The guilt, the overwhelm, the “I’ll deal with it later” piles, and the fantasy of living in a Pinterest-perfect showroom. Anita walks us through why clutter weighs so heavily on our minds, how to start when you feel completely overwhelmed, and the simple systems that help households run more smoothly - especially when kids, school bags, wrapping paper, sport gear and surprise junk mail are part of the daily chaos.

We cover everything from sentimental items, to wardrobe rules, to the hilariously relatable reality of donation bags living permanently in the boot of the car. 

If you’ve been craving more calm, space, order, time and mental clarity - this one’s for you.

Links & Resources:

Anita on Instagram:
@mise_en_place_aus

Mise En Place Website:
https://mise-en-place.com.au

Follow Me on Instagram:
@julessebastian, @tea_with_jules

Watch Tea With Jules:
https://www.youtube.com/@JulesSebastianChannel

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https://julessebastian.com/pages/sign-up

Credits:
Sound Engineer & Music: @kailesh_reitmans
Videographer & Editor: @nathan_niguidula
Producer: @lisajohnston_ @julessebastian

Welcome to Tea with Jules hosted by Jules Sebastian. Here we spill the tea and learn life lessons from honest conversations with experts, celebrities and friends.