Everything In Its Place

Elize Potgieter is the third finalist in our DeclutterCompetition in partnership with Gumtree. Our experts helped her turn a chaotic space into an organised – and creative – studio.

- Shané Barnard 

Elize Potgieter was determined to sell or give away all their accumulated clutter when she and hubby Greg moved to Wellington three years ago. “I was always the queen of my garage but every time we moved, I lost a little of my resolve. I could no longer see the floor or work surfaces in my ‘studio’!” she says.

As a hobby, Elize and her mom make quilts, rugs, baskets and other decorative items for special events, and Elize was keen to create a more functional space that would stimulate creativity. “When I was a child, we moved a lot; maybe that’s why I become so attached to sentimental things. But my messy house does not reflect who I am. I strive for a minimalist look where everything has its own place – and everything is in its place!”

A space that works

With the help of our decluttering experts, Carin Smith and Jani Augustyn-Goussard, Elize identified her various hobbies and created a dedicated zone for each one: painting, embroidery, crochet and sewing. An old cot (there were two) was then advertised on Gumtree to make way for a custom-made workstation built by Home’s DIY guru, Deon de Goede.