Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon

Is TV all about provoking tears these days?

On The Repair Shop, people are crying all over the place as they’re reunited with a newly revamped, much-loved item, while celebrities weep at the drop of a hat in Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing On Ice. Even the Gogglebox regulars have been known to wipe away a tear or two from time to time.

But you wouldn’t necessarily think that a de-cluttering programme hosted by a former X Factor finalist would have a similar effect. However, as Stacey Solomon says, for those who call her for help, it’s not just about creating more storage space.

“I’m so happy that the team and I are back to share our favourite tips and tricks on decluttering, upcycling, tidying and being thrifty!,” smiles the singer-turned-presenter. “I love that we get to help people transform their lives for the better, even just a little bit.

“Sort Your Life Out is about showing people that by decluttering your home, you can really make a positive impact on all areas of your life – including saving your hard-earned cash. It’s never about shaming people for holding onto their stuff, I definitely have a tendency to hang on to treasured items for longer than I probably should!”

She adds: “My favourite part of the show is meeting lovely families from across the UK. With the help of my wonderful expert team, we work alongside them to reorganise their houses and turn them into the homes they deserve. I really hope that people watching find a few tips and tricks in this series useful!”

This week promises to be a particularly emotional episode – so make sure you’ve got an entire box of tissues handy.

Solomon is about to meet the Smith clan who are in disarray, but for a very understandable reason. The blended family came together two years ago after Raaj, her husband Roydel and their toddler son Ajay opened their home to Simran and Harjoth, the daughters of Raaj’s sister, who passed away after contracting Covid.

Although still in the midst of grief, they feel now is the right time to begin reorganising their three-bedroom property so that it fits all their needs. And while throwing out the 24 old toothbrushes they’ve accumulated for no good reason is an easy decision, others prove far harder – particularly when it comes to dealing with items that once belonged to Raaj’s beloved sibling.

While Stacey and her assistant Dilly lend them a hand, back at the house, carpenter Rob comes up with some ingenious solutions to the family’s space issues. And as he likes to point out, “Just because a piece of furniture no longer works in one area of the home doesn’t mean it can’t be used elsewhere. By making a few modifications and adding a lick of paint, you can turn old furniture into a new, modern piece, inconvenience into a necessity, ugly into ‘looks just right’.”

With that in mind, he delivers some amazing items that prove transformational for the family – here’s hoping that, after so much sadness, they can begin looking ahead to a brighter future.