If you’ve been quietly wondering what a decluttering session cost actually looks like, you’re not alone. It’s the question we get asked most. It’s also the one nobody in this industry publishes an honest answer to. So here it is in real numbers, from real sessions, with nothing dressed up.
For one organiser working a six-hour day, the rate is $924. Bring in a second organiser and it’s $1,628 for the same day. A second organiser comes in when there’s more volume in the room than one person can move through in a day. That’s the starting point for every Ducks in a Row booking across Melbourne, before products, travel or anything else gets added.
Quick Takeaways
- One organiser, one day: $924. Two organisers, one day: $1,628 — the number of organisers depends on volume, not speed.
- A $100-a-day travel fee applies outside our standard service area, and tip fees (when a tip run comes up) are charged at the exact invoiced amount.
- Full day rates and packages are published on our price list, so you know the real numbers before you ever book a call.
What a Decluttering Session Cost Actually Looks Like
That decluttering session cost covers the day rate for one organiser: $924 for a six-hour day. Two organisers working together comes to $1,628 for the same day. The minimum booking is one organiser for one day, and there’s no shorter option. A six-hour day is the minimum because of what the work actually involves: a few hours to get everything out of the room and categorised, a couple of hours to go through the decluttering decisions with you, and a couple of hours to put everything that’s staying back in. A shorter session would mean leaving things scattered around your home for you to deal with afterwards, and that’s not how we work. If you’re outside our standard service area, we add a travel fee of $100 a day. If a tip run comes up, we charge exactly what’s invoiced, not a flat add-on. We publish full day rates and packages on our price list so you can see the real numbers up front, but nobody books a session site-unseen. Every booking starts with a consultation, and you’ll be given a tailored quote for your own space before anything is locked in.
What Makes a Decluttering Session Cost More or Less?
The honest answer is volume. The number of organisers on a job isn’t about moving faster for its own sake. It comes down to how much is actually in the room. Volume determines everything: how many days a job takes, and how many organisers it needs. A pantry with a moderate amount of clutter might only need one organiser for a day. A garage that’s been collecting the rest of the house’s overflow for ten years will often need two or more organisers across more than one day, because there’s more volume to work through than a single six-hour session can cover.
Two Real Decluttering Session Cost Examples
One recent pantry job combined a decluttering session with our shopping service. The organiser’s decluttering and setup session was $924, and the products came to $500. Before the setup day, there’s a pre-session shopping consultation, about an hour in the home. We measure the pantry, take photos and talk through the family’s needs and design preferences. From there, the organiser prepares a product plan and list for approval. Once that’s signed off, we buy the products and bring them to the home for the setup day. Everything comes out of the pantry. We go through the decluttering process together, and everything that’s staying goes back in using the approved system and products. Donations leave with the organiser; rubbish goes in the client’s own bin.
A garage job looked different again. Two organisers ran the decluttering and planning session for $1,628. Products for the new system came to $700. A second session with two organisers to set it all up was another $1,628. The first session clears everything out and categorises it. We work through the decluttering decisions with the client, and talk through how the space actually gets used. We measure and photograph everything, then put it back on existing storage for now. Next, we prepare a product plan for approval. The second session is the setup, including building any flatpack furniture. We arrange a skip or hard rubbish removal in advance when the volume calls for it.
Is There a Minimum Booking, or Extra Costs on Top?
The minimum booking is one organiser for one day. On top of the day rate, a few things can add to the total decluttering session cost. First, a $100-a-day travel fee applies if your home is outside our standard service area. Second, a tip fee applies if a tip run comes up, charged at exactly what’s invoiced rather than a round number. Third, if you choose new organising products rather than using the storage you already have, those products are an additional cost on top of the session rate. There’s no hidden percentage and no surprise callout fee. What you’re quoted for the day, plus travel, tip and any products you choose, is what you pay.
Why the Number of Organisers Changes the Price, Not the Clock
It’s easy to assume a second organiser means finishing faster. That’s not how we price it, and it’s not how we think about it. The number of organisers on a job comes down to the volume of belongings in the room, not a race against the calendar. A one-room job with a manageable amount of stuff gets one organiser. A room that’s been a dumping ground for years gets two, because the work itself is bigger. We’re not trying to speed through it. That’s worth knowing before you book, because the quote you get reflects what’s actually in your home, not a sales tactic.
Ready to Get Your Home Organised?
If you’d love a professional set of hands to help you declutter and organise your home, Eve and the Ducks in a Row team are here to help. We work with busy Melbourne families to create calm, functional spaces with simple systems that actually stick.