FIVE MINUTES WITH

Orange Tam

Adele Brunner talks to Hong Kong’s first Certified Professional Organizer® (CPO®)

You assume that expert declutterers are born neat and tidy, with an instinct for what to keep and what to throw away. So it comes as a refreshing surprise to learn that it took certified professional organiser Orange Tam (so nicknamed because she loves the colour) years to clear up and sort out her own space.

“I never used to let go of anything,” explains Tam, who has lived in To Kwa Wan all her life. “In 2007, a couple of years after graduating [in economics and finance], I felt overwhelmed by all my stuff but I didn’t know what to do. I bought a book called No More Clutter by British decluttering expert Sue Kaye but even though I read it constantly, I was so attached to my stuff that I couldn’t bring myself to do what she advocated.”

Fast forward to 2011 and Tam, who was still trying to get to grips with organising her home, discovered famous Japanese declutterer Hideko Yamashita, who invented the term Dan-Sha-Ri. In a nutshell, it’s the process of letting go of possessions and freeing yourself from your emotional attachment to them, only keeping what you use in the here and now. “Dan” is refusing to buy or accept things you don’t need; “Sha” is throwing away things you already own but don’t need; “Ri” is letting go of your attachment to things. By adopting Yamashita’s methods, Tam managed to tidy her home and from there, she helped friends and family with their spaces.

“It was a friend who suggested I turn my tidying up into a career,” she says. “There have been professional declutterers in the US and UK for years but none in Hong Kong. I decided to become Hong Kong’s first one.”

While still working full time for a multinational financial services company, Tam joined the US’ National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) and Britain’s Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers (APDO). She took courses, sat exams and accumulated 1,500 hours of tidying up at weekends in order to become qualified. In 2019, she decided to quit her day job and set up her company Juppuk Decluttering Services, which means “tidy your home” in Cantonese.

The way she works is to start with an initial consultation to find out exactly who her client is, how their living environment operates, what their problems and goals are. She then formulates a plan and works on site with her client to get things shipshape. Although Tam can help to sort out any area, her number one request is to declutter wardrobes.

“A lot of Hong Kongers have clothes everywhere - not just in a wardrobe but in suitcases, other rooms, under the bed - so I get them to pull everything out,” she explains. “People get used to their living space and don’t make changes even if something bothers them. My way of thinking is that an environment has to work around humans rather than us having to adapt our way of life because of our environment.”

She then asks a load of questions about each item: does it fit? Does the client feel confident wearing it? Does it have stains, tears etc? Does it suit their style today? When was the last time they wore it? And, particularly interesting, if they saw the item in a boutique today, would they buy it again?

“The focus is on the here and now but the final decision rests with the client - I can’t decide for them,” she says. “I also help them to find a way to maintain their newfound organisation. If someone hates folding clothes, there’s no point trying to teach them special folding methods so we come up with a solution that works for them.”

Only when her work is done will she advise on storage solutions. She says one of the biggest organisational mistakes people make is to buy boxes and cupboards before they’ve done any sorting out. They either buy the wrong thing or simply move the same stuff from one place into their new storage.

As well as being a trainer for the Japan Association of Life Organizers (JALO) certificate course, Tam runs the Hong Kong Association of Professional Organizing (HAPO), which she founded last July. She runs workshops and talks in Cantonese (English sessions will hopefully follow) and offers two-day entry level courses suitable for anyone wanting to spring clean their homes as well as advanced courses for those who want to forge a career in the field.

“I’ve taken more than 50 courses with various different organisations but none of them is an exact fit for the Hong Kong environment and our lack of space,” says Tam. “The decluttering concept isn’t as well known here either so we are also trying to spread the word. Even my mum didn’t really understand what I did until she watched a similar Netflix show.

Tidying up tips from Orange Tam

• Start small. Pick a messy drawer or a desktop. • Don’t procrastinate. Start today. • Treat tidying as you might a date: schedule it into your diary. • Declutter one thing a day and make it a habit. You don’t have to do it for hours at a time. • Don’t wait until you are so overwhelmed by your possessions. • If you don’t like tidying up, keep things simple and don’t keep buying more stuff. Orange Tam’s decluttering service costs $400 per hour for a minimum of four hours. Contact her at orange@juppuk.com or via juppuk.com.

HAPPY NEW YOU

Christmas is done and dusted and it’s now 2022. What better time to get fit, take up a hobby or learn a new skill. Go on… you know you want to.

Get Fit - Bootcamps

Outdoor Fitness

Popular trainer Dayle Haigh-Smith will put you through your paces at her three-times weekly bootcamp sessions. Incorporating high-intensity interval training, boxing and TRX in Sai Kung’s natural surroundings, the hour-long sessions will get you fit in no time. You never have to book; just show up and take part. $140 per class or $1,200 for a package of 10. Bootcamps from 8.30am-9.30am and 7.30pm-8.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays; BoxFit from 9am10am on Saturdays. Wai Man Soccer pitch.

outdoorfitness.hk Dragon Fitness & Coaching

Get strong, get healthy, lose weight, learn how to move… Holistic health professional Ally van de Pol’s goal is real lifelong health for everyone and her tips, tricks and protocols will tick all your health boxes. She offers strength training for everybody regardless of condition as well as healing, health and nutrition at her Sai Kung studio as well as occasional workshops and naturopathic health and nutrition coaching. $850 per hour one-on-one and $900 per hour for two people for strength training; coaching from $1,000. Packages available.

dragonfitnessandcoaching.com

WOW (Warren’s Outdoor Workouts)

A training session with Ironman Warren Warner is not for the faint hearted but if you want to shape up and get fit, his full-body workouts tick the box. His Saturday morning WOW sessions at Clearwater Bay Beach 2 or Clearwater Bay Country Park are open to all levels of fitness and offer a different combination of cardio, strength training, HIIT and TRX every week ($150 per person). His annual 12 Days of Christmas and Tour de France workouts are a fixture in the community calendar. Warner also offers individual and personalised small group training. For more information, Whatsapp or call him on 6087 7905.

Yoga & Pilates

The Studio

When it comes to yoga and pilates classes, The Studio has got it covered. Located in the heart of Sai Kung town centre, it offers Hatha yoga, yoga flow, Gentle yoga (pre- and post-natal friendly) and yin flow as well as pilates, Pilates Plus and pilates for teens. There is no joining fee and classes can be paid for on a walk-in basis ($190) or with a package (from $900 for five). Private sessions including aerial yoga are also available from $750 per person per hour. 2/F, 51 Yi Chun St, Sai Kung; thestudiosaikung.com

Julie Dixon

A firm favourite on the local yoga scene, Julie Dixon’s classes combine strength, conditioning, stretching and relaxation with breathwork and meditation thrown in for good measure. She runs small group classes from her rooftop studio on Saturday mornings ($200 per class); larger classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am10.15am and 7.30pm-8.45pm at the Adventist College, just off Clearwater Bay Road, as well as individual private classes. Watch out for her Retreats by the Bay yoga and nutrition days too.

juliedixon65@hotmail.com Sally G Fitness

Getting fit doesn’t have to be a slog. The way Elite Piloxing and Piloxing Booty instructor Sally Gibson does it, you’ll shape up in no time and it won’t even feel like exercise. Awarded Piloxing Instructor of the Year 2021, Gibson combines cardiovascular fitness, strength work and boxing moves to a background of pumping dance music while Gibson’s energy, positivity and enthusiasm motivates you to go for the burn. Contact her at sallygfitness@gmail.com.

Wellness for Life

If you can’t face quarantine but are still hankering for a break, why not sign up to one of Mindy Tagliente’s Be Well individual and corporate full-day retreats to recharge your batteries and reconnect with yourself and nature? Tagliente and her company Wellness for Life used to run retreats abroad but is now focusing on hosting them in stunning and often hidden venues in the New Territories incorporating meditation, mindful movement, stretching, de-stressing and a delicious plantbased lunch. She is also hoping to add Reviv (the company which offers vitamin boost shots) into the mix at some point this year.

wellnessfor-life.com

Pilates with Nocky Lau

Train your core muscles and ease back pain with Pilates classes run by Nocky Lau. Her mat sessions for up to 10 people are for all levels, men and women, and she can teach in Cantonese and English. She usually teaches on Tuesdays at 9am and Wednesdays at 7pm and 8pm at the Man Yee Recreational Centre ($150 per person) but she will also conduct private classes at clients’ homes. WhatsApp her on 9669 2710 and give it a go.

Zumba & Piloxing

Zumba at The Studio

This Latin-inspired cardio workout combines fitness and fun with catchy music and energetic choreography, making your workout less work and more play. The Studio currently runs classes on Wednesdays.

thestudiosaikung.com

Piloxing with Carmina Harrison

For anyone not in the know, piloxing combines boxing, pilates and dance into a high-energy workout that will sculpt, lift and tone your body. Weighted gloves are worn for extra resistance and the class is set to pumping music for extra fun. Piloxer extraordinaire Carmina Harrison runs classes on Mondays at 6pm, Tuesdays at 4.50pm, Wednesdays at 7.20pm and Thursdays at 5.50pm at The Studio in Sai Kung. $170 per class but packages are available. Contact her on

carmina_ayson@yahoo.com

Sports

Dragon Boating & SUP Blue Sky Sports Club

If you’re looking to get fit Hong Kong style, Blue Sky’s Dragon Boat beginner course of two lessons will teach basic dragon boat skills at weekends beginning in March ($480 per person). Once you’ve got to grips with that, you can join the club’s adult team training three sessions a month ($600 per person) - with adult team training also available for kayakers and Stand Up Paddleboarders. Also starting in March are SUP courses for beginners with progression to intermediate level and club membership for one year included in the price ($890 per person). To really set yourself up for the day, Blue Sky’s Morning Paddle Club will get you out on the water at 5am to watch the sun rise. For more information about courses and club membership, contact

info@bluesky-sc.com; bluesky-sc.com FORE Women Golf Society

The Fore Women golf society was set up by Sai Kung resident Polly McGovern to encourage more women to play golf. Membership costs $1,000 for a year and with that you’ll get access to on-course play, structured skills clinics, fun tournaments and the odd round at Kau Sai Chau.

fore-forewomenregistration.golfgenius.com

Sailing Hebe Haven Yacht Club

Hebe Haven Yacht Club runs year-round courses for adults who fancy life on the ocean wave. The HK Sailing Federation’s Level One is an introductory course that provides a brief experience of dinghy sailing for people who have never sailed before and will give them basic skills including boat handling techniques. More advanced courses are also available. Non members: $5,500; members: $3,800.

hhyc.org.hk

Mountain biking Cross Country HK

Cross Country HK offers mountain bike training for all levels from teaching complete non-riders to guiding more advanced bikers who want to explore Hong Kong’s ever expanding network of trails. All bookings have the option of renting a mountain bike plus body armour. If you do get hooked, Cross Country HK offers advice on bike and equipment purchase as well as how to set up your new bike and look after it. mtbhk.com

Mahjong Catherine Man

Get a group of four together and learn to play mahjong. Cantonese and Mandarin tutor Catherine Man will come to your home and teach you the Cantonese way. Sessions typically last two hours and the course is about eight to 10 weeks. Man also runs fun and friendly mahjong tournaments about twice a year from Man Yee Recreation Centre (the yellow building across from Sai Kung square). Whatsapp her on 6441 1227.

First Aid Nurse Sue First Aid

Knowing what to do in a medical emergency can be a matter of life or death - even if that means keeping everyone calm before expert help arrives. Registered nurse Sue Parsons is running comprehensive first aid courses, accredited by the Emergency Care and Safety Institute in the US (ecinstitute.org), for beginners and anyone wanting to brush up their skills, covering topics such as CPR, choking, burns and wound care as well as how to deal with a whole host of other medical situations. She teaches small groups of up to eight people at her Sai Kung home but get a bunch of friends together and she will bring everything to you. She also runs sessions for helpers, which have proved very popular, and students. (Having a first-aid qualification looks great on a university application or CV.) $1,000 per person. nursesuefirstaid@gmail.com

Pottery Kuro Vale

Get messy with clay and try your hand at pottery with Kuro Vale. The well-equipped studio is located above their shop in the Old Town. Classes are held in English on Saturdays from 10.30am-12.30pm; all other classes are bilingual. Each class lasts two hours. Choose from either four lessons ($1,200) or five lessons ($1.500) a month. G/F, 48 See Cheung St, Sai Kung, 2792 0102; facebook.com/kurovale.hk

Sewing

The adult sewing classes at Ensemble CoCreating Space are perfect for anyone who has a sewing machine (but doesn’t know how to use it). Topics covered include the explanation of basic parts, how to thread a machine and wind a bobbin, and perhaps most importantly, how to sew straight stitches ($550 for two hours). Once you’ve mastered that, you can take the pattern cutting and garment making course ($690 for three hours). There are also quilting, patchwork and embroidery classes and if sewing isn’t your thing, try your hand at one of the centre’s cooking classes. 112 Man Nin St, Sai Kung, Whatsapp 6725 2321;

ensemblecocreatingspace.com

Mandarin Linguabox Group

Get to grips with Mandarin through Linguabox’s online one-on-one classes in the comfort of your home. Founded in 2015 by two Mandarin teachers with 30 years of combined experience, Linguabox’s focus is on offering a tailored learning experience, taught by certified native teachers in a fun and practical way. The company is offering the first 25-minute lesson free and thereafter classes cost from $480 for four lessons. Linguabox also provides Cantonese classes. linguaboxgroup.com

Sourdough baking

Zuzana Sisiak will introduce you step by step to the art of baking sourdough. The wholesome bread is handmade with wild yeast and lactobacillus bacteria and is not only delicious but also infinitely healthier than your regular slice. Workshops are held at Ensemble Cocreating Space. 9189 6936;

cucinka@gmail.com

Take a course

The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK)

The OUHK provides more than 230 part-time, on-campus programs as well as online courses in a wide range of subjects from business and administration to education, languages, science and technology to art and social sciences. The OUHK has four campuses around Hong Kong, with the main one being in Ho Man Tin.

ouhk.edu.hk

Hong Kong Design Institute

The HKDI focuses on design programmes offering professional diplomas and certification in design-related courses including fashion, multimedia, architecture, digital marketing , jewellery and product design. 3 King Ling Rd, Tiu Keng Leng, Tseung Kwan O; hkdi.edu.hk

Insight School of Interior Design

The only school in Hong Kong that specialises exclusively in interior design, Insight offers more than 20 short courses such as Renovation Bootcamp, design and styling, feng shui basics and Autocad for beginners, all of which introduce students to the tools of the trade. Part-time interior design certification courses are also available as are year-long professional diplomas. insightschoolhk.com

Online

Coursera

Originally founded by a group of Stanford professors, Coursera has grown to more than 28 million users worldwide. With thousands of subjects to choose from - everything from Spanish to social media marketing - you can pick up all kinds of new skills. You can even complete a course in a day or commit yourself to earning a degree. Prices vary according to the type of course and its duration; certain courses are free. coursera.org

Skillshare

Online learning community Skillshare offers tonnes of courses for creative and curious people on topics ranging from illustrating, creative writing and photography to business analytics, freelancing and entrepreneurship. Premium memberships cost $125 per month and provide unlimited access to more than 18,000 classes. Still unsure? The first month is entirely free. skillshare.com

If you’ve still got some time on your hands in spite of all these new hobbies, how about signing up as a volunteer for local charities?

Sai Kung Stray Friends and Catherine’s

Puppies are two Sai Kung based dog shelters who are always on the lookout for people to help walk, feed and care for the rescue dogs and puppies. We challenge you not to fall in love with at least one of them. Financial donations are also very welcome.

saikungstrayfriends.com catherinespuppies.com

Time Auction is a charity that advocates volunteerism and matches people who want to lend a helping hand with nonprofit organisations who need their skills. The charity posts regular projects and once you’ve clocked up a certain number of hours, you can redeem those for an experience such as meeting noteworthy people, take part in craft workshops and even go on a staycay. timeauction.org