Originally from Cugnaux, Cécilia Chopo will be every Wednesday, at 9:05 p.m., from March 29, on M6, in “Grand débarras, un tri à tout prix”. A show where she helps a household to declutter its interior. The objects are sold to finance their project. Interview.
How did you come to put your expertise at the service of TV?
Following a meeting, in the spring of 2019, with 909 production, which designed, in partnership with Guili, this program, which allows French people to find a tidy interior and purchasing power. They found me on the internet quite easily since I am one of the first French consultants for Marie Condo, who is the star of storage. I loved the project because it carries many positive values. It is not just entertaining but also useful.
How long have you been doing this job?
Since 2017, I have been one of the pioneers, but today there are more and more of us. And that’s very good because we provide services that do good and bring real added value in everyday life.
The principle of the show is therefore to go to a home, sort, store and sell the objects at auction. The money raised is used to finance the project established by the family…
Absolutely. It is a question of taking charge of the whole process until the realization of the dream of the families.
For your first show, you play at home, since you work with three women (the mother, the daughter and the granddaughter) who live under the same roof near Muret. Was it reassuring?
Yes, and very practical in terms of logistics because filming remains quite demanding. There, we were able to spend an afternoon with them to get to know them and in the evening, I could go home, to Cugnaux, which is quite good.
These three women are very endearing…
Yes, they are awesome. At home, we really rediscovered the warmth of the Toulouse South. They made us feel very welcome, we ate cakes. We really wanted to help them. They embarked on this cohabitation for economic reasons. But it can be complicated even when you love each other, especially when the values are different depending on the generation.
Nathalie suffers from the hoarder syndrome. How did you see it?
Very often, it is in connection with the clothes where one finds the same one in several specimens, sometimes in various sizes and some still with labels. The hoarder buys more than she can carry.
Your method for decluttering cabinets is to make a pile of their contents. For what ?
It is a painful stage because it causes an electric shock, an awareness which allows, each time, the person to see the quantity of objects possessed. This step is essential to get out of the denial phase. In general, it works well.
How do you help the person get rid of unnecessary items?
Traditionally, we work on objects that bring us positive emotions. If so, they need to stay in our lives. On the other hand, if they carry regrets, sadness, guilt, they must be taken out. However, sorting is not an end in itself. We are not happier because we have nothing in our cupboards. In the show, the candidates are really motivated by their final project. With that goal in mind, it was much easier to sort.
Because the objects will be sold at auction to finance their project?
Absolutely, that’s the whole point of this program. Admittedly, it’s always great to have uncluttered spaces, it soothes and you feel better there. But, we arrive at this result more easily when we know that we are doing it for a good reason.
Often you are told: “Why throw it away, it doesn’t take up space”…
Already, I am not for throwing away but rather for recycling, selling, or giving away. But each object owned is under your responsibility, it must be stored, maintained, possibly moved. By force, we become a slave to our objects, we live in their homes.
Are you ever discouraged?
So no. For me, disorder stimulates me. It is better anyway. When I see a messy space, I think it’s a challenge.
What are your tips for maintaining order after your visit?
The best solution so that there is no relapse is to act in a spectacular way. The faster we sort and tidy up, the more incredible the results will be, the less we will tend to relapse.
What is your reward?
See the reaction of families when they discover our work.
Your assessment of this experience?
Incredible and very tiring because we do a lot of work. Vanille and I spent sleepless nights.
