India, Jan. 30 -- For as long as we've had things, we've had to organise them. Harappan pots? Stacked neatly, by the hearth. The end of Medieval winter? Cue spring cleaning in every town home. Messy modern life? The Association of Professional Organizers has been around since 1983. Marie Kondo didn't invent tidying up. Those fridge restock Reels, the mason-jar pantry, the colour-coded stationery drawer and the 5/5/5 decluttering rule - it's just a new chapter to an old story.

But it's a chapter that's overwhelming us enough that we're willing to pay for help. Even Indian homes, where house help do the cleaning, are now hiring professional organisers to help sort out household and wardrobe chaos. It's more than Keep This - Chuck That. Get...