This model-cum-emcee takes on a new role completely away from the spotlight: a professional organizer. 

Joyce Yeung remembers the shocking question her client had asked at her first job as a professional organizer: “Garbage is something you need to throw away?” Within the 70sqft bedroom, mounds of clothes, stuffed toys, crinkled shoe boxes and bulging plastic bags camouflaged the floor. No bed was in sight. 

After two days of disposing, decluttering and reorganizing, the playthings found their new home in a drawer, winter coats were draped over hangers, and the floor was revealed – it was mahogany brown. Not only did the client finally understand where garbage should go, her parents – who share the same roof and similar messes – also attempted to correct their bad habits after Joyce’s cleanup mission. 

Having graduated from the Japan Shuno Licensing Association in December 2023, Joyce wears many hats – model, emcee, event host, and for the first time away from the spotlight, a professional organizer. She says every organizational case is a unique challenge on its own: a key one is discarding sentimental keepsakes. 

Joyce claims coercion is not her style, as this might cause extreme overreactions – for instance, revenge shopping. Instead, she guides through questions and suggestions, say reducing two of five similar-looking stuffed toys or memorializing the objects through digital photographs to save space. 

Once the disposing is completed, Joyce carves out a “golden zone” – or the most frequented space – for daily necessities and rearranges the remaining belongings according to the client’s movements around the room. Admittedly, she says professional organization is rarely a one-off service as old habits are hard to nip in the bud. She’s even taken up clients who ring her up every season to conduct a thorough wardrobe switch. 

“Most often than not, people who call on professional organizers already have a voice in their head telling them that something’s not right. They just need someone to lead them in the right direction,” she says. 

Joyce laments that embarrassment and guilt are often the biggest deterrents to seeking help. 

“I once bought 28 pieces of clothing all in one go: that was the wake-up call I needed. Having clutter is not something to be shameful about, especially in land-strapped Hong Kong. We all want a comfortable living space; be proud that you’ve addressed the problem and are taking an active step to finding a solution.” 

Sharing the Spotlight 
Measuring 175cm-tall with an education in the entertainment industry, Joyce dabbled in journalism for a year before signing with modelling agency, Primo, in 2015. Her face has graced commercials and advertisements for Adidas, Ocean Park Hong Kong, Philips, MTR Hong Kong and more – each a boost in her fake-it-till-you-make-it confidence. 

“When I took my first modelling job for Philips, I thought I only had to show my face, do a few shots; but it turned out to be a scripted monologue with interview segments. The pressure is real when my subpar performance can hinder the whole team.” Joyce said. “Even after being in the spotlight for a decade, my hands still quiver before going up on stage, but I’ve learned to stifle the fear because I only get one shot in getting the job done right.” 

In the early 2020s, she was recruited as an event host for glowing labels like Sino Group, Cartier, Longines, Tiffany & Co. and Shiseido, where her newfound fluency in introducing jewelry lines and product features sparked the idea of adding another skill to her already illustrious resume: emceeing. 

Upon graduation from the Hong Kong M.C. Association Limited, COVID-19 hit – a time when banquets and large gatherings saw draconian restrictions or were outright banned. Yet, her initial fruitless years as an emcee were soon rewarded with an abundance of jobs when a wedding frenzy hit Hong Kong after social-distancing restrictions were lifted. Though she was still inexperienced, the influx of wedding receptions meant the Association was quick to hand her solo jobs based on her entertainment-cum-modelling background. 

But unlike a model, an emcee is a support role away from the limelight – something her mentors had warned would be a challenge given her outstanding looks and height. 

“A mentor outright told me I shouldn’t even touch wedding emcee jobs because I’d outshine the couple,” Joyce said. Till this day, she’d dwarf her looks by wearing flats and earth tones. “I was worried, of course, but my face and height are not something I can change.”

The turning point, however, was her first job. A couple had requested a male emcee through the Association: no one was available, so Joyce was assigned, much to the newlyweds’ dismay. Yet to her surprise, her professionalism was met with praise from the bride and even referrals from the groom. 
“The double approval caused quite the commotion amongst my mentors; I guess that was when I really started to believe that emceeing could be my next calling.” 

Since then, she’s handled weddings with only three days’ notice; a guest list that ballooned almost two-fold; venues with light, sound and stage malfunctions; and even a mother-in-law that threatened to walk away at the sight of her estranged husband at the start of the reception. 

Though Joyce’s latest pursuit as a professional organizer is seemingly a 180-degree turn away from her familiar spotlight, she claims her goal has never changed: to bring joy, whether in a shoot, to blushing newlyweds or to people in need of a little help with tidying. In the process, she’s happy to share the stage. 

“Advertisers choose me for my looks, so I know my assignment is to grab eyeballs. In weddings, I am just the support act, so I know to tone down my overall presence – that’s normal. As an organizer, I can retreat even further from the spotlight – these roles can all coexist if the end goal is to experience their happiness.” 

Tidying Tips
Joyce shares three pointers for tidying. 

1. Don’t overdo it: discard your items in small batches to prevent negative overreactions. 
2. Assess your wardrobe regularly or when you make purchases by asking yourself questions such as, “will this item be important or in vogue a decade from now?” and “what’s its connection to you?” 
3. There’s nothing shameful about clutter. Seek professional help when the situation has spiraled out of control. 

_{Text by Joyce Yip}