'I decorate people's Christmas trees for £120 - I'm fully booked for December'

A woman is spreading festive cheer by offering her services as a Christmas tree decorator this year - and is already fully 'booked up' for December.

Sally-Anne Long, a single mother from Reading, has a passion for decorating and owns a clutter-tidying business named Pretty Sorted Life. Knowing that not everyone shares her enthusiasm, especially during Christmas, Sally-Anne has been helping out busy or overwhelmed families by decorating their trees.

The mum adorns them with lights, baubles, tinsel, and even candy canes, charging £90 to £120 depending on the tree size. She will also happily deck out wreaths, tables, and mantelpieces, with a "take-down" service in January also part of the package.

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Sally-Anne, who once worked as a visual merchandise director for retail giants like John Lewis and House of Fraser, said: "I've had the idea for a while and just decided to go for it this Christmas.

"I was pretty surprised by the eager response - but I also get it. People are working and it's a busy time. There's so much going on in their lives. But they still love Christmas and they want it to be special. They want to be able to walk into their living rooms and go, 'Wow! And I can deliver that."

Sally-Anne, a former receptionist, reminisced about her past job, saying: "Back when I was a receptionist, I watched companies pay thousands for 'professionals' to come in and decorate Christmas trees.

She noticed that often these professionals lacked the personal touch, prompting her to think: "But there would be times where I would step in and do it for them as it was clear they didn't really care. And I just thought, 'I could do this'."

Now, she's bringing joy to families with her bespoke tree decorating service. Sharing her enthusiasm, Sally-Anne said: "I'm just here to do whatever makes people happy. If someone likes the tinsel and all that - I'll do it. For others, I've done the traditional look with big shiny baubles. I've even done a candy cane theme."

Sally-Anne caters to all preferences, even for those who cherish their own traditions: "For one family, I just set the tree up and did the lights as they only like putting the decorations on. It's their Christmas tree. I just want to bring them joy."

Her love for Christmas is a family affair, as she and her daughter Jessica bond over tree decorating each year. "I loved Christmas as a child and then I rediscovered my love for it when I had Jessica. She loves all things festive. She'd happily watch a Christmas film every day in December."

For those decking out their own trees, Sally-Anne offers advice especially for artificial tree owners: "If you have a fake tree, the most important job is the one people don't like - fluffing the tree. You have to manipulate the branches properly. It's what makes it look good. If you're looking to save time - buy a pre-lit tree. That's an easy one.

"And if you have a real tree and are doing it all yourself, I'd say, make sure you get the lights right - and start with the big decorations then work your way down in size."

Sally-Anne, who is a professional organiser outside of the festive season, works with neurodiverse people who struggle to keep on top of things at home.

She said: "I have ADHD myself and I work with a lot of neurodiverse people who often have very successful careers but struggle to keep on top of things at home. I feel if you're not in control of your home you often feel you're not in control of your life.

"So my work can really help with people's stress and anxiety. I do a general tidy service, room transformations, and a very popular 'wardrobe workout'. I love what I do."

Sally-Anne is also keen to encourage other people to pursue their dreams. She said: "I think a lot of people think they can't follow their dreams because of the way life goes - and all the responsibilities we have as we get older.

"But I'm a single mother and carer to my daughter, who has mild cerebral palsy. I take my 88 year old dad to hospital appointments. Trust me, you can do it if you want to."

You can find out more about Sally-Anne's business Pretty Sorted Life on her website: https://www.prettysortedlife.com/.