How Mrs Hinch keeps her relateable image despite raking in £2.8 million a year – mum guilt, mess & bargains for her fans
MANY of us may think we have few things in common with someone who raked in a whopping £2.8 million last year alone – but when it comes to Mrs Hinch, you couldn’t be more wrong.
The cleaning influencer, 34, whose real name is Sophie Hinchcliffe, has amassed a staggering 4.8 million followers on Instagram and fast become the most ‘relateable’ celeb mum out there – and it’s easy to see why.
While social media can often present a rather warped view of reality, the mum-of-two, who shares sons Ronnie, four and Lennie, three, with doting husband Jamie, offers a refreshing realness about how hard motherhood can be.
From showing that even cleaning pros can have messy houses to expressing mum guilt like the best of us, it’s no wonder she’s loved by a legion of loyal fans.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous Digital, Hannah Williams, independent PR consultant, explains just how she’s remained so relatable.
“Mrs Hinch has managed to hold on to her relatable image because she has, in a nutshell, kept the authentic voice she started out with – even as she has grown wealthier and more successful,” she says.
“If you began following her on social media years ago because you wanted to get tips on home décor and cleaning from a highly relatable woman, you will absolutely still get that from her now, albeit with slicker execution and delivery (and a more impressive house!)
“Her followers don’t just follow her for tips from a ‘cleanfluencer.’ They also get insights into the highs and lows of family life which, even as she becomes wealthier, feel relatable.”
SHARING HER ‘TRUTH’
One quick stroll through Instagram and chances are you’ll be met with picture perfect posts, but that’s where Sophie differs to other famous faces… because she’s all about keeping it real.
In a world where virtual and reality can often become blurred, the down-to-earth star recently used her platform to share an emotional statement about “therapy”.
Despite what her job may lead people to believe, she told how she’s “not obsessed” with cleaning, before sharing her “truth” behind why she does it.
“People assume I am obsessed with cleaning, the truth is I’m not, I clean because it’s my therapy,” she said in the clip, where she can be seen cleaning her home.
“It helps me feel in control, I feel I have accomplished something each day, it frees my mind from over thinking and over worrying.”
However, the relatable mum-of-two did acknowledge that it completely changed her life.
“In fact cleaning changed my life, 4.8 million followers later, forever grateful for you all. Thank you,” she concluded.
And according to Hannah, sharing “highly personal issues including her struggles with low self-esteem and her son’s autism on social media” is just one way in which Mrs Hinch has remained loved as a down-to-earth star.
“It’s this willingness to be vulnerable that means her followers feel they’re sharing in her success rather than looking at an unattainable ideal,” the PR expert says.
AUTISM AWARENESS
In December last year, Sophie revealed that she and her eldest son Ronnie had been diagnosed with autism.
She explained how they had known “for a while” but were taking time to “process” it as a family before sharing the news publicly.
Alongside a snap where she could be seen cuddling her son, she explained how everything “finally makes sense.”
“Autism. A question I am asked daily. Mrs Hinch, is Ronnie autistic? Yes, our wonderful Ronnie is autistic. In fact, I am too,” she penned.
What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an incurable, lifelong developmental condition that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others.
It affects around one in 100 people in the UK and is three to four times more common in boys than in girls.
Many people with ASD find it hard to understand other people’s feelings and emotions, and they may have difficulty holding conversations.
When they are young, their language development may take longer and they can struggle to use facial expressions, using gestures to communicate instead.
They may also find it hard to connect with other people and to hold eye contact with unfamiliar individuals.
Many children with ASD like to follow a routine, and changes to this can cause distress.
High functioning autism is an informal term some people use to describe those on the autism spectrum disorder.
“Both Ron and I have had confirmation for a while now. We decided as a family to take our time to process, to learn, to grow and to find our way together before we shared.
“So that’s exactly what we did and are continuing to do each day. We have hard days but we also have lots of magical days. And if only everyone accepted and understood autism, the world really would be a much better place.
“Ronnie, thank you for being ours, for being so precious and simply incredible. Because of you everything finally made sense to me after 33 years.”
She went on to say that her son is her “absolute inspiration” in life, adding that she’ll always be right there for him.
PARENTING STRUGGLES
From feeding choices to sleep routines, mums can often find themselves feeling guilty about pretty much any aspect of parenting – and it turns out Mrs Hinch is no different.
She’s also candidly opened up about the mum guilt she feels with having to leave her sons at home while she heads out to work.
“I try leaving the house until after I’ve done the school run, but sometimes it doesn’t work like that, and I feel the guilt all day, needing to get home before they go to bed,” she confessed, speaking to Hello!
“It’s like I’ve got this thing to get home for that time.
“Or if I get stuck in traffic and miss bedtime, I get a terrible feeling.”
Her followers don’t just follow her for tips from a ‘cleanfluencer.’ They also get insights into the highs and lows of family life which, even as she becomes wealthier, feel relatable
Hannah Williams
The cleanfluencer, who made her fortune flogging cleaning products, running Instagram ads and book deals, added that she often has to remind herself that the hard work is for the benefit of her kids in the long run.
She also went on to share the tough realities of parenthood, noting that most days she questions whether she’s doing something wrong.
The busy mum revealed that she and husband Jamie often look at each other and admit, “wow, this is hard!” and revealed that her sons, who are complete opposites, regularly get into fights, leaving her to “act like a referee.”
But despite all of the tough times that come with being a mum, she said she “wouldn’t change it for the world.”
HOME & ANIMALS
Hannah points out that Mrs Hinch’s move to ‘Hinch Farm’ – a much bigger and more luxurious property – could have diminished her relatability.
However, she notes that it seems not to have had any such impact.
“This could partly be because she’s been candid about not wanting to move in the first place, but also because she’s shared in the effort taken to decorate it and make the place feel like home,” she says.
“The fact she now keeps three alpacas in her impressive garden seems to be more about her animal-loving, quirky personality rather than about traditional status symbols.”
And while she may have risen to fame thanks to her cleaning tips and tricks, Mrs Hinch isn’t afraid to show that even cleaning pros can have messy homes sometimes, either.
Always keen to be honest with her followers, she told Hello: “I like to show my mess, I mean, my playroom, you can’t even see the floor!
“I’ve got a clean home, but it’s not very tidy, put it that way! But I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t want it to be!”
In March, the internet sensation, who lives in a £1.1 million house, took to Instagram and showed a snap of her now-chaos-strewn boot room when it was first finished over a year ago.
The room featured stunning patterned tiles, in addition to wooden elements and neutral light cream walls, and was completely mess-free.
However, twelve months on and she showed how the room looks almost unrecognisable after being piled high with everything from coats, to a broom and tins of paint.
Addressing her social media followers, she asked: ”So, who remembers our boot room?
”This is how it looked when we first completed it. But after a year or so of everyday of use…
”This is right now.”
After dedicating the weekend to ”hoping to get it back in some sort of order,” she set to work putting all of the items back in their rightful places, before giving it a spritz.
”Call me crazy – but this has cheered me up!” she said.
AFFORDABLE CLEANING RANGE
With the cost-of-living crisis impacting households up and down the country, many of us are trying to cut back on costs wherever we can.
And Mrs Hinch most certainly kept this in mind when she recently launched her new ‘Vacay Vibes’ collection with Home Bargains – and with prices starting from just £2.99, it’s little wonder her fans are totally “obsessed.”
Taking to Instagram, she showed off the new Orange Blossom & Coastal Cypress products, which include Bold Pods, Lenor Scent Boosters, Lenor Outdoorable and Bold Gel.
“I launch two laundry collections a year – a Spring/Summer one and an Autumn/Winter one,” she wrote.
“And I’ve been working for over a year on this one and it’s here and I can share it. My Spring/Summer 2024 collection, I’m buzzing.
“You can get your Lenor, your gel, your beads, your pods, whatever – find it, try it, please tell me what you think – I think it’s my best yet.”
It’s this willingness to be vulnerable that means her followers feel they’re sharing in her success rather than looking at an unattainable ideal
Hannah Williams
Hannah says: “It can be tricky for an influencer to partner with a brand and stay true to the things that made them relatable in the first place.
“After all, most of us are savvy enough to know that a brand partnership usually comes with a pretty healthy payday.”
However, she explains how Mrs Hinch has pulled this off “spectacularly well” by working with brands who enable her to stay “true to herself” and are relevant to her followers.
“Home Bargains, beloved by so many of us who want to make our hard-earned cash go further, is an inspired choice,” the PR expert continues.
“If you follow her on Instagram, chances are, you’ll be interested in buying a cleaning product or two from her affordable and accessible range.”
BARGAIN TIPS AND TRICKS
Just like many parents up and down, Mrs Hinch is all too familiar with the idea of trying to keep kids entertained on long flights or during the school holidays.
So, she’s also given a helping hand to struggling mums and dads by suggesting some cheap and cheerful activities that’ll help time pass a lot smoother.
Amongst them include a genius DIY activity book she claims is “perfect for long car journeys, flights or even when we pop out for dinner” – and all you need are a few bargain purchases from Amazon.
People assume I am obsessed with cleaning, the truth is I’m not, I clean because it’s my therapy
Mrs Hinch
The cleaning sensation, who credited the idea to @abbieflake, took to Instagram and explained: “I bought some zipped ring-binder pockets on Amazon and attached those.
“These little squidgy, stretchy things – the boys love them.
“They suction onto aeroplane windows, car windows…put them in!”
She then went on to say how she also included a reusable scribble mat that came with pens so they can draw on them, rub it out and go again, while she also added in LEGO.
She continued: “My boys love anything with buttons, so a cheap calculator and some flash cards went in.
“These – my boys love a lock and key.
“They open and close and also double up as a moving car.
“And there you go – a DIY activity book all in one place – perfect for car journeys or flights. Enjoy!”
Who is Mrs Hinch and what is her net worth?
Sophie found fame online thanks to her cleaning hacks and spotless home interiors.
The cleaning guru revealed that at the time, she wasn’t looking for fame online, but decided to create the Home account to avoid “clogging up my personal Instagram and boring everyone with home pictures”.
In her 20s, the star suffered from “anxiety and panic attacks” — but found that cleaning would help her cope.
“I would then get up and grab a cloth or a mop or a hoover and just start going.”
As reported by the Sun last year, in 2023, Mrs Hinch’s Instagram account makes Sophie the second best paid cleaning influencer in the world.
Research has revealed the cleaning-obsessed mum rakes in an average of £5.9k every time she posts on social media.
Sharing another idea, she posted about the arts and craft piece she bought from Home Bargains to keep her kids busy.
“So we have some Home Bargain canvases, pack of three,” she wrote. “And then we’ve got a mega crafts jar.”
The Colvin and Co Artists canvas retail at £6.98 for two packs, meaning you get six canvases for under £7.
The proud mum bought a mega mega crafts jar which has over 100 pieces for kids to add to their canvases, such as pom pom balls, heart shaped stickers and colourful shredded paper.
Once her son’s pieces have properly dried, she’ll have a sentimental piece of artwork to frame.