15 decluttering methods that will transform the way you clean
With so many decluttering trends around, there is undoubtably going to be one or two that perfectly suit your tidying needs. If you’ve seen the latest declutter buzzwords and haven’t a clue what any mean, read on and be inspired to purge of your home of unwanted possessions.
1. Cobwebbing
This trend has been all over social media recently, encouraging anyone dating to clear out emotional baggage and memories from past relationships, so they can welcome in new opportunities, but it can be applied to your home declutter, too.
We all hold on to items such as books, photos, souvenirs, even clothing, that has an emotional tie to it. But if the feeling is anything other than joy – perhaps when you see it you feel guilt or regret – it’s time to let it go.
Even if the item was once useful to you, if it no longer serves a purpose in the present, thank it and donate, sell, recycle or bin it. Then you can physically ‘blow away the cobwebs’ once your space is clear, too, with a deep clean before styling or storing the treasures you’re keeping.
2. Swedish Death Cleaning
This method was made popular in 2017 with Margareta Magnusson’s book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, and it’s still a popular method of home organisation today.
The idea is that you clear your home of anything you wouldn’t want your family to have to deal with after you die. Sounds morbid doesn’t it? But it’s an excellent motivator because the concept is based on love. You’re saving your nearest and dearest from the mundane task of sorting through your paperwork, old jewellery, over-flowing kitchenware, garage full of tool boxes and the like.
The drawback is that this is a big job so it can feel overwhelming, but perhaps you can combine one of the following methods to make it easier…
3. The 12-12-12 Method
Joshua Becker at Becoming Minimalist came up with this one. Grab three bin bags and go around your house from room to room finding the following: 12 items to donate, 12 to throw away and 12 to return to their proper home.
This is a good one to do if you’re short on time in a messy family home, for near instant results. Sometimes, we make better decisions when we need to make them fast – you’ll get a gut feeling for what you no longer need and making it a set number of items further focuses the mind.
4. The KonMari Method
The method that started them all! Well, the heightened interest in decluttering techniques amongst the masses that is. Household name, Marie Kondo, published The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying-Up in 2010 and with it, the phrase, ‘Does it spark joy?’ Her six rules:
- Commit yourself to tidying up. This is not a quick fix for a messy room or a once-in-a-while approach.
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle. See the process of decluttering as a turning point from old life into new.
- Finish discarding first. Keep nothing that anchors you to the past in a negative way.
- Tidy by category, not by location. Keep like with like, in other words.
- Follow the right order. Pick the easiest things to declutter first – typically clothes.
- Ask yourself if it sparks joy. Keep only things that make you happy.
5. The 1-3-5 Method
This one is great if the idea of decluttering your home makes you anxious or overwhelmed, because it breaks one big job into smaller manageable chunks. The idea is that you choose one large task, 3 medium tasks and 5 small tasks. An example might be:
- 1 large task: sort out the spare room
- 3 medium tasks: put washing away, relocate items to more appropriate rooms in the house, clear surfaces
- 5 small tasks: dust, hoover, make the bed, style the bedside table, put out fresh towels
One Hour Method
Another favoured technique if you’re time-poor or stressed out by a huge to-do list is to use a one-hour timer. Every day, designate just 60 minutes to one specific task – such as organising the shoe cupboard, cleaning the bathroom cabinet or going through your cutlery drawer – and stop when the time is up.
Within a month you’ll have a tidy, organised home. This method depends very much on the way you prefer to work. If you’re someone who cannot rest till a job is completed, this is not for you! You’ll be even more frustrated than before! But if you can live with half-finished jobs for a day or two, it’s a much less full-on method of decluttering.
Reverse Decluttering
This term is a little confusing, but Reverse Decluttering is essentially centred on focussing on what you want to keep rather than what you want to get rid of. In that way, it’s a much more positive spin on tidying that puts prized possessions first. Here’s how it works:
First, focus on what to keep. In each room, consider items you cherish, use regularly or find valuable, in any sense of the word. Next, gather these together in a Keep box or area of the room. Now this bit may seem brutal but the next step is to discard the rest! Donate, sell, recycle or throw away everything else in the room. Revisit and reassess often, to keep on top of clutter.
30-Day Minimalist Challenge
This is fun if you thrive on turning mundane tasks like tidying into a game. Designed by Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus and TK Coleman, hosts of The Minimalists, this turns decluttering into a month-long challenge.
The rules? On the first day, get rid of one thing, on the second day, two things, on the third day, three, and so on until you’ve gotten rid of a total of 465 items by Day 30! It’s strangely enjoyable and rewarding.
The Minimalist Game (#minsgame)
…Now take the 30-Day Challenge and add in a bit of competition: convince a friend to take part too. The winner is the person who can keep the challenge going for the longest during the month. Documenting your progress for each other is an excellent motivator.
Core 4 Method
Home organisation professional Kayleen Kelly devised this one to help us mere mortals think more like a tidying expert. Her suggestion is to break it all down into four steps: clear out, categorise, cut out, and contain.
This is the method you see on TV shows like Sort Your Life Out. You must empty the space entirely first, clean, sort through your items grouping like with like, decide what to keep and what to throw away, then fit it all back into your space in a more considered way.
This sounds daunting, but you don’t have to tackle the whole house at once! Start with an easier room, such as the downstairs toilet or a home office and work your way up to the kitchen!
Four-Box Method
‘Keep, donate, trash, relocate’. That’s the four boxes (or piles) you need for this easy method. If you like less fuss and just want to get on with it, this one is for you.
Project 333
If you’re all about fashion but feel you’re drowning in your clothes, this is a really enlightening challenge to try. Devised by author and anti-stress advocate Courtney Carver, Project 333 invites you to wear only 33 items for 3 months in a bid to demonstrate you can live with far less stuff and enjoy having a minimalist wardrobe.
Your 33 items include shoes, clothes, accessories and jewellery, excluding underwear, sleeping/lounge/workout clothing and jewellery you wear every day, such as a wedding ring. The idea is that you box everything else up and put it away for three months.
Make a note as you go of anything you suddenly really miss wearing. After you’ve completed the challenge, you can then assess what’s in the box and decide what to part with for good.
The Sunday Reset
It’s no surprise that this huge online trend has stuck and it can certainly apply to your decluttering as well as your batch cooking, plant-watering and self-care. The trend first emerged on TikTok, and it’s fuelled by a desire to start each week refreshed, relaxed and organised.
Be inspired by the trend-setters cleaning, tidying and tackling life admin on what used to be the day of rest so that the start of the week is stress-free. It’s surprisingly satisfying and addictive!
Project Pan
This recent trend originated in the beauty world and is all about finishing a make-up product before buying a similar one, i.e. getting to the bottom of your eyeshadow packaging so you can see the metal pan underneath, also described as ‘hitting pan’. It’s an idea that gained traction in the online beauty content sphere to encourage mindful consumption and resist clutter.
You can apply it to your homewares, wardrobe and pantry/fridge as well as your bathroom cabinet. Take a moment to consider things you may have lots of such as unlit scented candles or pretty notebooks as yet unused. Enjoy the process of using what you have before buying more.
The 50/50 Rule
Let’s end on one for the curators amongst you – the 50/50 Rule. Bring together your complete collection of art, knick knacks and other decorative items and pick just half of them to display. Put the rest away in colour-themed or seasonal groups and bring them out every few months for a refresh. You’ll be shopping your own belongings and not spending a penny! It’s also a real mood-booster to rediscover treasured items in this way.
Swap fast fashion for a sustainable wardrobe
A great way to tackle clutter is by ditching fast fashion and adopting a more mindful, sustainable approach to your wardrobe. Discover our tips for extending the life of your clothes and embracing slower fashion in our article.
