The internet is swollen with decluttering methods, all of which have their advantages, whether it’s a neat trick for deciding what to keep or a way to stay motivated. Here’s a rundown on some of the leading clutter-busting methods.
Ski slope method
Seriously cluttered spaces cause mess paralysis, but the ski slope method helps tackle them incrementally. Block out the room at large and focus on one corner (or a small section, like a drawer). Once that’s done and you’re glowing with accomplishment, you “ski” to the next section, criss-crossing the room and leaving order in your wake. Swish, swish.
Swedish death cleaning
Though it sounds like a Nordic noir novel, the concept of Swedish death cleaning – essentially, clearing out your junk before you pop off – is a gift for your loved ones in the event of your demise. Where it differs from other decluttering methods is the intention behind the process – in thinking about how your family might deal with your collected stuff, you’re motivated to simplify, to catalogue your treasures (maybe gifting some sentimental items in the process), and to get super practical (ordering your finances and your digital life, too).
KonMari
Marie Kondo’s KonMari method had everyone earnestly thanking their socks and origami-ing their undies, but the basic principle is solid – does an item “spark joy” (is it useful, and do you like it?), and if not, thank it for its service and discard it. “For people who are very sentimental, this method can work really well,” says Alaina Dalzell of Tidy Life Solutions. She adds, “Another useful KonMari technique is decluttering by type, rather than by room. For example, grouping all of the black T-shirts together makes it easier to see how many you have and which ones are the best to keep. Or, tackling paperwork in one session.”
30-day minimalism
Struggling with motivation? Make it a game. This month-long challenge is best played with a friend. On day one, you get rid of one defunct item – bin, donate, or sell it. On day two, select two items and so on. It gets harder as you go along and the person who makes it furthest through the month wins. Introducing an element of competition is a great incentive, and if you make it 30 days, that’s 465 items gone.
12-12-12
This is a similar numbers-based game: each day you find 12 items to bin, 12 items to donate and 12 to put away in their proper place. The idea is to give you a realistic target and a sense of accomplishment, without the pressure to finish the whole job in one go.
Five-second rule
This ruthless decluttering method is not for the faint of heart. You have five seconds to decide if an item is a keeper or a chucker, forcing decisiveness and preventing you from playing mind games with yourself (I might fit/use it one day, it’s wasting money to ditch it, etc). Have a bin bag and a donation box ready and hot potato each item from your hands as quickly as possible.
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