Decluttering Tips To Suit Every Type of Person: 6 Expert Methods for Whipping Your House Into Shape

New year, new you, right? For many, January heralds the start of a new era, whether it involves hunkering down with hot drinks, hitting up the postholiday sales, or turning over a new leaf for the coming 12 months.

But for a lot of people, this time at the start of the year also represents an opportunity to refresh your living space, yanking down festive decor and ridding yourself of clutter to begin the year on the best foot possible.

Whether you own a home or rent a room, tidying and decluttering are a vital part of everyday living—no matter how much you might hate the tasks.

The good news is that you don’t have to follow one particular method for cleaning up your space. In fact, experts say there are tips, tricks, and techniques available to suit all manner of people, from those who love a Sunday reset to those who abhor any form of chore.

That’s right. The reality is, you don’t have to follow the same path as your loved ones when it comes to organizing drawers and closets. Instead, consider the half-dozen choices, below, and then pick the one that suits you best.

Once you’ve chosen your optimal method, take comfort in the fact that your decluttering process will have another positive outcome, in addition to overhauling your living space: You also have the chance to help others by donating the items that you no longer need.

“We’ve never had so many good options for parting with our items, from free neighborhood sites to online marketplaces, plus various charity, thrift, and consignment stores,” says Pamela O’Brien of Pamela Hope Designs.

And some locations might even pay you back for your purchases, which is a win-win if you’re feeling the pinch after the end of year festivities.

But before you jump in, keep these savvy tips in mind from Katie McCann, a professional organizer and owner of Haven.

“Start your project small and avoid taking on too much in one day,” she counsels.

And don’t go it alone! “Enlist help from a family member or friend to act as an accountability partner,” she adds.

Lastly, “reward yourself for any and all progress,” she says.

Truth: Decluttering is hard, physically and emotionally, so be kind to yourself.

1. The Marie Kondo method

What is the Marie Kondo method?

The KonMari method of decluttering comes to us from Marie Kondo, the famous Japanese organizing consultant who penned the 2014 book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” selling millions of copies along the way. She also starred in her own Netflix show, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.”

The method here encourages homeowners to purge their items by category (clothes, books, papers), rather than by room, and to keep only those objects that “spark joy.”

As you cruise your piles, Kondo suggests that you thank your items for their service before tossing or donating them.

Who should try it?

If you’re a fan of mindfulness and intentional living, Kondo just might be your spirit animal. And the pros are behind her.

Laura Burton of the eponymous design firm, for one, identifies with this approach as she likes to work in stages.

“I’m also a believer in not keeping things that don’t bring you joy,” she adds.

2. Five-things approach

What is the five-things approach?

The five-things process is fairly logical—its premise is that there are just a few (five!) kinds of clutter around the house that need tidying. The idea is to attack one or two of the five things in the time you have.

This handful of items includes dishes, trash, laundry or clothes, things that have a place, and things that don’t.

Who should try it?

The five-things idea means you can take on just one or two a day and then take a break. With this approach, you can feel like a hero when every dish is back in the kitchen or the laundry is finally folded and put away.

3. Swedish death cleaning

What is Swedish death cleaning?

This Scandinavian idea might sound morbid, but it’s a gift in disguise. Swedish death cleaning entails ridding your home of junk before you end up leaving the mess to your children to deal with.

Fans of the method suggest starting with easy excess first (junk drawer, clothes that don’t fit) and then moving to more precious things that you might give away to special people in your life. The process is designed to be slow and allows you to keep sentimental objects as you declutter.

Who should try it?

You don’t have to be from Stockholm to consider this idea, nor do you need to be elderly. Instead, give this one a go if you long to reduce personal chaos and (ideally) live a more serene, organized life.

4. One in, one out

What is the one-in, one-out technique?

Simple and streamlined, the one-in, one-out rule means you can’t add another pair of boots until you donate one you already own. The same goes for books, sets of glassware, napkins, etc. If you follow this program properly, you’ll never accumulate more than you should.

Who should try it?

Homeowners who love a strict approach should dive right into this one. It’s rigid—but it works extremely well.

O’Brien herself follows the one-in, one-out method.

“It helps cut down on impulse buying, and if you bring something into the house, it’s a good reminder to remove another item,” she explains

5. 20/20 rule

What is the 20/20 rule?

Nope, this isn’t about eye vision. Rather, the 20/20 way asks you to decide whether you could replace the item you’re thinking of tossing for less than $20 and within 20 minutes, if you needed to.

Who should try it?

Do you have nine spatulas? If so, 20/20 could be for you.

McCann also urges clients to ask similar questions, such as “Is this easily replaceable if I donated it?” and “Is there someone that would value this more?”

6. The four boxes

What is the four-boxes method?

All you need here are a few boxes—four to be exact. Label these “trash,” “donate,” “keep,” and “relocate.”

Who should try it?

It’s easy and visual and very satisfying to toss things in boxes as you move about each room. Every family member can grab the containers for their own spaces, and the boxes can be customized. (You might have a “sell” box, for example.)

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