How to Declutter Your Home

Clutter creeps in quietly, one object at a time, until it becomes a source of stress, stagnation, and overwhelm.

Whether it’s the overflowing drawer you dread opening or the garage you can’t walk through, clutter affects your space and your state of mind.

Research from UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives and Families shows that excessive household clutter correlates directly with elevated cortisol levels and decreased life satisfaction.

But while the effects are heavy, the path to clarity is absolutely possible and incredibly rewarding. Decluttering isn’t a one-size-fits-all activity.

That’s why this guide introduces you to seven distinct, expert-approved methods, each offering a unique approach to simplifying your home.

While the internet is loaded with decluttering tips, these techniques are proven and expert-recommended.

Whether you’re just starting or looking to take it deeper, these techniques will meet you exactly where you are.

The Ski Slope Method: Smooth, Structured Progress Through Any Room

The Ski Slope Method, created by therapist and interior designer Anita Yokota, offers a strategic way to declutter a space without feeling overwhelmed.

The concept borrows from the rhythm of skiing downhill. Rather than charging straight down the mountain, you traverse the slope from side to side. This lateral movement allows you to tackle a room gradually and mindfully.

This approach is ideal for people who feel emotionally blocked by decluttering an entire room at once. You build momentum and maintain clarity by narrowing your focus to one slice at a time.

How to Practice the Ski Slope Method:

• Choose a starting point at the "top" of the room, typically one corner.

• Begin working across one wall or section (left to right).

• Fully declutter that side: clear, sort, and clean.

• Move downward, continuing your side-to-side motion until you reach the bottom of the room.

• Avoid jumping ahead and stay in your “lane” to prevent burnout or decision fatigue.

This decluttering solution brings immediate structure to chaotic rooms and helps build confidence through consistent, manageable wins.

Swedish Death Cleaning: Decluttering with Intention and Legacy

Despite its dramatic name, Swedish Death Cleaning, introduced by Margareta Magnusson, is not about death at all.

It's about lightening your load for the future and being mindful of the things you choose to keep in the present. While initially designed for those later in life, this method is deeply valuable at any age.

Swedish Death Cleaning encourages you to consider whether your belongings would be meaningful or burdensome to someone else. It's not about getting rid of everything but about curating a life filled with what matters.

How to Practice Swedish Death Cleaning:

• Begin with low-emotion items (clothes, cookware, paperwork).

• With each object, ask: Would I want someone else to deal with this when I’m gone?

• Let go of anything redundant, broken, or no longer adds value.

• If an item has sentimental value, document its story or gift it with intention.

• Move slowly, and this is a method of reflection, not urgency.

This process fosters emotional clarity and offers a surprisingly uplifting way to reconnect with your values.

The Four-Box Method: Fast, Clear Sorting for Immediate Progress

The Four-Box Method is perfect for beginners or anyone looking for a low-barrier starting point. Its simplicity is its power: rather than getting lost in decisions; you classify everything into four actionable categories.

This method is beneficial for organizing small areas like drawers, closets, or countertops where clutter accumulates quickly.

How to Practice the Four-Box Method:

• Gather four containers and label them: Keep, Donate, Sell, and Trash.

• Choose a space (a shelf, a closet, a whole room).

• Handle each item and assign it to a box, no skipping, no “maybe” pile.

• When finished, take action immediately: bag up donations, photograph items to sell, and throw out trash.

• Organize the “keep” box before moving on to the next space.

This method offers momentum through visual progress, which can be extremely motivating in the early stages.

The KonMari Method: Sparking Joy Through Selective Living

Marie Kondo’s now-iconic KonMari Method focuses on emotional connection rather than utility. The core question is simple yet profound: Does this item spark joy? If it does, you keep it. If not, you thank it for its service and let it go.

KonMari is unique because it asks you to organize by category rather than room, allowing for more profound clarity about what you own and use.

How to Practice the KonMari Method:

• Follow Kondo’s category order: Clothes, Books, Papers, Komono (miscellaneous), and Sentimental Items.

• Gather all items in one category before starting (e.g., all your clothes from every room).

• Pick up each item and think: Does this spark joy?

• If yes, keep and organize it. If not, thank it aloud and set it aside.

• Once a category is done, move on to the next.

While emotional, this method leads to a space filled only with things you love and intentionally choose to keep.

The Packing Party: A Radical Reset for a Fresh Start

The Packing Party, introduced by The Minimalists, is a bold decluttering experiment that helps you evaluate what you actually use versus what you think you need. It involves packing your entire home as if you were moving without leaving.

This method is especially impactful during significant life transitions, such as moving, downsizing, or simplifying your lifestyle.

How to Practice the Packing Party:

• Pack up all your belongings into boxes, yes, everything.

• Over the next 21 days, only unpack what you use.

• At the end of the period, review what’s still packed.

• Sell, donate, or discard anything that never made it out of a box.

• Reflect on what you genuinely need and adjust your storage accordingly.

This is not for the faint of heart, but the insight it brings can be life-changing.

The Minimalism Game: Gamify the Process and Build Momentum

The Minimalism Game makes decluttering a fun, shared challenge. Created by The Minimalists, it assigns several items to discard based on the day of the month: 1 item on Day 1, 2 on Day 2, and so on. It’s ideal for competitive personalities or those who thrive with structure and accountability.

How to Practice the Minimalism Game:

• Choose a month and start on Day 1.

• Declutter many items daily (e.g., 10 items on Day 10).

• Remove them from your home on the same day. Don’t delay.

• Challenge a friend or family member to play along.

• By Day 30, you’ll have removed 465 items.

Though it ramps up quickly, it’s a powerful motivator and can turn decluttering into a daily habit.

The “One In, One Out” Rule: The Secret to Staying Decluttered

Once your home is simplified, you’ll want to keep it that way. The “One In, One Out” rule is a simple, lifelong habit that helps you maintain equilibrium.

Every time something new enters your home, something old must leave. This method doesn’t require a decluttering session; it builds order naturally over time.

How to Practice the One In, One Out Rule:

• Before purchasing or accepting anything new, ask: What am I willing to give up in exchange?

• Remove that item immediately, donate, sell, or discard.

• Designate a “goodbye basket” for outgoing items and clear it regularly.

• Apply the rule to everything: clothes, decor, toys, tools.

When practiced consistently, this method keeps clutter from ever returning in the first place.

When You Need Room to Breathe, Create It First

Even with the best methods, decluttering large spaces or entire homes can be overwhelming without temporary space to sort, store, or reset.

If you’re downsizing, renovating, or just trying to reclaim your home, having a safe, accessible storage solution can make all the difference.

That’s where The Mobile Storage Guy comes in. With portable storage units delivered to your doorstep, you can declutter room by room without the pressure of deciding everything immediately.

Whether you need to clear space during a remodel, stage a home for sale, or store sentimental items as you decide what to keep, flexible, on-site storage allows you to work through the process at your own pace.

And since The Mobile Storage Guy is veteran-owned and trusted by homeowners across the region, you can count on secure, weatherproof storage with real human service. Sometimes, the first step to letting go is just having a little space to think.

Conclusion: Clear Space, Clear Mind, One Thoughtful Step at a Time

Decluttering your home is more than a task; it’s a thoughtful act of creating space around and within you.

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or simply seeking a fresh start, taking control of your environment can bring a powerful calm and clarity.

From emotionally mindful methods like Swedish Death Cleaning and KonMari to practical approaches like the Four-Box Method and the Minimalism Game, a path suits every personality and lifestyle.

If you're unsure where to begin, the Ski Slope Method is a gentle and effective place to start. Its structured, side-to-side approach breaks down even the most cluttered rooms into manageable sections, helping you stay focused without feeling burned out.

And no matter your chosen method, remember that you don’t need to do it all at once. Progress comes in one drawer, box, or small decision at a time.

When space feels tight, or you need time to sort through belongings, The Mobile Storage Guy is here to make the process easier.

With portable, secure storage units delivered right to your home, you can declutter at your own pace without crowding your space.

It’s a helpful, flexible way to relieve the pressure as you create a home that feels lighter, calmer, and more like you.