How to Declutter Your Home: 6 Approaches Beyond the KonMari Method

Time to clean up.

Whether it’s to spring clean in preparation for seasonal celebrations (like Chinese New Year), or to simply create more storage space, decluttering is a necessary part of everyday living to keep our spaces functional.

One of the most famous decluttering methods is none other than the KonMari method – but it may not be practical for some (which includes Marie Kondo herself, by the way!. Thankfully, there are other decluttering approaches you can adopt, so simply choose one that works for you and your lifestyle:

1. Swedish death cleaning

As morbid as the name sounds, Swedish death cleaning is, at its core, a thoughtful and functional process.

Taken from the Swedish word döstädning (death cleaning), it’s a method that aims to lessen the burden of decluttering on your loved ones after your passing. You pick out the items that are either deemed essential or meaningful, and get rid of the rest (either by donating them or by throwing them away).

While it’s traditionally done by people in their later years, the approach can also be done by anyone eager to declutter their home. Typically, you start out small and with low-emotion objects (like books and clothes) before moving on to bigger spaces and items with more emotional weight (like photo albums and gifts from loved ones).

Who should adopt this method: As Swedish death cleaning is a more gradual process (and not something you complete in a single sitting), it’s most suited for people who are keen on changing their lifestyles over time, rather than those rushing out a last-minute decluttering for Chinese New Year and the like.

2. Inyo onyo

Almost everything involves balance, like light and dark, movement and stillness, and so on. And inyo onyo applies this idea of balance to decluttering – by shifting the focus from the things you’re removing, to the empty space you get instead.

Rooted in Japanese philosophies, inyo onyo refers to the relationship between occupied and unoccupied space. With this view, empty spaces aren’t seen as wasted space – rather, it’s something intentional that gives your belongings (and your mind) breathing room.

Instead of decluttering by categories, the approach is typically done by space, with the objective of creating visual and physical breathing room. You’ll know when you’ve reached your goal when your shelf, surface, or room feels calm and balanced.

Who should adopt this method: Since you’re focusing less on the items you’re discarding and more on the empty space you gain, this method may be better suited for 1) those who get overly attached to their things but want to improve that, and 2) those who want a serene space.

3. Micro decluttering

Decluttering can be pretty overwhelming, especially if done as a big project. That’s where micro decluttering comes in – by splitting a huge project into smaller, more manageable tasks that are easier to start and finish.

Instead of needing an entire weekend, this approach uses small periods of time (anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes) to declutter a small area (like a cabinet or shelf). It’s not just simpler to complete – it’s also easier to incorporate into your daily routine, and minimises the mental fatigue you typically get during a longer session.

If done regularly, these small wins will eventually snowball into a much bigger accomplishment of a decluttered space, without needing a huge time investment.

Who should adopt this method: Busy people or those who want to gradually build a decluttering habit by creating momentum with small, quick wins.

4. The Minimalism game

If you need someone to beat procrastination and keep yourself accountable, rope in a few family members or friends to declutter their respective spaces with you. But don’t just leave it there – turn it into a game or a challenge to make things interesting.

The 30-Day Minimalism game is one such approach. Coined by decluttering experts called the Minimalists (who have a Netflix documentary on the topic), the goal is to gradually ramp up in intensity to help you ease into it, all while adding a sense of accountability and motion.

The idea is simple: on Day 1, you get rid of one item; on Day 2, two items; and so on, until you declutter 30 items on your final day. That means you will end up removing a total of 465 items from your home by the last day, which is no small feat!

Who should adopt this method: It’s best suited for people who love friendly competition, or those who rely on external factors to keep themselves motivated and accountable.

5. The Core 4 method

Forget the classic Singaporean 5Cs – with the Core 4 method, you’ll need to remember a different set of Cs to declutter your space.

Created by a professional organiser, the aim is to help you declutter systematically, with easy-to-follow steps that prevents you from getting overwhelmed. Here’s how this works:

1. Clear out: Take everything out from the space you’re organising, be it your wardrobe or your kitchen cabinets.
2. Categorise: Put all these items into clear groups so you have a clear overview of what you own.
3. Cut out: Discard anything that’s broken, unused, or unnecessary. For the latter two, consider giving the items to a charity or to your family/friends for minimal wastage.
4. Contain: Organise the remaining items and return them to the space.

Who should adopt this method: As the Core 4 method provides a clear, easy process to follow, it’s perfect for homeowners who prefer a structured, step-by-step decluttering approach to guide them along.

6. The One-in, One-out method

Clutter never appears overnight, so the One-in, One-out method is designed to help keep it in check, all while encouraging mindful consumption over time.

It’s simple: for every new thing you get, you get rid of an existing item from a similar category. That could be donating an old shirt when you get a new one, or giving unused kitchenware to a family or friend when you’re getting a new one.

It’s a sustained habit that helps keep your storage levels in check without needing large-scale, one-off decluttering sessions. And over time, it helps maintain balance within your home and keeps everything easy to manage.

Who should adopt this method: New homeowners who’ve just moved in, those who are happy with the amount of stuff they already have, or anyone who wants to adopt a long-term habit.

Honorary mention: the ‘poop method’

Yes, you read that right. The ‘poop method’ is a decluttering mindset that went viral on TikTok (of course it did), purely for its blunt and surprisingly effective way of pulling you out of any indecision.

If you have an item that’s been sitting around unused, or something you’re struggling to decide if you should get rid of, simply ask yourself: “If this item was covered in poop, would I bother to clean it, or would I just throw it away?” If you’re inclined to throw it away, it probably means it’s not that valuable.

While it’s not a formal system or long-term strategy, it does function as a decent mental reset when you’re feeling indecisive, stuck, or overwhelmed. It also helps you come to a decision quickly, so you’re less likely to procrastinate or leave it untouched for another few months or so.