You Can Take “Cluttercore” and Your Home Won’t Look Like a Yard Sale
It was 2019, January 1st to be exact. Eight episodes of the show called “Cleaning with Marie Kondo” has been released on Netflix, which is a perfect match for all the decisions made the night before by people who vowed to clean up their homes by ridding them of clutter. The thrift stores were soon overwhelmed with donations of clothing, books, and household items that no longer made their former owners happy.
But for some people, myself included, the “clutter” we surround ourselves with at home brings joy. In fact, that’s probably why these objects are visible, filling the shelves and covering the walls of our spaces. Our living rooms can be reminiscent of Victorian antique shops, and we love that.
And that’s where the design aesthetic known as “cluttercore” comes in. Like many trends, it has been circulating on social media (particularly TikTok ) for several years now. But that’s no reason to be messy or let things pile up: it’s all about creating “organized chaos.” Here’s what you need to know.
What is cluttercore?
While some people find bare, clutter-free rooms with minimal décor soothing, others feel most comfortable being surrounded by the items, images, colors, patterns, and textures they love—sometimes a lot.
Cluttercore is not a random collection of “things”, but rather a thoughtful and deliberate choice and arrangement of elements that have some meaning to you. Colors and patterns may conflict, and this is completely normal.
How to incorporate cluttercore design into your home
The key to cluttercore is the “organized” part of the “organized chaos”. Here are some tips for bringing aesthetics to your own home without turning it into a yard sale:
- Everything has a home : each thing should not only be for a reason, but also have its own place (which, of course, can change as needed).
- Limit to one layer (if possible): If you’re displaying items on a shelf, it’s usually best to stick to one line/layer rather than placing two or three items deep on the shelves. This makes the mess look neater and allows you to see everything you post (which is basically what’s important).
- Keep open space clean. Cover walls, ceilings, shelves, etc., but try to keep the open space (which should at least be a walkway) as clean as possible. Not only is this better/necessary in terms of fire safety, but it also balances out the mess in everything else.
- Keep seating/sleeping furniture open : You can have a chair that you use as a side table or a stool that can only be used for display (which is fine), but at a minimum, leave furniture that you sit or sleep on , open. In addition to giving you somewhere to sit, it will also add more (somewhat) empty space to the room to balance out the rest of your décor.