What Is The NEAT Method, And How It Can Declutter Your Entire Home

Keeping a home organized isn't just about reducing clutter. It's about creating a space that feels calm and reflects the way you truly live. Thoughtful systems can transform your home from a magnet for chaotic mail piles and overflowing closets into a place where everything has a purpose. The best systems embrace the use of stylish storage solutions, multifunctional furniture, and clever layout decisions. There are so many systems, tips, and tricks out there to help you do this. Organization guru Marie Kondo had a fascinating new approach to tidying up in 2023 by only keeping things that "sparked joy." The less joyful-sounding Swedish Death Cleaning technique had followers getting rid of anything they didn't want their children to have to sort through. 

As another alternative, organizers Ashley Murphy and Marissa Hagmeyer have come up with an even easier way to help you get your home in order. They call it the NEAT Method, and it takes a totally different approach. Rather than focus on getting rid of a lot of things, the NEAT method focuses on gaining awareness of what you actually own. It also focuses on making a space look beautiful while being highly functional. Murphy and Hagmeyer have built an entire business based on this method and written a book that provides a recipe for various decluttering and organization projects. 

To get started, pull everything out of the space you want to organize. Let's say you start with your bedroom closet. Pull everything out of it and pile it up on your bed. Sort the items into the usual piles of keep, toss, or donate. Once you're done with that, clean the inside of the closet well. Dust the shelves, wipe off the rods, vacuum, and mop the floor. Then use attractive organization tools to make your things look beautiful. Ashley Murphy and Marissa Hagmeyer recommend using matching hangers and hanging everything the same way so the clothes don't snag. Use matching bins and organizers to store items on the shelves. Once you're done, create cute labels for your bins so they'll match and you'll know what's in each one. 

Tackling the whole home is a bit overwhelming, so it may help to start small. Maybe instead of the bedroom closet, start with the spice rack or a utensil drawer. Quick wins give you a sense of accomplishment and help you stay motivated for bigger projects. Focus on areas that bring you the most stress first. Once you've decluttered and organized an area, stick to a one-in, one-out rule. For every one thing you bring into the space, remove one thing to keep it decluttered. Also implement new daily habits by doing these 10 things minimalists do every morning to keep their homes neat and tidy — minimalism not required.