What is cluttercore, the anti-minimalist decor trend taking over social media?

Cluttercore’s rise in popularity also comes at a time where more people are embracing clutter. Just last month, organisation guru Marie Kondo made headlines when she declared that she’s no longer following a minimalist mandate.

Kondo, who rose to fame with her minimalist KonMari method that encourages one to discard items that no longer spark joy, noted that having her third child has her rethinking priorities.

“My home is messy, but the way I am spending my time is the right way for me at this time at this stage of my life,” she shared at a recent media webinar to promote her new book. “Up until now, I was a professional tidier, so I did my best to keep my home tidy at all times. I have kind of given up on that in a good way for me. Now I realise what is important to me is enjoying spending time with my children at home.”

Truth is, cluttercore has long existed before it was given a definition. But it’s significantly growing now, in a time where more people are embracing a less structured lifestyle. It’s one of the many paradigm shifts that are a result of the pandemic, notes Vincent Grégoire, Consumer Trends and Insights Director of forecasting agency Nelly Rodi, in an interview with French magazine Biba. “As people do not know what tomorrow will bring, they need emotions and memories, to give themselves reassurance”.

You could say that cluttercore is a cousin to maximalism. According to Architectural Digest, cluttercore is designed to evoke good memories, nostalgia, and comfort.

While maximalism is a nod to exuberant colours, textures, and shapes, the only defining characteristic of cluttercore is the use of meaningful objects. For example, some people might prefer keepsakes that go heavy on colours and patterns, while others might enjoy a neutral-themed room with little colour but filled with plenty of objects.

Like many decor styles, it all boils down to personal space.

Cluttercore might very well work in your home or personal space, but at work or a shared environment, what are the rules?

The answer lies in boundaries.

If you have an assigned desk at work and would like to demonstrate your personality by decorating it, why not? Personally, as a Pisces (not to bring astrology into everything, but…), my creativity is most sparked when my space feels like, well, me. Thus, my desk at work can be described as a form of organised chaos with bits and pieces that have been artfully curated (or so I’d like to think), but there’s a method to the madness.

But it’s also important to draw a line and ensure that the decor doesn’t spill over to your office neighbours’ territories. Contain your clutter to your designated space, for you might thrive amidst clutter, but not everyone does. And if you’re hot-desking (a system where desks are used by different people at different times, on an ad hoc basis), embracing cluttercore at work might not even be a possibility.

1. Decorate your space with objects that bring you comfort and joy. It could be a large decor piece that you feel really speaks to you, or small trinkets that you brought back from distant trips.

2. Take the opportunity to discard items that no longer hold purpose. Surprise, surprise. Avoid filling your space with items just for the sake of achieving the cluttercore style. Cluttercore is not simply about clutter, but clutter of meaning. If you’re already in the midst of digging out treasures from your storage, you might as well go ahead and throw out or donate objects that no longer hold meaning or purpose to you.

3. Create space for the eyes to rest. To prevent a busy space from becoming visually overwhelming, try creating negative space or layers whenever possible. For example, you can pair a larger art print with a medium-sized one, and then place a smaller element, such as a plant you like or an unique object from an antique shop, in front of both art pieces. This helps to drown out the monotonous cacophony effect.