When decluttering, I usually struggle to let things go and end up feeling overwhelmed by my own perfectionism. But, after trying the ‘four-box’ decluttering method, I was amazed at how much easier it made the process.
Home organizing professionals agree it’s one of the best ways to sort through items quickly. I put their tips to the test on some key clutter hot spots in my house, including crowded shelving and a storage trolley, desk and nightstand that had lost all usefulness.
There are many different decluttering methods out there, but if you’re looking for one that’s easy and oh-so efficient, I highly recommend picking up four boxes and giving this a go.
What is the four-box decluttering method?
This streamlined approach involves setting up four containers in your workspace and making swift decisions as you touch each item.
Cara Palmer, home organization expert and founder of Organize Every Room, explains, ‘It is a decision-making framework that eliminates the dreaded "maybe" pile, which is often the biggest roadblock to successfully following helpful decluttering tips.
‘I have found that the four-box method is one of the most effective systems for transforming chaotic spaces into organized sanctuaries.’
You can categorize these as follows:
- The ‘keep’ box: For items use weekly or truly cherish.
- The ‘donate/sell’ box: For gently used items that could benefit others.
- The 'trash' box: For broken or expired items.
- The ‘relocate’ box: For temporarily housing items that belong elsewhere.
Cara says this method works wonders for her clients who struggle with perfectionism or often feel overwhelmed when decluttering. She says, ‘The clear categories overcome decision fatigue and create immediate visible progress. However, I often recommend a modified approach for clients dealing with grief, extensive collections, or deeply sentimental items.’
It can be a different challenge altogether to declutter sentimental items, so ear mark those for a separate day.
Cara adds that the time investment you'll need for the four box decluttering challenge can vary, but expect it to take 3-4 hours for a bedroom, 6-8 hours for a kitchen, and a full weekend for a garage. ‘Success comes from maintaining momentum – complete one space before moving to the next,' she adds.
BPA-free storage bins with lids are perfect for the task. They're easy to stack and pop to the side if you need breaks when adaptive pacing, which is especially important if you suffer pain, fatigue or dealing with an injury. You don't have to complete any task in one go, and these will curb clutter if you need to stop mid process.
What you'll need
- Storage cubes: I used the Amazon Basics cube organizers, as they’re light enough to transport around the house and can be folded up and stored easily afterwards.
- Trash bags: If you are throwing anything away or donating anything, go for strong ones like the Glad max strength trash bags from Target.
- Cleaning spray: I also cleaned each area as I went along, using the Mrs. Meyers multi-surface cleaning spray from Amazon.
- Microfiber cloths: My favorites are the Homexcel ones from Amazon, as they're scratch-free and make my cleaning supplies look so fun.
I moved my four boxes all around my house as I tackled decluttering each problem area one by one.
1. Living room bookshelf
The busiest area in my living room had to be my Scandi-style decor bookshelf. I bought this to embrace the bookshelf wealth trend – but it soon became a place to put unfinished craft projects, seasonal touches, and miscellaneous decor. My partner and I also got into the bad habit of placing books onto them without actually fitting them into the collection.
Whilst applying the principles of the four box decluttering method here, I was able to instinctively pick up items and quickly put them into boxes. I had set some of my best candles there, which were actually for the bathroom. Those went into my relocate box alongside misplaced puzzles that should be kept in our home office.
I also found some DVDs and CDs (yes, really!) that my partner had inherited. I set these aside in the donate box for him to go through and decide whether he wanted to keep them.
After I cleared away the stressful visual clutter in my open storage, I was able to organize the books and decor in an aesthetically pleasing way. Now, they add personality to my living room, instead of making it look disorganized.
Verdict: 10/10 for speed, efficiency, and effective results.
2. Kitchen shelving unit
This was a slightly trickier area to do, as everything in the kitchen belonged there, which meant I used the keep, donate, and trash boxes.
I first went through the shelves and moved any decor that was cluttering up the aesthetic. I also moved the coffee accessories to the front of the shelf, to make them easier to access when using our beloved fabulous coffee maker.
I then went through the storage cubes and ended up putting a surprising amount in the donation box. There were blenders, ice cream makers, and even a pasta machine that we’d only used once or twice.
I also found a lot of expired and duplicate items in my baking section, which I’d either bought to decorate something once or panic-bought in the supermarket. Neatening this section up will definitely make my evening cookie-making a lot easier.
If you like the style of my shelf, the ClosetMaid cube organizer from Wayfair is similar, has a 55 lb. capacity, and comes in four different colors.
Verdict: 8/10. It was great for identifying unused and duplicate items to throw away and donate, but there wasn’t much to relocate in this functional space.
Cube bookshelf systems are versatile. Go horizontal, vertical, add boxes, or leave them bare. It also means you don't have to wrangle with brackets on shelves. Do use an anti-tip safety measure on the wall if you have young children or pets.
3. Home office desk
My home office was the space I was dreading decluttering the most – but when I put the four-box decluttering method into practice, it made it so much less nerve-wracking to do.
I only needed the keep, relocate, and trash boxes for this. I worked across the desk, putting everything I wanted to put back on the desk in the keep box, throwing away the many cans and papers that had built up.
I’d kept hold of various magazines throughout the years, thinking I’d need them. But actually, many of them were out of date. I also found lots of notebooks that I’d almost got to the end of that weren’t worth keeping. I put these in my cardboard magazine filer, but I’ve got the HofferRuffer leather magazine holder from Walmart one in my cart to replace it with, as it’s much more durable.
After I finished decluttering this area, it felt so much better to work in. A tidy workspace definitely equals a calm workspace.
Verdict: 9/10. The practical technique made this daunting task so easy and enjoyable to do.
If space is limited on your desk or work space, go vertical with storage to maximize and free up every inch of available space.
4. Bathroom storage trolley
This nifty bathroom storage idea was by far the quickest area to sort. I love my trusty storage trolley, which is available from Amazon, but it has become a place to dump products and samples. As you can see above in the before image, this had led to a bit of a mess.
During this four-box decluttering session, I used the keep, relocate, and trash box, as there wasn’t anything to donate. I moved some of the makeup samples to my bedroom and threw away any that I didn't want or need. I then spent some time decluttering the makeup collection in my bedroom.
After this, I put other items into the keep box. I realized that I could have used another box for the different items I wanted to keep, such as haircare and skincare, in order to make putting them back easier.
I think the four-box decluttering method’s categorization, actually inspired me to sort the trolley into three distinctive zones – so I did just that. Using zones and categorization is something professional organizers always do and will make it much for me moving forward to identify unused samples and empty bottles.
If you like my storage trolley but prefer some color, the Simple Houseware utility cart from Amazon is a close match and comes in eight fun hues.
Verdict: 6/10. While I did find the four-box method useful, I could have just done this with a trash bag, as I mostly just needed to organize and discard.
5. Bedroom nightstand
I approached my nightstand in the same way that I approached getting rid of items in my living room, using all four boxes to assess what I had and where everything I needed to go.
This is another area where I had let stacks of magazines and papers pile up. Some of the papers were useful, so I relocated them into the office. I also found a lot of medicines that I’d take before bed, which I moved to the medicine cabinet in my kitchen, to save me scrabbling around trying to find them next time I needed them.
Similarly to the living room, I moved decor and my top home fragrances around in order to make them look more aesthetically pleasing.
Verdict: 9/10. The method made it easy to sort through small, pesky pieces of clutter that belonged elsewhere.
My verdict
I give the four-box decluttering method a firm 9/10. The sorting process stopped me feeling overwhelmed when tidying, and instead let me take a no-nonsense, practical approach. It left me with surfaces that now look lovely and can be used functionally properly.
If you want to give other decluttering methods a try, the ‘didn’t know’ method also makes getting rid of unnecessary items easy using one simple parameter: if you didn't know you had it, or had forgotten about it, get rid. Or if you’re just dealing with smaller zones, the ‘chaos decluttering’ method is brilliant for cupboards and drawers.
What to shop
I'm planning on using the four-box method to declutter the closet in my bedroom next. I am going to use vacuum bags like these to keep donation clothes stored neatly and using up less space until I go to the charity store. These are great for out-of-season clothes storage too.
If you do have any items that you want to relocate but you aren't sure where to put them yet, these boxes will come in handy. They'll fit under different furniture and they're stackable. Plus, the clear base allows you to see exactly what's in there whilst the lids prevents moisture or pest problems.
These storage bins are made from lightweight fabric that's easy to carry around. You get two bins in this set, so you'll want to double up if you're using them to try the four-box decluttering method. Afterwards, they can be slotted into cube storage units.
The four-box decluttering method is brilliant and simple and just one of the many tried and tested clutter-busting methods we have in the Homes & Gardens decluttering library. It's organized by how much time you have to commit to the task, and also by common snags such as procrastination.
