The unconventional new trend that is surprisingly aesthetic

Clutter Decorating Is the Anti-Minimalist Trend

Cluttercore’ Is the Maximalism-Loving Aesthetic Taking Over Our Homes

After the world’s infatuation with Marie Kondo-style minimalism and tidying up, here comes the “cluttercore” trend, a joyful, happy mess that is, above all, comfortable and reassuring. And guilt-free to boot. Could it also be drawing on nostalgic tendencies?

If the mere thought of the word ‘clutter’ takes your anxiety levels from zero to one hundred, then the latest home decor trend is sure to spook you.

Picture this: a messy bed, a plethora of plant life and books stacked to the ceiling. While some may define such imagery as ‘messy’, cluttercore is breathing life back into the concept of lived-in space.

The most controversial trend of the season – if not the year – has revealed itself in the shape of a minimalist’s nightmare. Aptly-named, the maximalist ‘Cluttercore’ craze celebrates the quirkiness of mismatched belongings and permits us all to fill our interiors with assorted goods that celebrate our memories, interests, and personalities – and we’re not afraid to admit that it’s our new guilty pleasure.

The pandemic has changed the way we relate to the world, re-igniting a love of loungewear as well as indoor glamour, outdoor spaces and even our ideas of society. And it has changed the way we relate to our homes.

Once, spaces that we only saw at the top and tails of days have become busily multifunctional: nurseries as well as offices, battlegrounds as well as sanctuaries. For some, that meant clear outs – charity shops are bracing themselves for the flood of second-hand goods – but for others, that has meant surrounding themselves with things they love.

Cluttercore is a maximal approach to decorating where more is more. It’s not about making a mess or filling a room with piles of stuff that would make the folks on Hoarders jealous, but about displaying and arranging what you have and love.

i-D magazine explains cluttercore as a design aesthetic where, “you can tell that the objects have been chosen and displayed with love, their owner keeping them for reasons that may not matter to you, but matter utterly to them.”

People have really taken a fancy to cluttercore and social media is filled with mentions. The #cluttercore hashtag has racked up more than 14 million views on TikTok at the time of writing, and more than 9,000 hashtags on Instagram.

Look up the definition of “clutter” in the Oxford English Dictionary, (“A collection of things lying about in an untidy state”) and it feels inaccurate to describe this interiors phenomenon. Cluttercore is not about filling rooms with tat; it’s about loving what you already own. In a changing world, where constants are being challenged, cluttercore helps people ground themselves in the material, and in beautiful things that often hark from a more stable past.

Why is clutter taking off now after years of minimalism and Maria Kondo preaching the gospel of tidying up?

Well, according to Jennifer Howard, author of Clutter: An Untidy History, who spoke to the BBC, the rise of cluttercore may be connected to the pandemic. “We want to feel safe, we want to feel comfortable, we want to feel protected and taken care of – stuff can act like a literal cocoon,” she said.

While it is easy to see the appeal behind Cluttercore, embracing this trend in our homes is easier said than done. However, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of this fun-filled trend without sacrificing the sophistication of our homes. In fact, the trend will only accentuate its style and bring your interiors right up to date.

Guilt-free Home Styling Trend for Messy Homes!