This Decor Styling Trick From TikTok Turns Houses Into Homes

Step aside minimalism.

For some, clutter is interior design’s arch nemesis. It’s distracting, untidy, and can make a space look unkempt, but in recent years clutter has been rebranded on TikTok, and embraced by users around the world.

A bi-product of social media’s anti-minimalist interior trend: cluttercore, this dialled down rendition focuses on smaller areas of the home where pockets of ‘controlled clutter’ are purposefully put on display.

Enter: clustering.

@acnugs Hi I’m avery & i am the mom to #girlswhocluster 😭🍸💌 im so glad ur here 🎀💝💖🎀💝💖🎀💝💖 #clustering #clusteringdecor #acnugs #acnugsapartment #nyc #nyclife #aboutme ♬ L'amore dice ciao (From "La matriarca - The Libertine") - Main Titles - Armando Trovajoli

Coined by creator Avery Claire, clustering refers to the effortlessly beautiful styling of tchotchkes, trinkets, and objets d'art, to create tableaus around your home that reflect your personal style.

Originally gaining traction on TikTok, this intentionally undone approach to styling has made its way over to Instagram on @girlswhocluster, where Avery posts images sent to her by other cluster fanatics.

From chunky knots made up of mixed metal jewellery to half empty bottles of perfume artistically placed beside a shell collected on your last holiday, this playful approach to styling precious mementos is the antidote to minimal decor.

Below we look at the characteristics of clustered styling, so you can start playing around with the items in your space to create something totally unpretentious, lived-in, and chic.

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1. Books are the perfect base

Any magazines or retired novels often make for the perfect pedestal for your cluster creations. Whether you choose to stack them on their own to create a makeshift side table, or place atop an armchair or desk, you can give your unused books a new profession: a stage for your cluster goodies.

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2. Gather your favorite items

The watch your grandparents gave you that’s too precious to leave the house, the coaster you put in your pocket when leaving the restaurant after your first date, the beaded friendship bracelets you made with your overseas bestie in high school – get them all together and let the clustering begin! What makes this practice all the more special is displaying items that mean something to you, so brush the dust off your memory box and put those forgotten (but cherished) items on display.

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3. No room is off limits

Bedrooms are most commonly associated with clustering, after all they’re considered the most intimate room in the home – but that doesn’t mean other areas shouldn’t be graced with your beloved trinkets. Bathrooms are a perfect place to display your perfume bottles and jewellery, and kitchens are great for funky utensils, vases, and vibrant books.

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4. Control the chaos

The only downside to this playful styling approach is that things can start to look messy real quick. Be sure to take time when assembling your cluster, treat it like you would with any other decor or styling scene in your home. Remember to take a step back every now and then to soak up the eclectic beauty you have created.