It may be a cliché, but spring is one of the best times to give your home a spruce-up and tackle excess clutter. And for my spring reset this year? I’ll be using the Doom Diamond method.
As someone who can sometimes struggle with making snap decisions when decluttering, I need a decluttering method that breaks decisions into a logical, organised process. The Doom Diamond method helps give somewhat ‘homeless’ items a permanent place, or allows you to let go as part of a logical process, making it a great choice if you’re someone who finds decluttering overwhelming.
Requiring you to make a ‘diamond’ shape of four boxes, this organising method is as visual as it is effective. Here’s how it works, and why I think it’s great for any spring reset you have planned this year.
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What is the doom diamond method?
I’ll admit that when I first read ‘doom’, I immediately assumed that it was referring to the feeling of dread that can come about when faced with a huge decluttering task. I was wrong. It is actually an acronym for ‘didn’t organise, only moved,’ referring to the items in our home that never seem to have a permanent place.
The method was posted to an Instagram reel by content creator and pro organiser Abigail Roe, who explained that for this method, you take your ‘doom’ items. Place them in the middle of four boxes, which are categorised as trash, action items, items with a home and items with a home. Simply, put each item in the box that aligns most with its purpose. Old birthday cards might be best placed in the trash box, while a broken bracelet could be an ‘action item’ as you can fix it before using it again.
‘Rather than tackling everything all at once, the method encourages you to place that pile in front of you and sort items into four distinct groups, arranged in a diamond shape. These usually include things to discard, items that have a place elsewhere in the home, tasks that require action, and items you want to keep but haven’t yet assigned a permanent home,’ explains Hannah Randall, furniture and decluttering expert at Oak&More
‘A helpful way to approach it is to work in small sections, like a drawer or a single surface, rather than an entire space. This keeps the process manageable and stops it from becoming overwhelming. The idea is to create quick momentum, rather than aiming for perfection straight away.’
For this method, I recommend picking up some large storage boxes (like these Really Helpful boxes at Argos) to help with organising your belongings, while a label maker (£15.99 at Amazon) can help distinguish your categories.
Is this a good method for a spring reset?
A spring reset does what it says on the tin, it’s a natural point in the year to have a clear out and clean. It’s a new version of the classic idea of a ‘spring clean’, which focuses on the decluttering aspect as much as the cleaning.
I’m using the Doom Diamond method to declutter my home before carrying out a spring clean to help me visually break down excess clutter in my home, making the process quicker and easier.
‘Traditionally, spring is the time for deep cleaning, but you cannot clean properly if your surfaces are obstructed by stagnant piles of items. The Doom Diamond approach emphasises quick wins, such as disposing of waste and moving objects, which immediately gives you a sense of visual satisfaction and motivates you to keep going. It shows a path to efficiently resetting your home this spring,’ says Max Wilson, Co-Founder at Pocket Storage.
‘This method is ideal for anyone paralysed by ‘all-or-nothing’ thinking. It works especially well in busy households where miscellaneous piles of paperwork, toys, and hobby gear accumulate in high-traffic areas. By providing structure and clear categories, it prevents overwhelm and ensures decluttering feels achievable and even satisfying.’
It’s also a great method for those of us who have short attention spans or don’t want to spend hours decluttering and organising.
‘Setting a timer, even for 20 minutes, can be a great way to approach this method. Because you’re working in clear categories, you can see progress almost immediately. Even short sessions can make a noticeable difference, which helps build momentum. For many people, that initial sense of progress is what keeps them going,’ says Hannah.
‘It also mirrors how people naturally declutter, starting with quick decisions and building momentum. This makes it feel more intuitive than stricter organising systems. It’s important not to overthink each item. If you hesitate too long, it’s usually something you don’t need day-to-day. Keeping that mindset can help speed up the process and make it far more effective.’
If this sounds like you, it can be beneficial to try this method this spring. I’d also suggest investing in some clever clutterbusters to help keep your home in order after you’ve finished decluttering.
Nelko
Nelko Label Maker P21 Portable Bluetooth Sticker Printer With Tape
I find labels can be really helpful to identify boxes when organising large amounts of items in one go.
Habitat
Habitat Set of 2 Hyacinth Square Basket
Choose pretty storage boxes for items like remote controls and cables when selecting storage for your living spaces. This way, you don’t mind it on show!
CGTQROVR
3 Compartment Letter Holder
If you find you often have bills, paperwork and letters cluttering your home, investing in an organiser can be super helpful.
My home is well overdue for a reset this spring. But with a method like the Doom Diamond in my decluttering arsenal, I know I can achieve fast and effective results.
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