I Tried the “Pile Method,” and Decluttered the Most Chaotically Messy Room in My Home
As a beauty editor, I’m constantly surrounded by products and event gift bags overflowing with everything from skincare to perfume. I love my job and don’t take it for granted, but it comes with its share of occupational hazards. Despite donating quarterly and gifting my friends and family at every turn, this stuff just continues to accumulate.
I resorted to creating a space that serves as my “beauty testing lab,” where I store items I’m reviewing and the never-ending supply of samples I receive. It was working like a charm, but now that I use the room as a home office everything has become a chaotic mess.
Organizing this space has been on my to-do list for far too long, but every time I think about tackling it, the sheer volume of products and clutter feels daunting. As much as I’d love to toss everything in a box and call it a day, I know that’s just a way to avoid the work. However, doing so is conveniently step one of the pile method — which, honestly, might be my only saving grace.
What Is the Pile Method?
For those unfamiliar with it, the pile method is pretty simple. Start by collecting everything from the space you want to organize — in this case, all of my beauty products — and toss them into one giant pile. Then, you sort, categorize, and start putting things away. I’ve used this method in my kids’ room and found it almost meditative. Once you start, it becomes rhythmic — shifting things around, grouping like items together. I love that it gives you a blank slate to work with right off the bat.
How I Tried the Pile Method
When I dumped all my beauty products into a bin, I could see my space again. It only took a few minutes to drop everything in, and my hesitation instantly shifted into serious motivation.
I started by sorting everything into small piles: hair accessories, hair brushes, hot tools, makeup brushes, serums, creams, and so on. Doing this helped me realize just how much I had in each category. It turns out, I had way more than I actually needed — shocker, I know! But seeing everything laid out in front of me made it much easier to start purging.
The pile method is often praised for being quick, and it has been for me in different rooms of my house, but this particular project took me a whole day. I took breaks in between, and I’ll admit that as a beauty enthusiast it was hard to let some things go. But even so, the fact that I tackled the most daunting task on my to-do list in a single afternoon proves that this method could work for anyone and any space.
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
