What the House Hushing Method Is (and How to Use It Effectively In Your Home)

Inside: Learn what the House Hushing Method is and how to use it to create a calm and decluttered space that you love.

In our pursuit of a simpler, more serene life, many of us strive to create a home that feels like a sanctuary – a place where we can unwind, recharge, and live with intention. 

But when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff and clutter in your space, how do you even begin to achieve that goal?

One easy and effective way to make it happen is the House Hushing Method, an approach that goes beyond decluttering to bring quiet, calm, and harmony into your living space.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by noise and chaos in your space, this method might be just what you need.

Not sure what the House Hushing Method is or how you can implement it effectively in your home? Keep reading to see how this decluttering strategy can help you achieve harmony throughout your home.

What Is the House Hushing Method (AKA the Hush the House Decluttering Method)

House Hushing is a concept that was created by Myquillyn Smith back in 2015. The idea is to start with a clean slate as you re-evaluate the items in your space.

Existing in a home filled with too much stuff can cause all kinds of problems – sensory overload, increased stress, inability to focus, and even detrimental impacts on your physical health caused by the dust that gathers in unseen places.

The House Hushing Method is a way to bring calmness and serenity into your space by reducing physical clutter and sensory “noise.”

The goal of house hushing is to eliminate the elements that disrupt the peaceful flow of your living space – unnecessary items, disorganization, or visual distractions like overbearing and mismatched artwork.

Think of hushing the house as a way to create a “quiet” home in terms of ambiance, energy, and atmosphere. 

The House Hushing Method doesn’t just focus on decluttering and embracing minimalism. It emphasizes the emotional and sensory aspects of your home and aims to create a soothing, purposeful place where your mind can rest at the end of a busy day. 

How to Use the House Hushing Method to Transform Your Space 

Ready to quiet your house and create a more tranquil space to spend your days?

Follow these steps to effectively implement the house hushing method in your home:

Step 1 – Pick a starting point. 

As motivated as you might be, you can’t hush your whole house at once. Instead, you’ll need to navigate the process step by step, area by area. 

You could choose to tackle a room as your starting point – your living room, your kitchen, or your bedroom.

If you’d rather start small, you can pick a more confined space – your pantry or your walk-in closet – or go even smaller by tackling a kitchen cabinet or drawer. 

Step 2 – Identify a holding area.

You’re going to need a place to put all of the stuff you remove from the room you’re working to hush – and it needs to be in a separate space. 

You can dedicate a rarely-used room to serve as your holding space, move everything into the garage, or pile it high on a kitchen table.

It won’t be there forever, but since you will want to keep your room clear for at least 24 hours, it should be a place where it won’t be in your way or cause unnecessary stress or inconvenience. 

Step 3 – Clear it out. 

Once you know where you’re going to temporarily stow your stuff, it’s time to clear it out of the room or space you’re hushing. 

Some people take a maximalist approach to the task at hand and remove everything, even the furniture.

Others leave couches, chairs, and tables behind but pull out everything else. Your surfaces, walls, cabinets, tabletops, mantles, windowsills, and floors should be completely clear.

Step 4 – Sit with your empty space.

While you might want to rush the process, it’s important to give yourself some time to breathe and adjust to your newly-empty room – if possible, at least a full 24 hours. 

During this time, you can play around with the way your furniture is arranged. See if shifting things around can create more space or a more relaxing environment.

Think about all of the stuff you moved out of the space and assess whether it actually belongs in the room or if it needs to find a new home. 

Chances are, you’ll quickly appreciate the peaceful feeling you experience when you’re in your mostly empty room. You’ll want to hold onto this feeling as you move to the next step in the process…

Step 5 – Be selective about what you bring back in.

When you’re ready to bring items back into your room, do it slowly and with intention. Don’t just throw things back where they previously were; instead, take a more critical approach. 

• Does this item serve a purpose or bring me joy?
• Would I notice or miss it if it were gone?
• Does it align with my vision of a peaceful, relaxing home?

Based on how you answer those questions, you might choose to bring some of the items back into the space they previously occupied.

You could decide it’s better suited for another area of your home. You might decide you don’t actually need to keep it at all and would be better off donating, discarding, or selling it. 

And going forward, be more intentional with shopping and selective with the items you bring into your space.

Step 6 – Establish functional systems to stay organized.

For the items you choose to keep, it’s important that they have a dedicated place where they belong. Otherwise, you’ll quickly end up with cluttered countertops, surfaces, and closets. 

Boxes, bins, and ottomans with hidden storage can be effective ways to stow items you want to keep close by without creating a ton of visual clutter.

Shelves and closets can be optimized to ensure whatever you’re looking for is easy to find with the use of labels and thoughtful organization.

Taking a few minutes at the end of each day to tidy up and ensure everything is in its proper place can go a long way in keeping your house feeling peaceful and relaxing. 

Do you think you could benefit from the house hushing method? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

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