The Entropy of Clutter: Why Your Home Fills Itself and How to Fight Back

It’s the day after Christmas. The wrapping paper has been stuffed into the recycling bin, new gifts are scattered across the living room, and your storage spaces feel tighter than ever. It’s a familiar scenario—one that seems to repeat every year. No matter how much you try to tidy up, your home feels like it’s magically accumulating more “stuff.”

But this isn’t magic. It’s science. Meet the Law of Clutter Entropy, a universal truth of household physics:

Law of Clutter Entropy: "In any closed system (like your house), the quantity of clutter will naturally increase unless proactive measures are taken to manage it."

Just like entropy in physics, which measures the tendency of systems to move toward disorder, clutter has its own relentless momentum. Left unchecked, it will grow, consuming space and creating chaos. However, while thermodynamic entropy describes how systems tend toward disorder, it can be managed or reversed in localized systems by applying energy and effort. Similarly, you can tackle clutter entropy through intentional strategies to keep your home organized.

The Three Strategies to Combat Clutter Entropy

Fighting clutter isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different people—and households—apply different tactics, each with its pros and cons. Let’s explore the three most common strategies, keeping in mind a few assumptions: their available living space remains constant, they start with a minimum set of "start items" and they have a steady inflow of items over time.

1. Occasional Decluttering

This strategy involves bursts of tidying whenever clutter becomes unbearable. Think of it as spring cleaning or a weekend decluttering binge.

How It Works: You allow clutter to build up over time and then dedicate a few hours (or days) to clearing out what you no longer need. These periodic efforts bring temporary relief but rarely prevent clutter from re-accumulating.

Mathematical Formula:

C(t) = C0 + k ? t ? D ? N(t) where N(t) = [T / t]

C(t): Clutter level at time t

C0: Initial clutter level

k: Rate of clutter accumulation

D: Decluttering amount per session

N(t): Number of decluttering sessions up to time t

T: Time between decluttering sessions

Pros:

• It’s relatively easy to implement and doesn’t require constant effort.
• Provides satisfying, visible results quickly.

Cons:

• Clutter levels may spike dramatically before you take action.
• Requires substantial blocks of time and energy for each decluttering session.

When It Works Best: If you’re short on time during the week but can dedicate occasional weekends to tidying, this approach might suit you.

2. End-of-Decade Decluttering

This approach is inspired by the “new decade, new me” mindset. At the end of every 10 years, you take stock of everything you own and ruthlessly purge items you no longer need.

How It Works: Clutter builds gradually over the years, but every decade, you make significant cuts, reducing clutter to manageable levels.

Mathematical Formula:

C(t) = C0 + k ? t? D ? N(t) where N(t) = [t / 10t]

C(t): Clutter level at time t

C0: Initial clutter level

k: Rate of clutter accumulation

D: Decluttering amount per decade

N(t): Number of decluttering sessions up to time t

Pros:

• Allows long periods of "no decluttering effort required" between decades.
• Encourages deep, reflective decluttering rather than surface-level tidying.

Cons:

• Clutter levels can grow dramatically before each decluttering cycle.
• Requires significant effort and discipline to get started and to be executed effectively.

When It Works Best: If you prefer to reflect on the past and reset at major life milestones, this strategy can provide clarity and a fresh start.

3. Constant Decluttering

The most disciplined approach, constant decluttering involves maintaining a steady, ongoing effort to keep clutter at bay.

How It Works: Every time something new enters your home, you evaluate whether it deserves to stay. For every new item you bring in, you try to remove an old one. This “one in, one out” principle helps keep clutter levels stable.

Mathematical Formula:

C(t) = C0 + k ? t ? m ? t

C(t): Clutter level at time t

C0: Initial clutter level

k: Rate of clutter accumulation

m: Decluttering rate per unit time

Pros:

• Prevents clutter from building up over time.
• Creates a consistently tidy environment.

Cons:

• Requires ongoing effort and vigilance.
• Can feel restrictive if not approached with balance.

When It Works Best: If you value consistency and minimalism, this approach aligns perfectly with your lifestyle.

Below, you’ll find a graph that illustrates the three strategies in action. The x-axis spans the years from age 20 (when people typically move into their own homes) to age 80, divided into decades. The y-axis shows the clutter level, demonstrating how it changes over time with each approach. Due to the lack of available data, we just threw some numbers at the formulas to make it look cool and to tweak the research paper in our wanted direction ;).

Choosing Your Strategy

No matter which method you choose, understanding the Law of Clutter Entropy can help you take control of your space. An interesting observation from the graph is that until around age 40, the occasional and end-of-decade decluttering strategies seem to work reasonably well. Many people begin by adopting the end-of-decade decluttering approach but often transition to occasional decluttering as the amount of stuff grows more and more, thinking it might be more effective as the amount of stuff increases. However, both strategies become less effective as time goes on and clutter levels inevitably rise. By middle age, it becomes clear that these methods struggle to keep up with the steady accumulation of items.

The smartest long-term solution is the constant decluttering habit. While it requires the most consistency and discipline, this strategy prevents clutter from spiraling out of control and maintains a manageable, organized space. Although challenging to implement, it’s a habit that pays off significantly as one gets older.

A Universal Truth: The Balance Between Decluttering and Accumulation

While it may seem possible to keep clutter in check, this article demonstrates a sobering reality: the clutter level C will always grow unless actively managed. Even with constant decluttering, one must ensure that the effort to declutter keeps pace with the accumulation of new items.

To keep clutter under control, the decluttering rate m must not fall significantly behind the accumulation rate k. As a simple guideline:

m ≥ 0.8k

This means that the decluttering rate m must be at least 80% of the accumulation rate k. If m is much smaller, clutter will build up too fast over time, leading to an overwhelming accumulation that may feel like drowning in clutter. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between clutter levels and overall happiness, as understanding this balance could provide insights into the long-term effects of different decluttering strategies. While achieving this balance requires consistency and effort, it is the only way to prevent the steady march toward clutter chaos.

Future Research Directions

This article lays the foundation for understanding the Law of Clutter Entropy, but there is much to explore further. A valuable next step could involve studying personal behavior and that of friends or family to test the validity of the law and evaluate the effectiveness of the described decluttering strategies. By observing how different habits impact clutter levels over time, one could gain practical insights into which methods work best in various life stages or environments.

Additionally, investigating external factors such as lifestyle changes, technological advancements, or societal trends influencing clutter accumulation could offer a broader perspective on managing clutter entropy.

We wish you a happy holiday

This holiday season, as you navigate the influx of new items, take a moment to reflect on your clutter strategy. Remember: the fight against clutter entropy is ongoing, but with the right mindset, it’s a battle you can win.