Only the tidiest of homes know about the 3-Layer Mess Theory – but unless you address all three layers, your home will never look clean

White tiled kitchen with teal painted cabinets underneath a sink and floating shelf.

There’s a new decluttering method dominating CleanTok right now, which sorts mess into three distinct categories that contribute to mess and clutter. I’m talking about the 3-Layer Mess Theory, and experts say this method is more than a social media fad.

Some homes look effortlessly clean and organised every time you visit. While we can be certain this homeowner probably has the best decluttering methods under their belt, or even owns a few of the things people with tidy living rooms always have, according to the 3-Layer Mess Theory, they also have a certain three layers nailed, too.