Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment OpenAI announcement Switch 2 Restock Galaxy Z Fold 7 iPhone 17 Air Best laptops Wordle Today Best Mattress Recommended reading Experts recommend the 'ifs and buts' rule to declutter your wardrobe this summer — here's how it works The decluttering hack that will help you break up with your clutter I tried the 'poop rule' to declutter my home — here's why it actually works Home Office 5 expert tips on how to declutter your home office — reduce stress and boost your focus I'm about to move — and this TikTok packing hack just saved me hours Sales Events I swear by this storage item to organize my closet and it’s now $19 for Prime Day 5 tips to achieve a clutter-free yard — with advice from a garden expert I finally tried the "FhiFho" decluttering rule in my home — here's what happened Cynthia Lawrence 19 July 2025 What is this strange-sounding decluttering hack? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Shutterstock) When it comes to keeping our homes neat and tidy, we all have our own methods of organizing. Trouble is, we don’t often stick to them, and before you know it, our spaces quickly become cluttered again. I’ve been guilty of always picking things up, and dumping it in another (random) area where it doesn’t belong. Be it my favorite cardigan hanging over a chair for days, or my hair styling products on a bookshelf, it’s easy to accumulate mess. And while I’ve tried plenty of organizing tricks from KonMarie to the interesting 27 Fling Boogie technique, I'd still struggle to keep on top of the clutter. You may like Experts recommend the 'ifs and buts' rule to declutter your wardrobe this summer — here's how it works The decluttering hack that will help you break up with your clutter I tried the 'poop rule' to declutter my home — here's why it actually works But that was when I finally decided to try the strange-sounding, ‘FhiFho’ decluttering rule to see if it would do the trick. While this isn’t a new hack, the FhiFho method is a simple, no -fuss way of making sure everything is in its rightful place, and helps to reduce the amount of unsightly clutter. So what is the “FhiFho” method? Woman picking up clothes on the bed with a green shirt in hand (Image credit: Getty Images) The FhiFho method is an abbreviation for 'full hands in, full hands out', and is essentially, a clever mantra experts say will make it easy to instantly relocate items. The idea is that you enter a room with a handful of items that belong in that area, and then take out a handful of items that don’t belong in the space when you leave that room. The idea is that you enter a room with a handful of items that belong in that area, and then take out a handful of items that don’t belong in the space when you leave that room. That way, you won’t have any ad hoc items cluttering up a space that’s not suitable for them. What’s more, this is a great way to instantly deal with the mess head-on, without procrastinating or leaving tidying up for another day. The FhiFho decluttering method can be applied to organize many areas around the home, including the living room, bedroom and even children’s rooms — where you’ll often find the rogue toy or device lying around. With all that said, here’s what happened when I put the FhiFho decluttering method to the test in my living room. I tried the FhiFho decluttering method Cluttered shelf (Image credit: Future) If there’s one room in our home that seems to be the dumping ground for my family’s items, it’s the TV wall shelf in our living room. From USB cables/chargers and old receipts taken out of bags, to cosmetics and hair styling products, these would often end up left on the shelves (usually forgotten about). Soon enough, my well-curated shelves were turning into a dumping ground for random items — creating an unsightly mess. Following the “FhiFho” rules, I started collecting all the USB cables and chargers to put in their rightful place inside the TV wall cabinet. I put my son’s game console accessories away, and grouped the endless, remote controls in a storage box to leave on the shelf. After focusing on the items that actually belonged in that space, I then took out what didn’t belong there — and there were many! Random stuff including my laptop, hair brush, lipstick, letters, and my Bluetooth speaker had to go. I immediately returned them to their rightful place, and it only took a matter of minutes. Tidy TV wall unit (Image credit: Future) It seems as though the FhiFho method made decluttering seem less of a chore — when forced to put things away. The result? A clutter-free shelf that looks tidy and minimal. What’s more, I was able to use this method to declutter my kitchen cabinets by getting rid of all the non-essential items like plastic lids from takeout containers, to cookware that were either damaged, outdated or haven't been used in years. SONGMICS 30 Inches Folding Storage Ottoman Bench: $42 at Amazon If you need extra storage, that won’t take up much space, this folding ottoman bench is ideal. With a decent capacity of 15 x 30 x 15 inches, this is enough to fit light blankets, throws or even cushions. Designed with a linen-look fabric and fine stitching, this makes an attractive feature in the home. Although the FhiFho decluttering method sounds like common sense, it does force you to act quickly, especially if you are collecting a handful of items to relocate. In that sense, this makes it far more effective than just going through items one at a time, or on whatever day I feel like it! In addition, your newly-refreshed areas will look less of an eyesore — just don’t get back into the habit of adding mess to it! More from Tom's Guide 7 cleaning apps to help you maintain a tidy home 5 clever hacks professional organizers swear by 9 things you’re hoarding, which you should throw away Today's best microfiber cleaning cloth deals $12.98View Deal $17.99View Deal $19.19View Deal We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Cynthia Lawrence Social Links Navigation Content Editor, Homes As the Homes Content Editor, Cynthia Lawrence covers all things homes, interior decorating, and garden-related. She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features. Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. and House Beautiful, amongst many. With a rather unhealthy obsession for all things homes and interiors, she also has an interior design blog for style inspiration and savvy storage solutions (get rid of that clutter!). When she’s not testing cool products, she’ll be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain! You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. 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