Clustering Is The Easiest Way To Decorate Your Home. Here's How To Do It

Perhaps you've heard about creating vignettes or carefully curating an arrangement of items to display in your home. Well, there's another term for this decorating practice that's emerged on TikTok: clustering. "[Your] things are beautiful ... because they tell a story of who you are, and it makes the apartment feel so much warmer, so much more beautiful," says expert Avery Claire in her viral TikTok.

The first step to clustering is gathering pieces that express who you are or make you happy. For many, this includes things like candles, jewelry, ribbons, dishes, vases, flowers, collected items, knickknacks, and beauty products. Once you've gathered your possessions, you'll need a base, which can either be a tray or a stack of coffee table books or magazines. This is the most important element, as it transforms a pile of loose items into an intentional design by grounding them on the surface. Then, arrange your pieces in a purposeful but effortless way, making sure to contain the smallest items inside trays.

While clustering is a new term, this style has roots in the Victorian era, when homeowners would put their possessions on display to show that they had great taste, were well-traveled, and had lots of money. During this time period, it was also very popular to pass down items through the generations as family heirlooms, which were also left out for all to see. 

Another more modern source of inspiration is often the apartments of female rom-com lead roles, which are typically filled with clothes, makeup, candles, and other 'feminine' items. For instance, consider Jessica Day's bedroom in "New Girl," which is filled with balls of yarn, thrifted bags, stacked books, and other knick-knacks. These small items may look like they don't have a purpose, but they tell the audience about the character's personality — just as the items you choose to display in your own home will tell your guests things about you. If you're not sure where to start when gathering items for a cluster, be inspired by the sets of your favorite movies or shows. 

While some may think that clustering is just an excuse to display clutter in your home, maximalists and eclectics are loving this design trend. In a world that's often more in favor of minimalism, it's easy for those who love collections to feel like they're misunderstood. Following this trend can give you permission to display the items that you adore without feeling like you're out of style. One commenter on TikToker Avery Claire's viral video writes, "This is so freeing, I'm rebranding my clutter to cluster."

Further, while books, trays, and candles are most often used in these displays, don't feel limited by these items. "A cluster can be anything you want it to be," Claire says in the caption of another TikTok. For instance, if you're a writer, you could display notepads and pens, or if you love the beach, you could add driftwood or natural elements. Additionally, if you're a fan of color, use pieces in bold shades, but if you want a more muted look, only display neutral or faint pieces.