The 'House Hushing' Trend Is Taking Over And Here's Why You'll Want To Try It

While there are many aspects of our lives that may feel out of control, we do have complete dominion over how we decorate, furnish, arrange, and paint our homes. For many of us, home is a true sanctuary, a retreat from the noise thrust into our daily lives by outside forces. And as we become more aware of what colors and individual items truly nourish the soul, we start paring away items we may have hung onto for comfort but that ultimately create too much pointless clutter. The 'house hushing' trend involves just that — it's a holistic approach to quieting your environment through decluttering, getting intentional about what you keep, and maintaining a gentle color scheme. You'll love it because if you go all in, you could significantly improve your well-being by reducing stress and creating a peaceful feel.

What's fascinating about this trend is the growing recognition of how much our environment shapes our state of mind — and also reflects it. A 'noisy,' i.e. cluttered, space is the frenetic version of us. An embrace of some degree of minimalism is a decision to literally let go of items and attitudes we simply don't need. If you want to get started, the five pile rule will revolutionize how you organize your belongings and help you begin 'hushing' your house.

The very first step is to formulate a goal — are you releasing a less mature version of yourself and stepping into the real you? Are you seeking harmony? Decluttering can feel overwhelming, so start small and celebrate tiny wins. Pick a contained area in one room to start. A core approach to this trend is to remove every item in the area you've chosen to focus on. Pull everything off that desk, closet, or bookshelf, place it in a bin, and store it out of sight for a few days. Slowly restore only those items that you truly love and arrange them in a way that's most pleasing. As you systematically do this with every area of your home, you'll be infusing intentionality into every corner and completely shifting the environment into a more minimal design aesthetic. You can decide whether to discard, sell, or give away what no longer belongs. 

Another powerful hushing technique is the use of color. For maximum calm, using neutral, pastel, or less-saturated hues on the walls is ideal. Energizing, densely-hued, and bright colors can quickly become irritating when you live with them. Even a white that's too cool and crisp can create sterility. Instead, color drenching creates a cocoon-like effect: paint the walls and ceiling the same color and consider furnishings in a similar palette. If you're not sure where to start, you might be able to find inspiration from Demi Lovato's pastel dining room.