Marie Kondo to Sophia Hinchliffe – the Instagram ‘cleanfluencers’ who make housework hip in Covid-19 lockdown

Jul 11 , 2020

Marie Kondo is first among a crop of social media superstars taking cleaning and decluttering to the next level amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: @mariekondo/Instagram

Coronavirus has forced us all to rethink our living spaces and pursue a heightened home cleanliness – and IG channels like Clean Mama, Clean My Space and The Organised Mum have emerged as unlikely online superheroes leading the fight against clutter and dirt

The coronavirus outbreak has recalibrated the way we live: social distancing, mass temperature checks and mandatory use of face masks when outside are deemed part of the new normal. The past few months have also seen a revolution in decorating, decluttering, household cleaning and tidying up one’s space due to the gravity of the pandemic.

Cleaning is now more crucial than ever. And who better to turn to than Instagram’s top “cleanfluencers”? Here are five online personalities who’ll give you inspiration to keep your space neat and germfree:

Marie Kondo @mariekondo: 3.7 million followers

Marie Kondo skyrocketed to fame following the release of her 2014 book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (it came out in Japan in 2011), detailing the “Japanese art of decluttering and organising”.

Her Netflix reality show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo solidified her reputation: she introduced (and trademarked) the KonMari Method, which encourages organising by category and letting go of items that no longer spark joy.

Sophie Hinchliffe @mrshinchhome: 3.5 million followers

Sophie Hinchliffe dispenses her regular cleaning advice and decorating tips to her 3.5 million followers on Instagram: making the perfect bed, how to freshen the kitchen, and recommending cleaning products that she swears by. Her Instagram account is also an extension of her home, featuring photos of her master bedroom, garden, kitchen, and living room. Last year, when her book, Hinch Yourself Happy was published, it sold 160,302 copies in just three days – making it the second fastest-selling non-fiction title of all time, according to The Guardian.