 The residential sector is currently one of the main contributors to the global energy balance. However, its energy demand is highly unpredictable and difficult to control due to the lack of flexibility in the power grid. To address this issue, demand management strategies are needed to optimize the energy resources of customers and their energy consumption patterns. Demand side management, DSM, is a proactive approach that seeks to make users more energy efficient over time. This paper reviews the existing literature on optimization methods for DSM of residential consumers, categorizing them into three axes, individual user optimization versus cooperative consumer optimization, deterministic optimization versus stochastic optimization and day ahead optimization versus real time optimization. Based on these classifications, the paper provides a comprehensive overview of the key features of various approaches and techniques, and discusses potential future research directions. This article was authored by Antimo Barbato and Antonio Capone. We are article.tv, links in the description below.