Before Konmari, there was Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui
Long before Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up hit the stores, there was another little life-changing book on the same subject: Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston. While I love both of Marie Kondo’s books, Karen Kingston’s work holds a special place in my heart because it introduced me to the idea of minimalism before anyone had a trendy word for it.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve had minimalist tendencies since childhood, but it really kicked into gear as I was leaving for college. I took it as a point of pride to have “not that much stuff” in my college trunk, and another point of pride to not leave much at my parents’ house. I whittled down my thrifted, hippie wardrobe and got rid of all my stuffed animals until I reached a point that felt reasonable.
Then, in my early twenties, I found Karen Kingston’s book in a second-hand bookstore. Published in 1998, it was actually a follow-up to her first book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui. This first book focused on her version of Space Clearing, but in one short paragraph she mentioned the importance of clearing clutter. The overwhelming response from readers regarding the subject indicated how significant a process it is, and this gem of a clutter-clearing book was born. Full of practical advice and common sense regarding clutter, there are plenty of fun, magical elements among her methods. One of my favorites is applying the Feng Shui bagua, which helps identify which parts of your home correspond with different aspects of your life. But overall, the book is simply an incredibly motivational and inspirational guide to getting rid of all your excess, unloved junk. She tells numerous tales of the wonderful results her clients have enjoyed from clearing their clutter, and speaks of a whole range of benefits to doing so.
But what I find most fascinating and insightful about this particular book is the explanation of the symbology of stuff. Old, unread books are outdated ideas no longer relevant to your life. Objects with negative associations are particularly draining to your energy. Clutter representing your past keeps you tied to your past and prevents you from moving forward in life. And dark, depressing artwork leads to a depressed outlook on life. Even owning singular objects instead of pairs of objects prevents you from making yourself open to new relationships.
I’ve read, re-read, and listened to the audio version of this book dozens of times and find new decluttering wisdom every time. I find it energizes me to rethink items I’d never even considered getting rid of, and enjoy a new sense of freedom and detachment from clutter. The book is short, highly engaging, and has less strict rules than Marie Kondo’s books. She suggests starting small- with just a drawer or a cupboard- and this approachability is far less overwhelming than “konmari-ing” your whole house in one go. Alternatively, it creates a habit of decluttering whenever it occurs to you as a method of self-improvement and embracing the future.
While my own collection of belongings has fluctuated greatly over the years, I have found it surprisingly easy to move on from failed relationships, outdated job commitments, and moving from city to city. My lack of attachment to my stuff allowed me to live in a tiny (50 square foot) room in New York City for many years, and enjoy a spacious, airy apartment in my current three-family house. I’m never struck with a desire for more space and find it quite pleasurable to have a good clearout every year or so. I’ve even managed to (somewhat) reform my clutter bug of a husband, who often thanks me for keeping our home clutter-free. And he is even inspired himself to declutter his own things as time goes by.
Perhaps the most significant improvement this book has given me was my recent letting-go of decades of career-related materials when I realized it was time to move on. While letting go of my career was an incredibly difficult change for me, letting go of all that stuff was truly cathartic and freeing. I highly recommend this book to anyone else who was enchanted by The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The approach may be a bit different, but it is every bit as inspiring as Marie Kondo’s wonderful books. Give it a read: Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston