It’s spring cleaning season, so people are talking about kanso. What is it?

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Spring cleaning season is in full swing, so it’s no shock that people are searching for ways to simplify their spaces. One idea the internet is talking about: the Japanese concept of kanso.

Of course, kanso is not new. It’s an aesthetic principle that’s been part of Japanese culture for thousands of years. (Westerners began to study Japanese aesthetics only in the past two centuries or so.)  It’s one of seven Zen design principles related to mindfulness, clarity, and an appreciation for transience.

The word means “simplicity,” and that’s what the idea is all about: getting rid of extraneous things and leaving only the essential. In the home, that means paring objects down to only those necessary for the space. The result is a room that feels calm, natural, and clear, but not necessarily decorated. Read more…

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