Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui

Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui by Karen Kingston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I came across this book during the course of doing some collection development for my nonfiction "zone" at work (in a public library) and decided to read it because I'm a little bit interested in feng shui and a LOT interested in clearing the irritating clutter from my house. Most clutter-clearing books are either lacking in practical tips or aimed at full-on hoarders (or worse, both), whereas I am a practical girl who can still see most of the floor and countertops in my house most of the time.

What I like best about this book is that it's written in short chunks that feel do-able, largely because Kingston doesn't insist that you get up right this second and sort through everything right here right now until your house looks like a magazine photo shoot. She acknowledges that not everyone has that much time or energy (including emotional energy) and that sometimes it's necessary to do a little bit every day until your newly-tidy spaces motivate you to take on bigger and bigger projects. I really like that she addresses the underlying reasons people have clutter and what it does to the energy of the people and the home.

My biggest qualm about the book is that occasionally Kingston gets a little "out there." She loses me every once in a while when she seems to stray too far into the realm of magical thinking (i.e. a woman putting a bouquet of "abundant-looking" flowers in the prosperity corner of the room leading to the woman's husband coming home and spontaneously giving his wife a $1500 check to spend on whatever she wants). However, these moments are brief, and then I'm right back with her because what she's saying about the emotional effects of clearing out and cleaning up make total sense to me.



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