How to live a minimalist life in Hong Kong: decluttering tips from experts and ex-hoarders
Few places lend themselves better to a minimalist lifestyle than space-starved Hong Kong, where some people are finding that less stuff means reduced stress, a greater sense of purpose, better buying decisions – and more room, of course
“Lighter.” That’s how Jennifer Van Dale felt when, not long ago, she purged her life of many of her possessions. The lawyer had amassed copious amounts of clothes and books, and files upon files of papers, article clippings and the like, during her 28 years in Hong Kong. Her “stuff”, she says, was taking up way too much space in her village house in the New Territories and she needed to do something about it.
Someone gave her a book by Marie Kondo, a Japanese organising consultant, called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising. Reading it gave Van Dale the idea to get rid of things she no longer wanted or needed.
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“Kondo’s main rule was to chuck everything that didn’t ‘spark joy’ so, while my husband and three kids were away for two weeks, I got rid of a lot of clothes – and gave away most of my books,” she says. “Looking through each item, I asked myself if it sparked joy in my heart, and truth be told, most of it didn’t, so out it all went.”
Almost immediately, her house looked lighter. She, too, felt less weighed down. “It made a huge difference to me personally,” she says. “While I don’t think I’ll ever be a minimalist, I’m a lot better now when it comes to minimising clutter. In fact, I think I’ve become quite ruthless at getting rid of stuff that no longer serves me.”
Minimalism has become a trendy concept in recent years. In an age of excess consumerism and a world that is fast running out of space, there can be little that makes you feel freer or more grounded than living with less. Many people, it seems, are keen to pare down.
