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.

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Of course, having fewer or more objects in your home does not make it better than anyone else's. If you'd rather leave your board games in full view and pile your sofa with fluffy throw pillows, do it! Remember: these philosophies do not exist so you can flex your minimalist lifestyle on Instagram.

Still, kanso is a word you'll want to remember. Voguepredicts, for example, that Japanese skincare will soon occupy an even larger space in the skincare landscape. Kanso is a key part of the J-beauty approach, which, according to strategic researcher Victoria Buchanan, emphasizes "simplicity, understated beauty and energised calm."

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