Before The Sam Willows, there was Electrico, one of Singapore’s most successful bands. And if you’re familiar with the band, which topped charts with hits like ‘I Want You’ in the mid-noughties, you’ll recognise Amanda Ling as their sassy keyboardist who manages to steal the limelight from her bandmates just by, well, being on stage.

Who would’ve thought that the spunky rocker chick, now 35 years old, is on her way to becoming Singapore’s first certified KonMari consultant? In case it's not obvious enough, a KonMari consultant is someone who's qualified and approved by Marie Kondo herself to help others declutter with the KonMari method (the catchy portmanteau has become synonymous with the woman herself). That's right, if all goes according to plan, Amanda could become Singapore's very own Marie Kondo in a matter of months.

Amanda with the rest of Electrico

Since leaving Electrico in 2009 — the same year the rock-pop outfit wrote and performed the National Day song, ‘What Do You See’ — Amanda has joined a new band, taught yoga, conducted sound healing and meditation classes, and even DJs at events. But it was an amalgamation of all these experiences and serendipity that led her to the ways of tidying guru and now, Netflix star, Marie Kondo. But how do you go from just decluttering your own space to becoming Singapore's Marie Kondo?

We meet Amanda at a recent KonMari workshop she conducted at furniture store BoConcept to find out.

8 DAYS: When did you decide that you wanted to be a KonMari consultant?
AMANDA LING: In late 2017, I was going through a transition and a rebranding of my own to become a more holistic brand. I was doing a few different things — teaching yoga, sound healing — at the same time. I had already gone through the Marie Kondo book and decluttered about two years before that, and I was just Googling to update myself on the KonMari methods and saw that they had a consultant seminar in New York. I didn’t know it was possible to be a KonMari consultant, so I researched more. Prior to this, I’d already shared about the KonMari methods with my friends, and some of them even asked me to help others to declutter. But at that time, I told them, “It’s a personal process. You do it yourself.” But when I discovered the seminar, I thought, why not? It’s one more thing I can add to my portfolio. But I didn’t realise I was the first one in Singapore to do this. It’s been exactly one year since I went for the seminar — it’s been quite the journey.

What’s the process to becoming a KonMari consultant like?
The whole process is very stringent. After you register, you have to submit photos of every corner of your own house that has been KonMari-ed. Then you go through three days of the seminar in New York. I attended with over 80 people. We got to meet Marie Kondo, and she opens and closes the whole seminar. In between, the training is done by her apprentice, who is also from Japan and there was an interpreter there. After you come back, you have to have 10 sessions with two clients, and for one of the clients, you have to help them with the entire house. After these 10 sessions, you have to write and reports and submit for evaluation. At this point, I’ve submitted my reports and I’ve passed my evaluation. I have to go through an online MCQ exam next, and after I pass that, then I'll pay for the membership and become certified as a KonMari consultant.

All this is quite a jump from your Electrico days. What were you doing after you left the band in 2009?
I’ve been in another band called In Each Hand a Cutlass. I was also mainly teaching yoga for the past seven years, and did a bit of sound healing as well as DJ-ing for corporate events. This year, I want to delve deeper into the KonMari work and I’m finding more time to craft out workshops and to share it with people, but not in a hurried or over-intense way.

How did you first get acquainted with the KonMari method?
It was in 2015. I’d moved house in 2014 and although I had already decluttered stuff when I was moving, I felt that some things weren’t in place and I came across Marie Kondo’s book. I read it, and tried the methods and I thought it was amazing. It actually helped me to become a more organised person — I used to be really disorganized and didn’t have a clear, structured way of managing my own things at home. I’m also very inspired by the minimalist lifestyle. Even though the concept of minimalism isn’t really the KonMari method, they do complement each other. But if you asked me why I really decluttered in the first place, it comes from a practical, but very morbid, point of view.
How so?
In those years that I was moving house, I lost friends and death was happening around me. It made me question morality and realise that anything can happen to anyone any day, including myself. I had this vision of my friends and family having to go through my things [after I die] and wondering what they should do with my stuff. Like, “What would Amanda want to do with this thing? Would she want to get rid of that?” I visualised conversations like these. I didn’t want them to go through that, and I wanted to be responsible for my own things, and have a plan that would make it easy breezy for everybody. I later came across a Swedish concept called death cleaning, and it’s this exact notion that I spoke about. In the Swedish culture, they’re [essentially] cleaning up towards their death.

How long did you take when you first decluttered?
About two months. I didn’t do it every single day, but I’d dedicate, say, three days to doing clothes. There’s no specific time frame, so I just did whatever I felt ready for, but I had to tackle them in the categories in the KonMari method and in sequence — clothes, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous stuff), and sentimental items.
Which was hardest category to tackle for you personally?
Miscellaneous items, because it can really be everything under the sun. Everybody has different stuff or hobby items they they’ve stocked up. For me, it’s my music instruments and they’ve been with me for a long time and I’ve just kept on accumulating quite a number of instruments. I find it very hard to let go of them, and only now I’ve just started letting go of some of them.
When you first started your KonMari journey, how did you discern what sparked joy and what didn’t?
I went with the simplest way: knowing of what I liked and what I didn't like. Then it progressed to a layer of functionality: do I need this or not?
What does sparking joy feel like to you?
It's a certain inner excitement ignited that lets me know I'd enjoy using the item or appreciate the value of the item owned. Also, a nod or smile as I go through the items helps me confirm if it's something I need out of necessity or something that I know I like that will contribute to my ideal lifestyle.

What does a KonMari consultation with you usually entail?
Usually each session is three to five hours, depending on the client’s availability, their space, how much stuff they have, and how fast they make decisions. Normally, the whole process takes about five or six sessions every one to two weeks, maybe even longer. But I guess as a consultant-in-training, it’s about helping people to find a better system or structure for them, and to go at their pace. But they need to have a prior understanding of the commitment level needed, otherwise their motivation levels will drop along the way. A lot of it isn’t about knowledge, but walking through it with different people. I learn something new each time.

I was very inspired to declutter when I watched Tidying Up, the Marie Kondo Netflix series. But I’ve been procrastinating. Any advice for people like me?
Even procrastination comes from somewhere. What’s stopping you? What are the key areas that you feel are holding you back? Sometimes we are able to visit that — maybe you’re holding onto something and are not able to let go for whatever reason. It’s interesting how one area affects another area and, holistically, you’re not able to take action.
It’s not just about cleaning your house.
Correct. I recently invited to give a talk about decluttering at the Singapore Heart Foundation, and to talk about the benefits of decluttering and how that can help the patients eventually on recovery and their outlook on life. I volunteer with Over the Rainbow, a non-profit organisation for mental wellness, so I’m also doing a talk about how decluttering can help with your mood, emotions and mental health.
Besides KonMari-ing, what else are you busy with?
This year, I’m learning to slow things down a bit and I’ve been focusing more on sound healing and conducting meditations and workshops. I also host Airbnb experiences such as meditation at my own place. All these, together with my KonMari consultations, are run under my company called Align Origins. My band, In Each Hand a Cutlass, has been kinda quiet ’cos everyone’s in a bit of a transition — getting married, moving house, changing jobs — but we’re getting back into action soon.

Bo Concept is at#04-01 Paragon Shopping Centre. More info about Align Origins at www.alignorigins.com.

PHOTOS: Amanda Ling, BoConcept