"I had three pieces of limestone on my desk, but I was terrified to find that they required to be dusted daily, when the furniture of my mind was all undusted still, and threw them out the window in disgust."
-Walden
Thoreau may have been against your collection of crystals, but what seemed more upsetting to him was the necessary maintenance to take care of those crystals. Luckily, he's just some guy, and not the dictator of your decoration- if you don't mind dusting your rocks, Thoreau is probably not going to advise you to throw them out the window! What's more so being called to attention here is Thoreau's take on consumerism- he calls for a mindfulness is regards to what he has. When the furniture "of [his] mind" is not aligning with what he truly has, he re-examines the area around him and adjusts to what is truly needed. May we all invest in a bit of spring cleaning!
Thoreau thinks lowly of luxury goods. If something works, and it works well- why invest in something more only to claim the prestige of a title? On fashion, he states:
"As far as I have heard or observed, the principal object is, not that mankind may be well and honestly clad, but, unquestionably, that the corporations may be enriched."
- Walden
Have you ever heard the phrase 'eat the rich'? Thoreau would have the Gucci execs served on a silver platter. Stop putting your money into those $780 white tee-shirts and, instead, focus on supporting your own projects or supporting companies that you know are transparent and ethical in their money-usage.
"Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind."
- Walden
Thoreau, indeed, is quite biting at the concept of those who hoard money; a percentage that has only grown more and more upsetting at the 21st Century's wealth disparity. To take your own first steps at class consciousness, take a look at the US's debt clock and then a look at Musk's net worth (currently 195 Billion USD), or Bezo's (currently 194 Billion USD).
"The first question which I am tempted to put to the proprietor of such great impropriety is, Who bolsters you? Are you one of the ninety-seven who fail, or the three who succeed? Answer me these questions, and then perhaps I may look at your bawbles and find them ornamental."
- Walden
Going hand-in-hand with his thoughts on luxury, Thoreau supports local; no more Shein or Temu here!
"I cannot believe that our factory system is the best mode by which mean may get clothing."
- Walden
Instead, invest in some Do-It-Yourself times and trends to create your dream clothes! Content creator @peonyandhoney, known for her own DIY projects, created her own dream bookshelf in her house- the sky is the limit (exempting some of the specialties you should bring professionals in for, like electricity) when it comes to DIY. Luckily for you, DIY is the trend right now, as we all try to navigate the current recession. From the man that "borrowed an axe and went down to the woods by Walden Pond" to build his own cabin, the spirit of Thoreau is with you in all your ventures.