Getting the Right Mix

We minimize some things, so that we can maximize others.

I have mixed emotions watching another minimalist blogger flame out. I believe in minimalism as a lifestyle choice, so I am always going to support that message. On the other hand, I recognize the limits of that message. The problem is that people make minimalism an end in itself. This is the error.

We pursue minimalism for the sake of other things and not for the sake of minimalism. For instance, we choose not to spend money in order to save money for other things. Some people hoard possessions while others hoard cash. Both have their positives and their negatives. The cash hoarding can be taken to an extreme as people choose to make tomato soup out of hot water and ketchup while banking the cash they save. Frugality can be a vice. So can minimalism.

Minimalism becomes a vice when we minimize everything. We spend nothing. We buy nothing. We have nothing. We do nothing. In desperation, we take a picture for our blog of our Macbook sitting on a table and debate if an iPad would be even more minimal. It is like architect Philip Johnson's Glass House which is a work of total beauty but was simply hell to live in especially during Connecticut winters.



Minimalism is a set of doctrines for living your life. There are many variations on the theme, but the doctrines are the same. Live in a small home. Wear simple clothes. Eat simple foods. Do fewer things. Eliminate the non-essential. But these can only apply to the material and to time management. The minimalist chooses the minimalist lifestyle because it is more manageable. It reduces stress, increases your money supply, and creates more freedom. What it doesn't do is alleviate boredom or tell you what to do with all that free time you have carved out.

The maximalist is always short on time and money. That is the downside of living excessively. The upside is that it is never boring. Keeping that juggling act going can put a real thrill in your day. But as objects come crashing to earth, the maximalist becomes a minimalist often out of necessity. I call this "forced minimalism." It is when you blow off a chore or commitment because you have mismanaged your life.

The challenge for the minimalist is to master the right mix of minimalism and activity. To make it easy, I suggest being totally minimalist on material items. It can be your clothes, your house, your transportation, or your gadgets and furniture. Go with as little as possible. This is the easy part of the mix. The hard part has to do with time management and activities.

Minimalists don't know what to do with their time. So, their solution is to apply the same strategy they apply to their material things. They believe that less is more. So, they eliminate all unnecessary activities. What you begin to realize is that the bulk of what we do really is unnecessary. For instance, it is not necessary for anyone to be on Facebook. This is because there was a time when Facebook and even the internet did not exist. The world did not crumble and fall to pieces.

The fact is that life can be minimized to working a job and coming home to a spartan minimalist existence. Toss in cleaning, food prep, and daily exercise, and your life can be as empty as your undecorated walls. We already know what this life is like. It is THX 1138.



The reason minimalist bloggers flame out is because of this sterility and emptiness. The human psyche abhors this emptiness. It rebels against it in much the same way that people in sensory deprivation begin to hallucinate. I haven't flamed out because I don't live like this. My life is outwardly simple, but inwardly, it is deep and rich. This is because I may choose to empty my life of some things, but I also choose to fill them with others. It is the choice that drives people nuts.

People want this freedom from choice. This is because choice involves selection, values, priorities, and regret. Minimalism lightens this load considerably, but it does not change the necessity of choosing. I cannot choose for you, but I can give you some practical tips that I have found helpful.

1. Eschew hobbies and activities that require the purchase of additional clothes and gear.

I have lost count of the number of invitations I have received to go fishing. There have been a similar number to go hunting and play golf. All of these activities require that I buy a bunch of shit. So, that is what I tell people when I turn down their invitation. I'm not going to go buy a bunch of shit that I am almost certainly going to use just once. The standard reply I get is that it is fun. No, it isn't. If that shit was fun, no one would have cluttered garages filled with dusty crap they don't use.

2. Pursue activities that do not require the purchase of additional clothes and gear.

Of course, if you decide to paint pictures, you have to buy some paint, but you can begin with a set of watercolors from Walmart. The same can be said of becoming a chess grandmaster. Both of these activities cost just a few dollars to begin. The same can be said for running, doing martial arts, or what have you. What you will find is that the most enriching activities are the ones that require the least in the way of the material. For myself, I mostly read and write. I have a vast reading list and an equally impressive projects list and the knowledge that I will die with both not being completed. But this is a good thing. I will always have something to do.

3. Work more.

I am not sure why minimalists seem to demonize work so damn much, but I think it is because they see work as being merely a means to making money. Being a minimalist lessens the need for money and for work considerably. So, many choose to work less which increases the boredom. This is dumb. Learn to work for more than just a paycheck. Find rewards in the work you do.

4. Develop friendships and be social.

I interact with a lot of people. This is both online and offline. It makes a difference. Some minimalists try and minimize this aspect of their lives either to just their families and significant others or to being total loners. I think this is unwise. Granted, you don't want to neglect your kids to go debate some guy on Facebook. But I find many minimalists consider Facebook, email, texting, blog comments, and the like as so much distraction. But on the other side of all that communication is another person. Social interaction is a necessary and vital part of being human. I am really horrible on making things work with a girlfriend or family, but I have a ton of friends. They enrich my life considerably. Plus, none of them ever ask me for money.

The bottom line is that you need to decide what to fill your life with. For me, I choose to fill my life with work, activities, experiences, and people. Other minimalists would be wise to heed my example. The whole point of minimalism is to make room and provide resources for the things that really matter. By clearing away the nonessential, we make room for the essential. We empty our lives in order to fill them with what matters. In short, we minimize things, so that we can maximize others. You may have to tweak the knobs a bit to see what works for you, but when you find the right mix, it makes a beautiful sound.

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