Beyond Minimalism: How Maximal Minimalism Can Enhance Your Life
Beyond Minimalism: How Maximal Minimalism Can Enhance Your Life
"Less is more," they say. But what if more could be less?
Dear Unlearners,
This has been something I've been thinking about a lot over the past decade. While I've virtually vanished from the social media scene, I've focused intensely on optimizing my happiness. What follows is one of the most important lessons I've learned. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
From Toronto with love,
Cammi
For the last decade, this has been my bio:
My first love was a dead man, Mies van der Rohe. He taught me "Less is more." This became my life philosophy.
My second love was a futurist, Alvin Toffler. He taught me, "The illiterate of the future are not those who can't read or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." This became my life motto.
Busy having affairs with dead men, occasionally searching for my next love.
I fell in love with Mies van der Rohe in Architecture 101. His clean lines, large windows, and open spaces create an airy simplicity. I didn't connect with Frank Lloyd Wright's organic architecture or Le Corbusier's brutalist style. When I first visited Barcelona, I was more excited to see the Barcelona Pavilion than Gaudi's work. Mies's approach to minimalism was the only lesson I truly internalized from my college years. He introduced me to minimalism. He was my first love.
As a millennial, I witnessed the rise of minimalist design and lifestyle firsthand. It transcended architecture, becoming a cultural shift. At that point, as a new immigrant, minimalism wasn't a choice; it was all I could afford.
As I grew older and more successful, I realized minimalism made me unhappy.
I have over 150 cookbooks. I collect vintage clothes, and can find an outfit for almost any theme party in my wardrobe. Every piece of clothing has its story. I own nearly every cool kitchen appliance - Airfryer, Instantpot, NinjaCreami, sous vide machine, etc.
People often advocate investing in experiences rather than things. But having nice things is an experience. Owning 100 or fewer pieces of clothing might simplify life. It would eliminate the need to think much about what to wear, with limited options. But trying to stick to those numbers is stressful. It also forces me into over-consumption of things that I don't want but need. Another thing is the fact that minimalist fashion often overlooks the diverse wardrobe needs for various activities and weather conditions. Without a diverse wardrobe, it would limit me to the possibility of the type of activities, hobbies and where I could travel to.
In many cases, in order to achieve minimalism, we would need to sacrifice safety, comfort and embracing many life opportunities.
I have many possessions. The truth is, these items make me happy. Really happy.
However, I only collect things that bring me joy. I don't own a car or motorcycle. If I need to drive, I use a 20-year-old family car. I don't care about it. I don't own many physical books because they're not my thing. I don't have the latest iPhone or fancy tech gadgets. I use my phone until it breaks.
If something doesn't bring me joy, I don't collect it.
This realization led me to think:
Less is about simplifying, decluttering, and finding beauty in essentials. It creates space for clarity, peace, and purpose.
More is about abundance, growth, and expansion. It's the pursuit of limitless new opportunities.
In life, there is More in Less, and Less in More.
I realized I am a Maximal Minimalist.
Maximal Minimalism combines the best of both worlds. It embraces living with intention and purpose, without strict limitations. It finds harmony between minimalism and maximalism.
In practice, Maximal Minimalism means being ruthlessly selective about what occupies your time, space, and energy - but allowing yourself to indulge fully in the things that truly matter to you.
Be a Minimalist 80% of the Time: Keep things simple in 80% of your life. Embrace minimalism to create space, focus, and freedom. It allows you to take risks and pursue what truly matters. There's no reason to spend energy and resources on things that don't bring significant joy.
Be a Maximalist 20% of the Time: In the remaining 20%, embrace maximalism. Accumulate meaningful items that bring you joy. Collect experiences, memories, and possessions that enrich your life.
Some might argue that this approach is just a justification for materialism or excess. However, Maximal Minimalism is fundamentally different from mindless consumerism. It's not about accumulating things for the sake of having more, but about curating a life filled with items and experiences that have genuine meaning and value.
There are no absolutes in life. It's not always black and white. There's always a bit of black in white, and a bit of white in black.
Being either an extreme maximalist or minimalist is unhealthy. There will be times when you deny personal joy to follow a philosophy. Every life philosophy should serve us instead of complicating life.
This philosophy isn't about perfection, it's about balance. It's recognizing that different aspects of life require different approaches. What might seem like excess for one person could be a valuable collection for another. The key is intentionality and the joy derived from our choices.
Ultimately, Maximal Minimalism is about freedom - the freedom to choose what matters most to you, without judgment or arbitrary rules. It's about creating a life that's both rich and uncluttered, full of meaning but free from excess. It's about living on your own terms, guided by your values rather than societal expectations.
So, embrace your contradictions. Be a minimalist in the areas of life that drain you, and a maximalist in the pursuits that light you up.
That's the essence of being a Maximal Minimalist. Keep life simple.
Be a Maximal Minimalist.
More to Unlearn
The Diminishing Returns of Experience
Why I Lie, Cheat, Steal And Kill, And You Should Too
I’m going to start reacting maximal minimalism, I’ve never thought of it that way but makes total sense based on how I currently treat my hobbies and passions. Great read!
I don't have your love for clothes but I can definitely relate to the kitchen appliances. Last purchase was an ice cube maker and it's been put to a lot of use this summer 🌞. Makes me happy.