Maximal Ep. 429 | Filling Empty Rooms (Video) (Patreon)

The Minimalists talk about the human desire to fill empty rooms, how they spend their downtime, the value of a quiet life, why we desire fancy things, how artists can still be minimalists, why some people are uncomfortable with minimalism, recovering from bankruptcy and the shame that comes with it, letting go of bad memories, releasing the emotions tied to things, and much more.

Discussed in this episode:

How do minimalists spend their downtime? (01:51)

How can a creative person also be a minimalist? (22:11)

Why do people criticize me for decluttering? (28:46)

How can I come back from chapter 13 bankruptcy? (39:43)

Why do I struggle with wanting nice things as a minimalists? (54:33)

How do we let go of bad memories? (01:01:27)

Was it a mistake for my friend to get his six-year-old a Playstation 5? (01:08:57)

How can we let go of the emotions tied to things? (01:21:45)

Can owning things deprive us of the joy of sharing them? (01:31:56)

Have we been wrong about just-in-case items? (01:41:00)

Are 80% of your thoughts negative? (01:45:26)

What do we like about this Patron’s tiny home? (01:53:27)

Why did this poem make us tear up? (01:56:09)

LINKS

Added Value: Trev Cimenski

Book: Drops Like Stars

Book: Emotional Clutter

Book: Somewhat Small

Essay: 5 Questions to Ask Before Buying

Podcast: Minimalism Life

Subscribe: The Minimalists' Newsletter

Tour: The Everything Tour

MAXIMS

Not every empty room needs to be filled.

Doing hinders being.

Peace arises the moment you realize there is nothing that must be done in this moment.

Stillness pasteurizes the chaos of the mind.

“What can I let go of?” is a more powerful question than “what can I do?”

Minimalism isn’t scarcity; it’s abundance healthfully expressed.

Judgment is a mirror that reflects the insecurities of the judge.

Shame is a tether that restricts our freedom.

Your desires are not your desires if they were handed to you by someone else.

The suffering of the past points toward the obstacles to avoid in the future.

If you want to be miserable, turn their mistakes into your problems.

Our feelings are teachers to be engaged, not demons to be exorcized.

Letting go is not something you do—it’s something you stop doing.

Every negative emotion points toward your biggest fear—that you are not enough—which is the greatest lie ever told.

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