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Maximal Ep. 374 | Boxes of Stuff (Video)
🕑 Added 2023-01-09 12:00:04 +0000 UTCThe Minimalists talk about holding on to boxes of stuff from childhood, why decluttering is boring, collecting toys as an adult, letting go while living in a “hoarder’s paradise,” mental weakness, preserving sentimental items, lying, and much more!
Discussed in this episode:
How do we find the strength to let go of significantly sentimental items or find the peace to keep them? (01:41)
How do we explain the value of our minimalist design aesthetic to those that consider it bland and boring? (14:19)
How do we address our obsession with toys into adulthood? (23:33)
What is T.K.’s “How Does That Thought Feel” game? (27:45)
How do we ensure we don’t become attached to interesting items we inherit? (32:02)
How do we live peacefully with loved ones who don’t practice minimalism? (36:05)
By what criteria do you consider someone a minimalist? (39:14)
Are there other methods for preserving the memories of items aside from photographing the items? (43:16)
What are “obligatory sentimental items”? (46:50)
Segment: Lightning Round (48:16)
Isn’t our reliance on the ‘rules’ of others simply a lack of our own discipline? (48:51)
What is your perspective regarding discipline? (52:01)
Segment: Right Here, Right Now (52:27)
How do you record podcasts when much of your staff works and lives remotely? (54:05)
Listener comments and minimalism tips. (58:28)
Segment: Talkaboutables (1:01:13)
What does Joshua consider his latest failure? (1:01:17)
What is your take on the recent controversy regarding the Liver King? (1:09:16)
Why should anyone have compassion for Kanye West given his current hot takes? (1:19:37)
Segment: T.K.’s Tweet of the Week (1:31:13)
Segment: Impulse Purchase (1:36:22)
Segment: Sucky Ads (1:41:43)
Segment: Photo Friday Home Tour (1:45:41)
How do we convince loved ones that we truly don’t want physical gifts? (1:58:54)
How do we create effective boundaries that others actually recognize and respect? (2:01:34)
Segment: Added Value (2:04:38)
LINKS
Added Value: “Happy Instead”
Book: Everything That Remains
Book: Minimalist Rulebook
Instagram: Humans of Capitalism
Listen: The Sound of Life
Podcast: Minimalism Life
Resources: The Minimalists
Subscribe: The Minimalists
Website: Beulah
Website: Minimalism Life
FOLLOW OUR TEAM
Comments
Joan Silva
The unwanted gifts ... we received a bottle of wine from a loving neighbor for Christmas. We don't drink, in fact, we've been sober for 12 years. After discussing it with each other, my hubby went to her and shared this with her. Asked if she wanted the wine back or did she mind if we passed it along. (although we NEVER give alcohol to anyone). She didn't take offense. Said she didn't know this about us. AND she agreed to take it back.
Nicholas Powell
This is a comment about this episode and the recent livestream about holding onto books. Until recently I owned two books - one a recent self-help / psychology gift from my boss, which will be donated when I have finished it, and a hard back novel that I reference for tone as I start to write my own novel. I do all my own reading - novels and psychology books - on a Kindle for ease of access and the lack of book clutter. As something of a minimalist I've completely shaken my materialistic beliefs in the last week or so by quickly amassing a ridiculous collection of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics. A small car's worth. A month's rent post Bank of England interest hike's worth. I do have something of an addictive personality but nothing prepared me for this. I recently rediscovered these prized characters after not really paying them much mind since I was about 12 years old. Thankfully we have an empty bookshelf that my wife has earmarked for this collection (she is fully aware of what I have bought, and we aren't at risk of being hungry / homeless / freezing cold any time soon). There is some method to my madness and I am only looking to explore a fixed list of TMNT comics, definitely not the whole shebang, as I am definitely allergic to the idea of 'collecting' things for completionism's sake. I have to say I simply love reading the stories related to these characters. Some are familiar, but most are brand new. This isn't nostalgia, so much as newstalgia. What I didn't anticipate though is how much this rediscovery has triggered my own creative juices. If people aren't aware, the designs of the turtles were first dreamt up by two guys on a napkin in a restaurant and the whole juggernaut franchise grew out of this doodle. It inspired me to finally pick up my pen and start writing a novel that has been in the planning for at least a decade and I've got some real momentum going with it now. I was a magazine writer for four years in the early noughties, but haven't written anything other than business emails for the best part of 20 years. All thanks to four green turtles!
