Full or Empty?
Olivia Yi (G11)
The terms “maximalism” and “minimalism” have been floating around the internet for years now, but what do they actually entail? Are minimalists just broke and maximalists just massive hoarders? In this article, Olivia will clear up all the confusion between these polar opposites by sharing celebrity lifestyles as well as her personal experiences as a maximalist. Do you identify with any these two categories or are you somewhere in between?
As a maximalist, I keep everything (and I mean everything) that resembles memories that I want to remember and cherish. However, my mom, the owner of Yi household, is a true minimalist. She constantly barges into my room and tries to trash what she thinks is “not useful” for me. Some time last year, she threw away all my skirts because she thought I didn’t wear them anymore, when in reality I loved all of them. So now, my closet somewhat resembles a minimalist’s, with only one skirt hanging all alone.
There is always conflict in the Yi household. To be honest, I cannot understand minimalism because my standards for decorating a room is to have no space left at all! Every corner and every inch of the wall MUST be filled with the things I love. For years, I’ve had countless Harry Potter posters and merchandise all over my room and scattered on my desk. Being surrounded by such things makes me feel full and cozy, which is why I cannot understand my mom’s way of “tidying“ stuff. She’s basically hiding all the things I love into drawers! My room should be filled with objects that make me happy, or else what’s the point of having space?
If you sympathize with what I said, then you may be a maximalist like me (welcome!), but if you sympathize with my mom... you’re probably a minimalist (ew!). However, in a world where there are both types of people, I guess I will have to at least TRY to listen to the “hide and clean” aspect of minimalist design. For the sake of educating myself and others, let’s take a look at both sides of the spectrum!
“I often see students having these transparent pencil cases that are actually just plastic boxes but expensive.”
Have you ever wanted everything and nothing at once? Both can be appealing, but of course, we can only be one way or the other. Society classifies these different styles as two big categories: minimalism and maximalism. Personally, I call myself a maximalist!
Unfortunately, people often misunderstand these two categories. Many consider maximalists as having everything piled dirtily at the back of the house, and minimalists as having nothing such as the Japanese guy who lived with only 15 objects. From this example we see that some minimalists only keep necessities. Maximalists, on the other hand, from what I’ve seen around me (and especially of myself) have pianos that are over 40 years old, diaries from elementary school, hoarded art projects from kindergarten, wrapping paper from gifts received years ago, and crumpled receipts to remember special occasions.
(Courtesy of Muji)
Minimalist
Definition: “Owning fewer possessions” (And I mean having the fewest number of objects to keep one’s life barely alive and survive)
In other words, “HIDING, HIDING, HIDING!” - Me
(The reason why minimalist furniture have lots of drawers and cabinets in them)
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Brand: Muji
You may have seen in certain department stores and at school these popular minimalist stationary tools. It’s a good guess to say that they’re from Muji, a Japanese brand that has set its roots in almost every mall in China. I often see students having these transparent pencil cases that are actually just plastic boxes but expensive. It’s just like displaying a half-eaten apple and calling it an “art!” Like this pencil case, almost none of the products at Muji are colorful or decorated. It’s not rare to see Muji shoppers carrying only a clear pencil case, with one pen, one mechanical pencil, and one eraser (NO COLORS?!). The products are all small and designed to fit JUST the bare minimum, since MUJI follows the concept of “Compact Life.”
Shin Ae-ra’s House (Courtesy of Youtube)
Lifestyle:
The idea of empty space is key factor when a minimalist designs their home. In Korea, there is a TV program called 신박한 정리 (The House Detox). Every week, they clean houses for other celebrities who have so much stuff piled up in their homes that they live properly. Extreme minimalistic guests on the show live with almost nothing, and it feels like they’re barely surviving. However, one of the hosts, Shin Ae-ra, is a true healthy minimalist who throws away unnecessary items but also knows how to treasure things she loves. She, as an actress, has thrown away many of her awards other than a few cherished ones. Despite the fact that she is a minimalist, she is still an avid book collector. She organizes them by throwing away the ones published before 2001, which contributes to her minimalist tendencies. In her house, she uses a lot of cabinets to hide objects and uses monotone colors like grey and beige instead of bold, bright colors. There is no TV, no sofa, no carpet, and contains the most minimal number of decorations. She is praised for her bold movement to throw away non-essentials and her attempt to empty her living space.
Maximalists, on the other hand, are not being praised for their lifestyle choices. WHY? Minimalist may look “clean and simple,” however, what is the joy of life when you can’t be surrounded with the things you love? Here, I present to you the joy and happiness of my life: being a maximalist.
Maximalism
Definition: “A person who utilizes their space in the boldest way possible”
Exhibit A: me
Uses a pencil case for two mechanical pencils, two erasers, whiteout, a ruler, and a dozen pens with different colors (purple, blue, red, green, black..)
My room is filled with Harry Potter posters, blankets, and letters (my favorite!)
letters from my friends and drawings all over my room walls
Displays of Lego houses (a full Hogwarts set with tiny Lego people standing in front of it)
A collection of thirty (yes, actually thirty) teddy bears with all size, colors, and style
Was placed first during mentoring for the most-opened-tabs-in-one-window award
My computer background is full of files with three folders named “CLEAN UP” where I pour all my files so that I don’t have to clean my desktop
Lifestyle:
In the same show of 신박한 정리 (The House Detox), there is an another host named Park Na-rae, a famous comedian. Her house was revealed a few times, but her most recent house is the closest to the definition of a maximalist. As a main example, her dining room had a bold red table and chairs, a neon glass chandelier, a huge window with a bright pink sofa, and tropical wallpaper. Compared to Shin Ae-ra, Na-rae has a lot of decoration and plants and focuses on filling the space instead of emptying it.
Park Na-rae’s House (Courtesy of Fenter)
Conclusion: In all honestly, I find both styles to be beautiful and aesthetic in their own way. A minimalist room can give a much cleaner and peaceful atmosphere while a maximalist room can feel more alive and colorful. Some use minimalism as a way of healing and to clear their mind. However, that doesn’t mean that a maximalist room isn’t calming! It can give you a warm and cozy feeling, making you feel alive from the bottom of your heart.
