TEN COM MAN D M ENTS

OF M I N I MALI S M
 THOU SHALT NOT CHOOSE
#1.
QUANTITY OVER QUALITY
 It’s better to own one good pair of shoes rather than
THOU SHALT NOT CHOOSE QUANTITY OVER QUALITY

three mediocre ones. If you plan to spend your hard

earned money on something new, please don’t buy some
crap with piss poor quality that will fall apart after a few
weeks of use. We live in the H&M and IKEA era, where
fast fashion and fast design is unfortunately a thing, and
we all want to re-decorate our homes every week because
we get tired of everything at light speed.

But please, for the love of all things holy, the next
time you buy something like a piece of clothing, get
something that will not have to be replaced after two
cycles of washing or one that will send millions of micro-
plastics into the ocean. It’s cheaper and a hell of a lot
more environmentally-friendly to buy one t-shirt for 50
dollars than 10 at 9.99. But also do keep in mind that
expensive doesn’t necessarily guarantee higher quality.
Do your research and try to buy things that will be long-
lasting and can be repaired or restored at some point in
the future. Choose brands with a positive track record
when it comes to lifetime warranties and repair services.
Also, if your shirt gets torn, you can still wear it. And if
someone notices it, channel your inner Kanye, and just
say it’s a new fashion trend.
 THOU SHALT NOT LET THINGS
#2.
OWNED CONTROL THY LIFE
 Life is meant to be lived. Objects are there to help you do
THOU SHALT NOT LET THINGS OWNED CONTROL THY LIFE

exactly that. Design should augment your life, not control

it. If you don’t explore that bumpy road because you’re
scared to scratch your car, you have a problem. Every
time a life decision is controlled by an object owned, a
good designer somewhere dies. Okay maybe not, but you
get the point. Life experiences and memories: those are
the things you should value and treasure. Objects are
secondary. They should aid your journey and not be an
obstacle on your path.
 THOU SHALT NOT COVET
#3.
THAT WHICH HAS NO VALUE
 Shopping sales like Black Friday encourage unintentional,
THOU SHALT NOT COVET THAT WHICH HAS NO VALUE

spontaneous, and ill-considered purchases. Leading to

you spending your money on pointless shit with a short-
lived novelty just because it seems to be a bargain. You
know what though? It’s 100% off if you don’t buy it. Now,
that isn’t an endorsement to steal it instead, because that
would be ever so unholy. No, please just walk away. The
only exception to sales shopping is if you have planned
to purchase a particular item when it becomes more
affordable and you patiently waited for the sale price to
drop.

Of course, reduced prices are not the only culprits

when it comes to encouraging regrettable purchases.
“Influencersˮ are also the Devil’s children. They promote
items that they themselves only use because they are
paid. Quite often, these items are then bought without
much consideration of the value that they add to your
own life.
 REMEMBER FORM FOLLOWS
#4.
FUNCTION
 When it comes to objects, especially tools, there’s nothing
REMEMBER FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

more ridiculous than choosing something for the way it

looks rather than for the way it performs. You want your
shoes to be comfortable, not just good looking. Fashion
trends come and go but needs stay forever. You always
want your feet to be warm, dry, and pain-free. The rest
is secondary.

If we specifically consider minimalism in a design sense,

there is a balance to be struck between form and function.
Function shouldn’t be compromised for the sake of
aesthetics, but it also means a design shouldn’t be devoid
of form either. It just shouldn’t be the fundamental aspect
of it. For instance, a phone might look visually striking
with subjectively beautiful hardware, but if the device is
difficult to use and its battery dies after just a few hours,
it’s not exactly worth using, is it? That’s just bad design.
So remember that functionality and performance must
always come first, whether you’re a maker or a user.
 REMEMBER THY CREATIVITY
#5.
SITS IN THE ABSENCE OF
CONSUMPTION
 If you are constantly consuming, then you are not creating.
REMEMBER THY CREATIVITY SITS IN THE ABSENCE OF CONSUMPTION

And that’s never going to lead to any kind of fulfilment.

That’s not to say you must always be anti-consumption,
we all need some stuff, not least the bare essentials in
order to live. What you do need to fight however, is
impulsive and mindless consumption. Not just for your
own finances, creativity, and physical space, but also your
sanity. Most humans have a natural desire to create: we
all want to add value to the world in some shape or form,
whether it be writers, musicians, artists, designers, or
inventors. Quite often though, our consumption gets in
the way of adding any value to the world. We buy so
many possessions that they possess us. They weigh us
down mentally, physically, and emotionally. Not exactly
conducive to creative thinking, is it?
 THOU SHALT MINIMIZE
#6.
THY LIFE, NOT ONLY THY
POSSESSIONS
 You own very few objects, your life is as simple as it
THOU SHALT MINIMIZE THY LIFE, NOT ONLY THY POSSESSIONS

gets and yet you go around screaming and yelling and

being as noisy as a one man construction site. Remember,
minimalism is not just about possessions. It’s about
intentionality and being present and aware of your life.
You should not only try to minimize the things you own
but also the impact you have on your surroundings. When
you walk, try be light on your feet, don’t stomp them.
When you’re handling something, do it carefully, try not
to bang it around. Also, you have not freed your life
only to fill it with things to do. Minimize your activities,
give yourself time to enjoy what’s left. A simple schedule
leaves room for the unexpected and also gives you time
to do nothing.
 #7. THOU SHALT NOT HOARD
 There is an undeniable reality that one day you will
THOU SHALT NOT HOARD

die, eventually. Sorry. Happens to the best of us. You’ll

probably end up somewhere heavenly though, don’t worry.
And when you’re gone, all your things will be left behind.
And you know who will have to take care of the shit you
have amassed over the years? The people you love.

Do you really need to bring more shit into your life?

What value do these things actually bring you? Will you
actually see and appreciate them in amongst all the other
crap you have accumulated over the years? Probably not.
It will more than likely sit gathering dust as you forget
about it weeks, if not days, after buying it. So instead
of mindlessly adding to your belongings and adding
to a meaningless collection, ask yourself what you can
subtract. If nothing else, things will be easier to clean.
 THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID
#8.
TO LET GO
 Recycle it, gift it, donate it, sell it. Those options are all
THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID TO LET GO

infinitely better than “I’ll keep it just in caseˮ. Sorry to

break it to you but maybe 1% of the items you keep will
ever be useful in the future. The remaining 99% will just
become this invisible weight you carry around your life.
And yes, this is based on comprehensive scientific study
that can only be disputed by means of a tweet. Don’t be
afraid to let things go.

This goes beyond just your physical possessions of course.

It includes personal relationships that weigh you down
as well. When a relationship is birthed out of proximity
alone, it is bound to fail. We routinely keep people around
simply because they’re already “aroundˮ. If you find
yourself in a toxic relationship and you have tried to fix
it with no success, then end it. This might be difficult,
but it applies to any relationship: family, friends, lovers,
co-workers, acquaintances. If someone is only draining
your vitality, then kindly ask them to jog on.
 THOU SHALT NOT SEEK
#9.
POSSESSIONS, BUT
INSTEAD SEEK PURPOSE
 We often compare ourselves to others. For better or
THOU SHALT NOT SEEK POSSESSIONS, BUT INSTEAD SEEK PURPOSE

worse. Usually for worse. And when we do, we seek to

validate ourselves through status and possessions. Of
course, nobody actually cares whether or not you have the
latest tech or the latest trending fashion pieces. Being a
hypebeast is not evergreen, nor enviable, nor respectable.
It’s materialistic and transparent. What might be better
is seeking a sense of purpose. Of course, that’s easier said
than done and it sure as shit isn’t an overnight discovery,
but it’s something that you can focus on and finesse
over years so you can feel a fraction more fulfilled. This
doesn’t mean you should forbid yourself to own any on-
trend possessions, but it does mean that any you do own
should not validate or dictate who you are as a person.
 THINE ACTIONS MUST
#10.
REFLECT THY VALUES
 It’s all well and good living in the moment, careening
THINE ACTIONS MUST REFLECT THY VALUES

care-free from one pleasurable experience to another, but

it will inevitably leave a void because fleeting pleasure
often gets in the way of lasting joy. So you need to ask
yourself what you truly value in life and begin to take
action in order live by those values. Unlike man, not all
values are created equal. You can establish foundational
values that sit at the core of your existence. These might be
things like your health, family, creativity, and community.
And you may have other types of values that are more
personal. Things like curiosity, compassion, humor,
humility, vision, and vulnerability. These are values that
will evolve with experience and time. Sometimes they
need to be reset. Sometimes they need to be simplified.
And then there are values that are a little more surface
level, but still very important, otherwise, they aren’t
really values at all. These might be art, design, climbing,
coffee, comfort, planning, reading, writing, and climbing.
Definitely climbing. These, more than any other set of
values, will change with time. What is important is that
any value you do find for yourself, will always correspond
with one of your core values. Lastly, don’t compare your
values to those of others. Our differences make life
interesting.
 A fun little book brought to you by Carl and Manu in the shitty
year of 2020. A year that hasn’t brought much joy for many of
us, so the time has come to just let go.
♥
If you have any questions, comments, or fears about these
commandments, please consult your local minimalist priest.
THAT'S ALL FOLKS! OH, ONE MORE THING: FUCK COVID!