New Minimalism Review!
New Minimalism: Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living
by Cary Telander Fortin, Kyle Louise Quilici
Photography by Kelly Ishikawa
Sasquatch Books, 2018
New Minimalism is an opportunity for reflection and inspiration, a guided meditation on how to mend the way people connect with the material items around them. Minimalism is an umbrella term associated with many different approaches to using and owning few(er) things. Authors Quilici and Fortin do not impose any style but rather encourage their readers (and clients) to create individualized spaces that align with the function and personality of those living there. The key is to be honest about what we cherish, and to keep items that reflect that love and spirit.
I rate this book 6 out of 6 sweet geese!! I think it’s a solid text in the library of anyone interested in interior design or anyone looking to address their personal relationship with the objects in their home space.
I wrote a review for this book when I first read it 2 years ago: “I love that this book does not attempt to prescribe a quantifiable minimalism nor does it objectify the process of de-cluttering to regarding just the "things." Instead, it proposes a frame of mind for determining what you find important, and from where your habits of possession are born.”
There are two clear sections: Part 1 is The Philosophy and Part 2 is The Practice.
First, readers reflect on how they currently attach to objects, as well as envision how they’d like their space to function and feel. I like the journaling prompts, and the authors include stories from their experiences working with their organization business’ clients. Quilici and Fortin show four different archetypes of reasons to keep things. If you like Enneagrams or other personality tests, this is a fun element! Do you hold onto things because of sentimentality? Because it could be useful if…? Have you kept something because you couldn’t say no? Or because you already spent the money?
Quilici and Fortin specifically address the failure rates associated with ‘minimalisms’ that mandate a specific number of items (like Dave Bruno’s 100 Things Challenge or “one in, one out” strategies), strictly insist on throwing away anything you haven’t used in the past however long (“throw away anything that you haven’t worn/used in 6 months”). These can be very helpful in the short term, however homes quickly re-accumulate possessions. New Minimalism talks about the psychology of design, which I appreciate. Other contemporary ‘minimalist movements’ like Marie Kondo’s “does it spark joy?” approach or Courtney Carver’s Be More with Less challenge also go deeper. Readers learn how to adapt a “decluttering-mindset,” considering benefits such as more free time and more money saved.
Secondly, we get to dive in and interact with our possessions. The authors do recommend a sequence to minimize getting overwhelmed, and clearly lay out helpful tips from their extensive experience doing organizing for clients. For example, allot an entire day for each object-type, have a friend with you, know of places to donate to before you begin, and more. You start with the most individual of objects: clothing. I actually did my wardrobe following this book! I do like how they recommend going forward by object type rather than room: how many clothes or shoes or accessories I had in the front closet and not in my dresser!
I can definitely tell that most of Quilici and Fortin’s clients (and possibly readers) are parents or professional adults who own their homes or are financially stable. I do think the book can be used by anyone as it avoids specific to-dos of style. However, those in more fragile economic circumstances or anyone with little control over the space in which they live (lots of roommates, not head of the household) still need to perform a bit of mental-acrobatics to take what can apply to them and leave the rest.
New Minimalism emphasizes the human aspect to design, speaking to how readers can reflect on their attitudes towards the objects they own for “sustainable, intentional living.” This is not a design book with filler-text; while it’s pictures are beautiful, each line of text is meant to be read carefully and thoughtfully. Quilici and Fortin touch on individual motivations as well as the broader societal issue of waste. Additionally, I would recommend pausing for a day or two in between sections so as to give your mind time and space to reflect deeply about what you’ve read.
Design is more than decoration; it’s about how you engage with the material space around you to create a space for the feeling of home. It can be joyful and energetic, or restorative and tranquil. New Minimalism is awarded 6 champion geese, and is actually the reason I wanted to do reviews of Interior Design books: to better understand how anyone can turn a house into a home as the cliche goes, how anyone can design their home.
With loving curiosity,
DesignMod
