LESS IS MORE...

It's an old design adage. Often attributed to Gropius or Van der Rohe, the saying actually goes back to  Robert Browning and perhaps Thoreau. The thought of less being more is very philosophical.

I am a believer in minimalism. When you see my cluttered desk, or disheveled work pile, you may think to yourself that I am a hypocrite...rest assured I am not...minimalism is something I aspire to, but have not yet achieved. I think true minimalism (not just a design trend or a idealistic moniker) is a level of clarity that I strive for but never quite reach.

We (fairly affluent western cultures) are bred to aspire for more stuff."  We have too much stuff.
Even the poorest man has invested himself in the accumulation of stuff. You'll see a bag person pushing a shopping cart containing stuff--valuable only to them--but nonetheless stuff. I am not saying that we shouldn't have things, but what things should we invest our time and energy into?

Stuff can cause grief (wars, disputes, disagreements, paranoia, family fights, avarice, sloth, etc.) And remember always that you are born with nothing, and you will one day leave with nothing...you can't take it with you. Minimalism does not mean 'no stuff,' but rather focusing the stuff you have. If the toys you accumulate along the way cause you to stress, how are they making your life better.

Minimalism seems to ask its adherents to think carefully on the front end. You need to carefully consider and prioritize before obtaining. The result is less things that are more meaningful, rather than more things that need to be sifted through and prioritized. This applies to your life, your designs, your communication, and your relationships.