The world of Tzu Chi December 2020(Vol.129)

eature T he scenario of being late to work after having searched for keys in the morning rush, only to find them in yesterday’s pants pocket, is a familiar scene to many. According to the “Lost & Found Survey” by Pixie Technology in 2017, Americans spent 2.5 days a year looking for misplaced items. Moreover, Americans collectively spent US$2.7 billion a year replacing lost items, and more than half of them had been late for work or school due to frustrating searches. As the new year approaches, it provides an excellent time to organize our home. While decluttering, you may find many “surprises”, like unused and forgotten items which you have been reluctant to discard for years, such as dusty boxes containing birthday cards or postcards and reference books from school days sealed in boxes. In 2019, the Netflix show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”, fuelled the minimalist lifestyle trend. In her book “The Life- changing Magic of Tidying Up”, Marie Kondo stated that it is easy to mix up the meaning of “cleaning” and “tidying”; they are similar words but with completely different meanings. Without understanding the meaning clearly, it is almost impossible to keep a home organized and spotless. Minimalism is an art movement developed in the United States in the 1960s. It has a profound influence in paintings, architectural and graphic designs, and in other art fields. The minimalism concept of “Less Is More” is about owning less to have more freedom. Minimalism advocates reducing personal items to an absolute minimum, discarding all non-essentials. Minimalism emphasizes having more time and energy for more meaningful things. The late Apple Inc. founder, Steve Jobs, was one who pursued a minimalist lifestyle. For decades, he was seen in public wearing a black turtleneck and blue jeans. Apple’s simple and stylish product designs and corporate culture also reflect Jobs’ philosophy. 2020 • 12 06