Is there an issue in your home concerning the things of others? Maybe your partner is constantly buying the latest and greatest gadget. He never throws anything away and would be unwilling to donate any of his “stuff” because he may need it someday. He wants everything to be out where he can see it. He swears that he cannot function when his office is cleaned, and he is right.
If you ever surprise him with an “I cleaned your office while you were out today, you will get a look of dread, shock, and panic. For the next few months, he will search for things that you moved until ultimately replacing them. He is a maximalist.
On the other hand, you might be a neat-freak. You do not want more furniture than absolutely need. You crave straight lines, empty spaces, and clean monotone colors. It is not that you do not have things. You simply have everything put away. Clothes are folded and shoes are neatly placed in a shoe organizer in the closet. You cannot work unless everything is clean and in order. You are a minimalist.
Can A Maximalist and a Minimalist Live Together?
You may think a mini and a maxi would drive each other crazy. In fact, the opposite is true. They live together very well if each of them are willing to give a little.
Being a minimalist or a maximalist is more about their personalities than their lifestyle. The difference in personalities is what draws them together. The minimalist looks at the pile of old magazines, the Taco Bell collectors cups, and the single boot in the laundry room that is waiting for its mate to be found and she begins to itch. She looks at him and his stuff in shocked awe.
He looks at her with wonder. How she lives with nothing. He goes to the closet to hang up his clothes, many of which are inside out and sees her clothes neatly sorted by season and color.
A person who likes to buy things even if he doesn’t know what he is going to do with it or where he is going to put it draws pleasure from possessions. It is cool, unique, or reminds him of
Common ground
The minimalist loves cabinets with clean lines. White Shaker cabinets are perfect for her. Ordering RTA (ready to assemble) cabinets is the perfect solution. They come completely organized and are easy to assemble. You can learn more here. Order cabinets for the kitchen, and even for an entry hall or his man cave. Select certain cabinets that are his. She cannot touch them, organize them, or complain about them. When he is home, he can take his things out if he wants to tinker with them, but at the end of the day, he puts the collections inside his cabinets and she has her clean lines.
Most minimalists take great pride in the living room, kitchen, and master bath. She can keep those rooms to her liking so the stress factor about having company is gone. His spare room/man cave or garage is his to do as he pleases.
Housekeeping
Because of the difference in personalities, you will have to decide some things together. Dirty dishes go in the dishwasher the first time you get up to hit the fridge or bathroom. If you want to share the same bathroom, expect some tension.
This is a room that even the neatest neat freak has problems with. Wet towels, almost gone bars of soap, drying toothbrushes and 10 kinds of hair products create a challenge. Either one of you will have to claim the extra bath, or you will have to compromise.
Cooking is another issue for this couple. It usually boils down to when one of you cook, the other cleans. This is something you will have to decide based on how much effort and mess goes with each cook.
It is not difficult to see when you are a minimalist or a maximalist. You can tell by your day to day habits, your home, your closet, and your car. It is fair to say that most people can agree to disagree on somethings. It is really about respect. No one is right and no one is wrong. You are just different. The couple who succeed finds middle ground and compromise.
