enough for one evening
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Every object comes with small jobs. Find somewhere for it. Keep it working. Move it out of the way. Software does this too, with accounts, updates, notifications and settings. Eventually a quiet evening has a maintenance queue.
That’s what interests me about minimalism: having fewer things making claims on my time. A room can still have books, records and a battered box of dice. I want to use those things, and have enough attention left to enjoy them.
Stoicism pushes the question further. How much does a good day depend on getting what I want? The Stoics placed the good life in how we judge and act. Possessions and comfort could be welcome, but they were unreliable things to build your character around. You can look after something and still accept that it might break, disappear or stop being yours.
Owning less gives that idea some daily practice. Keep using the old machine. Let a sale pass. Sit with the urge to buy something for a few days. There are plenty of wants that become less convincing if you leave them alone.
Of course, an empty desk doesn’t make anyone patient or fair. You can spend just as much time obsessing over the perfect minimal setup as over a room full of gear.
I’d rather put on a record, read a few pages, maybe play something. Enough for one evening. The rest can wait.