Ep. 247 | Owning Less (with

Joshua and Ryan talk about owning less, wanting less, decluttering physical and digital spaces, and more (about less) with KZbin minimalist Ronald L. Banks. Watch “Maximal” episodes of The Minimalists Private Podcast exclusively at / theminimalists
Questions answered in this episode:
00:00 How do I ensure I purchase new items intentionally?
04:45 How do I appropriately address my constant yearning for upgrades?
05:48 Why do we try to use possessions to validate ourselves?
10:23 How do I appropriately manage my bloated digital storage?
13:17 What is the best method for organizing photos?
20:41 Are there instances that warrant more rather than less?
21:36 How does minimalism simultaneously encompass less and more?
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Blog: theminimalists.com
Podcast: theminimalists.com/podcast
Patreon: / theminimalists
Detailed show notes: theminimalists.com/podcast
#TheMinimalists

[@RonaldLBanks]

This was so much fun! I had an amazing time chatting with you guys. Thank you so much for having me!

[@SandraSantos-SVS]

Hi Ron, I follow you on KZbin and was so pleased that you were on here as I listen to the minimalist podcast and I just love you all. 🤗

[@genabrown8740]

It was great to see you today on the Minimalist. I follow your channel and I think it's great that other audiences can enjoy you too :)

[@ceb7894]

I follow you as well - I had the “Come to Jesus” moment with my own materialistic mindset while watching your channel.... you impressed me very much and made me take a CLOSE look in the mirror and it was not pretty.... I have been in denial for years and years and my life shows it.... I have way to many THINGS..... and they clutter and control my life to a large extent..... I am now beginning the long journey of reprogramming my mind to minimalism ...... and it feels like a weight being lifted off my shoulders - Thank You!

[@MsGoldilockz1984]

So great to see you on the podcast Ron! I love your wisdom and advice. You're Mr Smooth without having to have any possessions! X

[@TheMinimalistsPodcast]

We loved having you on the show, Ronald! Thanks for joining us.

[@raccooneyes2099]

" am i buying this thing for me or someone else" genius! i'm so guilty of buying things to impress other people or just to keep up with trends. i'm so over it.

[@stephparsons2077]

My family have brought me up with a family motto- never be a borrower or a lender be. As a family we never had anything on credit. If you can’t afford it you can’t have it. My parents will never lend me money, friends and family shouldn’t be in debt to you. HOWEVER my family are very charitable, if you have it to give then give it without need for a return. So they have gifted me money but never lent. I’m now 32 and have had absolutely no debt ever. Although I’ve had issue with buying too much in the past I’ve never been in debt. This was the best life lesson my parents ever taught me and I remind them of it all the time. We are now teaching this to the next generation 💕.

[@nekdo_kavc]

That is the thing we kids learned from the parents that ware/are always in debt.

[@Julie-ok5fr]

This is interesting. My husband and I have worked hard to become debt free now that our kids are nearly grown, but we do still have our mortgage, albeit it is a minimal home that suits our minimal needs (we have downsized to 1400 sq ft ). Our mortgage is less than the average renter's cost per month. When the alternative is renting and you cannot justify throwing money away to rent, how do you get past that in the area of mortgage as far as "debt?"

[@paccarcrap]

Wow, good for you. It sounds nice but first, you need a family, then you need a family in a position financially to gift you money. My father pissed thousands away a month (alcohol) so though we kids lacked for no essentials, we definitely weren't "gifted " anything. Be grateful to your parents for sure.

[@Ava_sava]

I needed this type of discipline growing up, you should have a channel or at least just one video talking about your upbringing. I think it will inspire a lot of parents/ soon to be parents.

[@1124Lara]

Great video but I wish they let Ronald speak more. He’s awesome. Love his channel. Congratulations in your new documentary. 🎉💕

[@lynhenderson7524]

You guys are great but you invited another Great & we barely got to hear him speak!

[@simplebyemmy]

Big fan of Ron's channel! He packs so much value into each episode. Also I was pleasantly surprised that my voice mail comment was included in the show! Thanks for everything you do, guys.

[@aaron___6014]

Dirt bikes and boats are one of the greatest examples of how much the true cost of something is often overlooked.

[@mai_m92]

You guys pick the best guests! Love Ronald's channel, awesome to see him here. :)

[@justzaya]

bring Ronald back! we wanna hear more from him

[@LukeT84]

Two of my favourite creators in one place is a beautiful thing!

[@natashyas4149]

I love Ron Banks. So glad you guys had him on the show.

[@irishcladdagh3]

Losing everything in a natural disaster really puts things in perspective...for me I never again filled my life with stuff I dont need anymore and its very liberating...granted the situation was pretty muched forced on me but I wouldnt change it...some hard lessons are worth having

[@rochellena4082]

I like this guest, he has good vibes!

[@susanpate1272]

"More freedom is more empowering than more stuff". This is really a powerful statement. I want to ingrain this into my head because it is a profound statement! Thank you!

[@MrBird2007]

I have been going through digital decluttering such as deleting videos from my likes and favorites playlist on KZbin. I also unsubscribe from channels I hardly listen to. This makes room to listen to The Minimalists podcast much more

[@ZenDragoonYT]

I also just did a youtube declutter. Unsubbed from thousands of channels. I now have 14. 14 channels. I have fine tuned my home recommendations to only be from those channels. Instead of sifting thru junk and time wasters. I watch what actually makes me happy and enriches my day

[@ceb7894]

Luv Mr. Banks - I found him before I found you and Ryan.....

[@vgb10dst]

YEAH!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE @RONALD L. BANKS. I’ve been following him for almost 2 years. He really change my life and open my eyes with his KZbin channel

[@donhearl]

So happy to see Ronald on here!!!

[@sunnisideup444]

Seeing this in my email made me drop my jaw, I love Ronald and I’m so glad to see him on here!! I’m so proud of him and how far he’s come.

[@samantharowley125]

Love Ronald's channel. Glad he came on your channel. He's so right about being in a continual state of decluttering as we live. Seems I always have a bag or box near the door to fill as I evaluate everything I use.

[@laminage]

I saw their Documentary and I almost cried. They went through so much in terms of dealing with folks who were Hoarders and the like. Their lectures are so inspiring.

[@JastaAdventures]

What I have been happy to upgrade is clothing. Fewer items but higher quality, e.g. merino wool instead of synthetics or cotton.

[@sallyeve4044]

Such wise and thoughtful words from such a young man. Love Ronald.

[@EdCarterLetsTalk]

These guys and Ronald Banks? Good stuff! I really appreciate you guys! 👍🏾👍🏾

[@tomihaili8756]

He´s rocking iPhone 6. My Nokia is not even a smart phone, I do internet stuff on my laptop. I´m 39 so I still remember life before WWW and hitech.

[@alfienykabutler5919]

This comment is off the chain.

[@cherixe]

I've listened to the minimalists since 2013. I can't believe I just found Ron l banks now

[@itsarpitatime]

You guys and Ronald Banks are my absolute favourite minimalists. You guys really make things simple for your viewers.

[@0KiteEatingTree0]

Best tool for is a simple batch editor. Particularly with digital photos Easy to just select the photos you want to keep, rename all at once Job done. And freeing up file space

[@kasandrabrown8611]

So enjoy seeing Ron on your channel. He has a great way with words.

[@thetraineeminimalist6274]

I really enjoyed listening to this podcast, and I am currently trying to show my wife the joys of the minimalist lifestyle! Keep up the killer content guys

[@jayontario7285]

Ron.....good to see you on the show

[@jasminealixandranorth]

Wish Joshua had let Ron speak more - after all, he was being showcased. It seems that this show was ultimately about Joshua (as usual).

[@jayontario7285]

@@jasminealixandranorth They have a good platform and I am thankful 🙏 they shared it with Ron....#everybodywins

[@j.d.5709]

So awesome to see Ronald on here!

[@ImperfectRavin]

Hears intro ... subscribed.

[@beckspace]

wow ronald banks!! amazing

[@l0ramai]

One of my favourite episodes. So many precious little nuggets for every day.

[@carmeenamack]

So exited to see Ron! been loving his channel since I found it a few weeks back, such a vibe 💚 👍🏼

[@dawnhapgood2907]

Thank you for these videos! They have really motivated me to change my life. The best purchase I ever made is a cordless hoover because I can clean my small apartment in 20 minutes using this one tool. I wipe surfaces as and when I need to. Having less gives me more time, energy, money and mental clarity to chase the experiences I want to spend my life doing.

[@ufomechanic11]

He’s still Mr. Smooth. It’s natural for him 😍

[@bolabeedee]

“Just because I can (pay for that coffee, buy that car or thrift those books) doesn’t mean I should”

[@Beauty20ify]

I’m happy that Ron was on here. I’ve been following him on KZbin for awhile!! I really enjoyed this!!

[@JelenaVeronika]

Creme de la creme of minimalism 🤩🤩🤩

[@DrLewsyorkies]

"The joy of the process".... Yes! I think this is why people keep "doing" whatever it is they are doing. They find joy in the process of the action. The Process is the key component to what we are all searching for. I think this is why people keep shopping... because it is a process. Same thing with exercise, or any simple task that gives us the idea we are accomplishing something. We forget to be human. As we all know, we are human "beings". Just be -

[@MarleneHen]

I love Ronald Banks! What a surprise to see you feature him!

[@zinarisley5228]

Ron it is great to see you on The Minimalists!

[@FredCallahan]

Dude!!! Love Ronald!

[@oussamaaba2242]

I got the notification of you guys posting a new podcast on my Google podcast app, went to your old channel and waited.... And waited lol coz I wanted to see it on KZbin, still waiting... till I saw that 1 min vid about this new channel 😂😂😂 i was relieved afterwards 😎 great idea to separate podcast from other things, keep up 🔥🔥

[@phyliciajoykloes]

That background with the five questions has actually been quite helpful to prevent myself from buying something that's not necessary to purchase. (I've been finding it more easily, though, since my purchasing habits have a deeper meaning now. I see it as voting with my money.)

[@csohrab]

Very cool discussion, guys. Love it.

[@fernandoalarcon8534]

As for the phone upgrade. My wife will upgrade her phone, but I simply take her old phone. I have not upgraded, by way of purchase, in over 6-years.

[@ligiagomez707]

Regarding your upgrading section of this cast, though something is functional, I do think my life would be improved by a new product. For example, a desk that still functions bit is aged and looks bad. I struggle with the vanity of wanting the upgraded new desk, though the old one "works." But everytime I use it, not happy. There needs to be more talk on zero waste movement vs. minimalism.

[@heddaconstantino7574]

This might be my favorite podcast of yours to date. I am just starting the journey of living with less, and this episode touched on so many useful areas.

[@sandrantexas]

I love Ronald Banks. Been a subie for a of couple years so glad he made it to your show. Great conversation today. Thanks.

[@shrutimitadineshpokhariyal3691]

I have been watching Bank's videos and always thought he should come on a podcast with you guys, thanks for the valuable content.

[@MRSancutzik]

Great video!

[@pilarcasas1199]

Photo mechanics to organize photos is the best! Thanks for your podcast ❤️

[@katiechallis3187]

When are you guys going to try and get Mr. Timothy J. Ward back on for his 1st go around?. I actually started watching his channel due to Josh's recommendation. Been watching him since. I think would be a great episode.

[@DavidDavisDH]

One of my favorite minimalist youtubers. Joshua Becker as well.

[@nancyt6895]

Digital minimalism is very interesting. Great question. And great responses!

[@MITZZB]

Was so excited when i saw Ronald on with you guys!! God Bless 🙏🏽

[@elisae7718]

I’m in love with Ryan.

[@leticiamorales5984]

You guys are truly heroes for humanity, thank you for you amazing job!!

[@paulcherrytrains3339]

I only upgrade if it meets a specific need. Only upgraded a camera to get a mike Jack. My car was bought 4 years old in 2007. I still have it.

[@suezannemarie292]

Thank you for all you do!

[@Boringblessing]

5:36 good point

[@thamingobeni7075]

I love you Ronald L. Banks

[@paccarcrap]

Upgrading from several photo albums to digital frames. Yes!!!!!!

[@elmachomen]

Great episode guys! I can't even begin to describe what a positive impact minimalism has had in my life and how much it has helped with my anxiety. I wish I knew before how much I was missing because my attention and my energy were wasted on the wrong things.

[@NiesLife]

" Who are you buying it for" is a good one. I've tried everything else and the only outcome of using those other question is me realizing that I'm REALLY good at convincing myself I need crap. My shopping problem is a recent one and this question touches the roots of that quite painfully. Thanks Ronald

[@Hallelujur]

Love this collab! ♥

[@misssicily100]

great podcast

[@TheMinimalistsPodcast]

Thanks for listening!

[@JoelManrique]

I love this and the advice!! No ads as well!! Amazing ..I'm cleaning up decluttering as I listen! Good job just as always

[@2fresh2fly]

The iPhone 5s came out one year before the 6 came out. I don't know why Ryan insists that the 5s came out after the 6 anytime he mentions his phone in a podcast. Is he confusing the 5s and the SE?

[@rawbarbie]

The space it takes up in your mind.... great point!

[@rokkoko8866]

I could learn so much from this episode thank you so much!!

[@HananBenNafa]

Thank you for this amazing episodes. Really enjoyed Joshua's insights on digital clutter, it resonated with me, a lot!

[@LeoLover06]

Love you guys!

[@josedelgado6999]

Great podcast!!👌🏽

[@michellet204]

Refreshing and insightful session as always. Thank you Josh and Ryan for sharing content that actually helps and enriches lives in a practical way. I’ve adapted minimalism in my life and I am not looking back 🤓

[@johnnyred5799]

Thanks guys

[@sarahlockridge7879]

Work emails: I have the ones I need to refer to in various folders and subfolders. If I have even one email in my main box I can't handle it lol

[@trailertrish]

great guest choice! i love Ronalds content!

[@dolphinsandsunsets]

Awwww my three minimalism gurus

[@cje4733]

Love the video guys this one had a lot of good quotes..by chance who was the African American guy I didn't hear him introduced? Personally my experience with digital clutter has been different.. I have lost priceless photos before.. and I only can afford the free version of Google photos.. so I just constantly have to prune my collection and delete stuff.

[@AM-zp4xw]

Awesome!!

[@andrekeulemans473]

I still don't miss My TV, KZbin is My TV

[@tarrynnell1369]

I love the idea of a podcasts channel. Thank you!!! 😁

[@wendybeattie6935]

I could care less about upgrading my phone every few years but my husband is an upgrade junky so we always end up doing it as a couple - I’m in the process of downsizing possessions - hopefully that will rub off on him for everything else

[@angelacross2216]

Woohoo, Ronald. He’s great.

[@zahra71908]

This is how my journey started! I tell people everytime I’m asked - thank you ♥️ About the upgrade part, I’m surprised I have one that made a huge difference and value to my life. I have an upgrade that changed my life for 3,5 years. As autistic a passion or special interests is my life. You can’t be a gamer w/o a pc, (👉console doesn’t count) I went to college in 2015, I was going to put my money on a gaming laptop so I could use it in school too. It was awful, didn’t work for gaming (too hot, graphics, quality etc) and it didn’t work either, too loud, waaay to heavy, clumsy and way too hot. I sold it to a dad who’s son after the divorce stood in a tough position without two pc. A remote one was perfect, having a ride to mom/dad weight wasn’t an issue and the heat neither as he didn’t need it in his lap having a separate screen let’s air in as it wasn’t in his lap. Worthless to me, perfect to his son. I took the money I got and bought an older surface pro to use for school. I got some parts for free to my first own stationary pc. The little money I had was enough for a start in what became my life during my whole time in college. I realized the money I spent on my hobbies wasn’t close to what I most likely been wasting going to the bars, just to pass time. To my surprise, they are still alive and well! It just brings me so much joy!! As I moved this summer I carried it in an IKEA bag like a donkey 🤣

[@alfienykabutler5919]

NOT Silk the Shocker!!! Oh my word!?!!! 😂

[@mauraronda1265]

This was greAt! 😊. Love hearing your wisdom. I’m not there yet. But I am on my way!

[@Michelle-ct6fg]

Love me some Banks!

[@babysisdolls3336]

i am really struggling between prepping and my minimalist goals.

[@karenstough8708]

I'm a lot older than you, Joshua, but I too spent my paychecks on eight tracks and cassettes when I was a kid, lol.

[@renatas.7676]

Eu amei a entrevista, meninos eu só passei a ter uma vida financeira saudável a partir do minimalismo na minha vida em 2015, antes vivia um problema atrás do outro, mais foi pelo minimalismo que excluí cartão de crédito da minha vida, há 7 anos que a minha vida mudou totalmente, compro quando tenho o dinheiro integralmente junto, e assim também com compras mensais, a economia é gigante, pois compro somente o que vou usar e não tem desperdícios, obrigada por compartilharem, um grande abraço a todos. 🙏🏾 PS: Necessário somente o necessário, o extraordinário é demais. ( Baloo em Mogli o menino lobo 🐺)

[@iarroyo612]

So almost 10yrs ago I brought large furniture and flashy now I'm like this is huge and flashy and I want something smaller to have less clutter and less to clean so in a sense I want to down grade my furniture.

[@teoranoawawatai3181]

@9.59 I appreciate 99% of the discourse, except for this - keeping clothes that don't fit to "inspire" us to change our weight is the wrong starting place. It's our clothes' job to fit us, not our job to fit our clothes. A desirably healthy life actually has little relationship with fitting the same clothes throughout one's life, particularly for women whose bodies are in flux.

[@feathersky860]

Freedom of LIFE 😌 👍

[@zahra71908]

Any advice on a final huge minimizing journey before moving to the other side of the world? I’ll donate my winter jackets, shoes and house related stuff of course, but what about the things I will need/use? Would you be climate friendly and buy extra weight or give almost all of it all away and get what you need when over in paradise? Any ideas?

[@keniadelarosa3449]

Can you guys recommend a scanner to digitize stuff

[@Iquey]

Good idea on reorganizing the concurrent between two channels. I was WONDERING where the big episodes went. 😅 This episode made it clear to me.