Decluttering Log | Can You Balance Minimalism and Fandom? The 'Healing Boundary' to Keep from Accumulating Too Much

On my desk, there is one favorite mug. It is a piece of so-called 'fandom merchandise' featuring the logo of my favorite 'oshi' (idol/character).

However, not once has hot coffee ever been poured into this mug. It never holds cold barley tea, nor does it even line up with the other dishes in the kitchen. It just sits there on my desk, quietly facing me.

If you were to measure the role of an object solely by its functionality—whether you use it or not—this mug would be classified as something I 'don't use.' But for me, this mug performs an incredibly important job every single day. It is the special job of 'healing,' gently relaxing my heart whenever our eyes meet.

'I want to live a clean, simple life. But I also want to cherish my favorite fandom goods.'

Have you ever struggled with that conflict? When aiming for a simple life, 'hobby items' are often the first candidates listed for letting go. However, I feel it is somewhat sad to uniformly exclude them just because they are 'not being used.'

In this post, I would like to talk about the true function of fandom goods that may seem 'unused' at first glance, and my own personal 'healing boundary' for balancing fandom life with a simple life without accumulating too many things.

The unused mug on my desk

Looking around my desk again, the mug sits enthroned right next to my work tools like my computer and external monitor, in the area where my mouse moves around.

If you open books on tidying up or tips on minimalism, you often see phrases like these: 'The someday you might use it will never come,' or 'Let go of things you haven't used in over a year.' I certainly agree with that. For daily necessities or clothes, things that are tucked away unused can become a cause of poor flow in your living space.

However, regarding this mug, I am choosing not to use it with full intent. The reason is very simple: it would be a 'waste' to use it.

I would be sad if the favorite design got dirty, and if by some chance my hand slipped and it chipped or broke, I wouldn't be able to recover. If I'm going to worry about that, it's better to decide from the start not to use it as a 'container for drinks.' That is what I have decided.

If someone were to say, 'Then isn't it just a decoration?', that might be exactly right. However, when I am tired from working at my desk and happen to look up, just seeing my favorite mug sitting there makes me feel the prickles in my heart melt away.

Just being there. Facing me. With just that, this mug is fulfilling 100% of the meaning of owning it.

The noble job of an object: 'Just being there'

Actually, I once wrote an article titled '"Not in use" doesn't mean "useless." The quiet work of the things that heal me.'

In it, I discussed how 'even if you aren't using something practically, if it heals your heart, that is a perfectly valid use for an object.'

Generally, when we try to reduce our possessions, we tend to judge them solely by the yardstick of efficiency and functionality. As a result, many people have had the experience of ending up with a tidy room that feels somehow inorganic, having stripped away the very things that nourished their spirit.

However, objects have another important role. That is their 'emotional function.'

For me, the unused mug on my desk is the perfect embodiment of this idea. Even if I can't brew tea in it, just seeing it gives my heart a sense of 'space' and 'healing.' In that case, I can say that this mug is doing its job in my room better than anyone else.

The very fact that it is 'at hand' is the meaning and value of owning it. The criteria for letting go of things is by no means just 'whether you are physically using them.' Even if it is just sitting there, if it is undoubtedly supporting your heart, then it is undeniably a 'necessary item.'

A simplist's take on the comfortable relationship between fandom and 'volume of goods'

If it heals me just by being there, I can collect as much merchandise as I want!' ...I would love to step on the gas with that mindset, but as a simplist, this is where I step on the brakes just a little. The 'healing function' that objects provide is real, but only when kept at an 'appropriate amount.'

When you are a fan, attractive new merchandise appears one after another. I understand the fan psychology of wanting to support your favorite talent and contribute to their sales even a little bit, and I feel that urge painfully well myself.

However, if 'collecting' becomes the goal in itself, driven by emotion, your home's storage space will quickly become overwhelmed, and goods you can't display will end up sleeping in the back of your closet. Those 'healing items' you worked so hard to get might end up making your room feel cramped and eventually turn into psychological noise that makes you think, 'I have to clean this up...'

I want to keep my life neatly organized and maintain a comfortable 'space.' At the same time, I want to cherish the passion I have for supporting my favorite idol. To balance these two things, I find that I absolutely need to draw my own line and 'know my limits.'

Of course, how much is a comfortable amount is different for everyone. That is precisely why it is important to face your own 'balance of comfortable volume' rather than using someone else's standards.

Hints for finding the balance between 'support' and 'living'

So, how exactly can you find your own 'line'? For reference, let me share a bit of my own recent trial and error.

I used to be swayed every time new merchandise came out, but recently I have consciously narrowed down the 'types' of items I buy. For example, I choose 'tote bags' that I can actually carry around during my daily shopping or outings. This way, I can feel close to my favorite idol in my everyday life while also having something practical that naturally blends into my lifestyle.

Furthermore, at a concert I went to the other day, I took on a big challenge for myself. I finally came home without buying a single piece of merchandise at the venue.

I had some doubts on my way to the venue. However, I stopped for a moment and asked myself, 'Do I really want that merchandise, or am I just about to buy it because of the festival atmosphere?'

As a result, I decided not to make a purchase on the spot. Instead, I chose to fully enjoy the 'experience' itself—the wonderful concert production and the sense of unity in the venue—and bring those best memories home in my heart.

Not buying merchandise doesn't mean my love for my favorite idol or my desire to support them has diminished. Above all, when I return to my room, the fan goods I have collected little by little and cherished are still displayed in their special spots. I realized once again that just looking at them is enough to fill my heart.

I stopped chasing every single piece of merchandise and decided to keep only the things that truly satisfy my heart. I feel that this mindset of subtraction is one of the major keys to balancing a simple life with being a fan.

Where is your 'healing space'?

A simple life without many possessions and a fan life surrounded by things you love. At first glance, these two might seem like opposites, but it is by no means a case of having to choose one or the other.

What is important is whether you can maintain a comfortable 'space' both in your room and in your heart.

It is okay to have a period where your heart is filled by collecting many things, and it is also okay to have a step where you become satisfied with just a few carefully selected items and the memories of a concert, like I did. That balance should change depending on your life stage and state of mind.

If you are currently worried, thinking, 'I want to tidy up my room, but I can't let go of my fan goods,' please first honestly acknowledge the 'healing function' those goods provide you. Then, I would like you to gently ask yourself, 'Which of these items are truly supporting my heart right now?'

You don't have to force yourself to throw everything away. When you find your own 'comfortable line,' your life will become lighter, and at the same time, the time you spend thinking about your favorite idol will turn into something of higher purity and more precious.

Balancing a simple life and a fan life. Why not try finding your own comfortable balance while enjoying the process?

Thank you very much for reading until the end.