How much STUFF do we need?

[Jen12]

Have you all been watching the coverage of Black Friday and the hype for Cyber Monday? People seem to be crazed! How much STUFF do we really need? My condo complex is at war because there is no space in the visitor places because residents park their cars there. Why, you ask, do they do this? They can't fit their cars into the 2-car garages because of all their STUFF! I think it's insane.

Yet, I'm a bit guilty too. I look around at home and I'm starting to get a little bit uncomfortable that every surface seems covered with something - books, souvineer cotchkees from vacation trips -- just--whatever.

Do you feel like you have too much? Or do you need more?

[Biciclista]

too much stuff you've got it. I didn't go shopping this black friday or any of the others actually. I can't remember when i have.

[ladyicon]

Definitely too much stuff. But I could not resist cyber Monday deals.

[Owlie]

I do have too much stuff. I'm a packrat, though some of the clutter in this place is due to my being lazy and the necessity of squeezing a two-bedroom apartment worth of furniture and kitchen things into a one-bedroom place. (Some of this stuff is DBF's and it's not my place to get rid of it.)

I did do some shopping today and Black Friday, but it was practical stuff, both for me (I needed some dressier clothing), and to give as gifts. Besides the bike stuff (that doesn't count, right? ), my biggest problem is yarn. I have an ottoman full of it. I eventually get around to using it, but I usually just pet it and imagine all the awesome things I could make with it...

[Koronin]

I also did some Black Friday shopping. We drove 2 hours to Raleigh to buy cat food. Cats need to eat and the closest place to get their food is in Raleigh. However, we made sure that we would not get to Raleigh until after noon. After that stopped at the mall so I could buy some new undies and bras (yep need to throw out some old ones) and then to Performance where we bought hubby a new cylocross bike. The reason we stopped there was to see what was on clearance, clothes wise, not bikes. So we came home with a new bike. LOL

[indysteel]

I definitely could have less stuff. Before marrying two years ago, I was pretty minimalist. The only thing I truly had a lot of was books and cat toys. My husband came with a lot of stuff. When we first moved in together, I sort of freaked out about it. I just felt like his collections of things were taking over the house. I still feel that way, but I have grown used to it for the most part. But add in daily clutter and I start to feel overwhelmed. Add on some additional joint stuff--like bikes and camping gear--and I know that I am no longer a minimalist. It's on my list of things to work on, hopefully with DH, next year.

[Koronin]

I'm actually working on getting stuff together for a garage sale in the spring.

[Miranda]

http://brooks-palmer.blogspot.com/

This link above is to probably the best book ("Clutter Busting" Brooks Palmer) I've ever read in my life. Because it literally has changed my life.

The link is to the author's blog, showing his already published book, and one to follow in 2012. I just love him lol... a natural response to someone you feel such gratitude towards in being a tool for positive change, I suppose.

He defines clutter as "anything that is not serving your life in the present". This goes beyound our physical possessions, but activities, relationships, etc. The nature of our society to aquire more things is also adrressed.

His simple, yet profound, insights are amazing and so helpful.

Just can't say enough good about finding his work.

Fwiw.

[Tri Girl]

We are such over-consumers in our society. It's crazy! I didn't shop on Black Friday- in fact, I did the Buy Nothing Day celebration.
I did do some shopping on Saturday morning for Small Business Saturday aimed at getting you to spend your money to support businesses in your community. My business? The local thrift store run by Catholic Charities- so the money goes directly to those in my community. Win-win for all of us.

About every other month I have this guttural desire to purge things. I sometimes give away things I'd wished I'd kept months later, but most of the time I don't mind the de-cluttering and purging.

[jyyanks]

Yes I have way too much stuff and can't seem to resist buying more. What's worse is that I'm spoiling my kids by buying them even more STUFF for Christmas. I remember getting one gift from my parents as a kid (ie cabbage patch doll) plus stocking stuffers from "Santa" (lip gloss, pencils) --- that was it. I keep telling my DH that we have to dial it down but then all the relatives go crazy. One year, I'm ending this cycle, I thought it would be this year and then Black Friday came. Ugh!

[Red Rock]

I guess I'm like everyone else here. To much STUFF. However, I have been moving to a new house. With the move, means going through everything that we own. Our garage is full, but we can still park our two cars in there (and bikes). We have given away a whole lot. As we are unpacking boxes, we are creating other piles of "donation". I'm sure after all this is finished, we could go through again and try to pair things down more.

Part of our collective problem has been we both came from another marriage where spouses died. So logic says to keep things for a bit before seperation. The good thing is that I can do this wiothout having a whole lot of emotional connection to things. However, my histioy is hard to throw away.

Ever since this recession occured, I have been on a spending diet for sure. I could not believe the numbers of people out on Black Friday. That was one day I made sure I had other things to do around the house.

Red Rock

[limewave]

We aren't really a "stuff" family. Yes, we have more things than we "need" but we don't buy things for the sake of buying. I have an incredibly difficult time spending money on things like decorations, household items, accessories, etc. I have ratty old kitchen towels--I can't bring myself to buy new ones, they work fine. Yeah, they're ugly and frayed, but they dry the dishes.

We also clean out the house every 2-3 months and make a donation to Goodwill or the women's shelter.

On Black Friday, I walked passed the last 32" Toshiba LCD flat screen TV for only $130 (a real deal). And part of me really, really wants an iPad. But the last thing I need to do is invest money on something that is going to encourage me to sit even more!

I will buy "stuff" for cycling, running, hiking, snowshoeing, etc. I see it as an investment in my health and that is well worth it to me. I had some extra $ to buy a new dress for the company Christmas party this year (it's a very elegant event) . . . and instead bought a light for my bike So I have to wear the same thing as last year . . . oh well!

[Pax]

Not a 'stuff' person at all. I'm actually the polar opposite and would be happy living in an efficiency sized place. My honey, not so much.

This is my dream house, but I don't think it would hold her clothes and shoes.

[limewave]

Not a 'stuff' person at all. I'm actually the polar opposite and would be happy living in an efficiency sized place. My honey, not so much.

This is my dream house, but I don't think it would hold her clothes and shoes.

I could live there too. I had this wonderful tiny apartment when I was single. The kitchen was actually quite big (comparatively) but the bedroom was so small that the bed went from wall to wall to wall--same thing with the couch in the living room. But the apartment was downtown. I spent most of my time walking around the neighborhood, visiting the library, coffee shops, etc. It was a nice, simple life.

[Pax]

I could live there too. I had this wonderful tiny apartment when I was single. The kitchen was actually quite big (comparatively) but the bedroom was so small that the bed went from wall to wall to wall--same thing with the couch in the living room. But the apartment was downtown. I spent most of my time walking around the neighborhood, visiting the library, coffee shops, etc. It was a nice, simple life.

I lived in a wonderful little efficiency in an old house before moving in with my honey, it had a walk-in closet, the living/sleeping room had a huge bay window, and the kitchen was separated by a four foot wall that I topped with loads of plants. I adored my perfect little space!