The Power of Less Stuff

Our culture tends to reward (or recognize) people who accumulate things—the more the better.  It constantly tells us that we should work harder to own more things and then work even harder to maintain the things that we own.

Last year, I made the decision not to buy any new clothes or shoes (well, hardly any).  This year I decided to spend my money on “experiences” like vacations (even 3-day mini ones), concerts, theatre,  plays and meeting friends I haven’t connected with in a while.

In 2014, my goal is to get rid of stuff—lots of stuff (including 54 pairs of shoes I never wear anymore)!  But part two of the goal is to NOT replace it with anything else!

Do you remember the last big purchase that you made?  You saved your money. You were thrilled when you finally acquired it.  You were excited to use it.  But after a few months, the joy and excitement faded away.

I’m not saying that owning stuff is bad!  I have stuff that I own and still enjoy using (like my cell phone or a diamond ring I bought to reward myself).  I’m just saying that most of what we own is causing more stress, taking up more room, causing more upkeep than the joy we receive from owning it.

It’s going to be hard from me to make the decision about what stays and what goes.  However, I feel that in the long run, I won’t need to “keep up with the Joneses” and the stress that comes along with owning stuff.

If you were to get rid of “stuff,” what would you get rid of first?