The Hidden Costs of Owning Too Much "Stuff"

Every day we're relentlessly bombarded by advertising that tells us to buy this, that or the other thing. It's all too easy to succumb to the temptations and no surprise that many of us end up owning as much "stuff" as we do. Sometimes though, our "stuff" seems to end up owning us instead of the other way around.

First of all, spending to get "stuff" is a major source of personal, financial trouble for many of us. And then there are the hidden costs. For example, having to move to a bigger space because your "stuff" doesn't fit into the space you currently occupy. A bigger space can mean expensive moving costs, higher taxes, higher heating bills, bigger cooling bills, a bigger mortgage. And then there's the time spent buying and the time and money spent tending to all our "stuff".

In part, this is about living beyond our means, and in part it's about not being able to distinguish between what we want and what we need. Most of us are
so busy acquiring that we don't stop to consider:

* Is this necessary?
* Can I afford it?
* What is this new thing really costing me?

As a Professional Organizer, I am frequently called upon to deal with the downside of people owning too much "stuff". If you've got more "stuff" than space, a move to a larger space isn't in your immediate future and you want to live a safe, healthy, uncluttered life, you only have a limited number of options. Either you have to increase the storage capacity of your space, cut down on the number of items you own - or both - or you have to store the surplus off-site somewhere. Storing off-site often means paying for storage - yet another hidden cost of owning too much "stuff" and many people either can't afford it or don't want to pay for it.

If you've got good storage space, but you're still feeling squeezed out by your "stuff", it's time to start lightening the load. Consider donating your unneeded clothes, furniture, household goods, computer equipment, etc. to a worthy cause. People in need get assistance and you get a tax write-off. Or, try selling them on eBay or craigslist. Either way, move it out of your space and back into the world where someone else might be able to put it to good use.

To avoid this problem in the future, you need to carefully consider the space/storage/clutter implications of everything and anything you're thinking of bringing into your home... before you bring it into your home. Unless it's something you really can't live without or you're willing to part with something else to make space for it, exercise restraint. If you can just learn to walk away, you'll be stopping clutter at its very source.