Most of us own too much junk.
I had specialized, single-purpose kitchen utensils.
I had books Id never read again.
I had records Id never listen to.
I had clothing for climates I no longer lived in.
I had bike parts for bikes I didnt even own anymore.
I had furniture to hold all this stuff.
I had storage to keep all this stuff aroundin case I needed it.
I still have everything I need.
It just turns out I dont need much.
Everything I own, I use on a regular basis.
Personally, Ill put everything I dont think I need into storage for a month.
I rarely miss any of it.
Ill look at something and want it because I can think of how Ill use it right that second.
If I cant answer that question, I dont need it.
The great thing about ordering from the internet is the forced waiting period.
Sure, Amazon has same-day delivery now, but its still notimmediate.
I ask myself: will I still want this in two days?
If the answers yes, Im on the right track.
If the answers no, then its not worth buying.
As youd expect, this has done wonders for my budget.
This sounds self-explanatory, but its something many of us dont think about.
At one point I had a blender and a food processor.
I rarely used either.
Instead of blending food, the only purpose they served was wasting space in my house.
When I got rid of the blender, I was perfectly happy with just the food processor.
Its more about filling your home with items thatyou useand discarding the rest.
Lesson Three: Durability Matters, but Not for Everything
IKEA furniture is not durable.
But that doesnt mean itsnot useful.
I learned to pick and choose what mattered to me, and work from there.
Subsequently, I have a small couch and coffee table that I love.
I have a desk I built myself that Ill take with me everywhere until it falls apart.
I have an office chair thatll last me a lifetime.
But pretty much everything else is replaceable at a moments notice.
Some random shelf from IKEA is fine.
Just give me whatever cheap one fits in this space.
If the answers no, then its probably not worth spending lots of money on.
This simple question has kept me from wasting money on all kinds of things.
My 2009 iMac has been through both a hard drive and video card replacement.
I tore apart and fixed an old Roland keyboard instead of replacing it.
Can I remedy these complaints on my own?
How much time and money would it cost to fix this?
Is it easier and cheaper to just buy a new one?
I can survive in my house foryearswithout getting bored.
But at some point, I realized Id stretched myself too thin.
So I decided to cut down.
The same goes for books, movies, games, and everything else.
Its not just about storage and moving, either.
Most of this stuff is digital these days, but that only worsens the problem.
By tempering my entertainment purchases, Ive learned to spend more time with the things I love.
Ill play and enjoy a single video game until Ive finished it.
Ill take my time reading books because Im not rushing onto the next one.
Im never bored, but Im not overwhelmed with options either.
Tidiness is just often confused for cleanliness.
This makes it super easy to keep a tidy house.
It just looks fine all the time.
(However, I do need to remind myself to actually deep clean my house.
Illustration by Jim Cooke.
