Three Words for My Younger Self: Own Less Stuff
Dear Younger Self,
You know all that stuff you think you need: the latest and greatest clothes, housewares, electronics, décor; the proper furniture, pots, pans, and place settings; the stuff in ads, stores, magazines, and your friends’ homes? Well, you don’t.
You’re going to spend the next decade of your life moving every year or two, and all that stuff’s going to make it harder. The first time you’ll fit it in your car — but the second time you’ll need a small moving van, and the third time a larger one. By the time you move again, you’ll be hiring professionals. You’re going to waste a lot of time and money hauling that stuff around, and some of it will never even get unpacked.
It’s also going to take a toll on your bank account. Sure, it’s fun to buy something shiny and new, but that high doesn’t last long. In fact, you’ll shove a lot of that stuff into the backs of drawers and closets while you’re still making payments on it. Trust me — you’re better off saving that money for a trip or paying off some of those school loans instead.
With the benefit of hindsight, I’m going to tell you what I wish I knew a decade ago: life is a lot easier, and happier, when you don’t have a lot of stuff. Let me explain why:
1. Less stuff = less stress. The fewer possessions you have, the fewer chores and worries you’ll have (in other words, you’ll have less to organize, maintain, repair, insure, protect, and pay for). You also won’t have to stress about not having stuff, or finding the money or credit to acquire it.
2. Less stuff = less to clean. Don’t waste your weekends dusting around tchotchkes, and corralling wayward items into drawers, bins, and closets. The fewer things you own, the more likely your home will usually look halfway decent — always a relief when someone unexpectedly drops by.
3. Less stuff = less pressure to keep up with the Joneses. When you don’t want to own a lot of stuff, you’ll stop caring about what other people have. It’s very liberating to realize that stuff is not a measure of success.
4. Less stuff = less emotional baggage. Don’t torture yourself by holding on to stuff from your ex, failed endeavors, abandoned projects, or anything else that triggers sadness, regret, or negative emotions. Keep only the things that make you smile.
5. Less stuff = less impact. The fewer things you buy, the better for the environment. It’s nice to know you’re helping keep the air a little cleaner, the water a little clearer, the landfills a little emptier — for both present and future generations.
6. Less stuff = more time. Stuff takes up a lot of time. From planning a purchase (researching prices, reading reviews, going to stores to check out your options) to cleaning and caring for it, you could devote days to a single possession. Multiply that by everything you own, and it turns into years. The less stuff you buy, the more time you have for other (more pleasurable and rewarding) pursuits. Spend your precious time with people, not with stuff.
7. Less stuff = more money. The less you buy, the more you’ll save. Life is a lot easier with some money in the bank. Extra cash is infinitely more useful than extra shoes, extra gadgets, or extra knickknacks.
8. Less stuff = more freedom. Possessions can be anchors — don’t let them tie you down and keep you in place. When you don’t have a ton of stuff, you’re more mobile and can take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Job offer on the opposite coast? Throw your stuff in your car (or a POD) and go for it.
9. Less stuff = more generosity. The less you need to own, the more you have to give. When you have money burning a hole in your pocket, resist the urge to hand it over to a retailer. Use it to help a person in need or cause you care about, and get some good karma to boot.
10. Less stuff = more joy. True happiness comes from what you do, not what you have. The less stuff you have to fuss over, the more time you’ll have for friends, family, hobbies, travel, and the wonderful experiences in life. And that brings so much more joy than anything you can buy.
So take it from your older, wiser self: don’t spend your twenties (or longer) accumulating all that stuff. In fact, don’t acquire anything — a house, a car, a blender, an armchair — just because it’s expected. Wait until you have a desperate need for that item before you weigh yourself down with it.
Because when you’re not loaded down with excess baggage, you can pretty much do anything. It feels wonderful to travel lightly, but even more amazing to live that way.
I’m Francine Jay, author of The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify.
I blog about living a beautiful life with less stuff at www.missminimalist.com.
If you like the idea of owning less stuff, I hope you’ll share this story!
