… go far beyond just the price of the items.
We also have to deal with the consequences of having stuff.
We have to:
- Move it out of the way
- Clean it when it gets dirty
- Organize it so it looks clean
- Carry it with us
- Travel with it
- Work to pay for it
- Store it in storage locations or in hidden parts of our homes
- Repair it when it gets broken or ruined
- Protect it from kids, pets and other sticky fingers
- Get attached to it
- Replace it when it gets broken
- Try to find room for new stuff among our old stuff
- Be careful with it on a regular basis
- Go into debt for it
- Record the transactions for it
- Balance your accounts for it
- Stress out over it
- Feel emotionally overwhelmed with too much of it
- Leave it for your family who will have to deal with it after death
- Secure it, in fear of it getting stolen
Quite a list, wouldn’t you say?
All for stuff.
I am on board with having stuff as long as it brings some sort of meaning and use to your life, but don’t waste your breath, energy and life taking care of, and storing things that don’t matter.
Marie
on Dec 15th, 2009
@ 1:37 pm:
Great list. But last night I saw an Ipinema sandal at store. It is really cool and I love the design and color. Besides I only have a footwear- a ratty, old-fashion (not classic please) sandal. And the Ipanema would be fabulous replacement. It is something I would use often and enjoy so I dont worry to keep it clean. I’ll automatically just clean it before I use it
Red
on Dec 16th, 2009
@ 9:43 am:
Love this! It’s so true.
Red´s last blog ..Why it costs more to be a woman
linda
on Mar 27th, 2010
@ 9:55 pm:
Totally agree and I hate stuff. Partly because my mom valued stuff more than her kids. But mostly because when you lose what matters to you most, the stuff means nothing. Also, we always think our stuff is worth more than it really is and when you try to sell it, most of the time, you can't even give it away. Face it – it's just stuff and it means nothing. You can't take it with you.
annie
on Jul 19th, 2010
@ 11:00 pm:
My parents think I've lost my mind or my income because I've been getting rid of things. Mu Dad keeps offering me a loan and I'm trying to get them to see at 45 I've lost my desire to own stuff. They have so much stuff. After the death of my grandmother, I helped clean her home, she too had so much stuff. This was an eye opener for me! But not for them, they only saw how much she had collected over the years, and how they would nver be this way. I stood there in disbelief, I want to travel, relax and not be owned by stuff.
Cheena
on Aug 31st, 2010
@ 3:12 pm:
I get his urge to get rid of everything… I know it is a cliché you can't take with you when you die we came with nothing we leave with nothing. I think what is important in life is the impact you have had on others helping people and not being poss est with stuff that makes you feel nothing. You have things just because everyone else has use it or loose it I say. I think for me allot this has to do with growing up in foster care and never having knowing my real parent or any sibblings being adopted and taken away from them too I have become feeling of having things dosn't mean anything to me as much as that I wanted to have a family oh well!