No Judgment Zone
You do not need to be a television-show-worthy hoarder to have far more than you use. A cursory look at our closets, kitchen drawers, and garages would provide ample evidence for all but the most fastidious. We have well beyond our needs and are incapable of satisfying our wants.
I am not here to criticize extravagance or to judge the worthiness of our possessions, as we all have different opinions and means. Each of us acquires things that would not pass a puritanical values test. The teetotaling church ladies would faint if they knew how much money I spend on a bottle of Ripple. My parsimonious mother invested a king’s ransom in Irish Setter figurines.
Distinction with a Difference
Before going any further, we need to distinguish between having too much stuff and a hoarding disorder. Collectors have books spilling off their bookshelves and stacked on their fireplace mantel and dresser, but can still eat at the dining room table. Hoarding occurs when you have so much stuff in your bedroom that you cannot sleep there.
Only 2.5% of Americans have a hoarding disorder, which is strongly correlated with depression and anxiety. Hoarders require professional intervention to address their issues. The rest of us need an attitude adjustment.
Where to Start
Usually, when someone mentions having too much stuff, our minds turn to cleaning out our closets. However, we must stop acquiring more unused items before addressing the ones we already have. Otherwise, we are the slob who spends all weekend putting his house in order, only to find dirty socks on the floor, dishes in the sink, and a jacket hanging over the chair on Monday night.
The Approach
Judging by our homes, gatekeeping based on finances, needs, wants, and environmental concerns is ineffective. I suggest a more practical, use-based approach. If you will use it, get it. If not, don’t. The use standard is the equivalent of our parents’ admonishment, “If you put it on your plate, you must eat it.”
Almost by definition, anything used is not wasted; nonuse guarantees waste. Of course, use does not redeem an oenophile’s decadence, but it avoids adding the insult of pouring bottles of spoiled wine down the drain to the injury of excess.
Before acquiring the next thing, ask yourself, “Will I use it?” The second, and more difficult, part is answering that question truthfully.
Too often, our attraction to the item is separate from any planned use. The shirt looks great on me, but it is not materially different from any of my other shirts (how many more blue shirts can I wear?), and I would need to stretch my imagination to think it would be indispensable for our next date night.
The standard is “use,” not “need.” Otherwise, none of us could buy more clothes until ours were threadbare. However, each new item increases the likelihood that a current one will go unused. Even someone as virtuous as I am succumbs to temptation. I purchased a soft, teal alpaca wool sweater in Peru’s Sacred Valley, even though I had 14 sweaters in my closet. To avoid being racked with guilt, I increased the likelihood of wearing all my sweaters by donating three to a charity.
Potential is frequently unrealized. Did you remember to use the specialized watermelon cuber on July 4th, or did you just grab the convenient knife? Given what you know today, how would you have changed your wedding gift registry? Do you use the knife rests and napkin rings?
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The problem is not the investment in an item but the failure to secure a return on that investment. Applying a use qualification honestly ensures you acquire only things you will use.
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