A good number of years ago (thank goodness) I feel upon some very hard times. I recall a day when my daughter opened the refrigerator and started crying. I recall that and many other similar moments when now, as I live in a very different financial reality, I consider buying a $2000 pocketbook, or a $4000 dress because they’re just so gorgeous (they always are) and they actually are “on sale.” I think about how many meals I could feed a young child the age my daughter was when she was hungry with that pocketbook money, or how much of an impact my $4000 could make in the life of a family desperately sacrificing to provide a decent education for their child/children in an area where the public school education is like it is here in Philadelphia.

I drag myself from the store where I was really going to buy the pocketbook, or the dress, (it really is hard to buy anything, no matter how outlandish the price, when you really like it, and you can easily afford it). I chose to leave it behind, find myself something more reasonable (I still find fabulous items in thrift shops for less than $10) and donate the rest anonymously to help a specific person or group of people. For instance, I will call a school and ask them to identify a student or group of students whose families are falling behind in tuition payments and ask them to spread my donation among those families.

I learned similarly, from the transition period when I left that impoverished period, but had not reached my current level of comfort. I had a decent sized apartment with small rooms, and it was beautifully decorated by me (a passion of mine), and cozy. I found that there wasn’t much that I didn’t have that I needed. I identified those things I did need: an eat in as opposed to a walk in kitchen (we ate in the living room), a space for entertaining guests (my living room could only hold maybe 7 guests at a time), a master bath and a laundry room, a larger office space and a guest room (I am always taking on an extra “tenant.” I found my needs were met in a charming small house with a nice amount of land around it, room for my pups and for me and my now teenage daughter to exercise, run around, and have privacy. I do sometimes hire someone to clean the little house, but more because I’m busy, and less because it’s too much house to clean. My bigger expense is lawn and garden care – but I do much gardening myself. I hire help when I need an extra hand and some expertise. I think the thing that’s important to me is that I am not so driven by what I own that I give any less than possible to the development of my community. I feel I improve my own life best when I improve the state of those around me. More people steal due to hunger and desperation than greed. The world is safer when we give.

I spend my money on activities and durable goods. If you choose to spend yours on other things, that’s fine. But don’t pretend it’s noble. You still spend money, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you stay out of debt.

Of COURSE homes will continue to get bigger after the economy recovers. We have the biggest homes because, in real terms, we’re the richest. Sure, you may like to downsize when you’re older, but along with the big home comes the cleaning lady.

We have 3200 sqft. We downsized from 4000 sqft because of changing states and relative housing prices. And guess what? We’re working on a 260sqft addition. And after that will be a 230sqft addition. And after that, a 1840 sqft “inlaw house” for my parents to retire to. (My parents’ will be downsizing from 3400 sqft. They want a smaller house, and 1850sqft is literally THE smallest footprint I could squeeze their “must-have” list into–that’s 925sqft on the entry level with the same necessarily below.)

I grew up in a house that was MAYBE 1400sqft. Probably more like 1200. We moved in middle school, and I never want to live in that kind of space again.

Do we have a lot of “stuff” here? Probably less than the average family with half as much space. Having a larger-than-average house doesn’t mean you have to junk it up any more than having a small house does.

I have a feeling that the average sized house FAMILIES would choose would be around 3600sqft, if they had the option.

With just the 2 adults, this would be plenty enough space for us, although I would love larger porches!

Sure we only need food, clothing and basic shelter to keep us alive but if that’s all that we wanted in our lives we’d work maybe one or two hours a day scavenging food and killing some wild animal for their skins and food.

Personally I’m 26, single (for life most likely) and I have a good idea of what sort of house/apt I want to move into. I’m currently living in one bedroom (long story) and will be moving later this year to someplace more spacious. I want a place where I can surround myself with the things that enhance my life. I don’t want to live in a desolate empty jail cell.

For me, uncluttering is about balance. Some may like the Spartan (MADNESS) decorating and others may flourish in a room filled with knick knacks. I’m somewhere in-between.

Catalogs fillin’ up the mailbox
Home shopping on the cable box
And www dot
Oh there’s no escape
Delivery truck coming up ’round the bend
Beep, beep, beep, just backing in
Sign here and here and here again
‘Cause it’s no money down no payments till
Your whole place is cram packed filed with

Stuff (stuff) stack it on stack it on up
(Stuff) never gonna ever get enough (stuff)
Oh it’s treasure till it’s mine then it ain’t worth a dime
It’s stuff (stuff) spreading like weeds
Dragging me under in an endless sea of stuff
(Stuff) There ain’t no end
Got to get a bigger place so I can move in
More stuff

It’s getting late but it’s alright
The get-it-all mart opened up all night
You can catch it all with a quick swipe
It’s easier everyday
Suv’s and mini vans
Parading ’round in caravans
Toting off more than their tires can stand
‘Cause it’s no money down no payments till
Every square inch of the whole world’s filled with

Stuff (stuff) stack it on stack it on up
(Stuff) never gonna ever get enough (stuff)
Oh it’s treasure till it’s mine then it ain’t worth a dime
It’s stuff (stuff) spreading like weeds
Dragging me under in an endless sea of stuff
(Stuff) There ain’t no end
Got to get a bigger place so I can move in
More stuff

Drag it in, pack it in
The man with the most
He just wins more stuff

Stuff (stuff) stack it on stack it on up
(Stuff) never gonna ever get enough (stuff)
Oh it’s treasure till it’s mine then it ain’t worth a dime
It’s stuff (stuff) spreading like weeds
Dragging me under in an endless sea of stuff
(Stuff) There ain’t no end
Got to get a bigger place so I can move in
More stuff

When we took our kids trick or treating last Halloween, I noticed some of the houses that were twice our size had empty living rooms. These people had bought more house than they could afford and now can’t afford to furnish them.