I Have Too Much Stuff in My House
Revolution Intro
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I watched a show on Netflix last week about two guys who changed their entire world by becoming minimalists. I sat and watched that show thinking…. “Wow! If I could change my thinking to even a fraction of how they live, I could change my life on so many levels! And the impact it could make to our country could positively impact generations! Now, before you roll your eyes and hit the delete button, hear me out.
How many of us just finished another Christmas wondering what to do with all the old toys are kids have thrown all over their rooms now that they have new bigger and better ones? What about the stuff we got that we won’t ever use? And all that food???? After unpacking my decorations this year, I realized I have three closets full of tubs I use once a year, but that didn’t keep me from going to Hobby Lobby to add more to it. WHY?!?
Is this hitting home for you?
Every year at this time, there are tons of articles about organizing all our stuff….yeah…all that stuff! Nowhere in the world do people have as much “stuff” as in America. There are over 54,000 self-storage facilities in the United States today with $32.7 Billion in revenues, up from $29.8 Billion just two years ago. At 2.3 billion square feet of space,the Self-Storage Association notes there are seven square feet for every man, woman and child, making it physically possible for every American to stand, all at the same time, under the canopy of self-storage roofing (SSA). And that doesn’t account for all of the rest of us who have every nook and cranny in our houses packed to the gills with our….stuff!
How about these statistics:
Today the average household carries over $16,000 in credit card debt, almost $29,000 in auto debt and over $49,000 in student loans. On top of this, 12 million Americans will take out a payday loan each year and pay $9 Billion in loan fees. There’s no wonder that most marriages ending in divorce are due to money problems.
Not convinced? Read on:
- British research found that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with only 12 per day. (The Telegraph)
- 3.1% of the world’s children live in America, but they own 40% of the toys consumed globally (UCLA)
- The average American woman owns 30 outfits while in 1930, that figure was nine (Forbes)
- Americans spend more on shoes, jewelry and watches than on higher education (Psychology Today)
- Americans spend $1.2Trillion annually on nonessential goods – in other words, items they do not need (The Wall Street Journal)
At what point do we get “full” of all this stuff?
When do we have the Forrest Gump moment and decide to stop running and realize it’s time to go back home? When do we stop working for more stuff and start working on our marriages and spending more time with our families?
We counsel with clients daily who are trying to make ends meet. We look at how to see things more clearly with regard to a need or a want and to better understand how their choices are impacting their lives and that of their children? Does it really make sense to strap ourselves so tight financially that we spend more time thinking about money than we do anything else, including our kids, friends or family?
What if… we didn’t have to think about money all the time? What if we didn’t have to stress about covering all the bills or making ends meet? What if life was easier and we could relax.
What freedom!
Well???
Don’t tell me there’s no way that will ever happen when we have the power to make it happen. WE are the answer. We just need to make a decision and have our Forrest Gump moment.
Just STOP and declare that THIS is NOT going to be your “normal”!
Are you ready to join in out revolution to start living your life “intentionally” instead of allowing your life to run you? If you’re happy with your life the way it is, then stop reading and go have a pizza. If you’re not,then come on… let’s do this!
Starting January 2, 2017, we will post steps to help us put our “stuff” in perspective and to help us begin to unload and live more simply. Please send us your comments and stories of what you are doing to get on track with your finances, your time and your life. We would love to hear from you!
This is our Revolution….. join us!