On Stuff

[Jill the Pill]

The old Zeitgeist lately seems preoccupied with the minimalist idea that less stuff = greater happiness.  As I am bit of a pack rat, I'd like to defend the habit of giving storage space to potentially useful items. 

Over the holiday break, my daughter needed to make a model of the earth-moon system to show the phases of the moon.  We bought nothing, no styrofoam balls, no dowels, nothing.  We raided the Christmas tree ornament collection for small gold balls and one big splotchy blue one.  She painted each ball half-black to show the shadow.  We drilled holes in an old vinyl record to suspend the whole system almost invisibly with thin wire.  It was a good chance to teach my daughter to use the drill.  All of these supplies, except the wire, had been family hand-me-downs.  The aesthetic was "hipster."

Last night, we needed big skirts for a dance class.  I found three in my closet that I had bought 2nd-hand over the years.  When I wanted curtains for the porch, I hemmed some (free) old fabric I had sitting in a closet.  We never buy new poster board for school projects: I keep a supply behind a cabinet which I got when a local press was going out of business.   I buy tools and small appliances (and even back-ups for the ones we often break) for a dollar or two at tag sales.  Storing them in a closet allows us to make specialty foods -- espresso, dried apples, shaved ice, waffles, ice cream. 

Our house is moderately cluttered; not a disaster.  A few times a year, it gets on my nerves -- when there's too much dust or when I step on a lego brick in the dark.  But overall, keeping the right kind of useful stuff around has paid off in convenience, variety, and cheapskatery.  It's fun to "shop" in your own house. 

Just my 2 cents -- interested to hear your thoughts.

[boy_bye]

i think if you have plenty of space, and you can keep all your crap organized, that this is a great way to go. amy daczyzyn from the tightwad gazette talked about this all the time -- the trick, i think, is to remember where you stashed all your useful items! that's the part i'm not so awesome at.

also, emotionally, i get really frustrated when there's too much crap in my house. it's like my brain has a threshhold for a certain level of stuff, and if we go over, i need to throw half of it out.

[Norman Johnson]

If you have the space and it makes sense to you to use it that way, go for it!

Personally, I have a small old house and we have to think about what we want to have in it. Closet space is at a premium and there is no basement or garage, so if we don't use it or love it, it goes. (Or at least that the rule we try to live by.)

[frugalman]

We all get to choose, and it's all valid.  Good for you.

However - my mother in law is a full blown hoarder.  She's 76 years old, and will be losing her house in a year or two.  She has 10  open credit trades including multiple mortgages on her home.  The house was once paid for, but she kept buying "stuff" over the years, and you can hardly move from room to room.

Dear Wife has some tendencies in this direction, and it's a constant battle to keep it under control.  I'm just saying - some people can accumulate and keep organized, just don't let it go too far.  A great book I read years ago was called Simplify Your Life by Elaine St. James.  She said if you haven't used it in a year, it's a candidate to "go".

[velocistar237]

If you're in an area with high housing costs, then paying for the space to store your stuff probably wouldn't make sense. There are other costs, too, like the cost of shelves or furniture.

[Jamesqf]

However - my mother in law is a full blown hoarder.  She's 76 years old, and will be losing her house in a year or two.  She has 10  open credit trades including multiple mortgages on her home.  The house was once paid for, but she kept buying "stuff" over the years, and you can hardly move from room to room.

It would appear. though, that her main problem is the buying rather than the stuff, no?  If she'd gotten most of the stuff for free, her finances would be in much better shape.

I'm much closer to the having lots of stuff side than radical "decluttering".  I like to tinker, and free stuff that I or the neighbors might otherwise have tossed provides material for a lot of projects.  For instance, the old deck that my neighbors tore out maybe a decade ago (and were going to throw away) has provided redwood lumber for my trellises and grape arbors, fence repairs, and much more.  The old car CD player I couldn't just toss in the trash provided motors and motion encoders for a robotics project...

[sheepstache]

Yeah, I don't get the minimalism thing.

also, emotionally, i get really frustrated when there's too much crap in my house. it's like my brain has a threshhold for a certain level of stuff, and if we go over, i need to throw half of it out.

Like, I respect that because people's emotions are what they are and are not up for debate.  As opposed to, like, hoarding situations where there is clearly an objective problem with safety and hygiene and not simply that an interior designer would call it "too busy."

But I will never understand the zeitgeist mentality where people just feel really good about themselves for getting rid of stuff :)  I mean, I only feel negative feelings when I get rid of something like, 'I bought some shit that I don't need' or 'I broke my shit and am not competent to figure out a way to fix it or re-purpose it' or something.  Like, you know what I'm tempted to buy?  Winter scarves.  You know a good way to keep myself from buying more scarves?  Reminding myself I have a whole fuckin' box of scarves I never wear.

[nofool]

My mom is a hoarder, as well. As a result, I can't stand clutter. If I need something, I will try to figure out an alternative with what I have. If I don't have what I need, I'll try to borrow from friends. If none of us have it, I'll go out and buy exactly what I need.

I don't do sentimental stuff very well. I'll post up meaningful letters, trinkets, etc on my bulletin board in my room. If it doesn't fit on the board, it gets thrown out. I actually threw out all pictures and picture albums from my childhood, because they were taking up too much room. And let's face it, I'm not spending any time looking at my own pictures. I know I'm kind of extreme, but I just really like a simple life. Having too much stuff distracts me from my priorities.

[savingtofreedom]

I am working on this.  I have hoarding tendencies and I have to be careful about it.  I also enjoy shopping for fun but it is not a mustachian activity so I am trying to put the kibosh on it.  I have been punching myself in the face lately to keep it under control.  I am trying to get more organized but I agree it can be useful to keep more things if they have a place.  I also have a stupidly large wardrobe but I love clothing and the quality I have bought in the past greatly surpasses anything out in the stores today - makes it easier to not buy things now.

In all honestly I love the idea of minimalism but in my current situation I don't see it happening. We have a large house with storage space.  If we had to move to a smaller location I would have to rethink this approach.

[Jamesqf]

But I will never understand the zeitgeist mentality where people just feel really good about themselves for getting rid of stuff :)  I mean, I only feel negative feelings when I get rid of something like, 'I bought some shit that I don't need' or 'I broke my shit and am not competent to figure out a way to fix it or re-purpose it' or something.

Yeah.  I don't mind if I can sell stuff, give it to someone (or a charity) who has a use for it, or even put it in the recycling.  (Or every few years, haul my scrap metal to the dealer.)  But if I just throw it out, that's waste.

On the other hand, stuff usually has to be potentially useful for me to want to keep.  Sentimental stuff fills maybe a shoebox...

[mugwump]

I consider myself a minimalist, but I live with a packrat husband who lives for the times he can fix something using materials from his stash.  Who am I to deny him this pleasure? It saves us a lot of money.

I found it was easier for me to get rid of something than to learn to live with someone else's stuff.  A control issue, perhaps. Luckily, he confines his 'hoard' to the garage and a few closets.  A compromise we have lived with for 26 years.

I found the following post very helpful: http://beyondgrowth.net/personal-development/minimalism-vs-frugalism/

[Phoebe]

I have the same struggle.  I don't care for clutter, but I currently have a ton of crap lying around in case I need it.  It does save me money (for example, I save boxes that I use to ship things I sell on eBay) but it can drive me nuts at times.

I agree with the above poster, that it's about access.  I find that when I forget I have something or where it is, I've crossed over into harmful clutter.  If I have stuff but I know right where it is and can grab it when the actual need arises, then I'm all good.

[JohnGalt]

My pursuit of minimalism has come about, not because I find minimalism intrinsically good on its own but, instead, as a means to an end goal of increasing my freedom/mobility.  The less stuff I have, the easier it will be to move often and experience different areas or even live out of a small RV or car once I hit FI.

[John74]

I did some major decluttering last year, getting rid of about 2/3 of my stuff. I am happy I did and don't miss any of it. I tend to hoard things "just in case" and in my experience the case rarely presents itself. So stuff accumulates and every time I look at it, it stresses me out. I also see unchecked hoarding tendencies in my family and it scares the day light out of me.

[Jamesqf]

The less stuff I have, the easier it will be to move often and experience different areas or even live out of a small RV or car once I hit FI.

Ah, but the difference is that I've been there and done that already.  And more from necessity than choice, which does tend to dull the lustre a mite...

[twinge]

But I will never understand the zeitgeist mentality where people just feel really good about themselves for getting rid of stuff :)  I mean, I only feel negative feelings when I get rid of something like, 'I bought some shit that I don't need' or 'I broke my shit and am not competent to figure out a way to fix it or re-purpose it' or something.

This is where I think the decluttering movement goes astray for me.  For me, decluttering isn't getting rid of stuff--it's finding a useful location for things that are currently useless.  So outgrown children's clothes go to hand-me-downs to others or donation.  Stained and torn beyond repair outgrown children's clothes go to material for projects--usually processed in a way so the material can lie flat and be in a likely useful form--and/or to a rag bag.  Stacks of paper-- drawing paper for the other side if one-sided, scanning if useful, filing if useful and recycling when all use is gone.  For me, the minimalist aspect involves processing everything in a fluid ongoing way so there isn't build-up (definitely a work-in-progress for me) and not ever buying so much crap that this becomes a burden. 

[DocCyane]

The variations of how we relate to stuff is interesting, and I see all points of view. I like that objects get repurposed for those who have space to save extra. And I understand the need to simplify one's environment with only possessions of immediate need.

There is no right or wrong. Just personal style.

I share a 900 square foot apartment with my significant other, two cats and a dog. I have the "one in, one out" rule. But living in an apartment complex allows me to set things out by the trash and they are often grabbed up.

And I do some grabbing too. This morning I had orange juice squeezed by a juicer set out by a neighbor for giveaway and the oranges were picked from a tree at the local college where my SO teaches horticulture. Free and delicious.

Just keep the stuff moving, is how I look at it. Use it or pass it on. There is plenty if we only take what we need.

[KGZotU]

There is a balance between having valuable objects at hand and having too many things at hand. Whether or not you like a lot of objects in your space will play into that balance.

In most cases like yours it would be cheaper to live in a smaller space with fewer things. Maybe some situation is keeping you in a larger house, maybe you have really low rent that justifies your location, or maybe you prefer to maintain your collection at expense.

Your personal inclinations are valid and awesome and do not require justification. IMHO they will compromise pursuit of financial independence.

[marty998]

I agree with you ShortinSeattle. My workmates have been asking for 2 years if I've bought furniture to fill up my flat.

I haven't yet and I'm quite happy to go without the coffee table, sidetable, nice leather couch, bookcase, table lamp etc etc. In the end it's only stuff that gathers dust.

[Jill the Pill]

"3) A clutter free space tends to be cleaner, and the lack of visual clutter relieves stress.  "stuff" tends to get sorted, moved, and scattered.  It collects dust.  Consider the diffence between a table stacked with items and a table with a single lovely vase on it."

It is subjective, a difference in aesthetics.  The table with a single lovely vase looks like a hotel room or hospital to me.  Our coffee table, which currently holds about a dozen books representing all family members, a pair of binoculars, a flashlight, and a much-abused Christmas cactus, feels comfortably lived-in.  I've often read that "lack of visual clutter relieves stress," but I think it's an unfounded claim that's acquired common-wisdom status.  I could as easily say that the rich texture and variety of cluttered space stimulates the mind, warms the space, and offers opportunity for serendipity. 

I do understand the folks who say we are paying to heat and store belongings, but as KGZ said, other circumstances keep us (for now) in a house 10-20% larger than we need.  But even when we lived in smaller places, this was our way.  Where we live, houses without cellars are rare.  I grew up in a 900 sq.ft. house with a (cluttered) 900 sq.ft. basement and attic. 

Today I am going to a baby shower.  I am giving the new mother my children's old-but-very-clean crib and playpen, which I have stored 6 years since my youngest used it.  It should save her a few hundred dollars, prevent the pollution of newly manufactured ones, and keep the old ones out of the landfill. 

[smalllife]

My mother believed that if you could close the doors to the closet then you didn't have too much stuff.  Never mind if nothing inside was accessible or useful.  She had emotional attachment to complete junk and I have tended towards the opposite - unsentimental and striving to keep my living arrangements free of unnecessary items. My goal is to be able to reach everything I own and easy, unfettered, access to the things I use most.   As a result my home is sparsely decorated but feels just like home: I have everything I need and nothing I don't.

I can understand why people like to keep things "just in case", but I'd rather live unencumbered by junk and spend a few dollars on the rare occasion I need something.  Those occasions are few and far between though and most of the time I just do without.

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful"

[c]

It is subjective, a difference in aesthetics.  The table with a single lovely vase looks like a hotel room or hospital to me.

It is subjective, I'm actually going for a hotel look. I love the way hotels always look so clean and organized, and have exactly what you need and nothing more.

I constantly battle against "stuff". I have moved into smaller and smaller spaces over the years and I also used to collect a lot of stuff.  It's hard to get rid of things that you've paid money for and that might be useful down the road.

Someone lent me this book http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Your-Clutter-Feng-ebook/dp/B0052GA82W and it really helped me to understand why I was holding on to things and helped me to let go. You can take or leave the spiritual bits, but it has some really great tips and makes you look at "stuff" differently.

We're actually spending today sorting through things to get rid of. Most of it I chuck or give away, but this week I've made $200 selling old hobby supplies and if the Craigslist person turns up tonight, another $90 selling a bookcase we've been dragging around for years and never used.

[Jamesqf]

2) Having less stuff creates a lightness in your mind.  It's hard to explain, but it feels freeing to have less items attached to you.

I don't find this to be the case.  Perhaps the difference comes from having spent much time when not having stuff was not optional.

Consider the diffence between a table stacked with items and a table with a single lovely vase on it.

Yes, the stacked items are things that were/are/will be used, the lovely vase is non-functional clutter.

4) A lack of "stuff" means that you might need to run out and get supplies for a project like a model of the solar system.

That's almost backwards.  Often it's not a case of "I need to make a model of the solar system, where do I get the stuff?" but "Gee, I have this stuff, what can I do with it?"

[Skyn_Flynt]

I just finished decluttering a table that was covered with junk mail and coupons I never used. Expiration dates back to April 2012... it's too easy to drop things like that on a surface "in case you might need them" and they pile up.

Quite a bit of the stuff I have, was left behind by guests, or given to me. It's tempting for people to want to "help" you decorate a new house. (One poster or framed print on every other wall is enough for me.)

I often end up just donating to Goodwill or FreeCycling extra stuff. Even the effort to photograph it and post to CraigsList, then weed through e-mails, is more than I want to bother with.

[StarswirlTheMustached]

I just finished decluttering a table that was covered with junk mail and coupons I never used. Expiration dates back to April 2012... it's too easy to drop things like that on a surface "in case you might need them" and they pile up.

Oh, this. And once it starts, it snowballs. "Well, there's already stuff on here, may as well just leave this..."
And then the coffee table collapses under the sheer weight of shit and kills the cat that was sleeping under it.* It is not condusive to having a functional collection of anything.

The key, to me, is storage. I keep all sorts of crap I probably do not need to -- but everything finds a place. If I cannot if it into an organized storage space, then I can't keep it, or I have to make room. Clutter everywhere DOES stress me out; it's not a myth. There are people like that out there. But that's just a matter of taste, and nobody is going to change anybody's mind about that, especially not over the Internet.
You keep your house as cluttered as you'd like, and stay away from minimalist blogs, and I'll declutter in search of Zen and everybody can be happy.

*hyperbole. I do not have a cat.

[Jill the Pill]

As I write this, the cat is asleep on my desk -- on top of a few rocks from the beach, a hair clip, tax photocopies, and Slaughterhouse Five.  He is clutter! 

[mushroom]

Today I am going to a baby shower.  I am giving the new mother my children's old-but-very-clean crib and playpen, which I have stored 6 years since my youngest used it.  It should save her a few hundred dollars, prevent the pollution of newly manufactured ones, and keep the old ones out of the landfill.

Sorry, I have to speak up as a pediatrician. Please be careful that the crib model has not been recalled and meets current safety standards. For instance, slats shouldn't be more than 2 3/8 inches apart, and no drop-side cribs at all. New safety requirements for cribs were released by the CPSC just a couple years ago.

[twinge]

    4) A lack of "stuff" means that you might need to run out and get supplies for a project like a model of the solar system.


That's almost backwards.  Often it's not a case of "I need to make a model of the solar system, where do I get the stuff?" but "Gee, I have this stuff, what can I do with it?"

It goes both ways.  But definitely when you have a few kids there is a continuous stream of demands for models, dioramas, props, costumes for various events and projects.  Having a store of stuff inspires creative approaches to these and  really saves money and energy.  Plus it gives you so many opportunities to model resourcefulness and help your kids develop skills like soldering, sewing, constructing, measuring, woodworking etc. that you might not think to do otherwise.

[meadow lark]

I hate cleaning.  I find a minimalist space much easier and faster to keep clean, so that is what I'll strive for.  I do have a few little figurines, and decorative china pieces.  I don't collect them, but they are inherited.  They are all in the china cabinet under glass so I don't have to dust them.

[Purple]

I love it when you are able to meet some weird requirement from resources around the house - whether its a dress-up, repair, home improvement or decoration, a gift, entertainment or forming the basis for an adventure.

Some of our favourite memories have come from strange things we have done using resources we have accumulated somehow.

That said, I like to consistently declutter and we have moved quite a lot in the past few years, so it is really necessary to only keep an amount which can be stored without clutter. In a way, I like to apply retailing ideas to the things in our house ... it dramatically improves my perception that each set of things (food in the pantry, clothes in the wardrobe, tools, books, fabric or painting supplies) is an asset rather than a burden.

[chucklesmcgee]

I'm a big fan of "if in doubt, throw it out". (If donating or selling isn't an option, but that's not so catchy a slogan)

Spaces just look so much more open and relaxed with less crap out.  The solution 95% of the time is not to get additional storage but rather to do with less.

[BZB]

I'm glad I found this topic, as I was going to post a new topic on the same exact topic (hooray for the search function!)
I am striving toward more minimalist style because we rent a house and having less stuff means we could rent a smaller place for less money. We'll have more options if we have less stuff.
This reminds me of the idea in a MMM article about not buying an SUV or big pick up truck just so you can haul lots of people or things the 2-3 times per year you need to. You could rent or borrow a big vehicle at those times, and come out way ahead financially.

[Rural]

I'm of a hybrid mindset, or rather, perhaps I should say in a hybrid marriage. :) The house stays fairly minimal and definitely organized, but we built in a library and a man cave which is by far the biggest room in the house so he can have stuff handy.

More long-term "stuff" that may be useful to fix something someday (I can't tell you how many times this has worked out for us) goes in the barn. If it fills up, we'll build another barn using mostly stuff from Barn #1. Problem solved.

[destron]

I'm glad I found this topic, as I was going to post a new topic on the same exact topic (hooray for the search function!)
I am striving toward more minimalist style because we rent a house and having less stuff means we could rent a smaller place for less money. We'll have more options if we have less stuff.
This reminds me of the idea in a MMM article about not buying an SUV or big pick up truck just so you can haul lots of people or things the 2-3 times per year you need to. You could rent or borrow a big vehicle at those times, and come out way ahead financially.

I recently moved from a large, 1850 sq. ft. house to a 700 sq. ft. apartment and got rid of about half my stuff. It has only been about a month, but I do not miss a thing. I actually have plenty of room to spare but, since I was pressed for time, I did not have a chance to really properly get rid of some things. Some more fat can be cut! It's really a nice feeling to not be cramped and live in a smaller space (although my apartment is still spacious, I can't believe I ended up in a place this large).

More long-term "stuff" that may be useful to fix something someday (I can't tell you how many times this has worked out for us) goes in the barn. If it fills up, we'll build another barn using mostly stuff from Barn #1. Problem solved.

Your poor kids! I'm already dreading dealing with my parents' "stuff" situation and they hopefully have another 20 years to go.

[Rural]

More long-term "stuff" that may be useful to fix something someday (I can't tell you how many times this has worked out for us) goes in the barn. If it fills up, we'll build another barn using mostly stuff from Barn #1. Problem solved.

Your poor kids! I'm already dreading dealing with my parents' "stuff" situation and they hopefully have another 20 years to go.

What kids? Anyway, there's a busy and thriving swap meet nearby that's been around for fifty years and comes complete with numerous "regulars" who would be delighted to clean out barns for the stuff should the conservation group we eventually leave the land to decide it's worth clearing out. I imagine the swap meet or another like it will be around in 50 or 60 years when the time comes.

(Speaking of conservation, if we build a second barn, it will be in a section of new growth trees, just as the house and original barn are; most of the property is old growth.)

[Jamesqf]

More long-term "stuff" that may be useful to fix something someday (I can't tell you how many times this has worked out for us) goes in the barn. If it fills up, we'll build another barn using mostly stuff from Barn #1. Problem solved.

Your poor kids! I'm already dreading dealing with my parents' "stuff" situation and they hopefully have another 20 years to go.

Why should you have to deal with it?  Assuming you'd want to sell their place instead of keeping it for yourself, just sell it as is.  There are purchaser who'll be happy to get a barn full of "stuff", instead of having to purchase their own.  I sure was, when I bought this place about 15 years ago.  I still use tools and materials that I bought along with the place.

[cerberusss]

My turning point was when I did a three month break from the day job, and travelled in Indonesia over land to a friend. All that I needed, was located in the 8.5 gallon backpack. Happy as a clam.

[smedleyb]

An aesthetics of clutter, or rank hoarding? 

I can't decide....
 

[EK]

Coming from a family with one full blown hoarder (although they are now much better thanks to therapy) and a bunch of other pack rats has really pushed me in the opposite direction.  I DO feel a lightness when I am able to give away or sell things that I no longer need or use.  A lot of the things that I've decluttered over the past year or so were things I never really needed, and having them around only reminded me how excessive a consumer I used to be.  Giving those things away feels especially good. 

Plus I'm young, and we may still move many times before we really settle down in one place.  Having less things we are attached to means less to move and more flexibility to make whatever moves we want to make!  And we'll be able to save a lot more if we're able to living in small spaces than we probably ever would if we paid more for more space and then very occasionally could pull something from the pile of might-one-day-be-useful-stuff to use for something we might have had to spend money on.

Plus, me and my husband both hate cleaning, but both need a clean, uncluttered space to be our best.  So, less stuff = less cleaning = much happier.

[Jamesqf]

Coming from a family with one full blown hoarder (although they are now much better thanks to therapy) and a bunch of other pack rats has really pushed me in the opposite direction.  I DO feel a lightness when I am able to give away or sell things that I no longer need or use.

But there are two significant differences between your "clutter" and my "stuff".  First, that you no longer need or use them, where as I (and others) do use our stuff, just not every day.  Why should I give away say a tool that I might use once every year or two, only to have to buy or borrow another one later on?

Second, that you seem to think of stuff as fixed to its current form, where I see it as a diverse storehouse of materials for new projects.  Some of the redwood boards from the neighbors' dismantled deck have become arbors for grape vines, that bin of scrap metal provides hinges and latch for a new gate in the fence, the old car tape deck becomes a robot drive controller...

As for moving, the solution's simple.  Just consider the "stuff" as being part of the property.  It stays when you go, and you get a new collection of stuff at your new home.

[EK]

Coming from a family with one full blown hoarder (although they are now much better thanks to therapy) and a bunch of other pack rats has really pushed me in the opposite direction.  I DO feel a lightness when I am able to give away or sell things that I no longer need or use.

But there are two significant differences between your "clutter" and my "stuff".  First, that you no longer need or use them, where as I (and others) do use our stuff, just not every day.  Why should I give away say a tool that I might use once every year or two, only to have to buy or borrow another one later on?

Second, that you seem to think of stuff as fixed to its current form, where I see it as a diverse storehouse of materials for new projects.  Some of the redwood boards from the neighbors' dismantled deck have become arbors for grape vines, that bin of scrap metal provides hinges and latch for a new gate in the fence, the old car tape deck becomes a robot drive controller...

As for moving, the solution's simple.  Just consider the "stuff" as being part of the property.  It stays when you go, and you get a new collection of stuff at your new home.

If it works for you, more power to you!  Some people are certainly more able and willing to transform items that I would discard as clutter into things that are wonderful (like a grape arbor).  So long as your amount of stuff is in keeping with how you want to live your life (as opposed to a hoarder whose things actively get in the way of living their lives the way they would want), I certainly take no issue with you keeping whatever stuff you like to have around!  I just prefer my space a different way.  I'm not advocating that everyone else be required to pare down their belonging just because I choose to.

I don't think my landlord would be too amused if we left behind all our stuff as "part of the property" when we move out though ;)

[Rural]

Coming from a family with one full blown hoarder (although they are now much better thanks to therapy) and a bunch of other pack rats has really pushed me in the opposite direction.  I DO feel a lightness when I am able to give away or sell things that I no longer need or use.

Why should I give away say a tool that I might use once every year or two, only to have to buy or borrow another

Surely no one thinks of tools as clutter? We don't need a welder very often, not even every year or two, but when we need it, nothing else will do (short of, usually, throwing out a car we could repair and needlessly buying a new one). I don't even consider tools when discussing "stuff."

Second, that you seem to think of stuff as fixed to its current form, where I see it as a diverse storehouse of materials for new projects.  Some of the redwood boards from the neighbors' dismantled deck have become arbors for grape vines, that bin of scrap metal provides hinges and latch for a new gate in the fence, the old car tape deck becomes a robot drive controller...

... Old lumber from when we loaned our flatbed trailer to a school as the base of a parade float becomes the firestops in the walls of our home, the first toilet my father installed in the house i grew up in becomes our toilet here, a bathroom vanity never installed in the MIL suite built onto the house my father and brother built for my brother becomes our bathroom vanity, etc., etc.

As for moving, the solution's simple.

Mine is. They'll carry me out of here.

[aj_yooper]

Rural, you've got the thrift gene and environmentalist.  I am impressed.

[smalllife]

Rural, you have the space and the land to keep everything that might be useful - not to mention the lack of neighbors who might care.  Not everyone is in that situation nor would everyone be happy in that situation. 

Our local craigslist has all sorts of building materials in the free section, not to mention a healthy Habitat Restore with other odds and ends which are cheaper than the cost to buy a larger house/build a larger shed to store those same items.   That opportunity costs swings in the keep-it-yourself direction for you, but that is not an assumption that can be applied globally.

[Rural]

Rural, you've got the thrift gene and environmentalist.  I am impressed.

Thanks, but I actually feel guilty about that toilet, since it's the very opposite of low-flow due to its age. I have a brick in the tank, but still.

Thrift and environmentalism actually go hand in hand much of the time.

[Rural]

Rural, you have the space and the land to keep everything that might be useful - not to mention the lack of neighbors who might care.  Not everyone is in that situation nor would everyone be happy in that situation. 

Our local craigslist has all sorts of building materials in the free section, not to mention a healthy Habitat Restore with other odds and ends which are cheaper than the cost to buy a larger house/build a larger shed to store those same items.   That opportunity costs swings in the keep-it-yourself direction for you, but that is not an assumption that can be applied globally.

I don't think I said anywhere that it should be applied globally? Other than the bit about tools, that is. I do believe that people who buy tools should avoid throwing them out later, though reselling might be an option for those with limited space.

Anyway, just because I talk about what works for us doesn't mean you have to do it. When posters come in and express sympathy for our (nonexistent) children, though, I do feel obliged to point out the real benefits of the way we do things.

[hybrid]

I'm an ex-clutterbug turned moderate minimalist.  Here are some thoughts on the transition:

1) While it is true that stockpiling "potentially useful" items can be convenient sometimes, it is easy to focus on those times when it helps and ignore all the instances when the potential of those items is never realized.  Storage space must be paid for, maintained, cleaned, and often heated.  That discount fabric may be used, or it may be a waste, you really don't know.

2) Having less stuff creates a lightness in your mind.  It's hard to explain, but it feels freeing to have less items attached to you. 

3) A clutter free space tends to be cleaner, and the lack of visual clutter relieves stress.  "stuff" tends to get sorted, moved, and scattered.  It collects dust.  Consider the diffence between a table stacked with items and a table with a single lovely vase on it.

4) A lack of "stuff" means that you might need to run out and get supplies for a project like a model of the solar system.  Just because this is true, it doesn't mean that it is more expensive than stockpiling.  Most of the time you can find odds and ends cheap or free through Craigslist or a dollar store.  So there isn't often a big advantage to buying early.

Certainly folks should live their lives the way they choose.  I have been so pleasantly surprised by how my life is enhanced by having fewer things. 

SIS

A big +1 from me.  When I went through my initial phase of decluttering around 2000 I read a very useful book on the subject.  One of the tips was this:  If you haven't used it in three years, get rid of it.  Yes, there have been about a half dozen occasions over the past dozen years where I threw out or donated an item that I could have used later were it on hand.  That has been a very small price in exchange for all the time I have not wasted sorting and organizing so many potentially useful supplies.  To each their own here, but I could not be in a more different place than the OP.  I would have been off to the dollar store for styrofoam balls and thrown the rest away the moment I was done.  What are the chances I will use those styrofoam balls again???  About once in every two years I get that calculus wrong.

Regarding the comment about tools, even that deserves an eye if your space is at a premium.  We have a small workshop attached to our house that houses our tools, bike, lawn mower etc.  The missus recently complained that it was full to overflowing so we spent an afternoon decluttering the place.  We ultimately got rid of or donated a bunch of things we had not touched in years - including a few tools - that were simply taking up valuable real estate.  Now the room is fully functional again. 

[Dee18]

I have decided to consider eBay my spare closet.  If I have some unusual utensil or item I haven't used in years, or even a board game, I get rid of it and tell myself I can always buy the item on eBay! I also whittled my wardrobe down so it all fits in my bureau and three foot wide closet.  No more off season storage...and no more clothes in different sizes.  If it doesn't fit now, it goes to Goodwill.  I am now working on paring down my kitchen items... Which means I had room for the $3 bread machine I happened on at the thrift store recently.  I'm enjoying it now, but may donate it back if I manage to convince the family to quit eating bread.

[hybrid]

I have decided to consider eBay my spare closet.  If I have some unusual utensil or item I haven't used in years, or even a board game, I get rid of it and tell myself I can always buy the item on eBay! I also whittled my wardrobe down so it all fits in my bureau and three foot wide closet.  No more off season storage...and no more clothes in different sizes.  If it doesn't fit now, it goes to Goodwill.  I am now working on paring down my kitchen items... Which means I had room for the $3 bread machine I happened on at the thrift store recently.  I'm enjoying it now, but may donate it back if I manage to convince the family to quit eating bread.

I used to have a Eurogame board game collection, but now I eBay or donate anything I haven't played in the past three years.  I keep perhaps 20 games in my house at any one time, more than enough for indefinte good nights of gaming with my buds.  There is never enough time to play them all, and the ones that don't cycle to the top 20 list usually have some really good reason they never make it to the top.

Life is too short to play mediocre board games (or drink mediocre beer...)

[Jamesqf]

Surely no one thinks of tools as clutter?

Sorry, but the more radical de-clutterers do think of tools that aren't used very often (like your welder) as clutter.  They'd probably say the same about cookware, like my turkey pan & springform cake pan, that aren't used at least once a week.