Most of us worry about the clutter this entails. But "stuff" also takes a bite out of our budget in more ways than one. First of all, all those things cost money to acquire, which typically adds up to substantial out-of-pocket expenditures over time.
And then there's the fact that many people don't have room to store all their extra stuff in their own homes, so they actually end up having to pay for storage facilities. Sometimes for years at a time.
That's not cheap at all and can end up consuming far too much of household budgets and finances. And that's before you take into account the bother and even the stress of taking care of and dealing with all those things.
So it's generally a good idea to try to break this cycle of accumulation -- even if it doesn't come easy to most of us. Here are some strategies and approaches I've used over the years that have worked in helping me simplify and declutter.
Maybe you'll find them useful, too.