how much is too much?

Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated-Confucius

In today's materialistic times, many overindulge in unnecessary purchases while others struggle just to survive day-to-day. I'm talking about those who only have "stuff" for the sole purpose of having it and those who try to keep up appearances and end up living beyond their means. A perfect example of this idea comes from the TLC television show, Hoarding: Buried Alive. Admittedly, the circumstances and living conditions seen on the show certainly aren't typical, and there are usually deeper rooted issues behind the compulsive behavior.

The reasoning behind their excess and the need they feel to hold onto their belongings at all costs is irrational and illogical because they have so much "stuff" that it's impossible for them to even get to it all. Often, years have gone by and they haven't been able to make use of their possessions, proving that they obviously didn't need to hold onto them in the first place if they've been able to get along without them for all of this time.

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Personally, in my home we learned as kids the importance of minimalization when it came to material objects. For example, for each new item purchased, we would donate an existing item. To read about minimalization and the benefits of living simply, you can check out this article.