The amount of stuff we own these days is staggering.
The average American home size has grown from 1,000 square feet to almost 2,500 square feet. Personal storage generates more than $24 billion in revenue each year. Reports indicate we consume twice as many material goods today as we did 50 years ago. All while carrying, on average, nearly $15,950 in credit-card debt.
These numbers should cause us to start asking some difficult questions of ourselves. For example, “Why do we buy more stuff than we need?”
I mean, when you really stop to think about it, this becomes a fascinating question. What thinking would compel somebody to spend money on things they didn’t actually need in the first place?
If we could successfully answer this question, we could more easily free our lives and our resources for more important pursuits.
But this question can be difficult. It forces us to admit weakness in our lives. Consider some of the lies we have believed:
7 Reasons We Buy More Stuff Than We Need
1. We think it will make us secure. Our logic goes like this: if owning some material possessions brings us security (a roof, clothing, reliable transportation), owning excess will surely result in even more security. But after meeting our most basic needs, the actual security derived from physical possessions is much less stable than we believe. They all perish, spoil, or fade. And they can disappear faster than we realize.
2. We think it will make us happy. Nobody would ever admit they search for happiness in material possessions—we all just live like we do. We buy bigger houses, faster cars, cooler technology, and trendier fashion hoping we will become happier because of it. Unfortunately, the actual happiness derived from excess physical possessions is fleeting at best.
3. We are more susceptible to advertising than we believe. On average, we see 5,000 advertisements every day. Every advertisement carries the same message: your life will be better if you buy what we are selling. We begin to hear this messaging so many times and from so many angles, we begin to subtly believe it. This is not a complete condemnation of the marketing industry. This is simply a call to realize their messaging affects us more than we realize.
4. We are hoping to impress other people. In a wealthy society, envy quickly becomes a driving force for economic activity. Once all of our basic needs have been met, consumption must become about something more than needs. It becomes an opportunity to display our wealth, our importance, and our financial success with the world.
5. We are jealous of people who own more. Comparison seems to be a natural state of our humanity. We notice what other people are buying, wearing, and driving. Our society encourages these comparisons. And all too often, we buy stuff we don’t need just because people in our friendship circles have done the same. A culture fixated on praising excess will always misdefine true success.
6. We are trying to compensate for our deficiencies. We mistakenly look for confidence in the clothes that we wear or the car that we drive. We seek to recover from loss, loneliness, or heartache by purchasing unnecessary items. We seek fulfillment in material things. And we try to impress other people with the things that we own rather than the people that we are. But these pursuits will never fully satisfy our deficiencies. Most of the time, they just keep us from ever even addressing them.
7. We are more selfish than we like to admit. It can be difficult to admit that the human spirit is hardwired toward selfishness and greed, but history appears to make a strong case for us. We seek to grow the size of our personal kingdom by accumulating more and more things. This has been accomplished throughout history by force, coercion, dishonesty, and warfare. Unfortunately, selfishness continues to surface in our world and our lives even today.
Excess material possessions do not enrich our lives. In fact, buying things we don’t need keeps us from experiencing some wonderful, life-giving benefits. We would be wise to realize the cause and become vigilant in overcoming it.
There is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be discovered in pursuing more. (tweet that)
Otto Barnen says
Hi Ellie! I think that your point is somewhat wrong. I myself don’t buy any products because of a brand name. I buy military surplus stuff, (clothes,boots,gloves,tools). I buy them because I work in the Army. My life is kind of simple because all my stuff and gear will fit into one 90l rucksack.
I only have about 10-15 t-shirts, that I use everyday, 1 pair of gloves that I use everyday, 2 pair of boots, one pair running shoes and one pair landing boots for hiking and so on. I also own about 5pair of socks and a pair of pants. My life is very compact I might say, because in the military you cannot pack more than you carry, so that is where I have learnt to live that way.
Miguel ara says
There is no “I” in team he is saying we have all done some point in our lives. Maybe when you where little or you just bought a gun to show off. Perhaps when you were in school you bought a cool pencil you didn’t really need at that moment. That’s what he trying to explain to you, if you can relate then;have seen a person do this?
Kristina says
The article proposes the view of clothing as a utility – to cover intimate body parts and protect oneself from cold or sunburn. It could also be possible to view clothing as an everyday artistic expression of oneself.
I have been struggling with this because for me clothes is both. I own very little but I frequently start craving a specific colour because I don’t own any item in that colour. I don’t feel comfortable wearing clothing that I do not personally find stylish or attractive. So what ends up happening is me buying more and donating more – fast turnover, which isn’t environmentally friendly or wallet-friendly.
My question is, generally to anyone including myself: Is it possible to own a perfect yet a minimal set of clothing (palette if you like) where you can satisfy your artistic and stylish visions and not feel like something is missing?
Marissa says
Yaaasss! Go to Wikihow or Ehow on how to make a capsule wardrobe. Or just good “capsule wardrobe.” It has helped me out tremendously!
Marissa says
*google
ren says
Thinking of how many hours I have to work to have something, makes me rethink a lot of purchases…
Trying hard to teach this to my kids…
Being happy with home life is better than any mall purchase could ever be…
Decided that “paid off loan” car smell is better than any “new car loan” smell could ever be.
Saloni says
I’ve been doing OK on minimalist living after following this blog for the lady few months. BBut these days I feel that what I own is shabby/ out of date/ not flattering in comparison to those around me. I’m not sure how to be fashionable and not end up buying a lot. Currently struggling witla figuring out how to buy minimal active wear, as the clothes are getting trendier each day.
Saloni says
Excuse the mobile phone induced typos.
…Last* few months.
…Struggling with*.
Tricia says
I’ve actually been going to a gym (which is a new concept for me! But I’m loving it). Thankfully I’m not the hot-young-thing that feels the needs to compete for attention like my younger-single-me used to think I had to do. I am thrilled that I am married and old (:D) and no one give me two looks anymore. So, with that being said, I go to the Salvation Army (a goodwill type store) and get all my workout gear. I don’t have many. Plus, the t-shirts that I have had since “whenever” also make for great work-out tops. Obviously I do care about my health and physique, but I certainly don’t care what others think of me while I’m making my clothes all gross and sweaty!!!
Kelly Goszkowicz says
That is so freeing. Awesome.
A Person says
Kind of like sex and eating everything we see, if we weren’t hard wired to hoard every item we can get our hands on, with the idea that it will someday be useful, we would’ve died out as a species long ago. Hoarding gets you through the long winter, the drought, etc.
A Person says
Kind of like sex and eating everything we see, if we weren’t hard wired to hoard every item we can get our hands on, with the idea that it will someday be useful, we would’ve died out as a species long ago. Hoarding gets you through the long winter, the drought, etc.
It just doesn’t work in modern society where cheap fatty food and excess goods proliferate.
subs says
Your reasons are higher order of thinking reasons. There are a bunch of reasons that are lower down in the brain, so to speak. For example-
1) We buy things because we are bored, trying to get a bit of distraction. We are lazy and looking for a thrill, we get it by shopping any buying.
2) With credit, the transaction has no percieved cost. We don’t really buy things, we don’t pay for them. We pay with credit, which makes it painless. Actually, of couse, it only puts off the pain, but if we don’t feel that pain immediately, we go for the pleasure of the purchase.
You’re reasons are good, but there’s stronger monkeybrain reasons we do things, you don’t have to start in with “compensate for our deficiencies” business.
We buy shit because it’s shiny and new and captures our interest and painless.
Pretty much that’s also how we vote and consume media, but I digress.
Laney says
I’d like to argue that boredom is a higher order thought process. When one’s concerns are primarily based on survival boredom isn’t even a factor. Once basic needs are met, boredom can set in. Although I’d also like to argue that boredom is a symptom of dissatisfaction and restlessness.
Linda Dee says
I’m reading Unplug the Christmas Machine. Christmas is a little more than a month away and it is helpful for me to read your blog and re-read this insightful book. We’ve discontinued cable and made MANY donations to our church thrift shop, local Goodwill and DAV. It was my goal when I retired to get my life back in order. A big part of that was getting rid of plain old stuff! I’m not quite there yet, but I’m getting closer. Keep up your good work. Yours is a message I need to see and read over and over again. Blessings to you Joshua and an early Merry Christmas! I appreciate your gift of wisdom all year long!
Velisa Takle says
I can’t wait to become a minimalist… the reason I haven’t started decluttering already was what if I needed that. I’m not scared anymore. I’m going to srart today!
Dianne says
Joshua, thank you — another insightful and painfully truthful article about America’s obsession with possessions. I recently heard someone comment “…you never see a U-Haul following a hearse…”. This one simple statement keeps me mindful to never wish to burden my children with the unpleasant task of having to unnecessarily clear out what I’ve left behind when I die. I dare say that for the thousands of loved ones left to ‘inherit’ sometimes years’ worth of possessions following the demise of an elderly relative are unfairly left with the overwhelming chore (as many see it) of dissecting personal and household items and furniture left behind whether in a house or (worse yet) a storage unit. And let’s not even speak of how disagreeable family members become even more so if left feeling they didn’t receive ‘their rightful share’.
A number of years ago, a local business man had a brilliant idea: bring commercial dumpsters to private homes after the passing of the elderly owner(s) after the house sold with rooms still filled with what once belonged to them, load up everything (yes – sometimes the kitchen sink!) and bring everything back to an abandoned 50,000 square foot warehouse and sell everything for pennies. It was literally and aptly named “The Warehouse of Junk”. My sister and I would start early on a Saturday morning to make the trip there, load up our young children in my minivan with snacks and coloring books, and after spending a few hours at the warehouse, felt like we hit the other load of all-things wonderful and vintage. More to the point, however, we felt sad for the people who once owned and cherished their treasures and without family who either weren’t around to care or were around and didn’t care. I’m certain they would not have wanted any of their memories to end in a place affiliated with the term ‘junk’.
Ruth says
When I first went out on my own, I was very poor and hungry at times. So now I stock up on food and other items as if I might come upon hard times again. I thought this reason might have been in the list, but it wasn’t.
Candace Alstad Davies says
Fabulous article… over the last year, I have been really working on purging and it is working very well — it is a work in progress. A little each day helps me to keep moving forward. :-)