By Penelope Tzougros
Have you been impressed by the fact that people are buying storage units to hold their furniture or overflow of possessions? I have wondered about it. I thought that such storage units were only for people in transition. Moving from one home to another and having to store household goods until they could move in to the next property. Or maybe an inheritance of valuable antiques that did not fit the decor and had to be stored until they could be sold. But it seems that a good deal of the reason for such storage is there is just too much stuff in the house and people are crowded in their living space but unwilling to sell or give away the items.
This complaint of overcrowding is corroborated by hearing from so many people who are trying to sell their homes that realtors have told them to remove items and clutter to make the rooms more appealing to a prospective buyer.
Why do we have so much stuff? Is it necessary? Is it nesting material? Is it thoughtless accumulation? Is emotionally significant? artful? comforting?
To test out your home "stuff factor", do the following inventory: start with any room, list every item in that room and ask
1) would you rather have the thing or the money?
Then ask the next questions:
2) Why would you rather have the thing or the money?
3) Can you justify why you should keep the item?
4) Why did you buy the item?
5) Do you regret the purchase?
6) What is your Regret Quotient on a scale of 1 to 10. At ten - every time you think of it you get upset and at 1 you can almost laugh about it or tell a good anecdote about it.
7) What would you do with the money if you could get the full price for the item?
8) If it was a gift, do you keep it because of its intrinsic value or for the relationship with the person who gifted it to you.
Tally it up the stuff score. For instance in room one, there is only one thing for which you would rather have the money, but your Regret Quotient is 10 for that item. So the stuff score is 10. That comes from multiplying each item by its individual Regret Quotient and adding it all up. If there were three such items that you really regretted you'd be up to 30. If there were 15 items with a 2 Regret Quotient each that would be 30. This is dangerous territory. Having more than three items per room that you don't want now, or which carry a really high Regret Quotient or many other items you don't want should tell you that you are ruining your next vacation. Why? Because you are working to put stuff in your home that is costing you money, and taking that money away from other pleasures like vacation or other necessities like retirement.
To the extent that you are an avid consumer with a high stuff score, you are adding stuff to the house and taking away money from other things. You keep reaching for the next nice thing that may add excitement, prestige, style, comfort, who knows what. You are consuming and consuming and never really savoring, or enjoying deeply. Slow down.
You should have the things around you that you really want, but you will more likely get to that desirable condition by becoming a connoisseur.
Yes, I know that buying and owning things can also relate to stages of your life and to experiments. We "try on" things. Like thinking you want to learn to play the guitar. You buy the guitar, but a year later give up playing. It sits there. However, if you are constantly buying things that you give up on, are you giving yourself enough time to think it out the initial purchase?
In the next edition of Wealthy Choices, I'll explain what I mean by connoisseur. Maybe you will agree that there is value for your happiness in applying the distinction between consumer and connoisseur to your choices.
Until next time, remember I'm here for you. I'm Penelope coaching you and cheering you on so that you make money choices that lead you to both inner and outer wealth.
My website is http://www.wealthychoices.com. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.
Please visit Dr. Penelope Tzougros at http://www.wealthychoices.com Thank You!
This complaint of overcrowding is corroborated by hearing from so many people who are trying to sell their homes that realtors have told them to remove items and clutter to make the rooms more appealing to a prospective buyer.
Why do we have so much stuff? Is it necessary? Is it nesting material? Is it thoughtless accumulation? Is emotionally significant? artful? comforting?
To test out your home "stuff factor", do the following inventory: start with any room, list every item in that room and ask
1) would you rather have the thing or the money?
Then ask the next questions:
2) Why would you rather have the thing or the money?
3) Can you justify why you should keep the item?
4) Why did you buy the item?
5) Do you regret the purchase?
6) What is your Regret Quotient on a scale of 1 to 10. At ten - every time you think of it you get upset and at 1 you can almost laugh about it or tell a good anecdote about it.
7) What would you do with the money if you could get the full price for the item?
8) If it was a gift, do you keep it because of its intrinsic value or for the relationship with the person who gifted it to you.
Tally it up the stuff score. For instance in room one, there is only one thing for which you would rather have the money, but your Regret Quotient is 10 for that item. So the stuff score is 10. That comes from multiplying each item by its individual Regret Quotient and adding it all up. If there were three such items that you really regretted you'd be up to 30. If there were 15 items with a 2 Regret Quotient each that would be 30. This is dangerous territory. Having more than three items per room that you don't want now, or which carry a really high Regret Quotient or many other items you don't want should tell you that you are ruining your next vacation. Why? Because you are working to put stuff in your home that is costing you money, and taking that money away from other pleasures like vacation or other necessities like retirement.
To the extent that you are an avid consumer with a high stuff score, you are adding stuff to the house and taking away money from other things. You keep reaching for the next nice thing that may add excitement, prestige, style, comfort, who knows what. You are consuming and consuming and never really savoring, or enjoying deeply. Slow down.
You should have the things around you that you really want, but you will more likely get to that desirable condition by becoming a connoisseur.
Yes, I know that buying and owning things can also relate to stages of your life and to experiments. We "try on" things. Like thinking you want to learn to play the guitar. You buy the guitar, but a year later give up playing. It sits there. However, if you are constantly buying things that you give up on, are you giving yourself enough time to think it out the initial purchase?
In the next edition of Wealthy Choices, I'll explain what I mean by connoisseur. Maybe you will agree that there is value for your happiness in applying the distinction between consumer and connoisseur to your choices.
Until next time, remember I'm here for you. I'm Penelope coaching you and cheering you on so that you make money choices that lead you to both inner and outer wealth.
My website is http://www.wealthychoices.com. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.
Please visit Dr. Penelope Tzougros at http://www.wealthychoices.com Thank You!
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