“You can’t take it with you when you go.”
“You’ll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.”
“No one is going to stand up at your funeral and say, ‘She had a really expensive couch and great shoes.’”
“He who dies with the most toys, still dies.”
These are all phrases we’ve heard. When we do, rather than arguing with the sentiment, we nod our head in agreement because we know they are true.
And then we go on gathering toys and shoes, furniture and wealth.
We agree in our hearts that there are more worthy pursuits for our one life than material possessions. But all too often, we head right back into accumulating them.
No doubt, one of the reasons for this is the culture we’re swimming in. Both society as a collective and people as individuals measure success by external markings: the size of our home, the price of our car, the quality and quantity of our belongings. And it is a natural desire to be seen as successful and worthy.
Add to that the fact we are constantly bombarded with messages that equate more stuff with more happiness. And then mix in our own unhealthy, internal motivations and you’ve got a recipe that results in us often living life focused on all the wrong things.
Even though, deep down, we know the truth: At the end of the day, our stuff doesn’t mean a thing.
When our time here on earth comes to an end, the stuff we worked so hard to accumulate will be left behind. People will be cleaning out our belongings, going through our things, and deciding what to do with all of our stuff. And I’ve heard all the stories. Sometimes this is done with care (even though the mental and emotional weight is enormous), other times a lifetime’s worth of possessions gets thrown in a dumpster, quickly rushed through, or put up for sale in less than a week.
The countless hours we spent earning money to buy those items, the energy we invested in maintaining them, and the space they occupied in our lives will no longer matter. In the end, what will remain is the impact we made on the lives of others—either in the difference we made or the memories we created.
Regardless of your age, think about your own life for a moment. What are your most cherished memories? Are they tied to the things you own, or are they connected to the people you love, those who impacted you, and the experiences you’ve shared?
The laughter around your dinner table means more than the food on top of it.
The love felt in your home means more than the square footage.
The places you’ve driven in your car mean more than the price tag or features.
The conversations shared over a cup of coffee mean more than the brand of that coffee.
And the memories made in your living room mean more than the brand of your furniture.
But despite our full understanding of this reality, we continue to accumulate more and more stuff. The average American home contains over 300,000 items, the average American home has tripled in size in the last 50 years, and still 18% of us rent offsite storage.
Our priorities are misaligned. We are drowning in our possessions, and it’s taking a toll on our well-being and opportunity for legacy.
Possessions require cleaning, maintenance, organization, and space. They clutter our homes and our minds, creating a burden that weighs us down.
Minimalism offers a way out of this cycle of accumulation. By intentionally choosing to own less, we free up time, energy, and resources to focus on what truly matters.
Even better, when we let go of our excess possessions, we make room for the things that bring us real joy and a lasting legacy. We have more time to spend with family and friends, more energy to pursue our passions, more focus available to grow personally and spiritually, and more resources to invest in both memories and impact.
What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? Instead of a house full of belongings, you can leave a lifetime of stories, lessons, impact, and love.
This is a pursuit available to all of us. May we never sacrifice it for a cheap substitute.
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Also, I wanted to let you know that Amazon has selected my book, The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life for a special today, offering the Kindle version for just $2.99. That is the lowest price I have ever seen it offered. If you’ve been wanting to read my best-selling book, this is a great time to do that.