The people of Denmark have once again topped the charts as the happiest people on earth. Americans ranked 23rd.
Therefore, it is interesting that the Danes own and consume less than half as much stuff as American people do. In Denmark, the average home size is 1,184 square feet while in the United States the average home size is 2,330 square feet. 350,000 is the average amount of items a US home has in it!
The size of an average US home has doubled in the last 30 years, while the average number of people living in each household has decreased by half. We continue to consume and collect more and more things and thus require more and more space.
If happiness is what you are looking for, consider scaling down the amount of stuff you own and taking a cue from the Danes. The amount of time and money you spend maintaining and storing your things increases with amount of stuff you accumulate. Wouldn't you rather be spending your time and money doing something that you really love?
Getting and staying organized becomes much easier when you scale down on the things you own. You can live more comfortably using less space if you're organized. Think about the amount of utilities, land and items a 5,000 square foot home consumes as opposed to that of a 1,500 square foot condominium. If you make the choice to live in a smaller space, living comfortably becomes possible if you are organized.
As a professional organizer, the top two questions I get asked are, "How do I figure out what to get rid of?" and "How do I know I won't need that item again?"
My answer is: Find all the things in your home that are not useful or meaningful and get rid of them. If, at some point, you decide you do in fact need that item, you would easily be able to find another one on Craigslist, Ebay, or one of the online free markets across the US.
Let's say you have an unused bookcase and you sell it on Craigslist for $40. Then, let's say, that you decide one year later that you do, in fact, need a bookcase. A used one will be easy to find within a week or two. Many times you will find a better suitable one as well. Also, $40 is what you would have saved or spent over the last year while not having to store an unused bookcase.
If you are willing to trust that the items you need will be available to you when you need them, you can let go of everything in your home that is not useful or meaningful. When you do this, chances are your level of happiness and the amount of money in your bank account will both increase.
Sources: Statistics Denmark. 2008. Denmark in Figures 2008. Available at http://www.dst.dk/asp2xml/puk/udgivelser/get_file.asp?id=12750...sid=complete. "Average" (taken as typical) Danish home is 110 sq. meters, or 1,184 sq. ft. Demographia. 2006. Second Annual Demographic International Housing Affordability Survey. http://www.demographia.com/dhi2006.pdf. (2200 square feet for new American home in 2006.)
Therefore, it is interesting that the Danes own and consume less than half as much stuff as American people do. In Denmark, the average home size is 1,184 square feet while in the United States the average home size is 2,330 square feet. 350,000 is the average amount of items a US home has in it!
The size of an average US home has doubled in the last 30 years, while the average number of people living in each household has decreased by half. We continue to consume and collect more and more things and thus require more and more space.
If happiness is what you are looking for, consider scaling down the amount of stuff you own and taking a cue from the Danes. The amount of time and money you spend maintaining and storing your things increases with amount of stuff you accumulate. Wouldn't you rather be spending your time and money doing something that you really love?
Getting and staying organized becomes much easier when you scale down on the things you own. You can live more comfortably using less space if you're organized. Think about the amount of utilities, land and items a 5,000 square foot home consumes as opposed to that of a 1,500 square foot condominium. If you make the choice to live in a smaller space, living comfortably becomes possible if you are organized.
As a professional organizer, the top two questions I get asked are, "How do I figure out what to get rid of?" and "How do I know I won't need that item again?"
My answer is: Find all the things in your home that are not useful or meaningful and get rid of them. If, at some point, you decide you do in fact need that item, you would easily be able to find another one on Craigslist, Ebay, or one of the online free markets across the US.
Let's say you have an unused bookcase and you sell it on Craigslist for $40. Then, let's say, that you decide one year later that you do, in fact, need a bookcase. A used one will be easy to find within a week or two. Many times you will find a better suitable one as well. Also, $40 is what you would have saved or spent over the last year while not having to store an unused bookcase.
If you are willing to trust that the items you need will be available to you when you need them, you can let go of everything in your home that is not useful or meaningful. When you do this, chances are your level of happiness and the amount of money in your bank account will both increase.
Sources: Statistics Denmark. 2008. Denmark in Figures 2008. Available at http://www.dst.dk/asp2xml/puk/udgivelser/get_file.asp?id=12750...sid=complete. "Average" (taken as typical) Danish home is 110 sq. meters, or 1,184 sq. ft. Demographia. 2006. Second Annual Demographic International Housing Affordability Survey. http://www.demographia.com/dhi2006.pdf. (2200 square feet for new American home in 2006.)
About the Author:
Heidi DeCoux is the publisher of Life Made Simple e-Magazine, a professional organizer in Minneapolis, and creator of the Fast-Filing Method home office filing system. Heidi energizes her readers' by simplifying their homes and schedules. For more info, free tips, and to receive her FREE Report:The Fast ... Easy Way to Get Organized and Stay Organized Forever, visit ClearSimpleLiving.com.
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