Why do we have so much stuff? | BBC Ideas

I would consider myself a minimalist. I've been a minimalist my entire life. I love never really having to clean up my stuff, it also allows me to pick up everything I own and go wherever I want. I'd rather spend money on a good dinner with friends or an experience out, then on an item.
Additionally, I feel as though people don't realize how much stuff you actually need. I always tell people to buy a packet of sticky notes and for one week walk around the house and put sticky notes on everything you touch and use, by the end of the week you will realize that 70% of the items you own you never actually touch.

I'm in complete admiration of this. I recently stumbled upon something with a similar message, and it was absolutely mesmerizing. "The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Living Guide" by Matthew Cove

So much of indirect societal pressure that it takes a lot of effort and strength to fight it.
I have started this war , hope I come out a winner.

Why is this all about women?? As if men don't consume and hoard???

Well, I try to reduce, too. I dont do it for the environment bla, bla, but only for me. I prefer clean floors to walk barefoot or to sit on it. Especially since I have kids, stuff all of the sudden stresses me out, especially those dozend of little pieces when it comes to child toys.
However, I dont want my child to "miss" anything, so I have to reduce my stuff. I am very slowly about it, but every step forward makes me very, very happy and I think, soon I will get to where I want to get.
However, I dont want to become a minimalist. Depends on the way minimalist celebrate their live but most of them are caught in a certain live style- they are the same ppl with same issues, but they process their feelings in a different way. I dont look for a replacement but inner peace.

Less is more

Having wardrobes full of clothes I rarely use and go to just a couple shelves using the same stuff over and over, I am done with fashion. But crafting world is a whole different beast. Don't let me start on that one!

I think I have a lot of practical things. Extra food, clothes, sheets, towels, toiletries etc. It’s because my parents were babies in the 1930’s when here in the USA we had the Great Depression. So, our grandparents had extra things and so did our parents and us too but our kids who are in their 20’s and 30’s are more minimalistic

At least not everyone can afford to constantly buy unnecessary stuff

I deeply struggle with this sense of academic inadequacy and buy books in hopes of remedying it. Its led to the point where my shelves are overstuffed with new unread books and heightened anxiety becsuse none of those are getting read as quickly sigh

Women ☕

I have a problem with gun and musical instrument collecting

You don’t need many items if you are buying designers. I have 5 classic designer bags that I love even after owning it for years, they last a life time and increase in value if I want to sell them. everything in asos, h&m is just ‘meh’ to me.

I want to get rid of stuff but I'm scared I'll regrat it!! And wvwn when I do get rid of stuff its like more stuff appears!

3 hra a day looking at clothes and dresses like Steve irwin

🙆🏽‍♂️

What we consume is an expression of our identity.

I went to my favorite second hand jewelry boutique and after searching through 6 cabinets, I found the perfect gift for my daughter-in-law. My
rule is buy used, by local, by when you need to buy something. I am 71. I try to be mindful. Tina

Haha the moment you realize you are addicted

deez nuts

I haven't bought new clothes in maybe 10 years, but I do buy books like crazy. Not so much in the past few months. Been making a conscience to cut back on buying and just use the library.

Why the “testers” are all women? What about different generations of Men’s opinion about shopping? Do men not shopping?

well，if I can shop without worrying how much it costs,isn’t it great

Tbh too much stuff annoys me I just try to get rid of it but sometimes I get sucked in to buy stuff again :/

So........ How to END the cycle?

It would be good to see representations of men as shoppers, so many examples only show women as 'consumers' but this is simply not true! I think there is an unhelpful stereotype that women love shopping, and men hate it, and that women shop for uneccessary items men for practical - let's address this!

minimalism is the way to go! having too much stuff makes me too anxious

Buy things if its needed otherwise don't buy it for unnecessary purpose it's leads to money wastage.

So proud to spend up to 3hours a day shopping, needs to check herself...

I'm a long, long way from having too much stuff, although I'm not very materialistic compared to most other people. I lack and want to have financial empowerment, financial stability, and financial security, but not stuff, not possessions.

Woah they have much money for shopping then!

Our wants are insatiable, but our needs are limited. Our wants doesn’t bring happiness but our needs fill our void in life

Really excellent 😍💐

I am a minimalist since past one year and seeing the amount of stuff these people own gives me anxiety. It has a lot to do with being content with your inner self and validation. Took me 30 years to understand.

I think our upbringing also plays a major role in this issue.

"What we consume is an expression of our identity, because our identity consists of a number of different facets..."

Wow, louder please. This topic is quite timely and relevant. ❤️

BBC Ideas 💕💐 really excellent upload 💕💐💕 Really good content 💕💕💐 Thanks for share 💕💐 stay connect me

Oh my gosh yes 😅 my fiance and I are moving in together from our both our family homes and we only have a bedroom each to clear out but yeah even then we still have so much stuff that needs to be cleared lol 😋

Wow........this spoke to me directly and could relater to everything said by the consumers and the experts on why and what it all means. thank you for this. I'm keeping it in my files. Glad to know I'm not alone in this. I'm in the process of trying to get rid of things.....either selling or just giving away. And I'm living vicariously through watching videos of other people shop for cool stuff.

Pls make videos on photography 👍

“Too many people spend money they earned..to buy things they don't want..to impress people that they don't like.”
--Will Rogers

"what we consume is an expression of our identity"