The True Cost of Our Stuff

Last month, we decided it was finally time to invest in a new kitchen table.

Our old one had served us well, but our family had clearly outgrown it. The table was designed to fit two people, but we’d made it fit five for the past couple years by pulling up the foldable keyboard stool and the stability ball at mealtime. 

This worked great for our family, but wasn’t ideal when company was over. Grandma didn’t exactly love the stability ball. And our 18 month old’s after-dinner show usually involved overturning the keyboard stool and seeing how many directions he could unfold it.

With baby number four arriving in a few months, it was time for a new dining set—no question. 

Having lived a minimalist lifestyle for the past three years, we’ve become super intentional about our purchases. We knew just what we wanted. Soon, the quest was on to find a handmade, ethically sourced, real wood table—preferably from a small business—that fit six people and our budget.

After at least three weeks of searching, we finally found it. The order was placed and we anticipated the smooth arrival of our long-awaited purchase.

Let’s just say things didn’t go as expected.

What should have been a joyful homecoming turned into a stark reminder of the true cost of our stuff.

Everything we own—regardless of whether it was intentionally or impulsively bought—holds more than just a financial cost. Every purchase, every possession has a claim on our time, energy, and attention. 

The more aware we become of the true cost of our stuff, the more we understand the benefits of living with less. And the more mindful we become before letting stuff into our homes.

Here are 3 ways our stuff delivers more than just financial costs:

1. Time costs 

Before paying for our table, it required a solid time investment to find the right one. Once ordered, the table’s legs were delivered to our new address, while the table itself and the bench mistakenly went to our old address 30 minutes away. We spent time contacting customer service and Fed-Ex coordinating a not-so-speedy pick up and re-delivery. 

Anything you possess has ownership of your time. This may be an expected time commitment like cleaning, maintaining, and organizing or an unexpected one like fixing or replacing. The average American home contains 300,000 items. Do the math—we’re spending a lot of our lives focused on our stuff. 

Want more time in your life? Own less stuff.

2. Energy costs

Once our table finally arrived at the correct address, my husband dedicated his Saturday morning to assemble it. Only to encounter more hiccups. The bench was cracked from poor packaging. The table itself had been mismeasured and one leg couldn’t be drilled in place. After all the measuring, drilling, unpacking, repacking, and heavy lifting, he had little energy left for much else that day. 

Anything you possess has ownership of your energy. Imagine how you feel after picking up after people in your home throughout the day (or continuously asking them to pick up). Or how you feel after doing laundry load after laundry load. Rejuvenated or drained? For me it’s the latter. 

Want to feel more replenished at home? Own less stuff.

3. Attention costs

The table shopping, re-delivery, and return experience required more mental energy than expected. My husband and I had to turn our attention away from spending time with each other and our kids at times to focus on the table-delivery saga. He had to shift attention away from work to make table-related phone calls. He had to drive by our old place to ease our concern that someone could have lifted the mis-delivered boxes. 

Anything you possess owns some of your attention. Even items you don’t think about daily, will someday occupy your or your loved one’s mental space. Dwelling on future purchases or wishing you had something you don’t can also shake your peace. The more you focus on acquiring stuff, the less capacity you have to focus on the present moment and the people in it.

Want to feel more present in your life? Own less stuff. 

Author J.R.R. Tolkien said, “All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that’s been given to us.” 

I’d say the same goes for the energy and attention capabilities that have been given to us. 

Do we want to spend them cleaning, organizing, and maintaining our stuff? Or would we rather spend them on deepening our relationships with others, increasing our self-care, having more experiences and adventures, and doing more of whatever else it is in your life that matters?

The takeaway here isn’t that all of our stuff is a burden. We all need basic possessions to live, and many people lack even these. However, owning excess stuff monopolizes our time, energy, and attention and prevents us from living our best lives.

Before making your next purchase, I encourage you to consider the true cost of your stuff. Ask yourself:

Are the non-financial costs of this item worth bringing it into my home? If the answer is no, guard your time, energy, and attention by not making the purchase.

Let’s begin evaluating if the benefits of our possessions truly outweigh their costs.

This mindset shift will allow us to become more conscious consumers and free us to live life with greater meaning and intention.

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Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist whose teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached thousands of people worldwide through her blog. Julia practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home with her husband, two extremely lively young daughters, and one-year-old son. You can also find her on Instagram.

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I want to help you design a simple, intentional life! I’ve created a 30-day course that will guide and inspire you to make actual change in your life by decluttering your home, heart and schedule. It’s time to live focused on what matters! Learn more HERE.