'The Clutter Cure's Illusory Joy'

Like most I can relate to this article. We have 4 kids in our house right now, 2 teenagers, 2 little kids and the sheer amount of stuff we accumulate is astounding. We routinely get rid of bags of stuff.

Our focus has also shifted to paying for experiences rather than paying for stuff. That being said it seems like we just get more stuff for those experiences sometimes. I am driving an 8 year old minivan that is falling apart (fuck Chrysler) but would rather have that car payment money go to different things.

I have had a career change and for the first time since 2002 I do not have a company issued phone and I am absolutely loving it. No more checking and responding to e-mail that could have waited until I got into the office.

I realize as I say this that I am talking out of both sides of my mouth as we spent 8K on a hot tub this past Fall. Other than it being awesome to sit and soak one of the unintended benefits is that when my wife and I sit in it we are not in front of a TV/laptop or on our smart phones. We have both noticed how great it has been to sit and have long, unhurried conversations.

 

Astonishing how people cavalierly throw away this remarkable freedom under the auspices of being "needed."

 

What I find fascinating is that we are essentially becoming less materialistic as a society, and it's happening fast. Part of it is the backlash against the clutter that resulted from the deluge of stuff after stuff got cheap. Part of it is the functionality of smart phones, which take the place of a lot of stuff. A lot of it - from what I've read and observed - is driven by milennials. They don't want stuff. They don't even buy cars. They spend a huge percentage of their disposable income on two things: (1) Travel; (2) Restaurants.

Even in our house, you can witness the generational difference. My mom, every time she comes by, just brings over more stuff for the kids. Coloring books. Pajamas. Stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff. When we object, she says something like, "Oh, you have plenty of storage space here!"

 

Absolutely agree. I used to tell my staff that the graveyard was filled with irreplaceable men but never heeded it myself.

 

Yeah, but the reason people are so responsive to work beckoning at all hours is precisely because they are replaceable and they know it. Don't want to be available? Fine. We'll find someone else who will.

 

Our house has lots of stuff. But we've lived in it for over 20 years. When you stand still, that's when stuff piles up around you. If millenials don't have as much stuff, it may be because they haven't settled in a place for awhile yet.
Or based on personal experience, it may be because their stuff is in their parents' garage.

 

I'm telling you. They avoid stuff. Like the plague.

 

I suppose. But if it's my day off, and I'm in the mountains, I'm just not seriously worried about coming back to a supervisor saying. "We tried to call you to come in the other day but could not reach you. We really need someone who will be more responsive to our needs. Sorry, but we're going to have to let you go."

I will stock shelves at the local supermarket before I let myself accept working in an environment as I described above.

 

I graduated college in 1987 and I've seen, way before the technology tether, certain co-workers who gave it their "all" to their jobs. I am going to make a sweeping generalization and say for the most part, these people were lacking in other aspects of their lives, and filled a void through work. Unless you are out there curing cancer, or doing some other such noble work, that all-work attitude is pretty sad.

 

The generalization I would make now, and I know this is a broad brush, is that it is childless people who are answering e-mail at all hours of the day.

Before kids and family and some perspective on work/life balance I was available always and was probably a pain in the ass to some people. When you are building your career and rep it seems to be the way to go. A respected boss told me that what I was doing was not sustainable.

I have also had bosses who preached work/life balance but their actions did not support their words.

We had a tremendous EVP who quit sending and answering e-mail in the evening unless it was an emergency. This filtered down through the ranks and became the norm for a while, changed shortly after he left unfortunately.

 

And (3) gadgets/access to the Internet.

But overall you're right. My 25 and younger coworkers — who, in theory, have money to spend on a decent used car or a leased car — avoid it like the plague. There's a definite aversion to being tied down by a car payment, and I agree 100 percent with that reasoning.

 

My son lived a year in Los Angeles (!!!) with no car. He doesn't have one now in Boston, of course, and after this winter, he may have a lot of older Bostonians joining him in that decision.