On Being a Poor Consumer

I came across a statement in a book on simplicity that caused me to stop, reread it, and then think about it.

"When people reach this stage of self-acceptance, they often make very poor consumers, because if they are enough they may not need or want more."

Simple Prosperity, Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle

David Wann was writing in reference to the idea of having enough.

Most, if not all, people I know have enough of every material possession they need. In fact, frankly, they usually have more than enough. Why is it that we, myself included, think we need more? More clothes, more shoes, more books, more dishes, more furniture, more cars, more toys. We have enough, really we do.

In fact, I often hear the comment, "I really need to declutter! I want my life to be simpler!" A simple life contains just the right number and kind of possessions to maintain that life. How do we determine what is 'enough' for a simple life and how do we go about attaining that balance? The basic answer is to get rid of what you don't use! If an item is not useful or beautiful, you don't love it, or if it has a sad memory attached to it, throw it away or give it away!

While I am not a hoarder or compulsive shopper, I do have clutter, quite a lot of clutter, around. It's time to delclutter and find out how little is enough. I think I like the idea of being a poor consumer.