With TV, I’m not a huge fan. I have 2 shows I watch regularly (Top Chef and Grey’s Anatomy). Other than that, it’s stuff that I sometimes enjoy but could do without. But my boyfriend loves the TV — he watches the history channel, and Mythbusters, and HGTV and sports and . . . the list goes on :-)

If you or your husband truly enjoy TV and like it, then it’s not stuff to you. Enjoy with reckless abandon. Columnists just use TV because it’s a simple example to bring up. But since you chose to spend time watching TV, maybe you sell the tennis rackets in the garage or the gardening supplies that clutter a corner of your garage.

Basically, pick what you want to do. Enjoy that pursuit(s) without guilt. And then don’t let other stuff clutter your wallet or living space.

While I’m on the subject…I spy Puzzle Strike on the bottom shelf, which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise (it was created by the same David Sirlin he mentioned in a post just a few days ago). I bought the print-and-play but haven’t quite finished assembling it yet. What do you think about that game, Trent?

If you spend every Sunday bonding with your kids by watching a couple of football games, then your television time is an experience. If you just use it to channel surf with no purpose or just let it gather dust, then it’s stuff.

If you have a doll collection and you regularly groom them, make new clothes, and so on, then it’s an experience. If they just sit in the closet, then they’re stuff.

Also, Carcassonne is on the third shelf from the bottom, Settlers of Catan is on the next shelf up from the bottom (it’s in an older edition box – remember, I’ve been collecting and gaming for going on 15 years now), and Dominion is in one of those white boxes on the next to bottom shelf so that I can keep all expansions in the same box and not have to carry three or four at once.

The person with the big new car doesn’t see 5 digit debt n their driveway, they see pleasant road trips with the fam, or maybe the feeling of wind in their hair if its convertible.

The person with the McMansion doesn’t see it as “stuff”, but as a comfortable place to relax and bond with loved ones.

The person who buys the new kitchen gaget doesn’t see it as more clutter, but sees the wonderful dishes that can be prepared and enjoyed at home.

So, board games are your “stuff” and cars are another’s “stuff” and gadgets are yet another’s “stuff”. That doesn’t make it bad, but it doesn’t change the fact that it is still “stuff”.

I LOVE your collection.

More game posts, Trent!

We kind of co-own games with an ex-housemate. So one copy of a game can float around 4-5 people. We live in the same area of the city and welcome anytime at each other’s house. So dropping by to pick up a game is easy. And bringing a game over to play is easy also. One library of games for two houses.

Granted, the people we play these games most often w/ are each other.

Taking in something new or just reconnecting with a friend over as you put it a game is worth more than the cost of the item. But when you have so much stuff you can’t find what you’re looking for that stuff starts costing you more mentally than it was ever worth! Kudos to you for paring down your collection.

Which reminds me I need to clean out the storage space… its overdue for a purge.

If you want a blast of a game try Space Hulk, think Aliens where you play the space marines. It’s hard to “win” but a blast to play.

If you like chess but want something a little different try Nightmare Chess, It adds cards that change the rules as you play it can really balance a couple of mismatched players.

I’m gradually paring down my book collection to a special shelf or two of favorites I’ll reread, either sharing them with my friends to pass along to theirs, or donating them to the library.

Most satisfying to date was getting rid of an unwieldy collection of salvaged plastic containers for leftovers & replacing them with a couple of sets of glass ones with lids that fit, & getting them corraled so I can find what I’m looking for.

I agree that experience trumps stuff – at least the vast majority of time. Some sentimental things such as pictures are invaluable.

But yes, it’s the experiences in general that represent the great times in life, not staring at some accumulated stuff.

I feel the same way that you do about collecting “things”. For me its about whether or not I will want to use it or lend it out ever again. For example, video games I just tend to play through once or while my friends are playing it and then I move on, so I always sell or trade them.

Books or movies on the other hand are always nice to just hand to a friend and say, “Aw man, you gotta read this.” I just have one shelf of books and one shelf of movies/games. I am satisfied with that level of media possessions.

Sadly I only have 4 good board games, but I don’t play them very regularly.

Great article Trent.