There is an article today over at SmartMoney about the sheer amount of "stuff" that Baby Boomers have accumulated over the years. Now that many are empty-nesters and are trying to downsize they are having a hard time unloading all this "stuff". The American obsession with accumulation has gotten so out-of-control that Goodwill has a glut of used clothing that it is trying to contend with.
In my house we have strict rules about what can come in (no freebies from conferences for instance). Of all the problems my husband and I might experience as we age (which is happening way too fast in my opinion) what to do with "stuff" will not be one of them.
If I can offer any advice to people in my age group, it is to go ahead and start helping your parents unload their "stuff" so that when they need to move into a smaller dwelling place or their time here comes to an end you wont be left having to deal with it. And as far as yourself, how about not buying this "stuff" in the first place so we don't end of in our parents position with a thousands of unused or little used items that most often end up in a dump as waste?
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