Thanks for your replies, everyone.

I really started thinking about this when my father passed away in February. It was, far and away, the most horrific loss and emptiness I have ever experienced. I had to clean out his house and get rid of his lifetime of possessions, and it was so incredibly difficult. He really didn't buy a lot of things at any one time, but he never got rid of anything, literally. Every item my parents ever purchased since they bought their house in 1961 was still there. It was daunting, to say the least. And, every day I spent looking at all the things he accumulated, then came home to all the things I had accumulated in my house ... and none of it mattered. All the "stuff" we both spent so much time working to afford - none of it could bring back my daddy. That time would have been so much better spent going for a walk together, or going fishing.

So I started getting rid of stuff in my house I don't need. I thought I didn't really have a lot of stuff - I've never been much of a shopper - but it was surprising how much I actually did have. Surprising and disheartening. But I'll tell you, every item that I donated to charity felt a little bit lighter and more free. My husband thinks I'm nuts ... he is Mr. Acquisition. On an almost daily basis, he talks about what he wants to buy .... a new car, a motorcycle, a camper, a boat, a bigger house, etc. I am leaning the exact opposite direction.