Stop the Madness!

Just ran across this quote while researching moving suggestions on Unclutterer:

The Self Storage Association notes that, with more than seven square feet for every man, woman and child, it’s now "physically possible that every American could stand — all at the same time — under the total canopy of self-storage roofing."

Oh, my goodness. When I was in Indiana last November, my nephew pointed out some storage units we passed, and I seized the opportunity to pass on a little life lesson by explaining why they should never use storage as a long-term option (I'm pretty sure the saying "more money than sense" came up here) and that it should be used for short-term circumstances only. They both nodded in agreement, but of course there is no telling how much they took in.

Chad & I have decided to take the "rip off the band-aid" approach to moving-- we aren't getting a storage unit, not even for a little while; everything is going on the moving truck in Lubbock, then coming straight off again in Austin. This serves many purposes, not the least of which is that we have to keep our possessions to a minimum.

Sigh. I wish that the US could break free from our collective consumer-driven, "need-need-need-want-want-want" lifestyle. The storage companies might go out of business, but we would all have a lot fewer stuff-induced headaches.

Also on Unclutter is this great purchasing guide flowchart, for the prefer-less-stuff-minded among us. (Click the link & scroll down the page a bit to find it; this pic does not enlarge.)