When I moved to Stanford for my MBA I only packed my most essential belongings in a measly 2 suitcases to start my new life. It was a bit dreadful, having to leave all my precious stuff behind in Holland. However, a few weeks in, it felt incredible. This was the start of my new worry-less life: the less stuff you own/have, the less worries and more happiness you will experience. The NYT agrees.
Note: what you do have needs to be really good stuff. E.g. a great macbook.
This new approach to stuff was the main reason why we built ListCharming, a wedding registry that let’s you have whatever you really want. For us it meant kiting lessons, a piano, plants for our bedroom, romantic dinners etc. Things we could experience, instead of introducing more clutter into our lives. And now we’re off on a 9-month honeymoon around the world.
Forget the table silver (which you have to hand-wash), go for the experiences!