Many measure the success they have in life by the things they own. The chase to always have the best of everything causes many people to forget about the most important thing — enjoying what they have.

The truth is that getting all of the things people think they want may actually complicate their life more than it helps them. Instead of always trying to get the next big thing, it may be better to think twice about it.

One of the reasons we are always getting more things is because our friends have them. We try to teach our kids not to compare what they have to what their friends have, but we forget to do it ourselves.

Living without doesn’t mean we get rid of everything. It’s possible to do some of the things we want and keep some of the luxury items in our life.

How to Enjoy a Life Without

Getting rid of things that are filling up our home is not always easy. The most common excuse we make is that our stuff isn’t taking up space, so why bother?

The reality is that our things — our possessions and the stuff we cling to — do get in the way, and our homes are full of items that simply aren’t needed. Some people call these things treasure, others call them clutter.

No matter what it’s called, at some point, the stuff takes over the home and the lives of the people that have it — and something has to be done about it. The problem is figuring out what to do with all of the stuff we have in our home.

Here are some tips that will help you get rid of the things you really don’t need:

1. Take it one room at a time.

Go through each room in your house individually and take an inventory of exactly what you have. Use a box for trash, for important papers, valuables, things that you are not sure whether you want to keep or not and for the things you absolutely don’t need.

2. Use a system.

When looking at the items and trying to figure out whether to keep it, trash it or get rid of it, ask a few questions:

• Why is it important to me?
• Do I still use it?
• When was the last time that it was used?
• Is there an emotional attachment to it?
• Is it easily replaceable?

3. Have multiple ways to get rid of stuff.

There are plenty of ways to get rid of the things that are no longer needed. If they are broken or no longer usable, trash may be the best option. If you can’t put it curbside, haul it to the dump.

4. Don’t look back.

Once the things are gone from the home, don’t start to regret what you have done. If you took the time to do a good job of decluttering, you will not have gotten rid of anything that you do not need or that cannot be replaced. Many times, the things will have a second life with someone that can truly use them.

No Sidebar: At Work

Putting in long hours in the office and complaining about not having enough personal time used to be the cool thing to do. But times have changed, so it’s time you quit bragging about how busy you are at work.

The phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none” has been used a zillion times — and the business world is a place where you may have heard it. When it comes to finding employment, here’s why being good at too many things can hurt your job search.

There’s scientific evidence that multitasking can lead to a lack of productivity. Just what exactly does it do to our brains?

No Sidebar: At Home

You might think that living without is a difficult thing to do, but it’s sometimes easier than you think. Here are 10 creative ways to declutter your home.

Albert Einstein once said “Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Now it’s your turn to start decluttering with the help of these 18 five-minute tips.

Household items can be the bane of our existence when it comes to owning too many things. Towels, silverware and makeup are among the 12 things you probably should own too many of.

No Sidebar: In Your Soul

Living without isn’t just limited to tangible possessions. Our schedules have a tendency to accumulate as well, so here’s a guide to becoming “un”busy.

Have you ever wondered why not all highly creative and intelligent people end up being as successful as they could be? It might have something to do with having no shortage of ideas and the inability to focus.

Mental clutter is a symptom of having too many things happening in our life. The voices in our head can haunt us day after day, so working efficiently towards the decluttering of our mind is essential to happiness.