9 Sneaky Signs You Own Too Much Stuff, According to Money Expert Rachel Cruze

It’s easy to accumulate lots of stuff . We’ve all experienced it. Years go by, and more and more stuff fills our homes. If this has happened to you too, you’re not alone. In fact, Making Sense of Cents reported that the average American household has an incredible 300,000 items at home.

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While it’s nice to have stuff, there are some telltale signs that you simply have too much stuff around. In a recent video , money expert Rachel Cruze discussed sneaky signs that you might own too much stuff .

9 Signs That You Have Too Much Stuff

It’s easy to get caught in the trap of having too much stuff without realizing it. Here are nine sneaky signs that you own too much stuff, according to Cruze.

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1. You need over 30 minutes to clean up before anyone comes over. If you need to spend a half-hour or more to clean up your house before having guests over, you likely have too much stuff lying around. Your home should be a serene place where you can relax, but that can be hard to do if there’s a bunch of clutter around.
2. You’re always wishing you had more money or a bigger house. If you’re always complaining that you want more money or a bigger house, you probably already have too much stuff. It’s best to avoid lifestyle creep. While there’s always room for financial improvement, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get more stuff when you have more money. Maintaining a sense of contentment is key to financial peace.
3. You have items that are unopened or forgotten. If you have a collection of unopened gifts and packages, you have too much. Not even knowing what items you have is a clear indication that you should get rid of stuff.
4. You need to move a lot of things in order to get other things. If there’s stuff that’s blocking your path down the hallway, you have to constantly move boxes or you can’t park your car in the garage, then you probably have too much stuff. Consider purging items that you haven’t used for more than a year.
5. You have no clue where your money goes every month. If you don’t have any idea where all of your money goes every month, you are probably buying and have too much stuff as it is. Consider cutting down on unnecessary purchases and focus on just the basics. Creating and consistently managing a budget takes away stress and shows you exactly where money is going.
6. You have a difficult time moving around your house. Having too much stuff might be a sign that you’re a hoarder. You shouldn’t have so much stuff that you can’t easily move about your home. If you’re buried in stuff, take time to purge the things that you can do without.
7. You’re always shoving things into drawers or closets. You have stuff coming out of drawers, your closets are full and you can’t fit anything anywhere. These are signs that you have too much stuff. Sit down and decide what you need and what you don’t need. Eliminating unnecessary items can make room in your home and provide a sense of organization.
8. You’re always losing things or struggling to keep track of items. Lots of stuff can get lost in the mix, especially if you simply have too much stuff. If you’re losing items and having a hard time keeping tabs on where everything is, consider eliminating stuff that you can do without.
9. You keep stuff because you tell yourself that you may need it one day. We’ve all done it before — we keep some random item because we tell ourselves we might use it at some point. Meanwhile, the item hasn’t been used in years. If this is the case, be sure to purge these types of items to make more room around you.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 9 Sneaky Signs You Own Too Much Stuff, According to Money Expert Rachel Cruze