Everyone is different, but it feels like a weight is lifted off my shoulders when I get rid of stuff I don't need or can't justify keeping. Marie Kondo wrote a book on this: The Japanese Art of Decluttering.

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Declutter...

The first is the Millionaire Next Door. Gave me a better idea of how to manage my finances and what kind of spending habits to look for in a partner. If you are a tightwad then don't marry a spendthrift. Vice versa. [http://amzn.to/2vAmbW8]

The second is On Writing Well. This book changed my view regarding how to write and how important it is to write well. As an engineer I regret how much I avoided writing in school. Now I play catchup after realizing lawyers and others with client facing jobs write much better emails. [http://amzn.to/2vTXu27]

And here are three other books that would be recommended by few on HN.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. I used to hate going home until I realized the clutter of stuff made me miserable. [http://amzn.to/2wwvS5h]

Why Men Love Bitches. 100% serious. This book is over the top but I stopped being a doormat in relationships and looked for partners with more self confidence. [http://amzn.to/2wwcYeZ]

The Low Down on Going Down. Yes the title is cheesy, but again I am 100% serious. I think a lot of us have unhealthy expectations due to Internet porn and this book sets the right attitude for the physical component in a relationship.[http://amzn.to/2vTSY41]

And companion book: [http://amzn.to/2wwSpyY]

>I've found the easiest stuff to organize is the stuff I no longer have.

I'm usually a mess of clutter. Some years ago I started attending workshops on tidying up. Every one of them points out: Before you even begin to organize stuff, identify stuff to throw out and get rid of it. Then organizing is easier.

The real problem is not that it's hard to organize. The problem is we have too much stuff.

For people interested in this, a recent bestseller:

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Declutter...

I only started applying it, and it's not as quick as it may sound. Time will tell if the principles in it last, or if I become a mess again.

Basic ideas:

1. Get rid of stuff.

2. How do you decide what to get rid of? Keep only the things that bring joy to you.

3. What about utilitarian stuff (e.g. cutlery)? Well, keep some. Better yet, if they don't give you joy, buy ones that do and throw the current ones away.

4. Sentimental stuff you don't use? If you're cramped for space, take pictures and donate. These things may bring you joy when you look at them, but if your home is full, they are literally preventing you from new experiences.

The basic ideas:

1. If you surround yourself only with stuff that brings joy, you'll find yourself a lot happier.

2. This may be a bit expensive, as good quality stuff is pricey. However, if you follow this rule when you go out to shop, you pretty much eliminate buying a lot of stuff with this criterion: Am I buying it because it's a good deal or an impulse, or will this truly bring joy to me? This eliminates most of the useless purchases. Another thought: Do I have things in my home that I bought earlier and have not properly utilized/used? If so, why am I adding more stuff? If I buy this, what can I identify at home to get rid of?

Overall, buying pricier items may be cheaper in the long run.

Recently I went back to using fountain pens. I used to when I was young, but stopped when I entered university. Now that I use them, I wish I had never stopped. I threw away all my "freebie" ballpoints, and just use the fountain pen. Problem? A lot of paper doesn't handle it. So I now only purchase notebooks that have better quality paper. Is this cheaper? Probably never will be. However, I now just love to take notes on paper. I've added a joy to my life and removed something pedestrian.

I read her book and believe it is life changing. Clutter stresses me and I never realized it. The only advice is your partner needs to read the book at the same time otherwise there will be fights when one starts to throw out stuff. After my girlfriend finished reading the book, we threw out 30+ bags from a 1,200 sq ft condo. We weren't even pack rats. Now I can walk into my walk in closet. Feels good.

Here is a link to the book. http://amzn.to/1Ugg8wn

I very much appreciate the sentiment, particularly in todays marketing-saturated environment. However, I can say from personal experience that having a few nice or meaningful things can lead to some happiness, given the appropriate relationship with them.

This book has quite a bit of silliness in it (I found it charming, you may not) but it has been very good for my mental health:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Declut...