Overwhelmed with Stuff

Why we accumulate so much stuff--and what we can do

Living more simply for most of us will remain an unrealized dream until we face the overaccumulation and clutter crisis marking our lives and homes. Here are a few data points that stop you in your tracks as you consider the excesses of the American dream:

• The average American home has 300,000 items (LA Times)

• One out of four American homes with a two-ca…