After joining such a club I realized that not all prices were cheaper than non-membership store just across street. So we decided to shop carefully and only buy those items that were cheaper. Of course, we also ended up buying in quantities that we didn't need. So, when we did find bargains, we ended up with a supply that would last us a couple years.

After adjusting our shopping strategy at warehouse club to take into account our need to be aware of higher prices and inconvenient packagaging, we realized another thing. It's not convenient to stand in line with three items, when everyone else ahead of you has their carts overflowing with merchandise. It's clear that not everyone cares about actual value and some folks only want perceived value (you know, a case of maple syrup at a 3 cent discount). So, we soon tired of standing in lines for our handful of items.

We decided that if we were going to get only best value items in quantities that suited our lifestyle, that we would only need to make a few trips every couple of months so that we could get everything we wanted without spending all that time standing in line several times per month. But guess what happened? We noticed that each time we'd go in for items on our list that items sometimes wouldn't be carried anymore. We're not talking about items being out with an empty space on a shelf. We're talking about something else is placed where that item was and store employees telling us they don't carry it right now, and that we should fill out a comment card if we want to get items back in stock.

With items on our list not being in stock, we still found ourselves standing in line with a handful of items - instead of cartful we'd planned on.

Life is a series of stages, and there is “acquiring” stage.

However, there came a point where I felt overwhelmed by my “blessings” and took a look at what was going on. At time, my boyfriend, who was a stock broker, kept saying, “Simplify, simplify.” He lived what I considered a “Sparten existence.”

It caused me to take a look at whole picture. I was exhausted all time. I went to a therapist; too bad there weren’t coaches then. She said I was “trying to do too much.” I interpreted it that I wasn’t capable of handling all these things, and redoubled my efforts.

Coaches make things more clear. “Why are you doing what doesn’t bring you pleasure?” would’ve been question to ask. Eventually I asked myself that question and here are some of things I did.

THE CLOTHES I was still operating from an old childhood scarcity-mentality. I never had “enough” clothes in high school, not because my parents couldn’t afford it, just that they didn’t want to spend their money on that. I started babysitting rigorously to buy myself clothes and makeup and stuff. Not a bad thing to do, but I realized that time was over. I gave a number of things to Goodwill, set aside a space-allotment, and stuck to it.

I did have to “dress” for my profession at time (PR), so I chose two outfits I could accessorize in infinite ways. Scarves, jewelry and pins take far less storage space!

THE DOGS Two were strays we had “adopted,” under pressure from my good-hearted son. However, they were difficult dogs, not having been well-raised, and took far more work than our original family pet. I decided to give up this rescuing mentality and at same time educate my children. We found good homes for two of them, and family pact was “no more.” We stuck with our one chosen, well-cared for, and well-trained dog.

THE ENTERTAINING WARE That’s a hard one. It’s been an abiding interest and love in my life, to entertain with all accoutrements. I decided that was an okay hobby, but to stick with what I had for a long time. How many sets of Christmas tablemats does one really need?

THE COOKWARE Life is choices. I could eliminate a lot of these things by turning to fast food, eating out, less elaborate meals. I decided this was not something to sacrifice. There are health benefits to wok cooking, steamers, double boilers, etc., and "happy" benefits to beautiful Bundt cakes. My youngest son particularly enjoyed camaraderie of a fondue meal. Our family dinners were fun for all of us, and a good thing, and I didn’t want to sacrifice that for “convenience.”

Not everything in enriched life should be “efficient.”

THE FINANCIAL PICTURE My stocks were scattered all over place, and we consolidated. It seemed risky to me to “put all my eggs in one basket,” but we did, and it resulted in a nice financial gain.

THE ORGANIZATION I decided it wasn’t all that I had that was problem – many of them were valuable to me and my lifestyle – it was organization of it all.