There is an interesting interplay between stuff and space. I'm married and have two children (3 and 18 months) and we live in a two bedroom apartment. Whether I'm justified in wanting more space or not, I really, really do want it. My wife and I talk all the time about how having more space would be nice.

I'm interviewing for jobs (finishing phd) and our income/cost ratio will hopefully increase, and I think we'll end up in a place with more space. But I don't have the experience to have calibrated to the exact amount of space I'll need. We'll probably overreact and be gluttons for space. Then we'll fill up the excess with stuff.

I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. It just feels like you want space, then you get it, then you fill it with stuff you don't want.