Before I left San Francisco for Asia, I had a studio apartment completely packed with stuff -- three giant suitcases full of clothes, an entire standing bookshelf full of books that I never read, IKEA furniture, and tons of electronics junk that I just never used (Xbox 360, MS Surface Tablet, old PC laptops).

I threw it all away. I must have thrown away $10,000 worth of stuff (well, mostly sold, recycled, gave away, and/or put in Schrodinger's "storage").

My digital footprint is much larger than the physical junk that I had. Now all of my belongings fit into one suitcase.

It was a very relaxing feeling getting rid of all of that junk. I haven't missed any of it.

It's not some hidden agenda that these Minimalists are pushing that they WANT you to be happy with less even though you actually are happier when you have more; I've found that I actually _am_ happier with less (after adopting the right mindset). In massively consumerist cities like SF, there is a ton of social pressure to show off that you have more trendy things than all of your neighbors and to drive that German car, etc. and you just have to use your willpower to not succumb to that pressure.