> Eventually I came across the idea that things are meant to be used, and now I'm much more relaxed about damaging/using up the things I own.

Its like the people with cabinets full of fine china that nobody eats off of for 50 years. My mother was one of those people. Growing up we had a large cabinet of fine place sets that we were always "saving" for some other time. I finally convinced her to start using it one holiday season, and we were actually using and enjoying it for the last few years of her life.

I'm strongly in the camp that there's no point in having nice things if you never actually use those things.