How Much Stuff is Enough?

When the house was originally built in 1937, there were no such things as digital alarm clocks, kindles, ipods, or photo frames that double as lamps. So our current bedroom is completely ill-equipped for our 21st century gadgets. Back in the day, no one thought about having to plug in the telephone or needing to supply power to a TV, a DVD player and a Wii game all at the same time.

One of the outlets in the bathroom

So when it came time to decide where and how many outlets to put in the new rooms, we had to stop and think about what we really needed. When I stepped back and thought about it, it was quite eye-opening to think about just how much stuff we have and how much power we need. So how much stuff is enough? Is it about what we need, or just what we want? We all love to read in our house, but do we need two kindles? I can justify them by thinking about how much space they save and how much entertainment and enlightenment we get from reading so many different things. But couldn't we just visit the library more often and accomplish the same things?

Our closet has three outlets just in case

As for the bathroom, why is it that my plug-in toothbrush makes my teeth feel so much cleaner than a regular old-fashioned one? Is it really better for my teeth and gums, or do the moving bristles just fool me into thinking the brush is something special? And since two outlets are being used for the toothbrushes, I need more for the hairdryer and straightener. Hmmmm, is it need, or want? If you look at the photo of the closet, you'll notice one outlet on each wall. I'm guessing we won't need them all right away, but who knows what gadgets we might acquire in the future.

Still, I'm happy about installing the outlets now. From my understanding, it's super difficult to put them in once the walls are closed. I don't think we have excessive stuff, yet the tangle of cords and extensions under our bed sometimes drives me crazy. Having those extra outlets is really going to help in the new rooms. Anyone staying in the spare room will have plenty of places to charge their phone, laptop and ipod while using an electric razor and watching TV. No one will complain that we are not accommodating hosts.

The view from the hallway into our new bedroom

Next up, the installation of the heating and A/C. Now there's some stuff we are absolutely grateful for.