Melissa and I embarked on an experiment. We sold or gave away 80 percent of our stuff, left our 1,600-square-foot Queens townhouse, crossed the Williamsburg Bridge, and moved into a tiny rental: a 340-square-foot “micro-apartment” – roughly two 12 x 12s – in downtown Manhattan.

How much stuff do you need? Really need. On a planet where we are trained to desire more everything, and where need-creep defines that we absolutely must have (toys, collections, appliances, electronics, BBQs...), a little need-clarification goes a long way. One way to think about what is most important in your life is to imagine being in an emergency situation requiring you to leave your home forever.