A few years ago, my wife and I asked some friends to help us move. We packed our bags, rented a moving van, and assumed we’d be doneby lunch.

It lasted all day.

It was exhausting and embarrassing – we had so much stuff. As I watched my friends sweat and struggle to haul out my possessions, I realized that my possessions had come to possess me. Right then and there, I promised myself that I would never put my friends through anything like that again.

We started by donating most of our wedding pre...