How much is enough?

I started this blog by saying that I have too much stuff and that I want to get rid of some of the excess. So, while I know that I have too much stuff, I am less clear as to how much stuff is enough. I wrote last week about my turtleneck shirt hoarding, but I did not mention the full, large garbage bag of excess socks and stockings that is jammed into the back of my closet. I keep them there because my sock and underwear drawer barely closes. Now I do go through a lot of socks. I wear slacks to work with casual shoes that need socks worn with them. I also walk funny, with the big toe on both feet jutting up a bit, quickly pushing holes into the toes of the socks. Still, I do not the need the estimated fifty or more pairs that are stashed away in that bag. So again I ask, how much is enough?

I don't really want to get rid of too many of the extra socks, since I know that eventually I will need them and will feel like I am throwing out needed stuff. Then I will have to spend good money to replace them, which goes against a certain innate, if inconsistent, frugality I have. Yet, I am feeling oppressed and absurd that I have all these socks, so tomorrow that bag will be purged.

Re-reading this I find it too self-indulgent and navel-gazingish. I don't know if anyone is reading this yet, but even I am bored by reading about my excess socks. So, enough of this. Back to the census of what I have thown out.

10/20/2007-- Discarded nine men's shirts that my son and husband don't wear anymore. 74 more pieces of clothing to discard in the Clever Dude challenge.
10/22/2007-- Threw out ten mail-order catalogues. Also threw out a 1999 edition of the Encyclopedia of Associations (3 vol.); don't even ask.

One more thing, I just realized that i did not get anywhere near answering the question of how much is enough. I'm sure I will be re-visiting that issue as I get on with this.