How much gear do you own?

Well, I have less at the end of the year than I did at the start. I have 3 working systems that I use, my main system when I want to do some serious listening, a second that is more than just background and my work office system that is used nearly every day. I found a really good tech and had him look over each piece before I let it go, make repairs/replacment as needed on each piece I sold. So I am 2 pre and one amp lighter. After the holidays will start with a set of "spare" speakers, another amp and then start with cabling. As I get a little closer to retiring then the office system will go. None of these owe me anything as a lot are 'vintage' being passed from one system to another. Sold them all at what I felt were fair prices, they must have been as the sold in just a couple of days and now someone else gets to enjoy them.

@rosco88 ,

Great post.

"Definitely, you really need help as I have heard that its a serious compulsive disorder."

 

There is a funny side to this, but it can be tragic as well.

My dad had (still probably has, but just can't maintain it like before?) serious hoarding issues and it caused a lot of family stress.

His was an extreme case, but I've seen this problem far too often to realise it's fairly common. I've seen houses where it's impossible to actually walk in a straight line in any of the rooms. Where virtually every flat surface has been used as a shelf or a table

If I could have, I'd probably have filled all of my living space with books (as some people have). I guess I've been relatively saved by family commitments.

In fact only today I read something relevant in Rolf Dobelli's excellent (reference) book, The Art of Thinking Clearly.

He stresses the importance of letting things go, and advises looking at possessions as things the universe has merely lent you.

Things it might one day take back without warning.

This, to me, seems like a sensible way of looking at things and it doesn't even really matter whether I like it or not. 

The matter ultimately is not in my hands.

It never was.

I grew up in a military family and we moved every couple of years so I was brought up to either use it or lose it.Over the years I somewhat stayed from that and I had some gear that was to old or worn to bother with selling but still had some value so I have been donating it to a modest brick and mortar audio store as I would love to see them  survive .