Actual Thoughts I've Had, Verbatim...

[user328]

That's why this time around I designed my space well in advance of having an actual physical space to put it in.

I'm not gonna lie to you and say it was all down to foresight and planning. Fortuitous circumstances played a major role. I started over with literally nothing, and having a decent budget due to receiving a lump sum back payment on my disability income enabled me to proceed as I did. I was basically given a blank canvas and a 5 gallon bucket of paint.

Most people will already be settled in their homes and have stuff they've accumulated for however many years it's been since they left the nest. Then it becomes a case of thinking about what you do in your space, and getting rid of anything that doesn't support those activities. (Not to mention things that actually impede those activities.)

It all boils down to experience. No mystical insight required. Think about what you've done in life, what you're doing now, and what you expect to be doing later. That should tell you exactly what you do and do not need.