I think the proof of some of this is that, once you do the decluttering for a while, experience teaches you that you rarely miss what you get rid of. Karsten and I are both pretty hardcore material minimalists and I can only remember maybe half a dozen times over the past almost seven years we've been together when either of us has been looking for something or wishing for something we'd gotten rid of. And in all cases, not having the thing wasn't a big deal.