Why More Stuff Doesn’t Make You Happier

About this episode

Dr. Laurie Santos explores why material possessions often fail to bring lasting happiness and discusses the benefits of minimalism with various experts.

Buying something new can trigger a rush of dopamine, leading to a momentary boost in happiness. But the rush is fleeting, and over time, our possessions can end up weighing us down more than they lift us up. As part of our series on spring cleaning your wellbeing, Dr. Laurie explores why material things so often fail to make us happier, and why experiences are usually a better investment in our long-term wellbeing. Along the way, she talks with psychologist Bruce Hood, researcher Amit Kumar, and writer Cait Flanders, who reflects on the psychological benefits of shifting from a maximalist lifestyle to a minimalist one. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s actually worth the time and effort to clean out your closet, this episode offers some answers. Experts Mentioned: Bruce Hood , professor of developmental psychology in society at the University of Bristol Amit Kumar , assistant professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin Cait Flanders , author of The Year of Less and Adventures in Opting Out Richard Easterlin , economist and professor at the University of Southern California, originator of the Easterlin Paradox Resources Mentioned…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Laurie Santos

Guests: Bruce Hood, Amit Kumar, Cait Flanders

Topics covered

• materialism
• happiness
• minimalism
• wellbeing
• psychology
• consumer behavior

Keywords

• happiness
• material possessions
• minimalism
• dopamine
• wellbeing
• psychology
• consumerism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Bristol, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California

Books & works: Possessed: Why We Want More Than We Need, The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store, Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence

More episodes of The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

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• How to Feel Happier in Your Body with Jessamyn Stanley · June 1, 2026 · 35 min
• What Your Negative Emotions Are Trying to Tell You · May 25, 2026 · 46 min
• The Hidden Beliefs That Shape Your Happiness with Shawn Achor · May 18, 2026 · 43 min
• The Art of Doing Nothing · May 11, 2026 · 35 min
• What Screen Time Is Really Doing to Your Body with Manoush Zomorodi · May 4, 2026 · 46 min