My wife and I have generally found that having fewer possessions simplifies our lives. If you have ever moved, you know that you have a lot of stuff you don't need. Every time I move, I feel my possessions weighing me down like a ball and chain. Each time, I tend to get rid of more things that I don't really use often enough. Sometimes people have sentimental attachments to certain belongings, so they will never part from them or feel compelled to keep certain things because the people who gave those things to them would be hurt if the person got rid of them. And for many, renting a U-Haul is just a part of moving.
But for us this is not an option. We will be flying to Brazil with the things we can fit in our luggage. Furniture is out of the question. The fewer nonessential items, the better. Many things we will need can be purchased in Brazil. Sometimes well meaning people give us things that may not meet the criteria for items we will be taking to the field. We appreciate the heart, but also hope those same people will understand. It does seem difficult for some to understand why we would ask that no one give us physical wedding gifts or baby shower gifts. We have a few specific items we will take, but the rest we will get down there. The items we are choosing to take may seem random, but there are certain things from the US that are either cheaper or better quality than what we would get there or those items aren't sold there.
When we move into a tribal area, our possessions may become even more of an interest...to the villagers. The more stuff we have and the more we try to set up a "little America" for ourselves, the wider the gap between the people and us will become. We will never be exactly like them, but we would like to limit the gap so that the people don't view us simply as rich missionaries they can't relate to or see us as a source of material goods. This could become a hindrance to the gospel, since much time and resources would be taken up with "stuff" and some seemingly good friendships could turn out to be artificial.
In the end, this post may have little value to you other than explaining how we view our possessions and why. On the other hand, maybe you are thinking, "That sounds so freeing, so simple." Maybe you feel that you are being hindered from what God wants you to be involved in because you feel tied down by your possessions - your time and energy is poured into your house, land, animals, or hobbies in the garage. Maybe it is time to simplify.