I would need a triptych.

Looks about right. I'm 24 and have slightly less, but then again I don't actually live anywhere either.

Don't think too hard about that, lol.

These people are all very young, probably students. It would be a different story to photograph older adults or homeowners!

I was just thinking last night about how much stuff i have in my apartment. I live with my boyfriend but most of the things are mine. *Sigh* I need to seriously declutter.

Reminds me of this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Material-World-Global-Family-Portrait/dp/0871564300

I am a product of the '80s, and I remember having as much stuff as these pictures. I am actually having to force myself (now that I have graduated from college and am renting a house) to expand my wardrobe for work, decorate the place that I live, and actually unpack all of my boxes!

What @sitesmitten said.

I like this series, but wish the photographer would've included people from other generations with more stuff. Still, it's nice to see how all your possessions can be reduced to the corner of a room.

You know you've recently bought your first couch when all you can do is cringe when you see the photo with a ton of heavy electronics equipment piled on top of a couch (in the link).

I agree it would be interesting to see people with more stuff. Interesting how the person would start to look small next to lots of stuff, whereas the person with less stuff is bigger.

Third guy must get tired of his one outfit!

Really interesting! I was born in the 80s as well so it's fascinating to see what my peers have collected, especially with all of the conversation surrounding how our generation is becoming independent and moving out on our own at a later stage in life than young adults previously have.

Do they sleep on the wooden slats? I was born in the 80s, own my own condo and now rent in a studio apt. I live alone and must say I own much more than these people. Couch, bed + mattress, dresser, wine glasses, artwork, ect. Now these would be a fun contrast alongside pics of the home of a hoarder.

My parents have a book that portrayed family around the world with all their possesions. They put all of their possesions in front of their house (or sometimes the roof) and then was further information about the country& family. Its crazy when you compare the family in India for example with the one in Germany.
Can't really imagine that this is all which those people posses. I bet most of them still have stuff at their parents.

The last guy must work from home since he doesn't own any shoes or more than one outfit.

I doubt I could fit all my furniture in one of those rooms. I suppose this is a nice series on people living in tiny apartments and dorm rooms. Not so much an accurate commentary on someone who lives in a multi-room house, which would look so incredibly bare without furnishings for each room.

Calling shenanigans on this really being all that these people own. As others have mentioned the last guy doesn't seem to have more than one outfit or a single pair of shoes.

And I can't be the only person born in the 80s who owns a vaccuum...

I'm guessing their homes were rented furnished. This is a refreshing reminder of how few possessions a person may really need to own to have a good life.

P.S. Nice to see books aren't considered to be obsolete just yet.

Wow, I'm almost 28 and have waaaay more than that. Of course I am married,have 3 kids, and a sorta big house. I don't think I have had that small of an amount of belongings since I was a teen.

PS. I own a vacuum too lol. Kinda a must with 3 kids! :)

I call BS

When I moved into my first apartment, I had a bed, a side table, a lamp, and 17 shopping bags full of clothes and books. This reminded me of that time, wow, thanks for the memories.

When I moved in college, all my stuff fit in my car in one load.

Anyone who lived through post Katrina New Orleans totally understands the value of some stuff and the lack of value of other stuff. We only get new stuff if it is stuff that we can take with us in an evacuation or are willing to drag to the curb post disaster. Changes your perspective.

Gee, that third guy could greatly decrease his possessions if he upgraded to a laptop and switched to an e-reader. I kid, I kid.

I didn't have a lot of stuff in college, but I definetely had more than any of the three shown here. And, I had a (crappy, unreliable) car. That certainly wouldn't fit into a room.

Dunno if I buy this!

I'd be interested to see photos of a couple. How about the stuff that's "ours"?

Inspired to declutter, for sure.

I'm 26 (and a student) and been owning way much more than these people! I don't know if it's different for us in Quebec (Canada), but even if we move to study, it's rarely at the other side of the country, so when I moved at 21, I had everything I needed for an apartment on my own; if I ever had to move in another country of very far and had to choose, I guess it would be more minimalist (not that I'd be thrilled about it though!) and I'd probably do my best to take with me as much as I can :)

I'll bet anything that at least one of these dudes owns a bicycle. But I don't see a bicycle. Or a vacuum cleaner.

When I was a freshman in college my picture would have looked similar to the first, with the addition of a huge rug, a microwave, and a bunch of canveses/art supplies. Because that was all the stuff I took with me to my dorm. However, that does not include all the crap I left at my parents, some of which they are still "storing" for me 10 years later.

From an intereview with the artist (in German) from 'Zeit':http://www.zeit.de/campus/2011/06/fotoprojekt-bestandsaufnahme/seite-2

"All the subject were born in the '80s, exactly like me. This generation is the first in Sweden, who is in a worse financial situation than their parents. Critics describe them as extremely egotistical and materialistic in comparison to the previous generation"

Then the interviewer asks whether the artist has proven this with his photos, to which the artist responds:
"I can't really speak to that question, this project is not yet finished...."

I'm going to have to agree with others that these can't show all their possessions, just a curated set, because there's at least one more subject on the photographer's site who doesn't appear to own a change of clothes -- only books and records. (Photo 3, guy in the Black Flag shirt)

Now that I'm thinking about paring down your possessions for school or to travel, I have a question for people who have lived in Europe:

When friends of mine moved to Germany and the Czech Republic a few years ago, they both told me that rentals there don't come with appliances included. You're expected to bring your own fridge, and if you want them, your own washer, dryer, and dishwasher. Is that common, or just a quirk to the area they were each in? Seems like a huge pain the butt.

Where's the cat food for the cat? Groceries/supplies for the resident? As mentioned, cleaning, hygiene, and cooking supplies? How does one really define possessions anyway?

Oh also, is it just me, or does the guy (or girl? I can't tell) in photo 1 look like he's waiting for the zombie apocalypse? He's barricaded the door with all of his belongings and is huddling in the corner, rocking back and forth in the fetal position.

@akay You are hilarious. Yes, he's totally waiting for the zombie apocalypse! LOL! These photos are totally annoying BS, but he zombie comment was worth the time spent!

I could really appreciate this art series if it was more "real". Like others have mentioned, the lack of clothes and personal hygiene products (not to mention a litter box) really negates the whole concept for me. Also it doesn't show if any of these people have bicycles or cars. (I'm curious if the wood slat thing supposed to be a bed, or a prop?)

Personally, until I was 25 or so I only owned what I could fit into my car with room to spare (an early 90's Corsica at the time). Then I bought and moved into a house with my husband and step-son, got a dog, and totally "nested". :-)

Oh gosh...If I had to try and get everything I own into one room it would not end well. (I'm 25) Let's see, a car, a couch, a queen bed with headboard, a bookcase, two dressers, three desks, dining table and four chairs, tv stand, large tv, etc etc etc...and that's just the furniture to help in storing everything...

European beds are on curved slats, not box springs. Those are their beds, mattress-side to the wall. You can still see the fitted sheet attached.

This looks typically Eurocentric to me. Apartments in Europe are much smaller than in the USA, which negates the need to have a lot of possessions.

What @sitesmitten said, again. Totally derivative, if not more, of the Material World book, only less interesting.

I'm impressed with the shoe collection in the second pic!

Like Miami's Elaine, I'm assuming that they rent fully furnished places and that these are just their material possessions. I live in London and although we've accumulated some furniture to maximize storage space in our current flat, we only had (and subsequently had to move,) our stuff in the past.

This is really inspiring. Reminds me that I can actually live with a lot less. I'm also from the 80's and currently live a nomadic life moving from country to country with my husband. (Current stop: Denmark.) I think the two of us can fit everything we own in our apartment into one taxicab (we're subletting so none of the furniture is ours). We don't have kids or pets so I guess that helps!

@akay - I don't know about the Czech Republic but in Germany there tends to be more long term rentals as rental prices are reasonable and aren't people so obsessed with buying property (only 45% of Germans own their own home.) Since the trend is for long term rentals I imagine most places are completely unfurnished as people want to be surrounded by their own belongings - and yes, that means that they have to provide their own 'white goods'.

I am afraid that my 2 greyhounds have more stuff than guy # 3.
Each has a big comfy dog bed, they share a truckload of toys, each has 2 coats, and each has its own toothbrush!
And feeding dishes (on a stand), a water dish.
I wonder whether I should also list the sofa and loveseat as their possessions because they occupy them most of the time.

not sure why its so difficult to understand that not everyone needs stuff,. I have lived minimal all my life and have been happy..its just that a few of us dont need that fifth pair of shoe or that extra sweater to keep going and its fine...these may or maynot be real people with real possessions but its possible...its sad to see so many readers unable to relate to simple living...as most other countries, people live in smaller homes and not everyone owns a macmansion :)..its as simple as that

@STACEYSK Right?! I wonder what he wears to the laundromat. Maybe he's actually 90 lbs and has all of his clothes on his body in this picture.

Time to clean out the closet. I can't get rid of art supplies or old t-shirts. Or camping gear. Or extra blankets. Or art frames because we may make something to fill them or have walls that need them.

This is a good but not new idea. I highly recommend Material World: A Global Family Portrait (1995). Powerful pictures from leading photographers show families around the world standing beside their homes with all their worldly goods stacked in view. There's a lot of perspective in those haunting images, and highly readable text as well.

@STACEYSK there's a suitcase behind his 20th Century computer.

When I was living in share houses, I had as little as this. My bed, computer, camera, books, clothes and a rudimentary clothes storage system. Now that I'm in my own house, the sheer amount of stuff I've accumulated is overwhelming, especially as I'm about to move into a much smaller unit. I think commenters are also forgetting that Europeans traditionally don't live as big as Americans.

@susrith
Oh please. Most americans don't live in mcmansions. Like, surely at least 80% of everyone living in a city, I'd think. And there are more USAns living in cities than suburbs as of the last census, iirc.

And everyone recommending the other book (which I'm sure is brilliant and all) or saying she should photograph other generations too should check out what @Becky Arundale quoted.

Randomly, I like the bed they all seem to have. XD So much nicer than the basic metal "hollywood frame" that's some sort of standard in the USA (although I don't think I've ever had one.)

So....#3 has no shoes? Not to mention a change of clothes?
*blocking out the laundry day visual*
Can't live without that computer, tho, eh?

Not sure if this defeats the purpose of this post or speaks to it.

My husband had less than this when we were married, he slept on an air mattress! How times have changed in just a few short years of marriage. Our infant has ten times the stuff he had.

I think this would be interesting to show the same person with their stuff every 5 years or so.

Anyone else notice the bottle of Jagermeister in photo #6? Someone has her priorities straight:)

@Mertia- that's a really great idea!

They all seem to have the same bed. Seems like a prop to me. I'm a minimalist, and also born in the 80's but clearly these people are in a different phase of life. I own a couch, a vacuum, and a change of sheets. I also own an appropriate suit dress for weddings, funerals and job interviews, a toothbrush and hairbrush. I have a first aid kit for emergencies and a flashlight, and enough dishes and plates to host friends for dinner. I have a houseplant and dishes for the dog, and a mat to wipe my muddy shoes on at the door. I sweep my floors with a broom.

Do these people live in some other parallel universe where they don't interact with other people in various settings, don't have jobs, don't clean or bathe, don't drink tea or cook dinner? Do they just live an austere life, sitting on the floor in the dark without a lamp, listening to records?

I think @sarahsahara and others are forgetting that these are photos of people and the things they OWN, not everything in the houses they live in. If they live in share houses, then chances are the main furniture isn't theirs. Also, if they're living in share houses, it can be a transient life and owning lots of things is not worth the hassle, nor is it necessary no matter how big or how mature you are.
Also, again, the man in the third photo HAS A SUITCASE. I know plenty of men my age who can fit all their clothes and shoes in a suitcase (and quite a few that can't).

@sarahsahara
Rather than the bed being a prop/stand-in, I just assume they all get their beds (mattresses with slats and legs, really) from Ikea. They are in sweden, after all.... And it's not always the same, since there are different sheets; #2 (calle) has a double rather than a single; #5 and #8 (karl and andrea) don't have feet on theirs; and #6, sannah, has different feet on hers.

Whoa! My CLOSET has more stuff in it than number 3, and maybe more than number 1! (Definitely if you include my bedroom and furniture!) (I shop thrift -- I can luxuriate in excess without investing much!)

Minimalism is fine for those who want it and is totally sucks for others.

It would take a million dollars to induce me to pile all my worldly belongings up into a pile for some photographer! Really. Bring the check and we can discuss it, although even then I don't promise anything! I find the models for these photos nearly incomprehensible for that reason alone!

i recently did this & wrote an article about it. you can see the pics here http://offbeathome.com/2011/12/selling-everything-you-own

it's actually really freeing to come to terms with what you have. sometimes it's waaaay more than we realize, want, or need.

Hate to say it...but, the total of contents of those rooms equals to the contents I'm giving away after cleaning out a closet.