BBC: The hazards of too much stuff
Srila Prabhupada: Everyone requires possessions such as food grains, clothing, money and other things necessary for the maintenance of the body, but one should not collect more than necessary for his actual basic needs. If this natural principle is followed, there will be no difficulty in maintaining the body. According to scriptures, collecting of more than necessary (atyahara) is prohibited. Now the entire world is suffering because of it. (The Nectar of Instruction, 2)
Here is today’s article from BBC which presents practically the results of such over accumulation: http://goo.gl/kvlGx3