It is true that available space mysteriously attracts something called "stuff" that then expands to fill every nook and cranny. We once had to move off of a liveaboard 30 footer onto our new 37 footer that displaced twice as much. For reasons of the closings, etc., the entire move had to be made in about half a day, which took three of us working like beavers for six hours just to move the stuff, and when we did it we couldn't put it all away. We had to sail off with stuff filling the cabin to above the berths so that you really couldn't enter--you had to crawl over the surface of the "stuff." After a couple of weeks however we did figure out the new storage, but it was different and required some transfers of old "stuff" for new "stuff." However, I still think the theory holds that a couple needs around a ton or two of "stuff" no matter what sized boat, and then excess "stuff" fills any voids, but the excess tends to be proportionally lighter than the essentials. Sure, you can cut down on a lot of the "stuff" but there is still a very heavy load of essentials you need, unless you cruise like someone I knew who crossed the Atlantic multiple times on very light multihulls. He didn't bring tools--bought them when he needed them and then gave them away. He didn't have an electrical system--batteries are too heavy. He chose his reading material by its weight. He ran out of food once and had to starve for a week in order to get into port. Most people don't want to cruise like that. His boats were fast though.