Done with "stuff"

[SlyFerret]

Yup. I have minimal storage space here. I've been giving serious thought to simplifying and minimizing. Going to do a major reorganization and purge this spring.

My dad is one of those guys that seemingly has one of everything on hand. I have to fight that influence. He isn't a hoarder, its all organized, but he has a lot more space to store it all.

I'm done keeping random leftover materials and other junk. Tools and equipment, yes. Parts and pieces, no.

-SF

 

[mass_burner]

Yup. I have minimal storage space here. I've been giving serious thought to simplifying and minimizing. Going to do a major reorganization and purge this spring.

My dad is one of those guys that seemingly has one of everything on hand. I have to fight that influence. He isn't a hoarder, its all organized, but he has a lot more space to store it all.

I'm done keeping random leftover materials and other junk. Tools and equipment, yes. Parts and pieces, no.

-SF

I started burning up my left over lumber in last few days in my basement stove. Had to cut some down to size. Only keeping choice boards. Took 2 car loads if stuff to the transfer station this weekend.

 

[mass_burner]

I also setup up rolling metal racks/ wood shelves that came with the place around the perimeter and am putting everything on them that I can. I plan to first clear all the floor space, then work on the racks, donating, selling, recycling as I go.

 

[velvetfoot]

I have several heavy duty shelves from HD. Also using some plastic totes. They help to keep things together and save floor space by storing vertically.
Another thing I did, before the pellet storage thing, was finally put up the sheetrock that I had stored down there for years on the basement walls.

 

[sportbikerider78]

The heavy duty adjustable wire racks on castors are awesome for garages. I put all of my fluids, chainsaws, gas, oil, ect on it...and I can move it out of the way to clean underneath. They are $500+ new for a big one, but you can usually find used on craigslist.

 

[mass_burner]

The heavy duty adjustable wire racks on castors are awesome for garages. I put all of my fluids, chainsaws, gas, oil, ect on it...and I can move it out of the way to clean underneath. They are $500+ new for a big one, but you can usually find used on craigslist.

Agree, got a few off CL, French company makes them, very HD, can hold alot if weight and still movable. Once I get rid of stuff, I'll tear down/ burn the wood stationary racks.

 

[jebatty]

Some stuff set by the side of the road with a "free" sign seems to stay. Solution: put a sign with a price on it and a phone number, and it will disappear from "theft" in no time.

 

[velvetfoot]

I find the opposite is true here. I got rid of several things with a 'free' sign last summer. Not least of all, that stupid ass chipper/shredder.

 

[Swedishchef]

The best way to get rid of "stuff" is moving. It forces you to actually look at everything you have and decide if it comes or goes.

We have toys that belong to our kids from when they were 1-2 years old as well as clothing for kids. We give it to local shelters and the needy. With all my kids stuff in the house, I don't have any room for MY stuff

Andrew

 

[velvetfoot]

And then, the opposite is true. If the move is into a bigger house, the amount of "stuff" expands until the bigger house is filled.

 

[mass_burner]

Some stuff set by the side of the road with a "free" sign seems to stay. Solution: put a sign with a price on it and a phone number, and it will disappear from "theft" in no time.

I just moved here 5 years ago, and a lot of the stuff is from that move!

I live on a dead end street with 6 properties on it. We have a "boutique" at the dump for unwanted, useable stuff.

 

[mass_burner]

All kidding aside, does anyone have any emotional reaction to stuff? If so, what is it? When you don't want to toss/recycle something that's been gathering dust for 5+ years, is it really cause you might use it someday? I've had to fight that in the past (never been a hoarder) now it's way easier.

 

[semipro]

Dang right! And sometimes holding on too it longer only makes it harder to get rid of.
I laugh at my shop in the basement. Every so often I reorganize just to be able to fit a bit more in.
Decreasing returns for the effort for sure.

 

[Buzz Saw]

The best way to get rid of "stuff" is moving. It forces you to actually look at everything you have and decide if it comes or goes.

We have toys that belong to our kids from when they were 1-2 years old as well as clothing for kids. We give it to local shelters and the needy. With all my kids stuff in the house, I don't have any room for MY stuff

Andrew

We put our house on the market last Spring. Filled a 30 yards dumpster between the house and garage.

I still filled a 27' enclosed trailer with all my garage "stuff" I didn't want to throw out.

Showing the house sure made us stay organized and took lots of effort.

 

[SlyFerret]

All kidding aside, does anyone have any emotional reaction to stuff? If so, what is it? When you don't want to toss/recycle something that's been gathering dust for 5+ years, is it really cause you might use it someday? I've had to fight that in the past (never been a hoarder) now it's way easier.

No. It's just that when I clean, it's scorched earth. It never fails, within a week or two of a rage cleaning session, I end up needing something that I purged.

It's just the way my luck runs.

 

[mass_burner]

No. It's just that when I clean, it's scorched earth. It never fails, within a week or two of a rage cleaning session, I end up needing something that I purged.

It's just the way my luck runs.

Yes, but you have a cleaner, less cluttered space every second, not just once or twice.

 

[jeffesonm]

I hate getting rid of stuff, not because of any emotional attachment, but because inevitably the day I get rid of it is the day before I need it.

I browse free Craiglist all the time and find tons of great stuff on there:

• 3 year old glacier bay toilet... looks/works fine and replaced my 1957 slowly leaking piece of junk for the cost of a new wax ring
• A bunch of 16' pressure treated 2x10's and 8' 4x4s that have come in handy for all sorts of projects.
• 15 4x8 sheets of 7/16 OSB and ~50 4' 2x4s that went into my wood shed
• 6' tall, 3' across ficus tree in a huge (30 gal?) pot
• 40 linear feet of cast iron baseboard... kind of regretting that pickup, but worst case I'm sure someone would come take it away

 

[Dr.Faustus]

I'm with you. I was keeping spare computer parts i've collected over the years for my customers, figuring every now and then i'd be able to help someone out with either a really old PC or getting them a hard to find wire or peripheral instantly. I wound up having a 1200 sq ft attic filled with junk in 1 location and my home office cluttered, then i started putting stuff in 55 gallon totes and storing some of it outside.
No more - most of the stuff is now gone. I have 1 tote left and this weekend im working on clearing it out. If the customers pc is so old i cant get parts, then its time to buy new.

The real problem is the hard drives, in order to get rid of them i have to physically destroy them. that was a pita.

 

[jeffesonm]

The real problem is the hard drives, in order to get rid of them i have to physically destroy them. that was a pita.

Good use for a log splitter.

 

[mass_burner]

I'm with you. I was keeping spare computer parts i've collected over the years for my customers, figuring every now and then i'd be able to help someone out with either a really old PC or getting them a hard to find wire or peripheral instantly. I wound up having a 1200 sq ft attic filled with junk in 1 location and my home office cluttered, then i started putting stuff in 55 gallon totes and storing some of it outside.
No more - most of the stuff is now gone. I have 1 tote left and this weekend im working on clearing it out. If the customers pc is so old i cant get parts, then its time to buy new.

The real problem is the hard drives, in order to get rid of them i have to physically destroy them. that was a pita.

Yea, computer parts are a losing game. Even if you keep them going, their going to be obsolete due to the processor speed and memory handling limitations. Unless you want to keep using the same programs forever and not use the internet.

 

[Sprinter]

George Carlin... a national treasure. No wonder the helpmeet and I have no problem laughing all measure of inappropriate material!

Funny, I just thought about Carlin the other day. I took a girlfriend to a Carlin concert in Portland in the mid 70's. Unfortunately, it was in the middle of his drug-dazed days and the concert was embarrassing. Some asked for their money back, but I never did. I forgave it, although I'm not sure Pam ever did...

 

[Sprinter]

If you really want to get rid of stuff, move. I've done it many times but I think I still have as much as ever regardless.

 

[semipro]

I thought about this thread last weekend as I was converting an old shop vac into one that would handle drywall dust. I was modifying the vac to incorporate a water bath and "dip tube" on the inlet so that the water would trap incoming dust. After spending a bit of time in my junk pile and shed I found I had everything I needed.
I'm not sure the respective savings of time and money for this one victory justifies my "maintenance" of all the stuff though.

 

[mass_burner]

I thought about this thread last weekend as I was converting an old shop vac into one that would handle drywall dust. I was modifying the vac to incorporate a water bath and "dip tube" on the inlet so that the water would trap incoming dust. After spending a bit of time in my junk pile and shed I found I had everything I needed.
I'm not sure the respective savings of time and money for this one victory justifies my "maintenance" of all the stuff though.

My rules to live by regarding stuff:

1. When bringing anything into the house, no future projects, immediate use only.

2. With stuff already I have, if it hasn't been used for 1 year, toss, sell, donate.

 

[mass_burner]

If you really want to get rid of stuff, move. I've done it many times but I think I still have as much as ever regardless.

Why wait? It's easier when you're nor under all the other stress.