Don't let your stuff own you

[Tom Bender]

A neighbor just got evicted from his house of 15 years. He hoarded all stuff. It went into a few big dumpsters, including quite a few tools and machines. All were low end but still a shame to see going to landfill. Sure they could have been salvaged and donated or sold but that was not in the cards.

It's been a depressing few days.

My neighbor was able to take a suitcase of stuff to the group home, and his ever optimistic attitude.

"Don't let your stuff own you" "whyever not replied a friend"

[Ron Citerone]

Having cleaned up my In Laws 7 acre mess, 7 of the biggest construction dumpster and piles of junk out at my curb over 3 years, I understand hoarding a little. It all starts with convincing yourself that "Someday I'm gonna us this for, fix this up, kid might need it, it's worth money etc."

What I have tried to do in my world is be HONEST with myself between things that are going to be used and pipe dreams. Not saying I have it perfect.

If you do collect tons of stuff, at least have an end game that doesn't traumatize your kids, or your kids spouses.

Just saying.:mad::eek::)

[Mark Gibney]

Sorry to hear that about your friend, Tom, but I like his optimism.

And good advice too. At what point is a given machine just taking up room if it's used once a year?

[Justin Rapp]

I have been there also. It is really hard to get people to downsize stuff they don't need. I been there with my parents and even my own stuff. I am big on cleaning out, and ironically I stored all the boat stuff I had taken from my boat that got destroyed in Sandy in 2012. Anchors, a loot of line, safety gear, etc I kept it with the thought i'd re-use it when I get a new boat. Well, 10 years later, no boat yet. I am getting rid of it all (sell, dispose). I would want new stuff anyway. Clutter can overtake your life. Get rid of what you don't need.

I am now also on the page of dumping wood scraps. No need to keep piles of scrape. I can get more wood!

[Doug Weiner]

Never dump wood. It’s not like it grows on trees. I confess to be a ‘someday I’ll use this guy but since my granddaughter has proclaimed I am immortal I have plenty of years to go.

[Tom Bender]

I can't be owned by my stuff, I am already owned by a cat

[Justin Rapp]

Never dump wood. It’s not like it grows on trees. I confess to be a ‘someday I’ll use this guy but since my granddaughter has proclaimed I am immortal I have plenty of years to go.

Scrap wood has to go in the burn pile! If I new someone that turned small things i'd give away the scrap if they could use it.

[Andrew More]

Good advise. I used to throw things away if they were worth less than $50, easily replacable, and taking up space. I've since moved it up to $100. It's one of the benefits of have a little excess cash, I don't feel like I have to pinch pennies that hard.

OTOH, I also find myself really babying my tools, so maybe they own me a little?

[Lisa Starr]

We're firm believers in a "Free" sign. Anything we no longer wish to keep, other than larger tools (think Cabinet Saw) goes to our curb with the free sign. We're fortunate enough not to need to scrimp pennies, and often someone that really needs it is very, very grateful for our generosity.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I'm glad you mentioned free signs. I have given away a lot of stuff using them, and gotten a smaller number of things. We also take a lot of things to and buy a lot of things from thrift stores. Around here it's mostly Rescue Mission or Salvation Army or occasional non-chain stores. I have always made permanent FREE signs with paint and scraps of wood or plywood, and I have noticed that when the economy is down people often take the signs too, but when it's up they never take them.

[Andrew More]

"Free" signs is a good idea. We've got a local Facebook page for free stuff, which is good as well.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

My wife has a sentimental attachment to toys our children used. In the old days, as they had offspring of their own, they would treasure them and keep them for their own family. No longer.
I fight a loosing battle.
For my own pile, as I begin the process of deciding how and where to live after our last foster son is able to live independently, I’m also looking at getting rid of unneeded attachments. But it’s hard.

[Ron Citerone]

My wife has a sentimental attachment to toys our children used. In the old days, as they had offspring of their own, they would treasure them and keep them for their own family. No longer.
I fight a loosing battle.
For my own pile, as I begin the process of deciding how and where to live after our last foster son is able to live independently, I’m also looking at getting rid of unneeded attachments. But it’s hard.

So, I thought of your post when my Grandkids came to visit today and my wife went to the basement to bring up blocks and toys my kids used. No chance of purging them.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Ron, and others who have grandchildren....as do I.
You may have little rug rats joining you.
Mine live in California and the rest live a 10 hour flight (non-stop) away.
When they come (rarely) they're not interested in toy.

[Rick Potter]

Been through the grandkid stage, now we have a three Y/O great grandkid living with us three days a week....or more.

We still have boxes of 50 year old 'good' (Fischer Price) toys from OUR kids here.

[Jason Roehl]

When I put stuff out at the curb, hoping for it to go, I don’t put a “FREE” sign on it. People think it’s junk then; that’s why it’s free, and it will often sit. I put “$20” on it or something, then they’ll just take it because it has “value”.

[Bill Dufour]

Henry Ford died in the dark and cold because his mansions fancy generator plant was flooded by a big storm. So having all sorts of nifty stuff that does not work is not going to save you anyway.
Bill D

[Kev Williams]

I plead no contest...

[Brian Elfert]

I have so much stuff that it pretty much owns me. I have slowly gotten rid of some of it, but not nearly enough. What mostly happens is I move the stuff around because I don't have a place to put it. I have shelves full of stuff I moved from my previous house that I mostly haven't opened since 2014. I need to get rid of about 90% of that stuff. I have about 40 feet of floor to ceiling shelving that is pretty much full. If I do need something I often can't find it and end up buying another. It took me two years to find my case full of pneumatic nail guns. Luckily, I never needed them bad enough to buy new ones.

[Rick Potter]

My stuff has put me in debt. Had to build a new extra garage to hold it, now paying taxes on the new building.

Of course there is stuff and then there is $tuff.

[Brian Elfert]

My stuff is mostly classified in the junk category. I would be a fool to spend money to store this stuff. I am building a new garage hopefully in 2023, but it is to store my motorhome, and not to store more junk.

Part of my problem is I buy stuff for projects and then the projects either languish for years, or the need for the project goes away before I ever get around to working on the project.

[Roger Feeley]

To me, there’s a big difference between wood that might be useful someday and wood that I archive.

I have wood from the barn on the ranch in Montana where my father grew up. That ranch doesn’t exist anymore. Some rich people bought it leveled it and built a sort of ranchish place. I’ve never seen a creek supplied by a pump before.

I have wood from the first (crappy) desk my dad ever had.

I have other wood that has come down through the family. It’ll be a small piece of furniture that no one wants so I save the wood. It’s a good th8ng too. Recently, I was asked by my cousin to make a processional cross for her church. My great-great grandfather was rector there in the late 1800s. I had archived a walnut plant stand that either came from him or his son. I cut some of the central column up for the cross part and got the dowels for the staff from woodcraft. I’m told that they love it.

[glenn bradley]

Having helped my dad get rid of stuff over the last 9 years that:
- He was going to do something with someday.
- Looked useful for something.
- He might need one someday.
- etc.
What he forgot that was once he turned 70 his days of building a one-man helicopter out of an old squirrel cage fan and an old dryer drum were behind him. Having grown up around this my pendulum is way over at the other end of the arc. Except for things that never really wear out like dog towels, paper good and lumber I have a very short timer. The room that the "thing" takes up is more valuable to me than the "thing". If I need one in three years I'll buy another one. ;-)

[dennis thompson]

Reading this thread makes me understand why so many self storage facilities are popping up everywhere

[Edwin Santos]

When I put stuff out at the curb, hoping for it to go, I don’t put a “FREE” sign on it. People think it’s junk then; that’s why it’s free, and it will often sit. I put “$20” on it or something, then they’ll just take it because it has “value”.

I had a neighbor who put an old dresser at the end of his driveway with a "FREE" sign on it. Came out the next morning, the dresser and sign were gone, and so was his car that he parked in the driveway.

[Jason Roehl]

I had a neighbor who put an old dresser at the end of his driveway with a "FREE" sign on it. Came out the next morning, the dresser and sign were gone, and so was his car that he parked in the driveway.

I guess the takers thought the “free” sign included hauling! :eek:

[Brian Elfert]

Reading this thread makes me understand why so many self storage facilities are popping up everywhere

I will pay for a dumpster to trash my stuff long before I would ever pay for self storage.