Decluttering is hard to do

[Tom Bender]

In recent years I have taken a few steps with my misc collections. These collections are very helpful but less used items can overwhelm.

I rarely or never use lock washers and my can of misc washers was infested with them. So all the lock washers to recycling. Big little improvement.

My can of mixed screws no longer has any straight blade screws. Whew that's better

Offcuts get brutal cleansing whenever I need to go to the back of the pile. It helps to use premium bits without holding them back for a more appropriate purpose, otherwise the premium stuff stays for decades.

Unused tools are difficult but not getting worse

Machine parts, jigs and fixtures need more attention

[Brian Tymchak]

Having a relatively small shop (~500 sf) has instilled a bit of discipline in me to keep the clutter down but I certainly could do better. Hardwood offcuts get consumed by creating childrens building blocks that get donated. I rarely salvage small hardware. It gets tossed into the recycle bucket. But I do have some unused tools that seemed like a good idea when I bought them (Drill Dr, assorted sanders, sharpening jigs, etc). They may get donated. And I still haven't settled on the best way to store TS sleds and similar jigs as wall space is a precious commodity. One project coming up is to redo drawers in my side bench. They're too big for smaller stuff so I will add drawers, internal dividers, and trays. It's a never ending challenge and I sometimes spend more time thinking about how the shop works instead of what I build in it.

[George Yetka]

Brian I second that. Im 7 years into my shop so any time now I'll be starting my first non workshop related project.

I find its easiest to do 1 thing at a time. And everyone will make you feel better.

[Rich Engelhardt]

My plan is to die and let someone else sort through the mountain of junk in my realm...
It should keep them busy for a good long while.
I'll just stick a note in the safe that says I mixed in several thousand dollars in $50 bills hidden inside all the crap.

[Richard Coers]

I have lots of clutter. But the thing that saddens me is at my age, 71, I should not be researching or buying anything else. I've been building my world for the last 51 years, and trying to shut that off is becoming quite the emotional task.

[George Yetka]

My plan is to die and let someone else sort through the mountain of junk in my realm...
It should keep them busy for a good long while.
I'll just stick a note in the safe that says I mixed in several thousand dollars in $50 bills hidden inside all the crap.

The only trouble with this is whomever inherits your shop may get pennies on the dollar if its too hard of an undertaking. I made a list of everything worth anything and a rough value of each item if she were to liquidate it. Same for my shooting stuff.

Im smart enough to not share the list with her while Im alive.

[Tom M King]

For the past couple of months, every morning in the shop I spend the first hour organizing something, fixing something, and throwing something away. A few more months and it might get finished.

[George Yetka]

For the past couple of months, every morning in the shop I spend the first hour organizing something, fixing something, and throwing something away. A few more months and it might get finished.

Not without enduring great pain. I wish you luck on your journey. Be strong.

[Mike Monroe]

My plan is to die and let someone else sort through the mountain of junk in my realm...
It should keep them busy for a good long while.
I'll just stick a note in the safe that says I mixed in several thousand dollars in $50 bills hidden inside all the crap.

They'll still just throw it all away or take it to Goodwill.

May I suggest... https://www.thespruce.com/swedish-death-cleaning-4801461

[Warren Lake]

up to 4:00 Am making more storage cabinets and shelves, will be six more cabinets and 50 more shelves. already have likely 50 cabinets wall mounted storing tooling and machine parts and screws and hardware and and and. Its a whole thing on its own. Its giant but it has to be done. Cant go out ordering parts everytime Shipping wheels for my office chair 30.00 plus, wheels 10.00, shipping 1000 shelf pins over 40.00 I used to order stuff at the start from downtown toronto and UPS economy was 4.00 shipping and .28 tax.

[Michael Burnside]

I do what Tom does as a matter of religion in my shop. My OCD of organization and tidiness will not allow my creative juices to flow if it goes too far into disarray LOL. I also find that subsequent projects operate faster because the state of the shop is pretty consistent rather than total chaos by the time the 3rd project comes along.

[Warren Lake]

the old guy said sometimes he just had to stop the work and clean. Im not like him that way, I turn into off the map pig pen and the work still stays the same level and the mind blocks the stuff out because im working. Pressure is such with deadlines that at times you cant take the time to be cleaning its the work that has to get done. Not ideal done it too many times past and told myself it wont be again

[mike stenson]

My plan is to die and let someone else sort through the mountain of junk in my realm...
It should keep them busy for a good long while.
I'll just stick a note in the safe that says I mixed in several thousand dollars in $50 bills hidden inside all the crap.

This ends with it all going in the tip. It wasn't worth the time to sort out and sell stuff. We tried. Three times now, actually.

[Tom Bender]

Among my FIL's stuff we found about 30 gift cards. Wife spent a few hours finding only one had value. All the rest were spent but kept. Dios Mio! You can guess how the rest of it's going.

[Brian Tymchak]

Among my FIL's stuff we found about 30 gift cards. Wife spent a few hours finding only one had value. All the rest were spent but kept. Dios Mio! You can guess how the rest of it's going.

Glue spreaders....;)

[Dan Howell]

My wife has been with me to buy a few used tools in the past several months. Every time we leave someone else's woodshop, she tells me that she is so glad that my shop never looks as dirty and cluttered as theirs. I credit my eight grade shop teacher........never leave for the day without picking up tools and sweeping.

[Terry Therneau]

I have a 22x28 shop with a gamble roof, so all the bigger lumber is upstairs, along with a zillion other things. About 2 years ago I needed to make more shelving up there, and at the same time I gritted my teeth and set nearly everthing that I hadn't used in 3+ years on the curb. I gave most away for free, e.g. all the saved oak trim from replacing all the windows, and the rest put very low prices on, $5 or less just to help it go to someone who really would use it. Two years later I have no regrets. The upstairs space is far more useable. There have been a half dozen or fewer times I could have used something I kept, but I now realize that I should have thrown away even more.

[Bruce Mack]

I have lots of clutter. But the thing that saddens me is at my age, 71, I should not be researching or buying anything else. I've been building my world for the last 51 years, and trying to shut that off is becoming quite the emotional task.

Richard, I have recently given even tools I have loved to people who will love (or like) them and will use them well. I've needed help with my tool acquisitiveness. Last week I bought an earth auger and a Harbor Freight spade handle corded drill/mixer as a gift for a friend for use in planting and in digging post holes on her new property. Four days ago I saw a video that discussed wrist injuries from coupling an auger to a drill with no clutch. Though the drill has 600 rpm max. I worried about it and discussed it with my wife. We decided to buy the drill of my dreams, a Dewalt Max XR brushless/cordless 3-speed drill/driver kit with two 5.0 Ah batteries and electronic torque adjustment. It will arrive tomorrow and we will deliver it new in box as a birthday present next Wednesday. No injuries and no extension cord and a drill that will please a younger friend. Old age has had several good surprises.