Don't let your stuff own you

[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!

[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.