Rational Minimalist.

Toyman01 wrote: I like that term. The more I think about it, the more I like it. I stood in the middle of my shop the other day and was appalled by the sheer amount of stuff packed in it. Old projects, unfinished projects, finished projects, tools and just a lot of junk. Then I stood in my house and had the same thoughts. Toys, nick knacks, unnecessary junk, enough clothes to outfit a village. Enough! I'v had it, I'm done. All projects are canceled until further notice. All buying is canceled for the foreseeable future. Everything is going on the auction block. I'm done riding this merry-go-round. Working countless hours to buy the next project or useless thing, only to be bored with it in a couple of months, or hours. It's time to simplify my life. Keep your eyes out for the sale threads. There is going to be an amazing amount of crap moving on to other peoples shops. It will probably be cheap to get it gone.

wife and I have been on that kick too.

We have one closet left and get the kids on board...

The problem with me is that I hoard stuff, but eventually use it all. My mom asked what I'm doing with my junkyard-sourced Kenwood 6x9s. I said that they're going in whatever I buy when I get to BC. Same thing with the coaxial cables, amp, steering wheel lock, and windshield cover. Don't even mention all the cleaning products and rust products in the garage. A couple months ago, I bought a set of New Balances. I then put on the red laces that I've been saving for the last 5 years or so. It may look like junk, but I end up using all of it eventually.

In reply to G_Body_Man:

Just wait...30-years from now it'll catch up to you too.

Ok, it's raining so today was a good day to start on the shop. I've been at it since about 8 this morning. I'm throwing out everything under the sun. Or so I thought.

Why is it so hard to get rid of things.

Take hose clamps. I've got at least 30 of them in assorted sizes from 1/4 spring type to 5" screw type. I'll never use most of them, so I should just throw them out right? They are cheap. There is no good reason to store them form 10 more years. Grrrrr!

I've got so much perfectly good stuff, I hate to throw it away, but it isn't worth the time it would take to sell it. I'm going to half to go through it all twice, because I know I won't throw out near enough junk.

Oh well, progress is being made.

Slowly, and painfully.

Maybe I can box it and set it beside the road with a free sign. Hmmm.

And I successfully made my first Ebay listing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281798156306?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Should be interesting to see how this works out. Any and all critiques are welcome.

Derick Freese wrote: I'm interested in the MS if you want it gone.

PM sent.

And another one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281798208743?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

In reply to Toyman01:

I was doing some cleaning/purging of my shed today too. There were a few things I found as well that just need to be kept. Case in point:

Toymanswife wrote: Yep. Me, me, me. Airforce brat which meant two middle schools and four high schools. My "stuff" was home rather than a house.

Ian F wrote: In reply to Toyman01: I, on the other hand, moved around a TON while growing up. We lived in about 10 different places, 3 different states and two countries before I was 10 (father in the Air Force). So for me, "home" is not a place. "Home" is where my stuff is, and as such, I have a tendency to become irrationally attached to my stuff. I have "stuff" that I carted around for literally 40 years. Stuff we brought back from Okinawa when I was 4 years old. It's not valuable by any stretch, but I still have trouble getting rid of it.

Ha! I still have boxes packed from out last Air Force move right before I graduated HS. They're just in a storage building.

Toyman01 wrote: Ok, it's raining so today was a good day to start on the shop. I've been at it since about 8 this morning. I'm throwing out everything under the sun. Or so I thought. Why is it so hard to get rid of things. Take hose clamps. I've got at least 30 of them in assorted sizes from 1/4 spring type to 5" screw type. I'll never use most of them, so I should just throw them out right? They are cheap. There is no good reason to store them form 10 more years. Grrrrr! I've got so much perfectly good stuff, I hate to throw it away, but it isn't worth the time it would take to sell it. I'm going to half to go through it all twice, because I know I won't throw out near enough junk. Oh well, progress is being made. Slowly, and painfully. Maybe I can box it and set it beside the road with a free sign. Hmmm.

If you want something to disappear, place it in the Craigslist "free" listings.

Or set it out by the curb with a sign saying $50 OBO. For whatever reason, some folks won't take things that are given away but will gladly steal them.

I threw out 20 vhs tapes a couple weeks ago. haven't thought of them till now. Probably won't again. I am surprised.

About twice a year i clean up my stuff. Having a large basement for storage has helped. Everytime i scrap or throw away a car part i seem to need it a month later. I still have parts for a 99 taurus and ive never owned one! My wife helps keep my junk under control.

I was able to relate how some of my hoard was packed by family moving events. Found a 55 gallon barrel with rocks from my Mom's rock garden when we moved in 45 years ago. Found boxes of stuff from when my grandmother died in 1962. Stuff packed up when my mother moved to Dallas because Dad was off fighting WW2. Stuff packed when the grand parents moved his now pregnant wife just after WW1. Various moves by Greatgrands after they started working for the railroad across Texas Missouri and Oklahoma and even 2 boxes that are easily before 1860. Stone tools, beads and leather scraps are still an unknown, but I can only imagine that ancestor Ugh packed these while the Ice age was receding.

Bruce

Slowly getting rid stuff...

1. Finally packed up the 60's T-bird air cleaner assembly to ship off to Jim (embarrassingly 4 months late...)...
2. Unloaded a case of Sprite to a friend who has been helping me with the shed construction (more room for beer!).
3. tossed an obsolete phone charger.

Anyone want 4 6" eyeball light fixture housings?

Baby steps...

My wife and I have just been talking about this. Going to kick it into high gear after the time change when my cycling slows down some. I need room to work in my shop again and the spare room, okay rooms, have got to have something done.

I'm kind of stuck at the point where I'd rather go DO stuff than WORK ON stuff....but there's stuff I can't afford to pay to have DONE. Such is life, I guess.

Flight Service wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: I like that term. The more I think about it, the more I like it. I stood in the middle of my shop the other day and was appalled by the sheer amount of stuff packed in it. Old projects, unfinished projects, finished projects, tools and just a lot of junk. Then I stood in my house and had the same thoughts. Toys, nick knacks, unnecessary junk, enough clothes to outfit a village. Enough! I'v had it, I'm done. All projects are canceled until further notice. All buying is canceled for the foreseeable future. Everything is going on the auction block. I'm done riding this merry-go-round. Working countless hours to buy the next project or useless thing, only to be bored with it in a couple of months, or hours. It's time to simplify my life. Keep your eyes out for the sale threads. There is going to be an amazing amount of crap moving on to other peoples shops. It will probably be cheap to get it gone.

wife and I have been on that kick too. We have one closet left and get the kids on board...

Get rid of the kids. That'll help.

Maybe start with baby steps--put the following rules in place:

• If you bring anything home, you have to get rid of 2 things at least that same size.
• Every week, you have to list at least one thing on Ebay
• Every week, fill at least a bankers box of stuff to throw away, donate, or sell--this only counts if it actually sells. If it doesn't sell in 2 listings on Ebay or 2 weeks on craigslist, it is gone. Keep a spreadsheet to keep tabs on the selling items.

Because of this thread, and also because I just moved into a 1 bedroom apartment and am in the process of moving in a lot of junk I don't need, as well as a lot of wedding gifts I don't need, when I get home, after dinner I am going to put 2 cheap and really crappy wireless routers I have been kicking around in my donate box, as well as my old modem. Hopefully wifey will be home and I can convince her to do the same with a lot of stuff.

Today I put a stereo in my latest $1000 car. It's an Audiovox two knobber jobber from approximately 1975. BC. It was right there in my crate labeled "Head units/CBs". Damn thing still works!

Gonna have to rethink my take on this minimalist thing. Maybe I'll only get rid of the stuff I'm absolutely certain are useless to me. I''m looking at you Mr. Empty Dukes of Hazzard Slam-Shifters Raceway Box!

Parting out 8 or so miatas have left me with a ton of oddball junk. It's a mess. I once threw in a transmission when a guy bought a trunk lid. Or something.

Joey

joey48442 wrote: Parting out 8 or so miatas have left me with a ton of oddball junk. It's a mess. I once threw in a transmission when a guy bought a trunk lid. Or something. Joey

I bet I have the exact same pile of parts you do.

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

joey48442 wrote: Parting out 8 or so miatas have left me with a ton of oddball junk. It's a mess. I once threw in a transmission when a guy bought a trunk lid. Or something. Joey

I bet I have the exact same pile of parts you do.

Maybe we better check each other's piles to make sure I don't have any random part you don't have and vice versa.

One step forward, two steps back...

Stopped by the ex's yesterday to pick up some insulation left over from the renovation. "Oh... BTW... I found a bunch of stuff you left here..."

Crap...

But... she let me take her new ND out for a spin, which was fun... and on the way home I stopped at a FedEx Office center and shipped out a package to JTw8t.

Tactical Penguin wrote: Or set it out by the curb with a sign saying $50 OBO. For whatever reason, some folks won't take things that are given away but will gladly steal them.

this is what I've done when no one would buy at my give away prices .. works like a charm … which is a sad commentary on us :(