How to stop hoarding projects, parts, tools, etc?

EvanB said:

wae said:

In reply to eastsideTim :

As much as I would very much like to tell you that as soon as you unbury that, I'll be there ready to stick it in my B.U.T.T., it violates two rules that I'm trying to impose upon myself right now:  #1 - Any and every tool at Toiletbird Industries will either fit on a shelf/drawer or have wheels and #2 - If I don't see an immediate need for it and it's bigger than a breadbox, don't drag it home.

You could put wheels on it. You can't find a pallet with wheels just anywhere.

Sure you can.  Here's one.

Speaking of hoarding, I saved the doors (for the glass and handles) and much of the interior and other bits and bobs, because 3800 produced.

As I got tired of tripping over things, i scrapped.  All I have left are the drivetrain parts that are QSW-specific, the hatch glass, the windshield (which was new, dangit!) and the dashboard.

eastsideTim said:

Knurled. said:

EvanB said:

I'm cursed by having a lot of space so i can justify to myself keeping stuff around. I try to go through stuff at least once a year to throw out or sell stuff i don't use or never will. It isn't always much but it slowly chips away at it and keeps it organized for the most part. Let's just not talk about the wheels and tires.

You sell off more stuff than anyone else I know.

 

In hindsight, this possibly means you also acquire more stuff than anyone else I know.

I've passed up multiple cars Evan's sold due to a lack of space and time.  Yet he still doesn't sell the CT90 - that, I would find space and time for. 

It's not for sale, I'm gonna fix it up someday.

EvanB said:

It's not for sale, I'm gonna fix it up someday.

eastsideTim said:

EvanB said:

It's not for sale, I'm gonna fix it up someday.

I can believe it.  I'm pretty jealous of Evan's ability to cut and run.

I mean, I remember the Midget, and the Manta, and the ex-Draco 2.5RS, and the Merkur, and all sorts of things that were pretty sweet in their own right.  But they weren't "it", I guess.

My biggest problem is that people give me things and I feel bad if I don't do something with them.  It's like if someone gave you a kitten because they know you're a cat person.  You can't just dump it at a shelter after that.  18 years later, "I'll find a home for it" is still lounging on your dining room windowsill.

In reply to Knurled. :

I went through that stage.  The "so and so gave me this because they thought i could use it 5 years ago I can't sell it" stage.  Well, berkeley, so and so doesnt even remember that, and even if they did they're glad to be rid of it, and if I sell it that $20 doesn't go anywhere near far enough toward all the times i broke my back moving it or broke my toes tripping over it.

now i'm trying my hardest only to keep the stuff that I want to keep for the projects I want to complete.  berkeley the rest of it.  I've been putting so much stuff out at the street with free signs.  People even take my dry rotted used up hoosiers.  
 

with that said, there are 4 transmissions for you in my trailer 

I heard a new term on the radio today: "Swedish Death Cleaning."  It comes from a specific Swedish phrase and you can look it up for more information, but basically it's the idea of getting rid of stuff so your family doesn't have to deal with it when you die.

I'm trying to convince myself to devoting the next year to that task, and getting back to a minimalist lifestyle...I think back to when I graduated from college and everything I owned would fit in a single pickup truck load, and how much simpler life was.

 In reply to stuart in mn :

I’ll need to read up on that a bit.  Part of my motivation is seeing how quickly things went downhill for my dad, who was something of a hoarder himself.  In the last year of his life, he spent a lot of time trying to go through his stuff that he could have spent trying to enjoy his remaining time. 

In reply to stuart in mn :

I assumed it was just cleaning while listening to Swedish death metal.

AngryCorvair said:

In reply to stuart in mn :

I assumed it was just cleaning while listening to Swedish death metal.

That was my first thought as well when I heard it as well   but I guess it's more like a less touchy-feely version of the Marie Kondo decluttering thing.

In reply to Patrick :

The previous owner of my red RX-7 was extremely happy to see the pictures of it running.

This summer, the previous owner of my Quantum (the other one) sent me a textbomb full of pictures from when he had the car.

Makes it difficult to want to sell everything and get a C3.

eastsideTim said:

 In reply to stuart in mn :

I’ll need to read up on that a bit.  Part of my motivation is seeing how quickly things went downhill for my dad, who was something of a hoarder himself.  In the last year of his life, he spent a lot of time trying to go through his stuff that he could have spent trying to enjoy his remaining time. 

That's actually one of the things that made my grandmother's life a bit more enjoyable in her final years.  We actually had a kind of party where the whole family got together and we reminisced as things got given away.

Knurled. said:

eastsideTim said:

 In reply to stuart in mn :

I’ll need to read up on that a bit.  Part of my motivation is seeing how quickly things went downhill for my dad, who was something of a hoarder himself.  In the last year of his life, he spent a lot of time trying to go through his stuff that he could have spent trying to enjoy his remaining time. 

That's actually one of the things that made my grandmother's life a bit more enjoyable in her final years.  We actually had a kind of party where the whole family got together and we reminisced as things got given away.

My dad did get to enjoy some of that, but the volume of stuff he had was just too overwhelming.

In reply to eastsideTim :

I recognize that much of what I have will be a burden on my children when I pass. My goal,  assuming I live that long is to pare down the excess wood and parts, leaving only running,  saleable cars and tools by the time I hit 90.  Then in my 90's get rid of one collector car a year til either I'm gone or they are.   Considering I have at least 20,000 bd feet of hardwood Ive only got a little over 8 years to get rid of it.  
Are you listening Stuart?  

In reply to frenchyd :

I’ll gladly put some of your hardwood to good use!

I did the move thing. Got rid of the oversized dream shop and junk emporium. Went to the opposite extreme with nothing but an undersized 2 car garage. 

My intention is to consolidate all my woodworking into a small Woodshop, and all my car stuff into the 2 car garage. 

2 1/2 years later, I still don’t have either shop functional, and I still have a lot of stuff in storage. 

I miss my shop, but I also realize this will be really good for me.

The small spaces are forcing me to be really careful about what I keep, and to be really well organized.  It feels good, but I wish I didn’t have so many years of accumulation to weed through. 

Not wanting to leave an utter mess behind me is one of the main reasons I need to de-clutter. Something that feels all the more relevant as I approach 50 and don't feel very "young" anymore.  Although as I have no siblings or children, in the somewhat unlikely event I outlive both of my parents, what happens to my estate is not very important.

SVreX said:

In reply to frenchyd :

I’ll gladly put some of your hardwood to good use!

In reply to wae :

I don't deliver.  But what would you like? 

At my funeral, all of my friends will be issued a tazer.

Last man standing gets my stuff.

SVreX said:

In reply to frenchyd :

I’ll gladly put some of your hardwood to good use!

Get a room!

SVreX said:

In reply to frenchyd :

I’ll gladly put some of your hardwood to good use!

Stop on by and pick some out. 

frenchyd said:

  Considering I have at least 20,000 bd feet of hardwood Ive only got a little over 8 years to get rid of it.  
Are you listening Stuart?  

Oh boy, I forgot all about your reply a while back regarding your surplus lumber...   I'll send you an email.

Managed to pretty much fill up the trash bin on trash night, and my utility trailer is sold, so I am making some progress...

In reply to eastsideTim :

Sounds like you're on the right path. 

frenchyd said:

In reply to eastsideTim :

Sounds like you're on the right path. 

Thanks!  Now I have to decide what to do about my storage locker.  May go down to the 5x10, or get an additional one so I can work on both the Beetle and Miata at the same time.