At what point do you draw the line on scavenging?
I am a self-admitted scavenger. I know I have a problem, as I have a garage, a tool trailer, an outbuilding, and a storage facility full of crap that I have scavenged (I hate to see a good thing be wasted).
Everything from 2x12s that were used as scaffolding, to sheets of 1/4″ pegboard recovered from an old shop… to nuts and screws of every shape size and era!
And its not just carpentry stuff. I have computer pieces-parts, golf paraphernalia, office stuff out the wazzoo,… shoot, I even have an old wood stove that I SWEAR I am going to use someday!
I have been given the ultimatum (as I get ready to break ground on a 700+ sq ft expansion for my shop) by my wife that I HAVE to cull the crap.
As I look at it… it all has value (the conservationist in me). Business wise… I know the costs of carrying this stuff. I know better… but I can’t seem to get a solid handle on what to keep and what to toss (cheaper to buy it again if I need it).
So what system/rule/whatever do you use to keep your “scavenging” in check (and keep the wife happy at the same time)? If you don’t have a system/rule… is there such a thing as a 12 step program for scavengers? LOL
Replies
Hi
I'm Paul
[Hi Paul]
and I have a scavanging probelm....
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
P, solved my problem. Bought 10 acres.
Joe H
Hello, my name is Hasbeen and I'm a scavenger. LOL
I sort by a guestimation of difficulty of storage (does it have to be dry? warm? is it heavy? is it bulky?) compared to value.
I don't keep pieces of copper less than a couple of feet. I don't keep much wood unless it's top quality stuff. I don't keep roofing material. I do keep fasteners and I have shelves that I can reasonable easily find them on i.e. screws in one area, nails in one area, gun nails, bolts, lags, etc. I don't keep PVC less than five feet or so. I don't keep any insulation unless I know I have a specific use for it coming up soon.
Shooting old electronics can be a good use for them. Nothing better than the application of a shotgun to a television!
You might want to have a big garage sale, or you might want to check out freecycle.com.
My best find of the past year was an excellent bull elk rack (six points each side with hardly any damage and good dark brown color). Found it when I was firewooding... only problem was that it was still attached to the seriously chewed remains of it's former owner and I had to chop off the spine with an axe so I could take the head home. Shop kinda stunk for a few weeks, but the dog licked the dried brains off the floor for so long that I think she finally got them all.
Be strong. Be generous. Be understanding of your wife. You can get rid of some stuff!
I'm thankful for the loyal opposition! It's hard to learn much from those who simply agree with you.
I have a similar problem. I have been able to throw out some of the most worthless stuff by using the yard sale/alley test. Would I pay a dollar for it at a yard sale? If not, pitch it. Would I drag it home if I found it in the alley? If not, pitch it.
Yuck. Mom used to do that and maybe still does. Would stop along the road and pick up stuff people had set out for garbage. She reached MY limit the day I got a new apartment and the gift was used silverware that she got for 20 cents or so that she got from some random family somewhere. Wasn't good enough for them, but damn if it shouldn't be fine for her son. I choose to spend the $10 on some fresh stuff.
Rich,
I'm with Hasbeen. If it can easily be stored I'm more likely to keep things around. I save most of my computer data because I can burn 700mb on a CD and it takes up about 1 cubic inch of space.
I just threw out some good stuff because it was bulky, relatively inexpensive, and I couldn't imagine the next time I would really need it.
Remember, if you find something you had forgotten about you probably wouldn't miss it.
Jon Blakemore
When do you draw the line on scavenging? When you run out of room!
I share your misery- spent the weekend tearing down my scavenging repository (aka garage) to make room for my new shop. Had to find homes for a good many things temporarily, give away some and pitch a bunch more. Even sold some on E-Bay!
Don't scavenge what you can't use yourself or trade for stuff you can use. Don't scavenge what you can get more of later. And don't save it for a better project- use it up when you can!
You have my sympathy, brother, and your wife has my wife's sympathy too no doubt!
Nobody has mentioned the primary catechism teaching on savanging.That as soon as you discard an item, you will find a need for it within the week.The more valuable it is, the sooner you will find a need after the sacrilage has been committed.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Or the other catchism, You got so much stuff, when you need item X, you know you have one, but cant find it! So then you got to go buy one!
Edited 3/8/2005 10:48 pm ET by G80104
Rich, I've been going through my "junk" getting rid of stuff for the past 4 years or so. I have a storage building for my tools, but very little materials. I let someone have them that can use them soon. I don't keep anything because I might be able to use it someday. I prefer to believe that if I need it, I'll be able to find some when I do.
It's really part of a shift in consciousness. Unless I love something, or need it, I don't want it around. I'd rather someone who loves it or needs it have it. Since I let things pass freely through my hands, and don't hoard anything, it's amazing how things I need or want seem to appear before me. I don't even save coins or my change anymore. I used to pull out wheat pennies, old nickels, etc. Kept a big jar full of pennies and another for change. I put it all back into circulation. Seriously, if you took all the stuff you scavenged and gave it away to people who need it, you'll find stuff you do need coming to you in the same way.
Allen in Santa Cruz
If it can't make me money within six months, it gets trashed.
so you have two seaasons in your year...The six months you haul home from the dumpand the six months you haul it all back againLOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I'm In the city ( san francisco ) and space is at best limited in my shop. The formula i use for storage is cost per sq ft of my shop vs. cost per sq ft of scavanged item with an estimated time to use figured in.. that puts that extra sheet of drywall right in the dumpster because it will be 1 - 6 months before i need more drywall and at 6$ a sheet i would rather not store it... that and if i need a little to make a patch i can beg it from my supplier as they always have some busted sheets about..... now if i could only stick to this system... I have 4 bundles of redwood 2x2 pickets that my foreman forgot to return after he ordered too many and they lived in his garage for a while until they came home to roost... if i throw those out i will have a deck rail job the next day, I just know it. ( they have been in the hall for 2 years. )
james
I work six months a year.
The rest of my time is wasted by building houses. :)
Guilty as charged. Scavenged some countertop scrap this week - to make a router tabletop. Yeah, right. ;)
I got divorced, and moved to a much smaller house. It took me months to get rid of all the salvaged junk I had collected. Stacks and stacks of leftover job materials, 115 old wooden windows, two hot tubs, fence sections, a 20 x 20 shed (in pieces), and much, much more. All perfectly good junk but I couldnt give it away! Now I dont bring home anything. I donate or dump it. Its a very liberating feeling.
Repeat after me "I will not bring home job leftovers"
"I will not bring home job leftovers"
"I will not bring home job leftovers"
"I will not bring home job leftovers"
Now that's good advice.
Most of my junk is organized so that I can lay my hands on whatever pretty darn quick. Well, theoretically anyhow.
Every once in a while I go through all my crap.
I have two criteria...
First, is it something that I already know I have a use for. Is it already slated for some use.
Second... Have I seen this item in two years ?
If it doesn't meet one of the two criteria, it gets dumped.
Hmmmmm Been more than two years since I did that...........
The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow
It is easy to be friends with someone you always agree with.
I garbage pick.
Can't resist stopping on the way to work to pick up good furniture in good neighbourhoods heading for landfill. Even though I let the stuff follow me home, I know I can't keep it, so I then scavenge for a crafty, thrifty, or quirky friend or acquaintance to give it to. Many pieces are happily in long-term service.
I have two stages of storage. Stuff that is in my everyday shop, if I have to move it more than once, it goes in the dumpster. If its recyleable for cash, or I think it might ebay, I put it in my "cold storage" outbuilding. Three times a year, I go through a third of it. It either sells or gets tossed.
When it all gets too much, the thing is to bite small pieces every day. Saying to yourself that you will sort it all next weekend never happens.
The dump in Baltimore has a container for building supplies that can be reused.
-Steve
All this reminds me of when my grandfather the scavenger was moving out of his farm. A 20x30 barn (2 stories), 15x40 "garage" and a 25x75 workshop. He'd been there 30 years. My dad (his son) was running the cash table at the yard sale. "$5 for one, $2 for both." For 2 days there were only variations on this theme. We still laugh about it.
Rich c all Habitat For Humanity, either the Columbus or Delaware affiliates. Both have restores that need used building materials (and of course new too). If you have enough they will even come & get it
The clutter control rules should apply:
http://www.thecleanteam.com/Rules-Clutter/
The one that applies here is number 6: Pick a number and stick with it.
The idea is that if you are saving stuff for a specific purpose, then once you are covered for that need, you can discard any extra.
Once you can get over the initial guilt about discarding stuff, it can feel really good to cut the junk out of your life.
A place for everything..........
Joe H
Wow.
I think I drove by that place once - or at least a few look-a-likes!
Then you probably remember this, parked out on highway 56 to attract visitors?
Joe H
Oh, so that's what a dig-under-the-existing-house basement digger looks like . . . <G>Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
On the farm we had quite a collection tucked away in the corners of the barn and various out buildings. Then in '98 the tornado ran across the yard and pretty much took care of things. Sure do miss those chestnut planks we had (didn't want to waste them on some foolish project).
That pic is priceless................gotta have the school bus, just ain't right with otu it!!
Did you actually take that picture?? I'm trying to figure the car...........first I'm thinking desert southwest but then I'm thinking maybe Australia mate!
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
I'm a recovering scavenger. I have'nt brought scrap home in 8 years.
When I was in the roofing business I had a garage that was stacked to the cieling with leftover bundles. The problem was half a pallet would come in and a bundle or two would go out, maybe.
Finally I used them all for landfill and built myself a pool room with a bar in that space.
Space, the final frontier.....
I too am a recovering scrapaholic. I had to go cold turkey when I moved into a smaller house, and it was hard at first. But my life is better now, "one day at a time" (I still find myself driving my truck past scrap piles - that AREN'T on the way home).
A good friend used to say, "if you can't find it, you ain't got it". Once it's out of sight, you'll probably end up buying more instead of using it anyway. Don't store -thats what the store's for.
former scavenger here
My rule (now) is if I don't have a need to put the object to use the SAME DAY I pick it up, then it goes back on the pile.
I've walked away from a lot of stuff that would still be sitting in my basement today.
carpenter in transition
I am a scavenger, and I will use all of this stuff someday...or my kids will pay someone to take it to the dump<G>...next day day they'll find out they needed it...ha, ha, ha. Now...Mrs 'Snort buys stuff just to throw it out. LOL Don't worry, we can fix that later!
BillyThere are two ways to live.One is to move every 2 years and don't take anything with you.The other is to die in the house that youre born in and let your heirs worry about what is left.I am much, much closer to the later then the former.
There is a third option...move and tell the next occupant you'll be right back to get your stuff as soon as you make room...I've got stuff at 8 places, LOL Don't worry, we can fix that later!
I know it's a sickness...
BUT...
I have over 50,000 sf of "stuff" but I really do know where 90% of it is and what it is... yes i know I'll never use some of it... and don't have the time to cull it
But I really do have long term plans/projects that i do/have & will buy something 3 years in advance for...
I can do a 3 million dollar project for 1 million and with better materials and finishes...
If i see no use for something but i know it has value to someone i will sell it (cash to buy more junk that i will use)... if it's a friend they can have it....
just a "this weeks experience" I purchashed about 10 pallets of "stuff" at an auction because there were 2 cases of stuff i needed in the "lot" I paid 2cents on the dollar for the stuff i wanted but I still had the rest to deal with... being that I'm try'n to do better i didn't take it all ( about half went into the dumpster ) but i saved about 20 out of over 200 of these really expensive looking hepa filters (the other 180 went to the dumpster) find out yesterday they were "hepa osmos"? sp? filters that were safe for asbestos removal and had a list price of $761.00 each $590.00 with the case discount.... oh well...
my rules for keep'n stuff have evolved...
If i have to move it more than once before i can use it... i don't keep/take it... if i have the space & time and feel that i'll use it then it's go'n with me...
pony... there are worse things to be than a junk man
oh yeah... the same friends who make fun of... and beg for tours of my warehouses are the same ones who ask "hey do you have a *&&^$ lay'n around"
This thread is so funny. Gee, I feel right at home.
I've done better over the last few years. At least now it's pretty much just lumber and building hardware that I gather.
Now if I'd just keep leaving the auctions alone.
Nothing like a 'full-bore collect mode' after a good cup of java at an auction. gawd it must be a disease.
be a shed
ATTENTION BREAKTIME MEMBERS:
If you`d like to discuss topics other than home building, come on down to the Woodshed Tavern. Great bunch of guys and gals letting off a little steam about everything and anything. Its not a special club, but.....as of Monday, March 14, the Tavern folder will go behind an access wall. Only those who request access to this folder by contacting [email protected] will be able to view and participate in discussions there. "furthermore, be forewarned that while some may prefer tea and scones with an eminently civilized conversation, you may occasionally run across those who like an ice cold suds to go with a good old fashioned argument. under no circumstances however, will there be fisticuffs or blue language allowed, but otherwise feel free to enjoy our little establishment as a consenting adult."...
This guy has some serious sheet. I'm thinking he roams the highway looking for lost or dead stuff and drags it home to the collection.
Think I'm gonna go see if he wants to sell that old loader contraption. It looks like it would be a handy gizzy to have around, and Art probably has an owners manual for it somewhere around his place....
Joe H
Good lord man, forget the loader. What is that, a Desota or a Pontiac?
ATTENTION BREAKTIME MEMBERS:
If you`d like to discuss topics other than home building, come on down to the Woodshed Tavern. Great bunch of guys and gals letting off a little steam about everything and anything. Its not a special club, but.....as of Monday, March 14, the Tavern folder will go behind an access wall. Only those who request access to this folder by contacting [email protected] will be able to view and participate in discussions there. "furthermore, be forewarned that while some may prefer tea and scones with an eminently civilized conversation, you may occasionally run across those who like an ice cold suds to go with a good old fashioned argument. under no circumstances however, will there be fisticuffs or blue language allowed, but otherwise feel free to enjoy our little establishment as a consenting adult."...
Edited 3/12/2005 1:01 am ET by the razzman
Studebaker, 4 door. Not worth much, not even close to what he thinks it is.
The loader looks like more entertainment.
Joe H
What area are these pictures from?
Jon Blakemore
Hwy 56 W from Cedar City Utah to Hwy 93 in Nevada, South to Caliente and then down to 15. Pretty drive in places, lots of sage brush & desert too.
Joe H
Actually, I know a Studebaker nut who would probably love to get his hands on that car ......
Where are you?Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
Recently moved from a tiny apt in NYC into a house with a full basement and garage. That move brought on full-bore collect mode. Now the garage is full and useless and I am giving away stuff on Craig's List (put in in the free section and you'lll get 20 emails from hopeless people just like yourself and it will be gone in a day).
My wife hums the theme to Sanford and Son whenever she catches dragging home something in the truck, or eyeing some garbage pile. Strangely, that doesn't discourage me at all . . .
Maybe I wuz told wrong, but started scavenging long ago 'cause was told if you couldn't take it all with you, you didn't have to go???
Anyway, DW seems contented as long as I haul off or give away a few tons of stuff every few months. 40 years collecting and 20 years for disposal seems about right, don't it???
Heck, 10 years ago you about had to pay to unload a few car bodies, now you get almost $30!
Here if you can drivelimp it in they'll give you a hundred.
I usually use the 2 year rule.
If it has been 2 years or more since you got something without actually using it. then you probably never will.
toss it or send to charity or give it to as junk dealer.
THE hardest part about being an effective scavenger is knowing what actually has a Future-Use-Value.
and what is merely a dust collector.
me I mainly collect wood.
short or odd ball pieces of hardwood or clear pine or 5/4 stock or hardwood ply.
or shim stuff, I got almost a whole sheet worth of 1/8 luan rips that I KNOW will come in handy some day
And building more storage area is NOT the way to deal with excessive junk.
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore