I hate to put this stuff in a landfill

[Bessemer]

We bought a house with an older pool and have had to replace various stuff. In my shed I have a pump motor, a salt water chlorine generator board, a salt water chlorine generator cell, and a display board. I hate to just junk them. Does anybody rebuild stuff like this?

 

[Mdragger88]

Ebay

 

[Mdragger88]

There’s a guy on there that rebuilds swcg’s - may want em

 

[phonedave]

My town has regular electronic recycling days. And the transfer station in my county takes things such a pumps and boards if you bring them in.

I just cleaned out my shed and left two pumps and a old table saw base on the curb. They were gone within the day. If you are on a fairly busy street, somebody may take them.

If you are not on a busy street, you can post a "curb alert" on whatever local social media community group exists in your area.

 

[Weber-Brown]

Cleaning out the garage, it's one of the most frustrating things to do. I have to throw something out, but maybe it will come in handy someday I'm even afraid to start cleaning my garage.

 

[kimkats]

We have the 3 month rule here. Every 3 months we go through the catch all places like the laundry room and sort through it. If we have not looked for it in 3 months then it goes. It has worked great for us.

 

[Mdragger88]

We have the 3 month rule here. Every 3 months we go through the catch all places like the laundry room and sort through it. If we have not looked for it in 3 months then it goes. It has worked great for us.

 

[phonedave]

Cleaning out the garage, it's one of the most frustrating things to do. I have to throw something out, but maybe it will come in handy someday I'm even afraid to start cleaning my garage.

Unfortunately I seem to have a pretty good memory. I save all sorts of stuff. Cut off ends of lumber and metal, etc. Then 3 years later I will be doing something and think "Hey, that 18" section of 1/2" square tubing I have will work here" and I dig it out and use it.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Humans have a natural scarcity-mentality … it’s built into our DNA as a protective measure against our resource-scarce environment. Those that happily clean out garages and throw away perfectly good chunks of cut 2x4 … those are the weirdos!!

 

[Mdragger88]

We get fed up with the stuff & do a big burn/scrap session every so many months or it looks like Sanford & Son’s around here.
The worst one was a tacoma- we pulled the motor out & put it in our friend’s tacoma. Little did know we would end up owning it (my daughter drives it) & I kick myself for not saving things off of it every time some little trim piece or something breaks. I have the vin tag in my car as a daily reminder of my wastefulness

 

[jmastron]

Unfortunately I seem to have a pretty good memory. I save all sorts of stuff. Cut off ends of lumber and metal, etc. Then 3 years later I will be doing something and think "Hey, that 18" section of 1/2" square tubing I have will work here" and I dig it out and use it.

My rule is:

1) If I keep it readily visible and in the way, I'll never need it again. Extra brackets from window shades, looking at you (literally, on the workbench)...

2) If it's easy to replace, I'll buy another and when I go to put away the scrap from *that*, realize I already had some. 1" PVC pipe and a handful of elbows, looking at you (behind that piece of plywood)...

3) If it's really hard to replace, I'll have thrown it out after a few years and soon after be looking for exactly that thing. Random barrel power supply connectors, I'm thinking of you...

 

[phonedave]

We get fed up with the stuff & do a big burn/scrap session every so many months or it looks like Sanford & Son’s around here.
The worst one was a tacoma- we pulled the motor out & put it in our friend’s tacoma. Little did know we would end up owning it (my daughter drives it) & I kick myself for not saving things off of it every time some little trim piece or something breaks. I have the vin tag in my car as a daily reminder of my wastefulness

When I bought this house it came with 4 lawn tractors in various states of completeness. (It was a short sale - take it or leave it type of purchase). Two Hondas and two Craftsman

I sold off the two Hondas and bought a used Craftsman. I refurbished the used one, and kept it supplied with parts for a number of years. Then I took the picked over hulks to the scrap yard, and sold the used tractor for close to what I had paid for it.

 

[Mdragger88]

Funny story- just a few minutes ago I had to order yet another part that I should have robbed off the scrap truck!
Seat belt latch $77 - the local toyota wanted $100+. That’s just the latch - no belt!!

 

[SoDel]

Cleaning out the garage, it's one of the most frustrating things to do. I have to throw something out, but maybe it will come in handy someday I'm even afraid to start cleaning my garage.

That just means you’re too young (or young at heart) . I used to keep a lot of random stuff just in case I could use it “someday.” During my last move, I finally realized that all kinds of stuff I hadn’t even seen for many decades was still safely stored away here and there (and everywhere). After that I can look at something and know I can get rid of it now, or years from now, but either way, “someday” ain’t coming and I’ll be getting rid of it either way. There comes a point where now is better lol.

 

[phonedave]

That just means you’re too young (or young at heart) . I used to keep a lot of random stuff just in case I could use it “someday.” During my last move, I finally realized that all kinds of stuff I hadn’t even seen for many decades was still safely stored away here and there (and everywhere). After that I can look at something and know I can get rid of it now, or years from now, but either way, “someday” ain’t coming and I’ll be getting rid of it either way. There comes a point where now is better lol.

I don't know about that. My grandfather was a marine machinist. When he died, I got loads of stuff. 3 pounds of copper nails. Stainless steel bar stock in a variety of sizes. A 1 1/4" tap, in case, you know, I ever need a to tap a 1 1/4" hole in some steel. Upwards of 300 lbs of assorted hardware - aluminum rivets, brass wood screws, cotter pins, woodruff keys, etc.

I still have it all (and have at times used some of it, and at times have added to it) and at some point somebody is going to inherit it (or get stuck getting rid of it)

 

[JoyfulNoise]

…. A 1 1/4" tap, in case, you know, I ever need a to tap a 1 1/4" hole in some steel.

Uh duh … around here I call that any day ending in a “Y” …

 

[an1vrsy]

I/we moved here to Las Vegas 3-1/2 years ago. We sold our house in CA after living there for 20 years. When cleaning out the garage there, I called Got Junk realizing if I hadn’t opened a box in 20 years, I probably didn’t need it anymore. We filled up 2 Got Junk trucks with unopened boxes in the garage and other things we didn’t want to bring with us to NV.

Here we are 3-1/2 years later and I have boxes in the garage and spare bedroom closets I/we haven’t unpacked. This thread has me thinking I shouldn’t wait for another minute to see what’s inside these boxes.

 

[Mdragger88]

I/we moved here to Las Vegas 3-1/2 years ago. We sold our house in CA after living there for 20 years. When cleaning out the garage there, I called Got Junk realizing if I hadn’t opened a box in 20 years, I probably didn’t need it anymore. We filled up 2 Got Junk trucks with unopened boxes in the garage and other things we didn’t want to bring with us to NV.

Here we are 3-1/2 years later and I have boxes in the garage and spare bedroom closets I/we haven’t unpacked. This thread has me thinking I shouldn’t wait for another minute to see what’s inside these boxes.

Same! I called myself being ruthless after our last move. We had to live with the inlaws for 6 months before we found a house so alot stayed packed that we didn’t really miss. We had 1 box truck full to the top that I went in maybe once or twice looking for something. We had a 2 car enclosed trailer with our furniture, appliances, clothes, dry food & stuff for daily living that we accessed regularly.
We donated, burned, & tossed most of what was in the box truck when we got to our new house feeling dumb that we even packed & moved most of it. Yet still I have a few boxes unopened in my attic! That was 12 years ago outta sight outta mind.
After having to deal with several hoarding situations I try to only keep/buy/aquire things that truly enhance my life but it’s definitely human nature to collect stuff whether it be actively or passively. It creeps…

 

[Newdude]

Purchasing 2 moving pods forced my hand. After loading the first one with furniture, things needed to be bona-fide useful to earn a place in the second.

 

[Mdragger88]

I still can’t believe that we had obviously packed 1800 sq ft worth of stuff into a 900 sq ft house for 8 years - we were packed in tight by the time we sold!
I definitely like it better in the 1800 sq ft. I have now. No more canned goods under the bed lol It was never visibly cluttered- but don’t open a cabinet!