Time to clean up!!!!

[bb1970]

I made a bold move this week. I rented a dumpster to clean out my shop. I really felt like a hoarder of sorts. I have moved the same junk around for 10-15 years. Plus accumulated more. After 3 loads of scrap metal. And a 15 yard dumpster nearly full of non-scrap junk. My shop looks respectable again. Kind of tough to pitch some things. But came to the realization. The stuff I have held for a decade because I might need/use it was out of hand. And if I haven't used it in 10 years, maybe I'm not going to use it. Nice to have my shop back. Confession over . Bill

 

[JM211]

Good for you! I have these tendencies myself, sometimes. Need to make an effort to give it away or pitch it.

 

[givemethewillys]

good job man! Unfortunately, the next time you work in the shop, you'll need something that you just threw out. It ***** to have to buy things over again, but I feel that sometimes it's justified for the one time in a decade that you need something in particular.

You'll feel a lot better having a clean shop 99% of the time!

 

[Transman304]

I truly feel your pain, but it will pass as the NEW and improved shop evolves. Did the same and found most of my stuff to be so outdated as far as new superior product that are available these days. Good luck.

 

[coljar]

Any before and after pictures?

 

[Strouty]

Any before and after pictures?

Pictures or it didn't happen.

I have been slowly doing this for the last year. It is rewarding to get back the space and I have found it gets easier as I go. The more I get rid of, the more I want to get rid of.

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[ripperd]

Just did this with a whole bunch of wood scraps. Made things so much nicer in the garage! Also managed to actually bring a few other misc things to the metal scrapyard and get some $$$ for it (a few dead car and motorcycle batteries, bad AL wheel).

 

[SteveCh]

Every now and then [mostly then], I try to clear out stuff. I always get rid of a few things. But then I began finding things I forgot I had ten yr. ago. Or longer. Good stuff. So, it stays, then, ten yr. later I run across it again. It's a disease. Then, three months after I DO get rid of something, it would've been PERFECT for what I'm doing and I wish I had it. But, if I had it, I guarantee I wouldn't need it. When I die, and someone is clearing out my stuff, they'll be picking up items and saying, what the hell did he keep this for. My wife and I have been doing this in her late brother's house, and we find boxes of "stuff" he moved into the basement or attic or a closet when he moved from his former house 30 years ago, still all taped up. I hope I get a handle on my own stuff, but I probably never will. But, maybe.

 

[bb1970]

I don't have any before and after pics. I am amused by a few of my buddies. They have come over to inspect the progress. And every one of them has dug something out of the dumpster.

 

[Gearhead00]

I move every 3 years so I've had to limit my accumulations...I envy being able to store things for a while.

 

[Strouty]

I move every 3 years so I've had to limit my accumulations...I envy being able to store things for a while.

Once you get there, you won't envy us.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Good job!!! We are proud of you! I have been clearing out a lot of extra vehicles, engines, trans, and other stuff I do not need... It feels good!

 

[bb1970]

Once you get there, you won't envy us.

TRUE!!

I made another amazing discovery. I live on a busy rural highway. I always have good luck selling cars and such parking them at the end of the driveway. I put about 20 spent tires in that spot with a free sign. I look out this morning and there are 2 left. Sure beats $2 each disposal fee. I'm thankful for fellow hoarders.

 

[bczygan]

I think of it this way.

When I uncover stuff I haven't used in years, and didn't even know I had, it is just clutter, taking up space. Unused things have no value. And space has value.

But once I see it and realize it is usable, it gains importance and is hard to throw out. Selling is too much trouble. So I'm stuck.

The mindset I have to adopt, is that selling it is the right move. Even if I need it again next week, I will have some money in my pocket to repurchase it with.

 

[drivesitfar]

BB and all of us: there is a FREE section in Craigslist for those of us that don't live on a highway or anywhere where a sign would do any good. a few good pictures and you might avoid a dumpster fee and throwing more good stuff in at the dump.

if it's really nice try to sell your items for a couple bucks and maybe you'll find a buyer that actually can use it instead of a hoarder. i tried to sell a working piano one time for about 2 weeks for $50 that needed to find a new home and no takers. put it in the free section with a few good pictures had 50 people wanting to come pick it up and it went to a kindergarten teacher that had been looking for one for a long time without any money to buy a nice one. she came with a couple friends and a truck and it was gone in a couple hours. read through a few emails you get from Craigs buyers and pick out somebody that actually sounds like a real person and you might be surprised.

remember the days when you had more time than money? pass on some of those projects you never got time to start or finish instead of throwing them away.

of course if no takers then it's time, but the FREE section is something a lot of us don't know about. I've actually picked up a few things in there that i couldn't find to buy.

congrats on sharing your pain and happiness and if no before pictures maybe an after picture so we can help you keep it that clean.

 

[jfish]

My boss has many mantras he throws around often. Not the least of which is "time is money." he says it all the time. I always though to myself, "this isn't relative to me because this guy's time is worth 100 times more than mine when applied to an hourly rate".

Until I really looked around my shop and thinking about all the little 15 min here moving junk to find something I needed, or 15 min there looking for that bin full of stuff I pulled from that dumpster that one time. And hour of my time spent getting frustrated with my own trash vs a quick trip to the hardware and just buying what I needed is what put me over the edge.

It's funny, they say cream rises to the top. The more junk I toss, it's a if the **** keeps rising to the top. And I toss it too.

 

[akacoke]

lets see some pictures

 

[egnorant]

Welcome to the "I'm doing this" crowd. I caught myself doing a lot of aiming but not a lot of shooting and finally got started.

Set your big goal and then divide it numerous times into bite size portions and keep chewing the little bits!

My plan went to 6 pages and included such minutia as consolidate the 3 trash cans at the end of each day.

Go to it!

 

[shocker998md]

I hate it when you clean up and then your working on something and have to buy something you trashed.

But I hate messes too so its a never ending battle.