When is enough, enough? Keeping spares/left overs/etc

[ThatSickRip]

What is your cutoff for keeping extras of stuff in your garage? I just got done doing a reorg/cleaning of mine over the last week, and I have a bunch of part organizer bins full of the following:

-assorted drywall anchors
-used screws/bolts/nuts
-random brackets/adapters/etc

Im not cheap, so its not an issue of not wanting to buy in the future. Its more of a convenience factor that you may have it mid project vs having to leave and go to the store. Over the last few years, its also been a preventative factor due to supply chain and pricing increases.

So whats your cutoff for keeping too many spares?

-taking up too much space
-rusty/**** quality
-wife says it has to go
-?

 

[The Cobbler]

What I have found over & over is,
if you keep odd ball stuff, you never need it.
once you trash the odd ball stuff, it's only a matter of days or weeks before you wish you still had it.

 

[lardy1]

I live seven miles from any type of hardware. I usually buy more than I need and hoard spares.

 

[RTM]

My town is a tourist destination, and it can be 30 minutes to go the three miles to the hardware store some weekends. Big box stores can be an hour to go 13 miles, each way. When I buy, I often upgrade to the box, especially for things I use a lot, like drywall anchors, hose washers, things like that. I'm moving more stuff into Akro Bins to keep it organized.

 

[CJM8515]

i save all kinds of stuff, if after years and years i dont use it it gets tossed. but were talking like 5+ years.

 

[ThatSickRip]

What I have found over & over is,
if you keep odd ball stuff, you never need it.
once you trash the odd ball stuff, it's only a matter of days or weeks before you wish you still had it.

This is it 100% and the biggest struggle mentally. Case in point: Ive had these decommed racks in our storage at work because we removed them from old job sites, they were becoming obsolete (literally stored them for years because of "what if"). On a rain day a few months ago, I had the guys strip them of reusable items and scrap the rest. Well guess what just popped up... a special project form our customer that seems to require said racks

 

[humber2]

I’ve sorted nuts bolts washers and screws into partitioned trays and bins.

I try to avoid having more than a handful of each item.

I’m sure I have more items than the hardware store which is just a few doors away.

YMMV

 

[65Goat]

They make a million cool organizers and bin systems nowadays.

Is it a bunch of onesie twosie? If so throw it away.
If you have ~10 or more of the same item put it in an organizer tote.

This assumes you have a little bit of a Type A personality and like getting things organized. If this sounds like a pain toss it.

Just a thought - enjoy your holiday weekend!

 

[Crowbarman55]

I have 75,000,000,000+ 10mm sockets. Some how they just keep showing up at my place. I just can't get rid of them once there here.
Todd

 

[ThatSickRip]

They make a million cool organizers and bin systems nowadays.

Is it a bunch of onesie twosie? If so throw it away.
If you have ~10 or more of the same item put it in an organizer tote.

This assumes you have a little bit of a Type A personality and like getting things organized. If this sounds like a pain toss it.

Just a thought - enjoy your holiday weekend!

Oh yea, its organized. I have labels on the containers, drawers and the shelves they go on

 

[unslow1]

I live seven miles from any type of hardware. I usually buy more than I need and hoard spares.

Some of my family lives in a small town 25 minutes from any large town. I was helping her out on the 4th of July to repair a power line weatherhead a tree took off the house. I had spend an hour plus $10 in gas just to get three screws to finish it. I would be a full blown hoarder if I lived there.

There used to be a hardware store 5 minutes from both my house and rental/shop. They closed each of them about 2 years ago. Since then I have been hoarding a lot more of that misc stuff. It's really annoying to not be able to finish something simple for lack of a a small fastener.

 

[Prospecter]

The stuff I go out to buy, I buy a box, because I'll typically use it again. If there's something I can use at a ReStore, etc., I'll stock up. Trashed fasteners go in a container until I have enough scrap to make a trip worthwhile. A lot of construction materials get moved on to children who are doing that kind of work. (Flashing, roofing nails, electrical and plumbing supplies.) Extra tools get passed along, too. (And passing along tools is also an excuse to upgrade mine!)

 

[johnu]

I consider my “spares” boxes invaluable. As you all well know….. they can make the difference between finding a solution in minutes vs another drive around town.

 

[finn]

Technology changes with time.

I had cans of old fasteners, probably dating to my grandfather: flathead screws, stove bolts, lock washers, nails, etc.

That stuff is mostly obsolete, and I mostly discard it when I run across it. Most of my fastening now is with pneumatic nailers or battery drivers and torx fasteners, so there’s no point in keeping that stuff. I am even getting rid of boxes of brand new nails, as I will likely never use them.

For metalwork, I buy grade 8 sae or metric equivalent, and keep quantities on hand. Used washers bolts and nuts are mostly scrapped unless there is a large quantity and they’re in like new conditions. Lock washers are unceremoniously scrapped. They don’t offer any functionality to a joint, and are rarely found in modern vehicles or equipment.

 

[Madjik Man]

 

[Boogerman]

Common items, keep quantity on hand you use 30 to 50% of stash per year. I keep 1 to 5 lbs each common drywall screws, maybe 10 sizes total. Keep jar each size hand pound nails; 10 pounds framing & sheathing nails. Maybe 50 cans different color/type paint, stains, varnish. About 20 sheets each grit sandpaper, from 50 to 3000. Full assortments all sizes pop rivets, rivet nuts. 5 lbs each type weld rod. 20 types glue. 10 types shop oils. Quart to gallon each type solvent; alcohol, thinner, naptha, turpentine, toluene, acetone, MEK, zylene, goof off, kroil, WD-40, kroil, etc. Full assortment Kreg screws. Full assortment sheet metal screws. Pipe dope, antisieze, teflon tape, thread locker, etc. Full range colors electrical tape, double stick tape, duct tape, paper tape, aluminum tape, reflective tape, etc. Half dozen types caulking tubes. 50 types wire, I do much electrical work so use lots. Full assortment terminals, wire nuts, crimps, etc. Full range metal prep and protection products; brasso, rubbing compound, plastic polish, glaze, wax, evaporust, etc. Scotchguard, Rain-X, Armorall, etc. Keep 2000+ dremel tips, buffs, sanding sleeves, etc; use many, many year. Keep oil topoff cars, brake fluid, wiper fluid, fuses, power steering, etc.

Uncommon stuff, keep range on hand allows me do all stuff want do. Me, keep about 1000 small drawers full fasteners, small hardware. Only a couple bin boxes bolts, maybe 60 bins. This save me running store when need odd thing; but need more bolts, go buy there. Was into hardware cabinets 3 or 4 times today, used impossible get hardware store stuff twice. That why have the uncommon stuff; necessary to have.

Building materials; keep absolute minimum; buy each job. Take more space than worth store long term.

I buy lots hardware estates. I scrapped 40 to 50 small drawer cabinets full so far this year. Every estate have 5 to 10 small drawer cabinets full; mostly unsorted leftover junk. I only keep brand new, clean, sorted stuff. Preferably large quantities same stuff. Dirty, rusty, unsorted, gets dumped back into drawer cabinets; I resell full cabinets to dreamers/hoarders. Coffee cans or jars stuff, not worth time to sort; it go away again.

Junk most people keep in garage that I get estates, I fill boxes; once year put out in driveway; have yardsale everything 25 cents; people dig through get 30, 40 dollars worth at a time to take home fill their garages! Sold over $750 worth this years sale. When done, put ad up and lady came took pickup load leftovers away.

Bottom line, keep stuff you use commonly, keep sorted well, never keep rusty/dirty, if can get hardware store easily and not used up in next few months, get rid of it and buy when needed.

 

[ItsNemo]

Fasteners? I almost never chuck them unless they're ruined (stripped, bent, etc.)...they're stored in either my bolt bin or compartment organizers.
Lumber? Only decent sized pieces (at least 2 feet?) that I could actually do something with other than a little milk crate of blocks for hammering on or propping up something or whatever.
Car Parts? Only for vehicles I actually currently own.
Plumbing/Electrical? I keep a reasonable stock enough to fix a broken pipe or add a plug/switch or whatever minor jobs. Used wire/pipes get tossed.
Steel? I almost never toss since even tiny pieces can be used for tabs and such.

Basically I keep enough on hand that I don't have to go to the store for little odd jobs but not so much that it burdens me or gets in the way.

 

[MushCreek]

I have no answer to this after 60+ years of tinkering. I have organized my hardware pretty well in recent years, but I have a lot of it. Building materials are tough; with the recent run-up in prices, I hate to throw away a usable piece of 2X4. I go to TSC and buy cheap fasteners by the pound- bolts, carriage bolts, lag screws, nuts, and washers. Being 12 miles from the nearest source, I hate to burn the gas for want of that one bolt I need.

I do have a lot of random **** I should part with. Special purpose tools, car parts, and just random stuff from a lifetime of building, fixing, and tinkering. Do I really still need a Pinto clutch alignment tool?

 

[65Goat]

 

[seber]

I have 75,000,000,000+ 10mm sockets. Some how they just keep showing up at my place. I just can't get rid of them once there here.
Tod

So that's where that big hole leads to that all the 10mm sockets go to die.

 

[Radio Flyer]

When you have so much junk/doubles, that you get aggravated trying to find something, then its time.

 

[Crowbarman55]

So that's where that big hole leads to that all the 10mm sockets go to die.

A lot of socks too. And some old guy name Jimmy been around since 1975 talking about organizing all the time.
Todd

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I’d never have a limit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve not had to go get something cause I’ve had it. If I had a limit I probably wouldn’t have most of that stuff lol. I don’t have a limit for tools, car parts, chemicals, hardware etc. I also keep extra nuts and bolts from things too whenever I have extras leftover it doesn’t matter if they are used or not you can still use them.

 

[matthew]

Probably a good rule of thumb would be to keep about as much space to hardware stuff as for tools. If you are in an apartment and only have a hand carry toolbox, a similar sized box of stuff to keep is about right. And just keep the most useful, most common, and hardest to replace.

If you have a large shop with two rolling tool chests, 8’ of shelves is about equivalent space..

I have several divided bins, each has one thread size in it. My rule of thumb is screws with slotted heads get scrapped, damaged fasteners do, and for everything else it depends if it fits the bin. If it is in the 7/16-14 bin it almost certainly gets kept because there’s several empty divided sections. If it is in the 1/4-20 it only gets kept if it displaces something in poorer condition, lower grade, or a less useful size (maybe keep 3/4” and get rid of 5/8”).

Keeping ones and twos depends on what it is. A single pop rivet of a size isn’t useful. A single electrical cable clamp of a different size might be.

I could store more if I just kept everything mixed together, but that’s a sure recipe for over-accumulation. My dad does that, then goes to the store because he can’t quickly find the size he needs, and buys extras to add to the pile…

Wire is a challenge for me. A 2ft offcut might get used, but likely will accumulate.

 

[humber2]

I’d like to retain just three sizes of commonly used items.

Concentrate on the size required and have a few of the two other sizes being too big and too small or too long and too short.

 

[tool_scrounge]

It really depends on your proximity to an industrial supply shop that is open 24/7! realistically, if you are close to a good hardware store with great hours, you may not need to keep anything if space is a bigger constraint compared to fastener cost. But if that is not the case, you need to have “critical mass” of fasteners so you can build stuff without having to drive to the hardware store or wait for it to open on Monday. If you only have 50% of what you need, you are still going to the store.

Here is a old posting of what I did.

”When the local chain hardware store decided to outsource their fastener stocking to a third party, the price of fasteners doubled overnight. When I inquired regarding, I was told that it was a great improvement, looked prettier, and made their lives easier. This annoyed me quite a bit.

I was always one for socking away misc fasteners, but that always is pretty random on selection. So I found at garage sale 12 organizers with about 50 drawers each full of sorted fasteners. I bought them all.

Later saw an ad for a far away seller with a huge selection of high grade larger bolts, nuts and washers from a closed tool and die shop. I bought them all. He shipped me seven large flat rate boxed full of bagged fasteners (~450 lbs worth). The Post Office was annoyed and would not deliver them, so I picked them up from the main office.

So now I rarely need to leave the garage to but fasteners. It is pretty nice. So buy bulk when you can. But you will need to find some way of organizing and storing them. But the net result is worth it.”

 

[Meursault74]

I keep the odds and ends and have them somewhat organized in boxes. If I'm doing a large project I'll buy new materials/supplies because I won't have enough on hand. The leftovers are for small projects or to fix something. The odds and ends save me a trip to the hardware store or if I have to fix or make do with what I have.

I can't imagine needing a single nut, bolt, nail, hose clamp to fix something and having to go to the store just to get that when something comes up

I guess to answer the question, if the item wasn't useful even in a pinch, I'd chuck it. Rusted stripped head screws come to mind.

 

[reader2580]

I’d never have a limit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve not had to go get something cause I’ve had it. If I had a limit I probably wouldn’t have most of that stuff lol. I don’t have a limit for tools, car parts, chemicals, hardware etc. I also keep extra nuts and bolts from things too whenever I have extras leftover it doesn’t matter if they are used or not you can still use them.

My understand is you are pretty young yet. You'll find that you can't keep hoarding stuff forever or eventually your stuff starts to own you. When you start spending $50,000 or $100,000 on a new storage building to hold $5,000 worth of stuff it just doesn't make any sense anymore. The stuff it really makes sense to keep are the parts that are irreplaceable.

I am 50 years old and badly need to purge and organize my stuff. More than 50% of the stuff I moved from my previous house in 2014 has not been touched since the move. Some of it is tools I might use if I knew where it was, but most of it just needs to go. It is finally getting cool enough to clean and organize my garage, but I let my friend fill up my garage with stuff that will be there until the the end of September.

 

[genog]

Well....
My feeling is, IF you have the room for it, then keep it.
Organizers are Great

If you don't have the room (live in an apartment, etc), then toss it in the recylcle bin!

And if you are like me, you WILL NEED IT at some point in time.
Guaranteed!
Usually sooner than later.

 

[Bryan Burns]

Common items, keep quantity on hand you use 30 to 50% of stash per year. I keep 1 to 5 lbs each common drywall screws, maybe 10 sizes total. Keep jar each size hand pound nails; 10 pounds framing & sheathing nails. Maybe 50 cans different color/type paint, stains, varnish. About 20 sheets each grit sandpaper, from 50 to 3000. Full assortments all sizes pop rivets, rivet nuts. 5 lbs each type weld rod. 20 types glue. 10 types shop oils. Quart to gallon each type solvent; alcohol, thinner, naptha, turpentine, toluene, acetone, MEK, zylene, goof off, kroil, WD-40, kroil, etc. Full assortment Kreg screws. Full assortment sheet metal screws. Pipe dope, antisieze, teflon tape, thread locker, etc. Full range colors electrical tape, double stick tape, duct tape, paper tape, aluminum tape, reflective tape, etc. Half dozen types caulking tubes. 50 types wire, I do much electrical work so use lots. Full assortment terminals, wire nuts, crimps, etc. Full range metal prep and protection products; brasso, rubbing compound, plastic polish, glaze, wax, evaporust, etc. Scotchguard, Rain-X, Armorall, etc. Keep 2000+ dremel tips, buffs, sanding sleeves, etc; use many, many year. Keep oil topoff cars, brake fluid, wiper fluid, fuses, power steering, etc.

Uncommon stuff, keep range on hand allows me do all stuff want do. Me, keep about 1000 small drawers full fasteners, small hardware. Only a couple bin boxes bolts, maybe 60 bins. This save me running store when need odd thing; but need more bolts, go buy there. Was into hardware cabinets 3 or 4 times today, used impossible get hardware store stuff twice. That why have the uncommon stuff; necessary to have.

Building materials; keep absolute minimum; buy each job. Take more space than worth store long term.

I buy lots hardware estates. I scrapped 40 to 50 small drawer cabinets full so far this year. Every estate have 5 to 10 small drawer cabinets full; mostly unsorted leftover junk. I only keep brand new, clean, sorted stuff. Preferably large quantities same stuff. Dirty, rusty, unsorted, gets dumped back into drawer cabinets; I resell full cabinets to dreamers/hoarders. Coffee cans or jars stuff, not worth time to sort; it go away again.

Junk most people keep in garage that I get estates, I fill boxes; once year put out in driveway; have yardsale everything 25 cents; people dig through get 30, 40 dollars worth at a time to take home fill their garages! Sold over $750 worth this years sale. When done, put ad up and lady came took pickup load leftovers away.

Bottom line, keep stuff you use commonly, keep sorted well, never keep rusty/dirty, if can get hardware store easily and not used up in next few months, get rid of it and buy when needed.

 

[Bryan Burns]

That's a lot. 1000 drawers! Got any pictures of some of it?

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Im 35 minutes minimum from any hardware to speak of. Im working more than full time in my shop and fasteners are a daily requirement. I like buying in bulk... get allot off ebay and at auctions ( bolts/washers/nuts/threaded rod ).

Been building my own bolt store for decades... lately been thinning the herd to what I know I will use and pitching the balance, I cant stand clutter, but still have too much of it

Really like the steel bolt bins and pigeon hole storage compartments. I might have 8 of each, mostly because Im able to pick them up super cheap brand new ( scratch and dent ), they are Durham brand, USA made. Also have a boat load of Akro Bins storage organizers ( also scratch and dent ).

I grew up around the Gerber baby food jars, with the lids nailed to a board. Any of that kind of ****, is a trigger for me to start throwing stuff in the trash, learned if I need to spend time to find it, its not worth keeping.

" Clutters Last Stand ".

 

[mark-NJ]

Fasteners? I almost never chuck them unless they're ruined (stripped, bent, etc.)...they're stored in either my bolt bin or compartment organizers.
Lumber? Only decent sized pieces (at least 2 feet?) that I could actually do something with other than a little milk crate of blocks for hammering on or propping up something or whatever.
Car Parts? Only for vehicles I actually currently own.
Plumbing/Electrical? I keep a reasonable stock enough to fix a broken pipe or add a plug/switch or whatever minor jobs. Used wire/pipes get tossed.
Steel? I almost never toss since even tiny pieces can be used for tabs and such.

Basically I keep enough on hand that I don't have to go to the store for little odd jobs but not so much that it burdens me or gets in the way.

I think I could have written that word-for-word! That describes me to a "T"

 

[southalabama]

I have 75,000,000,000+ 10mm sockets. Some how they just keep showing up at my place. I just can't get rid of them once there here.
Todd

So that’s where I’ve lost them

 

[wandrur]

I'm an advocate of keeping take-offs, spares, and extras. I have bins and organizers.

But my issue is forgetting what I have. When I find I need something, then I have to go through everything to find where I put that the last time, and did I put it in the 'electrical' or the 'household' organizer? Or is it in one of the other bins...

So I end up buying a new one of whatever I needed. Months later, I often find the one I was looking for the last time around.

 

[Damon L.]

I'm an advocate of keeping take-offs, spares, and extras. I have bins and organizers.

But my issue is forgetting what I have. When I find I need something, then I have to go through everything to find where I put that the last time, and did I put it in the 'electrical' or the 'household' organizer? Or is it in one of the other bins...

So I end up buying a new one of whatever I needed. Months later, I often find the one I was looking for the last time around.

I feel that. I am in the process of organizing my shop, and am surprised at the number of duplicates I am coming up with.

I found a vaccuum gauge NIB just like the one I purchased last month to do some carb adjustments. That one is going on a garage sale soon.

 

[Packard V8]

You guys with wives/significant others are missing a key talking point. The many times I can do a home repair/car repair without a trip to the store, I mention how much time and money was saved. Conversely, on the rare times I have to go to the store, I point out why I bought two.

jack vines

 

[justtools]

For a Good laugh I should have my wife answer this. That is after I make enough room in the garage for her car.

 

[Boogerman]

That's a lot. 1000 drawers! Got any pictures of some of it?

Here's pictures of a few:

 

[Doug]

I operate on the 3 move rule. If I haven't had a use for it by the 3rd time I move it it finds a new off-site home.