When is it time to Down Size?

[Garett]

I was thinking about this one as cleaning the garage. In my mid 40's now, I wonder when it's time to stop buying tools, equipment and cars and start to plan for the later years.

The outbuilding is a combined 4000sq ft of garage/shop/storage and its full. I wouldn't worry if we had kids to give this stuff to, but all we have are the dogs.

I've seen what happens when a car collector with no wife/kids passes and the extended family has no clue even where everything is and what it's all worth. At least all my stuff is in 1 place.

 

[stm317]

The time to start downsizing is when you start thinking about downsizing. You're already there. There's a point where the stuff you own starts to own you and limit what you can do. Personally, I never want to be there so I keep things fairly minimalist.

 

[Toothaker]

What is this "down size" of which you speak?

Ok, just joking. I started cleaning up my garage and an unfinished room in the basement a couple of years ago. My goal was to declutter - thin the herd. Get rid of stuff I was never going to use, never going to miss, and was in the way. Counting my den, the garage and the unfinished room, I had about 1500 square feet of space that was too full.

It has been a very refreshing exercise. My criteria was: "have I used this in the last two years? Am I going to use it in the next year or two?"

I started by throwing away trash. Now, "trash" is my definition, but it was stuff that nobody would want in my opinion. Then I started selling stuff on eBay, via Craigslist, garage sales, etc. I donated some stuff to Goodwill and ReStore. I recycled some stuff - good stuff that nobody wanted, such as a nice 19" two post aluminum equipment rack. I gained several square feet of basement getting rid of that thing.

Frankly, I didn't start with 'down size' in mind. I was trying to declutter. But I ended up downsizing a little bit.

I had a health scare a few years ago. I'll be 59 in a few weeks, and I was thinking that I shouldn't leave all this junk for my wife to deal with. And now I'm doing better, and I have room in the garage for a new project. Maybe I failed at downsizing.

And for me, decluttering is an ongoing process. I continue to get rid of things. I have a few duplicate tools that I offer to others here, for example.

 

[JimH74]

I think it depends on the person. Some folks get in their 60's, or even younger, and because of disease, or other disability, don't have the physical capabilities to continue. Not for lack of want or desire, but for lack of physical ability, i.e. strength, co-ordination etc. Some people may have family or friends that enjoy the same activities, and it may be satisfying to be a helper, or even just watch. I fall in the latter category. After back surgery, I have learned that I am limited in what I can do, and that I'm much slower than before. On many activities that I used to enjoy getting my hands dirty, I must now be content to watch and provide advice. Fortunately, I do have family that appreciates my tools. Getting older really s**** for some of us.

 

[Aaron_W]

I can understand if you will be leaving stuff for others to deal with, but that doesn't sound like it is the case. If you are worried about your stuff finding a good home, why not look at it from that angle. Find places that might make use of donated tools and equipment, if you have collectibles find a place that would make use of them.

Check that the intended recipient would actually use the items, then make the appropriate legal steps to ensure it is done when you are gone (will, trust etc).

It doesn't have to be a straight reduction which can be a bit depressing if it is being done in relation to your eventual demise. You can look at it as upgrading, reducing quantity and increasing quality.

My dad is getting up there, and he has a lifetime of collecting stuff. In recent years he has been selling off items he doesn't really need, or others might get more enjoyment from, duplicates etc. He then uses the money to get items he wasn't able to afford before or just uses the money to do something he wants to do but couldn't justify before.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I am in my mid 70s. I rely on a walker when I am out and about. In the shop I have a wheeled chair. I still buy and sell machinery and toolboxes every week. I like to do restorations on special machines and some of them get to stay with me. I just finished a 1940 Ford build. Other than the paint and body-work, I did it all on my own. I have two more truck builds scheduled for the near future. Both of these trucks are IHC from the early 1950s
My family has little or no intention of welling the contents of the shop after I am dead. Well, that is what they say.

 

[sberry]

I wouldn't have it if I didn't need it. If I lived ' n the burbs could easily get by on a single modest car. Electric weed wacker etc. If I won a mega lottery last thing I would buy is tools. I can make a living in that environment with a relative handfull of stuff, a tool belt or small box. Same for doing most work on a decent car.
Absolutely no desire to rebuild rusty cars.

 

[MFolks]

I'm 71,lost my wife of 27 years in Sept.2017, to lung cancer(she smoked from High School,quitting 36 years ago).I was late to marriage,so no kids,I was her 3rd husband (she always said, 3rd times the charm),she was my first wife.

Upon her death,I gave away most of our furniture to people who needed them(sofa,book cabinents,and about $8K of my tools,to prevent my money hungry stepson from taking them to fund his druggie life style).I'm staying with the friend who took a majority of the mentioned items. The tools are badly needed by my friends son who is tool poor,so daily I see many familiar items that used to be in my house,my late wife and I called home in Missouri. To keep the house in my name,I've rented it out,with the people there planning on buying it a a few years.

 

[tfinniii]

Sometimes you have to downsize the living area.

 

[PFSard]

The outbuilding is a combined 4000 sq ft of garage/shop/storage and its full. I wouldn't worry if we had kids to give this stuff to, but all we have are the dogs.

Wow, that' a lot of stuff. No time like the present.

Inventory what you have already. Major stuff and grouped categories. Where is this stuff going when you no longer want to have it?

Any relatively major purchases from here on in, do the same.

It's really easy to accumulate stuff. Guilty as charged. I've been making an effort to stop buying and start unloading. 65 years old.

 

[A**holes Garage]

I'm thinking of that now. Cautious about any major equipment or tool buys, not sure how long I'll be around to use them. Got a **** load of tools I've rarely or never used
When I become immobile or disinterested in fabricating and working with my hands, I'll sell it all or leave it to my nephews and move into a condo, loft, or town home.

 

[finn]

I don’t see the point of downsizing if you have no wife or heirs, unless you are tired of your lifestyle and just want to travel or move to a different locale.

You can’t take your stuff with you when you pass, so who cares what happens to it.

If you are married or have offspring, get your affairs in order while your health is good (something I should be doing), or tell them to have an auction to liquidate your stuff for whatever they can get.

In my case, the kids all have an education and good jobs, and my wife will be ok, so nobody is depending on the sale of my junk and tools to live.

 

[dr_clyde]

I'm a younger guy, and I'm still building my collection, but I've been on the other side of the coin enough times that I have some thoughts.

Age doesn't have as much to do with it as ability and use, IMO. I don't care if you're 95. If you're in the shop everyday, then yeah, keep the tools. If its been years since you've even touched a machine, sell it.

My dad is a hoarder. Not like, newspapers and garbage, but just stuff. Pops lost his job somewhere right around the housing crash in 08, and we had to sell the farm. We had a HUGE auction. Took 2 auctioneers all day to sell all of the lots. And that was just the stuff he decided he could part with.

Today he lives with his wife in a tiny cottage on a lake, but his garage is overflowing, he has a carport full, and 2 storage units. I can't get him to clean out the storage units at the very least. Costs him like $200 a month to keep stuff he doesn't use. I've offered to help him craigslist, ebay, garage sale, whatever. He agrees its a bad thing, but still won't do anything about it.

It runs in our family. His uncle is in his 80s and has a very nice shop with a lot of nice tools, machines and collectibles. When he dies, its going to be a **** show. People are going to come out of the woodwork and the vultures are going to start dive bombing. I would like to buy some stuff from him before he passes on because I know its not going to go well when the day comes and he's not there to make the deal. I pity his daughters and the stress this will cause them.

My point is, take care of it now. Start today. It piles up and becomes a huge hurdle.

I have bad genetics with this. I know the struggle. I have a REALLY hard time trashing anything of conceivable value. I just hate throwing away good things. Donating or selling helps. When I moved shops last, I had to toss some really nice stuff that I simply did not have room for. It was freeing and hurtful at the same time.

My rules are as follows.

It must be used at least once a year to live in the shop. I simply don't have room for stuff that gets used more infrequently than that. The exception is specialty hand and small power tools, as they just go in the box and I have plenty of drawer spaces. I pay X dollars a month for X sq. feet. Each square foot has a monthly cost. If it doesn't earn its keep, she gots to go.

No new projects that are not profitable customer work. I have a few irons in the fire that are enough of a pain. No more. I will just pay the money to buy a new machine or tool. I can't take the time, energy and space to rehab old iron. I love doing it, but the economics just aren't there anymore. If I need one badly enough, the jobs will pay for a good working one. Otherwise, I guess I don't need it.

Two is enough. I pass on tools now if I have two. Some stuff I already have in triplicate. I no longer need 3 full sets of tools. One set for the shop, maybe a set at home of some stuff if needed.

No storage for friends. I have a few friends that pay me to keep stuff with me. They get a pass, because they pay. But I'm not going to store motorcycles, campers and whatever because you chose to live in a subdivision with no land.

 

[Augus7us]

I am in my mid 70s. I rely on a walker when I am out and about. In the shop I have a wheeled chair. I still buy and sell machinery and toolboxes every week.

You are an inspiration sir!

As others have stated, sell of stuff you don't use or need if you want to clean up a bit. Otherwise, plan to either give to family or a friend(s), donate to a club/school/etc or just plan to auction it off. My family used to do auctions full time, they do everything for your widow or whoever. There is no burden that route.

To me life is to short to spend time thinking about what might happen to your tools after you are dead. I'm giving all mine to family and if they don't want them they go to the local blacksmith club. Whatever they don't want can be auctioned off for scholarships to keep the art alive.

-Clint

 

[joe_padavano]

"Downsize"?????

I turned 60 this year, had quintuple bypass nine years ago, and I'm still accumulating projects. I figure I need to live to be about 150 to finish them all. It certainly motivates me to take care of my health. I'm encouraged by the fact that the local grocery store now sells birthday cards for 75, 80, 90, and 100th birthdays. There may be hope for me.

Of course, the downside is that I can't retire anytime soon because I need the income to pay for the projects.

 

[Lahti35]

As mentioned before... when the stuff starts to "own" you.

I downsized a few years ago... felt great and I don't miss the stuff.

That said... my wife knows what to do with the rest when I kick the bucket. All she has to do is call the auctioneer and let them take care of it, then collect the check and go to England or get the yard landscaped or whatever she wants to do with it...

 

[PeterT]

I was thinking about this one as cleaning the garage. In my mid 40's now, I wonder when it's time to stop buying tools, equipment and cars and start to plan for the later years.

The outbuilding is a combined 4000sq ft of garage/shop/storage and its full. I wouldn't worry if we had kids to give this stuff to, but all we have are the dogs.

I've seen what happens when a car collector with no wife/kids passes and the extended family has no clue even where everything is and what it's all worth. At least all my stuff is in 1 place.

I am in the same boat, hard to pass up a good deal on tools (especially USA made tools). I have a 50x100 barn packed with all sorts of stuff that I will never use. I told myself no more. I think I bought them on a urge, maybe I am horder, but selling them is going to be a pain in the ****. Ebay, no thanks I tried selling a few things here and there and half the time they never pay so you have to file a claim and relist, wait a month. Auction, they charge like 50%, flea market, they won't pay what the tools are worth.
So what does one do with 16 Wilton vises or 30 sets of Craftsman pro wrench sets, or 12 anvils.

I don't think I am quite ready to sell, but I am out of the market on buying anymore. I just don't need them and don't know what I will do with the ones I have. It makes thinking about moving one day very difficult and in hindsight if I'd put the money I spent on tools in the bank I wouldn't have 'the problem' of not being portable and wondering what is going to happen to the stuff when I pass

 

[dave_dj1]

Turn in your man card now!
But in all seriousness, I guess as others have said, when you think it's time.
I recently talked to a fellow interested in buying my tractor, he is 74 years old, has 40 something rental properties, a couple of skidsteers, a mini ex, a couple of tractors and a 1 ton. He has no children and has made arrangements for when he passes it will all go to St Judes Hospital, they can continue to rent the properties or sell them off. I asked him if he could adopt me

 

[zkdiesel]

I am in the same boat, hard to pass up a good deal on tools (especially USA made tools). I have a 50x100 barn packed with all sorts of stuff that I will never use. I told myself no more. I think I bought them on a urge, maybe I am horder, but selling them is going to be a pain in the ****. Ebay, no thanks I tried selling a few things here and there and half the time they never pay so you have to file a claim and relist, wait a month. Auction, they charge like 50%, flea market, they won't pay what the tools are worth.
So what does one do with 16 Wilton vises or 30 sets of Craftsman pro wrench sets, or 12 anvils.

I don't think I am quite ready to sell, but I am out of the market on buying anymore. I just don't need them and don't know what I will do with the ones I have. It makes thinking about moving one day very difficult and in hindsight if I'd put the money I spent on tools in the bank I wouldn't have 'the problem' of not being portable and wondering what is going to happen to the stuff when I pass

You sell some of that stuff to me(34) and the up oncoming for a fair price so it will get used. You don’t go dirt cheap, but you don’t go full on crazy high on price and sell it to someone who will use it

 

[Mr_fixit]

never

 

[sberry]

I don't buy cause its a good deal. I got enough hand tools, no more socket sets etc. I had a big purge a year ago, anything that didn't sell went to the dump. I got some filled back up now,,, ha but I built space just for it. I use some. There is a basement on a house, I will walk to it if I need something, shelved it and added 1200 sq ft of shelves in storage building for that type of stuff. I don't want it in my shop, I constantly and compulsively clear stuff that creeps in and isn't going to be used in the near future.

 

[6768rogues]

I am 65 and it just hit me this year that I should get rid of a lot of stuff. I have sold off a number of things. My son owns a dumpster business and I filled a 20 yard, now on my second one. I had so many things that I had forgotten about and that I now realize I will not use. A lot of stuff I kept when we were starting out that now if I need one I will just buy new. I have a project car that I am going to finish and it is the last one. I have a few others that I did over the years and sold one, so now I am down to 3. The 1957 Dodge truck that I will not restore is going up for sale. It is really quite liberating. I go out to my building that is clean and organized, my cars are all clean and parked indoors, and the junk is gone. Our daughter is a tax lawyer in NYC and she has no interest in any stuff. Our son is local but is very successful, has his own stuff, and doesn't need more junk.

 

[rmsg0040]

I am 31 and have been to many estate sales, auctions, seen my grandparents, etc. In the end most of it becomes trash. If I haven't used something in a while, it gets sold off or tossed.

 

[rburke65]

I’ll be 70 in Aug. of ‘18. No children. Wife says ‘you hadn’t better leave me with all your **** to deal with’. So this year I have been selling big stuff....the pickup that’s been sitting in the barn for 28 years, the older extra tractor, a trailer, 5’ snow blower, a scaffold, a J Deere mower. I sold it all quickly. I’ve got so much room in the pole barn now. Love it. Gave stuff to local animal charity for their annual garage sale. Time to declutter!

 

[Kev442]

Yup. Start with a declutter. Every two years I look at every single thing I own one area at a time and something goes. 4 years in, I've gone through everything twice and have about 20% less than 4 years ago. It doesn't have to be some big purge, but you hear over and over on here that they found things that didn't remember buying and have never used or was buried.
Nothing is buried in my life now and I am very aware of what isn't getting used.

 

[Gmonkee]

51 and finally with a small shop of my own. There used to be a bunch of extra wrench sets and incomplete sets I was going to finish and use.
Right. I need 37 wrench sets.. .

First the most conmercial then the loose stuff went. Then all but the antiques and the stuff in regular use.

I don't miss a lick of it and never have been unable to finish a job. Home or at the shop.

It was liberating to be free of the excess weight. The odd sale of something gives up money for lunch and another antique.

 

[BonzoHansen]

I spent years cleaning up from my dad. Tools, projects, all sorts of stuff. Just too much. Future projects on top of future projects. He spent more time looking for projects than actually doing any.

I learned a few things. Don't collect other people’s junk. The more space you have, the more junk you’ll bring home. You dont need a lot of redundant tools. Projects you never start are not projects - its junk.

I’ve gotten rid of a lot of stuff. And there's more to go.

 

[Garett]

Good advice and stories... Declutter is a good start. I did it years ago around the time I had a major surgery, sold my tow truck and got rid or a bunch of cars. Then when I sold my last house I rented it back for 3 months until I found a place, in that time I was taking bed loads of engine and transmissions to the city recycling. I was looking at apartments in the city center then next thing you know I wind up on farmland with a giant space to fill. Being barely 40 at the time I was not in the same mindset and now, heirs were a real possibility then. Unless I can sneak one past her I will once again thin the herd as you say.

 

[ScottsGT]

I often wonder the same thing. I've been stocking up on tools I've been wanting for years, but at the same time I find myself going out of my way avoiding the car work. I really have to think long and hard before buying anything new now.

But I have two boys and one has already laid claim to all of my tools. I have so much that I'm going to have to do the right thing and just divide them up. From mechanics tools, household items to woodworking tools. I have the spectrum covered. But only if they have a place to take care of them. Otherwise they get sold. Oldest bought a home without a garage or any storage space. Youngest is still getting his life in order and rents a room in a house from a homeowner.

One of my hobbies is building large scale plastic models. I have quite the collection of built and still boxed kits. I have told the wife to donate the built models and display case to a local ROTC program. Sell off what you can and then donate the rest. Hopefully I'll build all the high dollar kits before I kick off.

 

[Homerr]

I'm 47 and at that tipping point too. Married, no kids.

In 5 years since buying our house and 760 sf garage I've bought a ton of tools and 4 project cars. I'm left accessing how much time and space everything takes.

I sold one project car that had some rust a few months ago, still have 3. Another project car is a few months from being finished and is not a keeper, it's more of a 'practice restoration' car. The remaining two are the same model, so potentially I could choose between those and keep one. This would give some much needed elbow room and make restoring the last one much more enjoyable.

I have been thinning some tools but mostly leftover building materials. My wife is really gung-ho on our local free-cycle/giveaway FB group, so I've had her post the leftover building materials mostly - the extra pipe, bag of concrete, pavers, etc. and the stuff is gone in hours. I just move something to the alley and she posts for them to pick it up.

I figure I'm comfortably at the point where I can afford another bag of concrete, or whatever, if I need it in the future. I'm stumbling over junk much less now which bumps up quality of life. Very freeing. There's truth in the saying about the stuff we own ends up owning us.

 

[straps57]

Downsize when you own five of the same tool but can't find one because it is hidden behind the 5 other tools that you bought 5 times because you couldn't find the one you needed because it was hidden by the other tool you bought 5 times... who's on first? Getting rid of stuff is easy. Package items into lots with at least one valuable item. One Wilton vice and 37 loose sockets for $80, must take all.

 

[ChaseDE]

I'll be your kid.

 

[FlavortownPublicWorks]

31 here, but thankfully I have a wife that keeps me in check so I don't think it'll ever get too out of hand. If you have too much stuff (that's actually worth something) and you really need to get rid of it, just sell it for cheap. If this **** is weighing you down, and you are afraid it will just get thrown away when you die, just sell it! Even if it's for pennies on the dollar, at least you got some money for it and it didn't end up in a dump immediately after your demise.

 

[Charlie51]

It's time to de-clutter all the time, but it usually takes a crisis (in health, space, moving, life changes, etc.) to act on it.

 

[Tullugeon]

I have thought long and hard about this, I have a file on my desktop titled. When I'm dead. It details anywhere I have money that my wife may not remember.

It details about what I paid for anything I own worth more than about 3-4k. I have a suggested price to take. My wife should not need the money from the junk but you never know.

Things like any life insurance policies are other things to think about, they will not seek out your heir in case of death.

 

[joe_padavano]

Downsize when you own five of the same tool but can't find one because it is hidden behind the 5 other tools that you bought 5 times because you couldn't find the one you needed because it was hidden by the other tool you bought 5 times...

You mean I'm not the only one who does this?

 

[GrayFlattop]

This is something I've thought about, but I continue to purchase. I honestly have all the tools I will ever need - in multiples, but I still enjoy hunting for a good deal. With "retirement" about 5 years off, I am looking forward to the time when I can spend more time in the shop - building things, fixing things, breaking things...

I guess I'm part hoarder / part wanting to be as self reliant as possible. The other thing is as a young married man in my 20's and 30's I really didn't have much money. If I wanted to buy tools, I had to pick-up side jobs to fund them. I probably should have invested in Microsoft or Google, (well, neither was around in my 20's), but no mutual fund or stock purchased in my 40's to now ever really gives me the "joy of ownership". Every tool I have, I think about when and how I bought it. Even a few inherited tools from my father and uncle - they remain precious to me.

I'm also at the financial point in my life where I've been spending a bit on dough on upgrading some of my tools - things like getting a new set of Proto sockets to replace that old mixed-brand collection that had seen better days. Yet I can't seem to part with the old stuff - just yet. Oddly, the new and improved sockets may see little use, but I'm ok with that.

If I had health issues or needed the money, for sure I'd start selling it off. If I should pass on before my wife - we'll that's for her to figure out, but I don't spend much time thinking about that. We have a few friends that can help her out, but if she wants to give it all to an animal shelter to auction or to Habitat for Humanity - that's fine by me, I'll be dead - won't care.

BUT to echo what others have said, if you feel the NEED to downsize, you are already there. We have friends that have done so - and moved to warmer climates, and just dealing with their "stuff" has been a burden. We aren't planning on moving unless we win the lottery or something, so I don't see an overwhelming need. God willing I have another 20-25 years in me. If I spend the first ten of that playing in the shop, I can spend another ten consolidating my tool collections and selling it off or simply giving it away bit by bit.

 

[redmondjp]

I'm turning 53 this week and I'm in the same boat. I'm trying to start de-collecting and simplifying. Heck, yesterday in the garage I just opened a box and found a mystery engine PCM, harness, and airflow sensor. I had no idea what it was for! After googling the number on the PCM, I figured out that it is a 1994 LT1 engine harness that goes to an engine that I sold over 3 years ago! I've been looking for it to give it to the engine purchaser but I suspect by now he has found another and has moved on.

When you can't even remember what you have in your own shop, it means that you have too much stuff. Now I try to label my boxes so at least I know what it is in them.

 

[Falcon67]

I was thinking about this one as cleaning the garage. In my mid 40's now, I wonder when it's time to stop buying tools, equipment and cars and start to plan for the later years.

The outbuilding is a combined 4000sq ft of garage/shop/storage and its full. I wouldn't worry if we had kids to give this stuff to, but all we have are the dogs.

I've seen what happens when a car collector with no wife/kids passes and the extended family has no clue even where everything is and what it's all worth. At least all my stuff is in 1 place.

I'm 62, we just put in a 2 post lift. I still have a long list and have a lot of things. IMHO, what happens when I'm not here is not my problem. One particular goal is to buy and learn TIG before I hit 65 LOL. As for the race cars, etc...well, can't take it so guess I'll just leave it here.

 

[crewchief888]

ive always been kind of a "minimalist", and made do with what i had on hand.

as i got older, i got tired of "fighting" working on a project, i'll buy whatever tool/equipment i need, to a certain point. i turned 60 a few months ago, and decided my "stuff" stays around until i'm no longer able to use it. i dont plan on retiring anytime soon.

harley stays until i decide i can no longer ride it, ive had it since '87

tools ive been accumulating them for over 40 years, both as a machinist and heavy equipment mechanic. and a "crude" woodworker

guns they stay until i'm no longer able to shoot, then the competition stuff and reloading presses are gone....