This is why I'm a packrat

[clutchdust]

The Mrs and I live in a very small, very crowded house. It doesn't help that we're both "packrats", we can't seem to throw anything away that we may have the slightest possible use for in the future.
In my quest to break myself of this habit I have decided that I will throw things away unless I absolutely know I will need it in the future. And so that bit me in the ass the other day.
I really enjoy skating for exercise. I had a really cheap pare of inline hockey skates I bought years and years ago. About two weeks ago I was out skating and just couldn't seem to get the right boot tight enough and couldn't figure out why. When I called it a day and took the skates off I noticed the heal of the boot was actually separating from the frame. Skates are toast. I stripped off all the reusable stuff like the wheels and bearings and throw the old skates in the trash. I think to myself "hey, those laces are still in really good shape, I should save them". (see where this is going?)
They sit on top of one of my trash buckets for about two weeks. Then last week I ran across a decent set of rollerblade skates in a garage sale for $20. I snatch them up, even though they're not really my style. I just prefer hockey or speed skates. (don't get ahead of me)
So now I have my $20 replacement skates. I try them but I really don't care for them all that much.
In the meantime, the trash truck comes and dumps my cans, including the one with the skate boots with good laces.
Just on a whim I check craigslist and there is a guy advertising a NIB set of Nike/Bauer inline skates. I talk to him and it turns out they're a half size too large for him and he's had them for a year just sitting in a closet. I go buy them but for some reason the laces are all fuckered up!
Of course, living in the hottest part of satan's crotch hockey skates, and laces, are next to impossible to find on a store shelf. I'm going to have to buy some from Amazon.
:clobbered:

 

[mrvette]

My wife is that way, she goes walking through the burb in the AM for exercise, and so on trash days, Wednesday, she finds all the junk on the curb, and sometimes bee lines it home to get the car and pick it up....or drags it home by hand....she has a thing for old chairs, wooden ones......:crutches:

 

[DC3]

I can sympathize. I'm like my Dad. Not quite a pack rat but we both liked to keep things that might come in handy down the road. Seems like every time I throw something away or make a donation of goods, it's not long before I discover I shouldn't have.

But, I've recently started a new thing. I'm going through my entire house, attic, and storage building and pretending I am moving. The premise is: "Is this something worth moving across the country?". If I haven't used something in eons, it gets tossed, sold or donated. I only save things I know I will use or things that will potentially save me money.

Speaking of donating goods, I've stopped doing business with Goodwill. One of their drivers refused to accept a donation of a nearly brand new evaporative cooler window unit and a pair of very good water skis. He made all kinds of excuses but was basically just lazy and didn't want to deal with making room on his truck. I even offered to load and rearrange his truck for him but he still refused. The local head of Goodwill has so far not responded to my emails and phone messages about the situation so I've written them off.

DC

 

[mrvette]

I can sympathize. I'm like my Dad. Not quite a pack rat but we both liked to keep things that might come in handy down the road. Seems like every time I throw something away or make a donation of goods, it's not long before I discover I shouldn't have.

But, I've recently started a new thing. I'm going through my entire house, attic, and storage building and pretending I am moving. The premise is: "Is this something worth moving across the country?". If I haven't used something in eons, it gets tossed, sold or donated. I only save things I know I will use or things that will potentially save me money.

Speaking of donating goods, I've stopped doing business with Goodwill. One of their drivers refused to accept a donation of a nearly brand new evaporative cooler window unit and a pair of very good water skis. He made all kinds of excuses but was basically just lazy and didn't want to deal with making room on his truck. I even offered to load and rearrange his truck for him but he still refused. The local head of Goodwill has so far not responded to my emails and phone messages about the situation so I've written them off.

DC

Goodwill is a FOR PROFIT ENTERPRISE, do a Google on them for % of income going to charity work.....0% they owner keeps all the money he makes, and has connections in DC making sure he keeps his tax status, wonder what HE kicks back to the power structure???

:flash:

 

[BBShark]

I have the same disease!

 

[mrvette]

I have the same disease!

BET ODDS, MY garage/storage/'workshop' area is infinitely messier than yours....

post up man, this is turning into a post-off, and I BET I win.....U ain't SEEN a pile of shit, till you seen MY pile.....

:smash::thumbs:

 

[DC3]

I BET I win.....U ain't SEEN a pile of shit, till you seen MY pile.....

I'd be surprised if anybody takes that bet. If this was high school, you would have already been voted as "most likely to have the messiest pile of shit" workshop.

:harhar:

Dang, I owe you a beer after that one. :beer:

DC

 

[mrvette]

I BET I win.....U ain't SEEN a pile of shit, till you seen MY pile.....

I'd be surprised if anybody takes that bet. If this was high school, you would have already been voted as "most likely to have the messiest pile of shit" workshop.

:harhar:

Dang, I owe you a beer after that one. :beer:

DC

Thanks for the accolades......:thankyou::thankyou::thumbs:

 

[clutchdust]

I BET I win.....U ain't SEEN a pile of shit, till you seen MY pile.....

I'd be surprised if anybody takes that bet. If this was high school, you would have already been voted as "most likely to have the messiest pile of shit" workshop.

:harhar:

Dang, I owe you a beer after that one. :beer:

DC

OK, we all post "LOL" at a funny post, but I really did laugh out loud. Have to go get a paper towel and wipe the cheereos off my screen.

 

[73 Mike]

OK, we all post "LOL" at a funny post, but I really did laugh out loud. Have to go get a paper towel and wipe the cheereos off my screen.

Me too, but I was eating cheese. Might have to pressure wash the iPad.

I was never a terrible packet until a few really spectacular saves by stuff that I hadn't thrown away yet.

Probably the kookiest was when I found a service manual in a box for an old Massey Harris tractor that we had years ago. These things were built in the late 40s and early 50s but many are still in service. I went to toss it in the garbage,and it kind of "stuck" in my hand. Instead, I put it on eBay and sold it or nearly $100. What's more, minutes later I got emails from two other people asking how much I'd charge to send them copies.

I've had a tough time tossing crap since then. eBay may be full of junk, but if I'm selling, then that's ok!