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Tonight's Rhetorical Question

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JPSmit

JPSmit

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why is it so hard to put things away and throw things away?

Spent about 3 hours over the last two nights cleaning up the garage. This is basically a summers worth of home renovations - haven't really worked on the cars at all - though I did clean up the project I was working on last spring. (note to self - make notes to self when you take things apart because six months later you won't remember how things go back together even if you think you will.)

Why do I need to keep every box, old nails and screws, piece of cardboard and 3/4 empty tube of caulk - because I might need them. Threw them all away! (good for me) and, even more exciting, threw away some old car stuff - the old upholstery since I get the seats re-upholstered this year. The old upholstery that was literally self destructing. I think I can leave it in the garbage overnight - I really do!

:wall:
 
You're not alone. Anything that I think may even be remotely salvageable or reusable stays in my garage. At one point, I had so many spare bike parts that I literally was literally able to build a bike for my wife using nothing but the spare parts that were cast off from my other bikes. Even now, I have a shelf full of used, stretched chains and worn cassettes thinking that I may be able to salvage them for some reason.

I keep almost anything that I replace from the Sprite, although I finally dumped the old gas tank, exhaust system and a few other parts. I don't know if it is OCD, Frugality or Practicality.
 
Keeping Sprite parts is practical and smart. 3/4 empty tube of caulk however....Let it go.

Old nails? Yes.
Old bent nails that you could straighten and reuse? NO.

See how it works?
 
:iagree:
 
Apparently many of us suffer this malady. Getting Christmas decorations together I found and tossed the old (original?) fuel filter and a brake hose. What was I thinking to have kept them?
 
65_BRG_Sprite said:
Apparently many of us suffer this malady. Getting Christmas decorations together I found and tossed the old (original?) fuel filter and a brake hose. What was I thinking to have kept them?
Click to expand...

I'm just impressed that you would thnk to put an old fuel filter and brake hose on your Christmas tree! Well done!
 
I'm ruthless in the house. My sister in law just found some crap (new) she gave us in the trash. oops
But the garage, seems like I might need everything.
 
I tried throwing away an old boomerang but I can't get rid of it.
 
Wait till you get to be my age (82). I've got stuff going back to the 1950's. VW Rabbit headlights (anybody want them?), screws, bolts, ring compressor, micrometers, UniSyn...but you never know. I found a caged nut just the exact size for the trunk panel holddown after the original one fell down and disappeared into the body panels never to be seen again.
 
AN5Sprite said:
Keeping Sprite parts is practical and smart. 3/4 empty tube of caulk however....Let it go.

Old nails? Yes.
Old bent nails that you could straighten and reuse? NO.

See how it works?
Click to expand...

True, and yes, I have found that nut or screw that just fit - but, I think I am already at a "beyond lifetime supply."
 
JP take pics of everything you take apart so you can see how it goes back together, you do have a phone with a camera ??????
 
weewillie said:
JP take pics of everything you take apart so you can see how it goes back together, you do have a phone with a camera ??????
Click to expand...

I'm sure he does.

Along with that Kodak Brownie he just can't seem to let go.
 
weewillie said:
JP take pics of everything you take apart so you can see how it goes back together, you do have a phone with a camera ??????
Click to expand...

I did...... I took it apart. :whistle:
 
Steve said:
I am the same. Keep any old junk in case it comes in useful in the future, especially old lumber. Forget the fact that I always go out and buy new lumber for any projects I have...
Click to expand...

So it's not just me!!
 
I finally sold off almost all of my Cortina parts that I'd accumulated
in the last 20+ years.I didn't want to be tempted to get another one.
Now I'm trying to sell off all of the odds & ends that I've collected.
Does anyone want to buy -

* New rear seat belts/window mechanisms from a '79 Malabu police car?
* NOS brake booster/new oil pump/master cylinder for a Malibu/etc(?)?
* New wheel cylinders/NOS king pins for an international bus?
* NOS Ford pickup flywheel ?
* Boxes of British misc.car parts?


...... and there's still lots more....


- Doug
 
Good Call Doug! Can't you contact the police deparment and see if they want their seat back? :D

Actually, ebay is probably your friend here - and/or a "service vehicle club" I am on another forum and there is a fellow restoring a Rover Police Car - and he is thrilled to track down stuff - likely there is someone who might be interested in a Malibu Police Car - Or I suppose you could sit in the back and play "Prisoner." :smile:

But, back to the plot.

Just to acknowledge how curious my life is, here is my story for tonight.

1. A month or so back, Princess Auto (Canadian Harbor Freight) had a one day sale on space heaters. By the time I got there they were sold out. Then about two weeks ago, I was driving and saw a portable baseboard heater by the garbage - of course I grabbed it. Tonight I got around to checking it. The cord was shot, so I went down into the basement where I knew I had kept an old cord - grafted it on and .... it still didn't work. Took it apart, found out the "lever" that shuts the unit off if it gets knocked over was stiff. Lubed it and all is good.

2. Then I moved some stuff into and out of the shed - including some extension cords. and a board with three coat hooks on it that had come out of another room. I took the hooks and hung them in the garage for sweaters and coats. And, in so doing found a couple of larger hooks from a long time ago that made great extension cord hangers.

3. I then started getting the MG ready for winter - which included replacing a tenax snap (male side) that had come loose - thank goodness I had a box of nuts and another of washers to repair it.

4. Then I put the top up for the winter I finally got around to making two short straps with snaps on each end to extend the straps normally would wrap around the frame (it's only been that way since 2009) Lucky I didn't throw away those straps when the backpack broke.

So, ever so glad I didn't throw these things away - now to get back to sorting - oh, wait....
 
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