hording Which stuff do you keep?

[GoStormPlays]

As a fellow tech enthusiast, I have a small problem with throwing away tech.

 

I have quite a large amount of tech, and my parents are getting a little annoyed by it-

 

The problem is that I use a lot of the tech that I have for a variety of reasons (a large part of it being that I fix computers and phones, so I need spare parts and the tools to fix them, etc.) and I don't know which of it to get rid of or how to get rid of it properly.

 

What are some ways you guys decide what to get rid of and what not to?

[GuiltySpark_]

Mentally becoming comfortable with the idea that if its been sitting for a year and I haven't touched it, it goes. I just recently moved and purged a shit ton of crap, it feels amazing. 

[paddy-stone]

7 minutes ago, GoStormPlays said:

As a fellow tech enthusiast, I have a small problem with throwing away tech.

 

I have quite a large amount of tech, and my parents are getting a little annoyed by it-

 

The problem is that I use a lot of the tech that I have for a variety of reasons (a large part of it being that I fix computers and phones, so I need spare parts and the tools to fix them, etc.) and I don't know which of it to get rid of or how to get rid of it properly.

 

What are some ways you guys decide what to get rid of and what not to?

I keep some things for a few years, say 5 at most, for usefulness, and only include things like CPU/mobo/ram/psu/case. After that it's unlikely I would ever use it again. I do keep some stuff after the 5 years, depending on what it is, but then it comes down to how much storage space I have left, whether it has a sentimental aspect, or maybe for a server build etc... it's a very complicated process.

 

The only things I regularly throw out are things like power cables, sata cables etc, these can seriously build up over time, and be a big problem... so I generally keep a couple of spares and recycle/give away the rest. I just did that with a huge bin bag full of cables in fact as ti was getting too much again. Plus I used sata components less and less, favouring m.2 instead, so I just keep some sata cables for a server build or 2 and recycle the rest. Same with PSU cables, I have so many of them (all same brand for ease of use), that I just keep the more useful ones.

Seriously I have 4 big fabric boxes full of cables etc. PSU/network/fan-cooling stuff/AV cables. Then the rest of 2 rack systems are full of cases/mobos/gpu/cpu/etc it can get overwhelming pretty fast.

 

My oldest cpu I still have around is 4670k. Ahh hang on, no I still have an i7 2670qm on my old laptop, so that's about 14 years old now I think?  other than those everything is ryzen 1700/ i7 6700k era and better. Everything else got recycled.... only reason I keep the laptop is it's sometimes useful as I only have 2 laptops total.

[GoStormPlays]

1 minute ago, paddy-stone said:

The only things I regularly throw out are things like power cables, sata cables etc, these can seriously build up over time, and be a big problem... so I generally keep a couple of spares and recycle/give away the rest. I just did that with a huge bin bag full of cables in fact as ti was getting too much again. Plus I used sata components less and less, favouring m.2 instead, so I just keep some sata cables for a server build or 2 and recycle the rest. Same with PSU cables, I have so many of them (all same brand for ease of use), that I just keep the more useful ones.

Seriously I have 4 big fabric boxes full of cables etc. PSU/network/fan-cooling stuff/AV cables. Then the rest of 2 rack systems are full of cases/mobos/gpu/cpu/etc it can get overwhelming pretty fast.

Yeah I could probably get rid of some of my cables.. I have way more than I need lol

[Average Nerd]

33 minutes ago, GoStormPlays said:

What are some ways you guys decide what to get rid of and what not to?

My thought process is usually:

1) How long has it been since I used it?

2) Would it be difficult to get another?

3) How high are the chances I will ever need it?

 

If the answer to 1) is "a long time", the answer to 2) is "not especially" and the answer to 3) is "low", it goes.

[jaslion]

Has it been used for a year?

No.

Is it something dummy expensive?

No.

Is it something I need in a niche situation that very rarely pops up?

No.

 

If all 3 it goes.

 

If a yes on one of these I debate its staying power.

 

A way I often get rid of a lot is just chuck some decent stuff in a box and a lot of random crap like cables, list it online for cheap and then have someone pick it up. Now its their problem

 

 

[manikyath]

The konmari method.

 

you dont clean up by deciding what to toss away, you clean up by deciding what to keep based on one question:

"does this item spark joy?"

 

that term is a very japanese mindset though.. so i often just refer to "does owning this improve my life , at least equal to how much space it takes up?"

 

or in other words.. what it comes down to is.. 'making the decision' to throw things away is hard. making that a decision to keep something makes the "dispose" option much easier.

[da na]

Instead of throwing things away, give them away. Puts the mind at ease knowing something you like is going to another (hopefully loving) home rather than into the landfill. I'm moving, have way too much old garbage, I've given some of it away locally and reached out to a few people on the forum to offer free stuff as well. Much easier to get rid of things you don't need knowing someone else might be able to make use of it.

[atxcyclist]

It can be really difficult, I have problems throwing things out or giving them away, because I rationalize keeping things like old computers because 'what if' there's a time I need it. Case in point: The server at my office nosedived some years back and I had to get something back in service over a weekend, and I had all the parts at home to make it happen. It's probably just reinforcing bad habits, but the way I see things is it saved my bacon many times, so in the back of my mind I always wonder if tossing something will put me in a jam later. It doesn't help that I'm the repair guy in my immediate family and for many of my friends in terms of computers, cars, motorcycles, and even bicycles, so I've accumulated so much stuff over the years it's ridiculous.

 

So the answer to the question of which stuff do I keep? Seemingly everything, haha.

[Brian McKee]

On top of throwing away things, simply organizing your stuff can help a lot. Proper labeling and storage goes a long way. I don't know how much stuff you have but this is always worth doing even if you do end up throwing away some stuff.

[TetraSky]

I used to keep old parts. I realized I had a problem. I had not used any of it in years.

Now I don't.

 

Today, the only part I have left over is my old HD7970 GPU.

Mainly because I can't really sell it... Since I had modified it and it's not supported anymore.

[GoStormPlays]

3 hours ago, atxcyclist said:

So the answer to the question of which stuff do I keep? Seemingly everything, haha.

That’s somewhat my problem- I use most of the tech that I have on a constant basis because of the type of work I do lol. Granted, there is stuff I can throw away. 
 

I mean, you need a lot of stuff when you’re into Computer repairs and building, phone repairs, phone rooting, and gaming lolll

[rikitikitavi]

Limit it to 1-2 mid.sized boxes.

If something doesn’t fit -> donate/recycle

[Kisai]

On 5/3/2024 at 6:35 AM, GoStormPlays said:

As a fellow tech enthusiast, I have a small problem with throwing away tech.

 

I have quite a large amount of tech, and my parents are getting a little annoyed by it-

 

The problem is that I use a lot of the tech that I have for a variety of reasons (a large part of it being that I fix computers and phones, so I need spare parts and the tools to fix them, etc.) and I don't know which of it to get rid of or how to get rid of it properly.

 

What are some ways you guys decide what to get rid of and what not to?

Well, ideally you donate the stuff you have but haven't actually used, and don't see any foreseeable use for.

 

Like you can keep a computer around that has a CD/DVD-R and 5.25" and 3.5" floppy drives and save that as the "reads everything going back to the 8088" PC, and let the retro enthusiasts take everything older than a Pentium 4 off your hands. Everything newer than a Pentium 4 but older than a Core i series before 8000 you should just donate to something like freegeek or another company that reuses computers / lets people build their own stuff they can then take home.

 

Basically if it won't run Windows 11, and you don't need the media drives, donate it. Only something like a Tandy 1000 / Amiga 500 / Apple IIgs / C64 I would even advocate to "keep one" for fun. But even then basically anything older than a 486 can be FPGA emulated and keeping around legacy hardware that you don't have a large software library for is a bit silly.

 

We will eventually hit a point where anything that has DDR/DDR2/DDR4/DDR4 is considered "worthless" as far as reuse goes, since they're too old to run Windows 11, and without being able to run 11, you have to put Ubuntu or something on it for it to have any value.

 

[Needfuldoer]

*Looks around at hoard of computer junk*

 

What is this "get rid" of which you speak?

[loony979]

Corsair air 540 case sitting here.

ASUS Z270 Prime-AR 7600k DDR4 ram in it as well & the cpu block in it, in the box. ( thinking of a server build not sure yet or win 7 build ) for DRM Games. Damn you Windows.

spare water cooling parts. ( kinda need them tho )

Case fans.

Cables.

Just found a P8Z77-V LK.

i Just chucked out about 15 Bitfenix fans as i loved those fans, they looked amazing.

was using them fans for the p8z77 I5 3570k build back in the day. Wish i kept the cpu & ram for that.

Ive done a nerdy speadsheet with Wordpad PC Parts List 1. So i can keep track of what ive got. Saves looking around & can save money as well. Oh ive all ready got that damn it. I dislike that happening to me so it's the reason i do that. Not sure if i can share that in here. mehh nvm.

[Dedayog]

On 5/3/2024 at 10:04 AM, GoStormPlays said:

Yeah I could probably get rid of some of my cables.. I have way more than I need lol

There is your obvious starting point.  Identifying what you have vs what you need.

 

You know what to do, you just need to do it.

 

Also, put a good bit of energy into realizing it's not your house, it may be your home, but it's not your house.  Use that as impetus to pare down a little since other people live there and pay for your "storage".

[Erioch]

3 hours ago, Dedayog said:

On 5/3/2024 at 8:04 AM, GoStormPlays said:

Yeah I could probably get rid of some of my cables.. I have way more than I need lol

There is your obvious starting point.  Identifying what you have vs what you need.

I will NEVER part with my round ide cables!  NEVER!