Disclaimer: if you're the type that doesn't like a lot of "junk" laying around this post isn't for you :)

I believe part of prepping is being resourceful and being able to re-purpose things.  To help me get an idea of what I could re-purpose an item for I like to think "what if someone had this item XXX years ago" . For example I have these five lbs tubs that hold protein powder, they are black and a pretty thick plastic with a tight fitting lid.... off the top of my head I can't think of much a use, but then I like to think "what if someone had this black plastic tub with a lid 300 years ago, what all could they use it for that would make their lives easier" and all of a sudden tons of ideas come to mind.

We live in a pretty wasteful society, thinking along these lines helps me not be as wasteful.  Thinking like this also makes me realize how far we've come, that free flashlight you got.... ink pen... junk knife, etc would all be pretty valuable items not to far back in history.

As said this approach isn't for everyone, but next time you're about to throw something out think "what if" and you might realize it has value.

I've often heard our modern society described as  'disposable'.
2 criteria I use to help me decide if I want to keep something are:
How much space does it take up?
How much does it weigh?

i repurpose to save money or be creative.



old antique captians/sea chest 4ft by 3 ft deep by that wide... its in the corner of my living room,,with family pictures on top. a all of out BOBS in it.

a traded out euro weapons crate. looks like it could hold 4-8 AKs- it sits next to my front door, holds all of our boots/shoes. if company comes over we close the lid- good conversation piece actually lol .

a busted hand made chest..cheap gate hardware for handles etc,,. found it by the road. removed smashed lid...cleaned it up. put a butcher block style pondarosa pine slab on it,,weathered/stained to match. instant coffee table.inside is all our movies/cds/etc.

wood from a futton. this was a bunch of 1x4's strung up with cotton tape, almost like an old rope ladder.

removed tape,got 2 2x4's..cut and nailed. instant 4x4x15 deep raised bed....found by the trash as well.



ive found quite a few treasures by checking out a box etc by our compactor at work.......

like a whole set of bdus and desert combat boots...

There is definitely a lot out there if you look..... maybe you get a generator that has some lumber supporting it during shipping.  That lumber could be used a backer to screw something to a material that otherwise wouldn't support it instead of going out and buying lumber.  Or that same generator might have heavy duty zip ties securing it, if you think ahead of time to cut them at the base you'll have a heavy duty zip that  can be used again.  Just stuff like that to consider, as mentioned the thought experiment I use as a last ditch effort if I'm thinking something can be re purposed but nothing is coming to mind.

Not to hijack my own thread but another thing that's kind of relating (haven't tried myself but know it happens) I was reading an article about a guy that make more dumpster diving than he does from his IT security job.  What it revolved around it stores throwing out older model equipment, maybe return items, etc. He goes around nightly to places like best buy, staples and stuff and will find radios, printers, all kind of things thrown away.  I know this to be true because I have a friend that use to work for a place that delivered good via semi, if the boxes were damaged or whatever else the stores would reject.  Long story long it would cost more to ship them back so they'd be told to just destroy them.... were talking stuff like whole house generators, large HDTVs, or even stuff like t shirts and underwear.  I've been tempted one night to go explore myself just to see what I might find.

In my experience, this kind of thinking causes more hoarding problems than it solves. I've had to learn to throw out coffee cans and to purchase pretty containers that fit with my decor. It makes my house look less like a crazy gun nut lives in it and it keeps me from hanging on to crap "just in case".

As I said it's not for everyone, and I'll admit I do hold on to some things that I probably should throw away. I'm not suggesting people hoard, just don't instantly throw things away. Also when I do the "what if" exercise, I still might throw it away....just keeps me in the mind set of thinking outside the box, what if someone had this item 300 years ago could just as easily be what if I had this item after a complete collapse

if it hasn't moved in two years, you don't need it.  sell it or chuck it.

ar-jedi

This is a hard one for me.
There was a time when I was going to different countries with just a backpack and a duffel bag.  I mean over a period of years, not a 1 month vacation.  Over time I ended up in the US with an apartment, then a condo, then a house.  It was nice having luxuries and conveniences but the places themselves demanded stuff to maintain them.
I've got a pretty nice place in the mountains now but too much stuff.  More than I would like anyway.  A lot of it is "good stuff" like multiple kayaks and mountain bikes, skis, snowboard, outdoor gear.  A lot of it is just in case stuff too though and even some clutter.  I don't like clutter but it seems like I always have some.  I guess some of it could be useful rather than clutter so it depends how you define it.
I've got a good friend who I believe is a clinical hoarder.  They have so much clutter that it affects/impairs some aspects of day to day living.  Just the cardboard boxes alone take up most of a spare room and are, in my opinion, a fire hazard.
I think in a lot of cases the extra stuff I have could be helpful in certain emergencies.  On the other hand having too much stuff can sometimes mentally tie you down and affect your decision making process.
I read some of the minimalism stuff online and there are some interesting ideas but a lot of it seems like a game.  Hipsters trying to live with an arbitrary number of items.  I lived with less items than in their games for quite a while traveling.  For actual reasons.
For me I look at it as a balance between my needs/wants and the possessions I have to meet those needs/wants.  It's a two sided equation like dirtbike performance.  You can increase horsepower or make it lighter.  Making it lighter makes it go faster *plus* it is more nimble.  I try to have fewer needs (or fewer perceived needs I guess) and wants so I don't have to have as much stuff.
How does this tie in with preparedness or survival for me?  I guess having fewer needs you've got a good handle on might make it easier to meet those needs.  That's mainly what survival is to me.  A lot of the extra stuff seems like a security blanket sometimes.  Now I haven't lived through the depression or anything like that...but I have lived in some shit-hole countries with nothing but what I had in a backpack and duffel bag.
I do a lot of craigslisting, salvation army, etc.






 

Yeah, I'm more worried about ending up as a hoarder than wishing I had an extra 17 margarine tubs.

Obviously, there is a happy medium, but I'm in the middle of a move and find myself saying "Why the hell did I keep this?" more than I ever said "Glad I kept this."

I've got plenty of coffee cans if you ever need any `Snow.

Protein tubs.  Find a use for them.  It lets you keep them and they are not a waste of space.



I used to keep empty brass in cardboard boxes.  Over time cardboard degrades.  So now the brass actually lives in nicer containers but they are containers that have other uses if the time comes.  From ammo cans sitting empty to metal coffee cans to whatever, the cardboard goes and the good container gets used.



And while I do understand about the metal coffee cans, I tend to buy them for my coffee and I am not all that picky about what is in it.  As long as price is in range with plastic or cardboard junk and the coffee is not some weird flavored whatever, I want the metal can when I get done with the coffee.  I drink a lot of coffee, so not very picky.



I don't fully agree on the use it in x amount of time or get rid of it.  Supplies of stuff you use is something to consider.  Reloading components found on sale, screws or nails or other hardware you will put to use later, that sort of stuff is useful to a point.  I no longer dismantle everything and try to save every screw, wire, switch, and whatever else.



For the past couple years I got on a project binge somewhat and have been using a lot of my stuff up on this and that.  Some worked and some did not and as usual some stored stuff was not able to be used how I wanted or it was not able to do the job and died.  Electrics die with sparks and smoke.  Scrap metal just fails.

VERY fine line between hoarding and keeping useful items. I teeder back and forth .

I've gone both routes.  

If you have the room to stash and not be a bother or a mess, go ahead.  My mind is on a recent garage journal thread where I saw a guy who was pretty good at organization.   He kept his "junk" of usable stuff in rubbermade totes all organized. A lot of it was metal for projects, wiring, pulleys, etc.  The man was a craftsman from the stuff and his shop was neat as a pin.  He was a bit of a welder as well as woodcrafter so the bits and pieces he saved were fodder for more projects.  A lot of his shop itself was built from his junk and was all finished off and well painted.  Maybe not a perfect showroom garage like nascar garages but very good looking.   if any of you folks look at the reloading forum's picture threads on reloading room/bench construction, it's like some of the OCD setups.  

I just moved twice in the last year or so.  I got rid of a lot of junk.  Some of it now that I'm settled I could be using but it was bulk and weight at the time of the move.  My house living area I try to keep pretty spartan with it's furniture and decoration.  It's cleaner and more peaceful to me.  I grew up in house where my mother was a shop aholic and had all the closets filled, the fridge literally overflowing, and the cupboards so full you couldn't find stuff.  (a lot of stuff was wasted and expired to boot).   I can't live like that.    That said, my basement workshop/laboratory/mancave  can be one cluttery, disorganized and saw dust covered enterprise.  (still a lot of stuff to do since the move re the workshop)

Re using all that stuff is thrifty and better for the bottom line.  That said, I'm not as clear a thinker/organizer as the Garage Journal thread guy and I have my share of half way done projects as it stands.

My wife tends to throw stuff out. I tend to hoard. The debate between us tends to land us in a good middle ground.

There is a pretty fine line indeed.

Exactly this

I'm a hoarder, from a long line of hoarders: have cars/trucks/boats/tractors etc laying around that haven't moved in decades.

Seems every time I get rid of something, even if it has sat there for decades, I need it the day after I got rid of it.
Never again!

My wife holds on to trash, claims it's recycling, but I live in a house overloaded with this crap she won't just toss. I have fought with her on this so much it makes me sick. I'm a neat freak. She is not. I'm Felix and she is Oscar from the Odd Couple. Hard to live long term with this situation.

I'm a machinist so I hoard raw materials. If I can make something useful out of it later it often gets saved. More along the lines of pieces of metal, hardware, and stuff like that. I had some pieces of light weigh angle iron that came with something I bought and they ended up holding a couple old windows together in my house while I save up to replace them. I rarely regret having steel or aluminum I can machine into something useful.

Sheesh... I'm a minimalist,  currently going through another round of decluttering. I had bought two of the Walmart glass oil lamps and some lamp oil. Used one once. Call me crazy,  but I prefer to have battery operated lights. Found someone who wants the lamps and lamp oil,  so they're not going to waste.

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I live on a farm, so I have plenty of room. I keep everything that I may have a use for one day.

My rifle and it's ammo haven't moved for two years. Neither has my car battery charger or my backup heating (kerosene heater). Guess it's time to chuck it out. It's sure be a shame if I needed any of them next month though, wouldn't it?

Reductio ad absurdum

I struggle with this sometimes, as I don't like to throw away any "good stuff."  Only problem is my use of the term "good stuff" can be very objective...

I always save tools, and try to save nuts, bolts, small brackets, little odds and ends that can be re purposed when fixing or building something.  I have a motorcycle, couple four wheelers, a few snowmobiles, so all that stuff comes in handy as I do all my own work from rebuilding motors, annual service etc.  I tend to save anything that will assist me in impromptu field expedient repairs, parts or whatever.  I have a few large organizational bins in my small tool shed so I am able to keep that kinda stuff some what organized.  I guess if that big wall hanging compartment bin fills up I will have to re-evaluate.  

Another thing I have noticed is the amount of prep items accumulating.  I have several stack able tool boxes each dedicated to specific tasks.  Tape and glue...  Flashlights and batteries... Blades...  All things that will eventually get used, but I have pretty much set limits at this point, and have stopped spending money on anything more of what I already have.  I have set some goals to stop spending/ collecting and start using.  One thing though, I am very organized and know what I have, and where it is for the most part.

Other then a few bits, odds and ends I don't have much attachment to any my "stuff," other then for utility, usefulness, or monetary/ barter value.  I have no problem selling or trading anything I have as long as its not for a loss, and can utilize the funds elsewhere.  I will part with about 90% of my stuff for the right price or trade!

Example, I have enough outdoor/ bushcraft/ survival gear to outfit half a dozen guys and still have a kit leftover for myself.  I wouldn't be surprised if that's true for many on this forum.

Blanket statements such as "If I haven't used it in 2 years, it gets thrown out," are rarely effective arguments. There are way too many exceptions to this, especially here in SF, to make it workable. An example would be my two closets of LDS #10 cans of provisions that have a shelf life of 10+ years. Certainly you don't advocate me tossing them out. Of course not. I fully understand what the message is, might even agree to an extent, however, there has to be a better way to say this to make it a more compelling truism.

Yep. Some of mine I've decided to part with and am trying to sell either here, or on Craigslist or whatever.

Just because something was valuable 300 years ago doesn't mean it's valuable today.  A plastic water bottle would have been handy as hell, in a SHTF situation, they still are.  They are also ubiquitous and if you need one, they are easy to find.  No need to stash them away.  How many knives does someone really need? I have a bunch of good knives, what good is one or two more free ones from HF that are likely to break under serious use... possibly causing an injury that is far more of a danger in a survival situation.

I do see your point, and agree that a lot of what we discard could have been amazing a few centuries ago.  I just think that a lot of what we throw out really isn't worth keeping.  Very few people have truly unlimited space, and the time spent organizing and stocking things away in a manner that allows them to be used could be better spent doing something else.  

I was about to reorganize my small parts storage a few months ago.  I had been collecting fasteners over the years, and decided to consolidate things. I looked at a ll the cans and organizers and said screw that.  Instead, I did the stuff around the house I planned to do over the weekend, told the boss I would work Sunday, and used the extra money to buy a few nut and bolt sets.  I ended up with a couple extra hundred bucks, a bunch of scrap to drop off on my way home from work, and a much more well organized and compact set of hardware ready for the next time I need it.

This.  I have moved 3x in the past few years.

Amazing what I have thrown out....

I didn't really intend for this to be a thread about if you should hoard stuff or not, just to give people an idea they might want to try out if they are trying to come up with a use for something.  From what I've read everyone has valid points and it highlights the fact that everyone has their own opinions on what kinds of items to keep..... I'll admit I probably hold onto more than I should, but on the reverse side I'm a single guy with a four bedroom full basement house (I know I know that can get into a whole other discussion) I have plenty of space to store stuff so I'm going to :)

Me too

I always really look at something before I throw it away. If it has nut, bolts, brackets, wire ect. I strip it and save it.

My mom and my wife's mom can't throw shit away, hence they have crammed their houses with stuff.

TWo years of sitting it gets 1 month to sell or give away then it gets tossed out.

I way several factors for the save or pich. Size, replasment time and cost.

I live in 700 sq ft, an upgrade from my last place that was less than 200. It's not Spartan enough and I'm about to spring clean and toss the hell out of it.

Different strokes for different survival nuts.

This is the most profound thing ever typed by BES.        

OP's philosophy is how I was raised.     It's important if you're in the middle of a World War, but it's a detriment in our modern society.

It's a disease I fight against daily.    Sometimes I Win, sometimes I lose.        

I'm very grateful that my wife is a normal card carrying member of the disposable society.

I think this would be ideal, but often it is hard to part with stuff that maybe you used to use a lot but not anymore.  And then, just the other day I ended up using something that I had saved but hadn't used in years - came in very handy.

My thoughts are that if it is well organized, not in the way, and has the REAL possibility of being useful, then keep it.

with vey few exceptions, this is the rule in our house.

Yeah, for sure This. I don't know why it always happens, or if I'm being fooled by randomness. But damn, it always seems to go that way.

Some people have to be really aggressive in getting rid of stuff.   It just comes down to being honest with yourself about using it later.

Amem brother.

Everything in my house pays rent for the space it takes.

It works in retail, as in my life.

Man, that's a pretty dangerous mentality that could end up in some serious compulsive hoarding. Start piling up all the stuff that could be useful for this or that and you'll have junk all around you in no time.
I think that a far better approach is avoid buying stuff you dont need in the first place. You end up saving a ton of money that can be put to better use, such as having plenty of savings for dealing with problems in the future.
FerFAL

Now here's the question. If you end up throwing something out because you haven't used it in awhile, and then need it later and re-buy it because you needed it, should you throw it out again? Or does it deserve its space in the corner this time?

There's two criteria I follow: Have I used this in the past 6-12 months or even known it was there? No? Disposable. Secondly, "can I repurpose or sell this?" No? Into the trash. Otherwise hoarding becomes an issue and I abhor a mess. I have that tendency with paperwork :(

The guy who said retail stores make their items pay for space has a good concept.



If you can cheaply and easily replace the item and its use is not immediate, no biggy to let it go.



But if I don't use the toilet plunger for 2 years, I still want it there when something backs up on me in the middle of the night.



Lots of folks write about putting stuff in storage.  That monthly cost really shows what gets used and what does not, and what money saved could cover for stuff you actually do use.



I am messing around with my clutter but a lot of my stuff is getting upgraded.  Better propane grill for outside needs a tad bit of work.  Old one probably going to someone who will use some elbow grease and junk parts to make my old one better and he will sell it for a bit of money.  Not going to get much, but he is always fixing and flipping stuff.  



I will keep the old propane tank, can't really have too many of those as far as the numbers go for what I have available.



Not going to try to save a regulator or soso burner or cheap metal or this or that.  Let it all go on down the road, except the tank which I will use for the propane grill, or buddy heater, or some of the other propane stuff I have.





 

You should live on a ranch way (I mean WAY) out of town.  You (that would be me) use stuff that most others think of as 'junk'.  Believe me, I can patch pipes with pieces of tire inner tube and bailing wire.  I suspect the original question depends on your (or mine) situation .............