Decluttering links

[wabmester]

The true pack rat first takes over your den, then your spare bedroom, then the garage, and then begins renting external storage.

The final stage comes when the stuff becomes so old that he opens a museum and charges admission for people to see his hoard.

 

[Jane]

The final stage comes when the stuff becomes so old that he opens a museum and charges admission for people to see his hoard.

Great idea! I shall suggest it to him. Among his "treasures", there is his first computer (commodore or something? I have no idea). How much do you think we can charge people to view that? There is also old speakers he made himself during high school, we can call them "vintage" can't we?

Jane

 

[John Galt]

Hello Jane. The poor guy needs help. I doubt even my
wife would hang onto stuff like that. Maybe though

John Galt

 

[Jane]

Sometimes I wonder if it was his upbringing. His mother is a pack rat too. His parents basement and garage was full of stuff. They seem to never throw out anything. His mom even still has old clothes, books and knic-knacks that used to belong to her 2 grown boys (who moved out long time ago).

Last Christmas my bf's mom gave me this pink bath robe that she used to wear when she was a teenage. That makes it 30+ years old (she gave me other things also). It was neon PINK. I wore it during my stay at her house that Christmas and then I promptly donated it to Salvation Army. I already have a nice bathrobe and pink is not my colour (I know, I know, I am mean, am I not? I'll burn in hell ).

Jane

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Get TH to tell you how much the old computer(s) would bring on eBay (or look it up yourself); see if that would change his mind. Of course, that money has to be invested, not used to buy more CD's!

If his pack-ratting can be confined to one room, you're in luck. My ex filled our back yard when he was suddenly evicted from his rental storage (they were selling the house and the barn had to be emptied). Eventually we were sent a warning for storing junk on the property!

I got rid of THAT clutter in the divorce!

Anne

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

SOMETIMES the really old ones can bring a few bucks if they were something special.

I've had a few that were either still interesting to some cliquey folks (atari 800's, atari ST's) and some that were interesting from a historical perspective and hard to find intact (imsai's, altairs, original IBM PC's, etc).

However unless they're in original and working condition, and include software and manuals (which mine did!), they wont fetch as much.

Oh yeah, and as long as someone doesnt throw them out on you...

 

[Jane]

Even if the oldest computers are up and running with all software intact, don't think I can persuade him to part with them. He is a computer geek and I think all these stuff worth more to him than the money. He talks about putting LINUX on one of them etc. He has plans for them!

I won't throw these stuff away without his permission of course. I am not that heartless. :

Jane

 

[John Galt]

This is an issue my spouse and I may never resolve.
She hangs onto all manner of absolute junk,
usable or not. Now, I know with some folks this
would be endearing. I, on the other hand, am always
alert for ways to eliminate "stuff". Usually by turning it into cash, but also by tossing it out if I can't "make a buck". Several times I have gotten in a bit of trouble
by disposing of some absolutely ghastly object, only
to find myself berated later. Neither of us is likely to change our ways.

John Galt

 

[Marshac]

I have a Commodore VIC-20 (and the orrig box!), a Commodore 64, and a Mac SE in my "old computer" collection.... I would LOVE to get a Mac 128k, but that just doesn't seem to be in the cards..... the Commodores are my favorite, and supposedly there are plans on the internet for an ethernet interface for the C64.... that would be awesome since I could set it up as a webserver.... to 99.9% of the population that would sound amazingly dumb, but to a hardcore geek.... the thought of a C64 serving up webpages makes us feel all warm and fuzzy....