More rules of thumb

[hrj]

One is allowed to discard after 20 years:

• unfinished craft projects of dubious engineering and uncertain utility


• the last two self-adhesive vinyl floor tiles in the box, leftover from a project in an entirely different house


• any broken object that has not yet been repaired

One is allowed to discard after 15 years:

• replacement parts for bicycles that have since been stolen


• short lengths of rope leftover from projects, even though still perfectly good


• leftover hardware from completed projects

One is allowed to discard after 10 years:

• city maps and road atlases


• leftover offcuts of building materials (e.g., mouldings, baseboards, tiles) insufficient for an independent repair project


• tape of any sort (duct, masking, strapping)

One is allowed to discard after 5 years:

• half-used tubes of caulking


• ditto of two-part epoxy


• ditto of any glue or adhesive to which the cap is no longer attached

One is allowed to discard at any time:

• containers of paint that do not slosh when shaken


• any object whose purpose or origin is no longer remembered


• used sandpaper

The second tool cabinet has been moved into position in the kitchen nook and has had its contents sifted and organized. I probably won't get to the last two (including the height adjustment) until Sunday, since I'm rather behind on the regular housework for the week. In order to sustain the power of the incentive, I may not unpack and assemble the new buffet and table until after all other parts of the rearrangement are complete and cleaned up after.

Comments

[madfilkentist]

What, discard old maps that haven't fallen to pieces yet?? You lack the True Packrat Spirit.

[vesilehti.livejournal.com]

Discard... maps? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Ah, but the 10 year limit is approximately when the map has become irrelevant due to road changes.

[loup_noir]

Not the hardware! No! Every weird little screw and widget must be saved so it can multiply with other odd bits and thereby produce a whole mess of screws, washers, strange metal things and brads that are never the right thing for the current project.

Leftover wood bits go into the fire.