Anyone else think they know what they have and "lose" things like a big transformer?

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Wellington

Do elaborate further please, because I'm always interested in decluttering techniques. I understand the Kondo technique involves grasping each item and asking oneself if it "sparks joy" – is that what you did? In my case, I imagine it would be pretty difficult since I love lots of vintage stuff, if only for the mere fact it survives

My approach is to hold a thing, look at it, and ask:

Have I used this thing in the last six months?
Will I use it in the next six months?
Does it work?
Am I likely to get it to work in the next six months?
Would I pay someone else real money to store it for me?

If the answer to two or more of those questions is 'no' then I get rid of it .

[DMcMahon]

I wish I could be that disciplined, like many people I keep almost everything for a long time if not for ever, then later have terrible problems finding any of it when I actually need it !

David

[Richardgr]

Originally Posted by Pfraser

...

Humorous, practical suggestions: Learn to dowse! It's not only for finding water.

Stand in the centre of the room(s) where the missing item is most likely to be. Politely and clearly ask for its return.

Toss another one over your shoulder and see where it ends up?

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

If the answer to two or more of those questions is 'no' then I get rid of it .

The answer to all five would be 'no' for about 80% of what's here, but I'm having the time of my life and am grateful every day for being able to live among it all: so maybe I'm mistaken and my answer to the first question should be 'yes' for pretty much everything.

Paul

[TonyDuell]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

My approach is to hold a thing, look at it, and ask:

Have I used this thing in the last six months?
Will I use it in the next six months?
Does it work?
Am I likely to get it to work in the next six months?
Would I pay someone else real money to store it for me?

If the answer to two or more of those questions is 'no' then I get rid of it .

That would not work for me.

There is at least one thing in my house that I have never used and hope never to use. But I sure as anything am keeping it -- and easily to hand. I refer to the fire blanket in the kitchen.

More seriously I have plenty of very specialised tools that I use only occasionally. But many of them would be very difficult, not to say expensive, to replace.

I've also got many projects that are not completed. Some have been sitting around for 10 years or more. But one day I'll decide that's just what I want to work on now, so will get it onto the bench.

'Does it work?' I have actually not bought radios, etc because they do work. There is no interest in a working radio. The fun for me is repairing it.

I also could not live without books. Period. There must be many thousands of books, service manuals, technical notes, etc on the shelves here. I do not want it any other way. I don't have television (and don't want it). If I want to relax, I read.

And to return to this thread, yes, I do sometimes (but less often than you might think) manage not to find something. I have also found things that I've forgotten I had -- the 'worst' being a PDP11 computer (albeit a fairly small version in a 4-slot Q-bus backplane)

[Valvepower]

Well, it happened yesterday... Whilst looking for something else, I found the Revox F36 manual I'd been looking for a few months ago.

Terry.

[The Philpott]

One of my most common brain fades is knowing i've got at least 3 cans of something, only to find i've only got 2....and one of them is half full while the other's nearly empty.

I'm fortunate to be able to 'home in' on items to the extent that there's four places that they could possibly be and it's just a matter of time before they wave the white flag. I think there's an element of photographic memory in there as well, which is dead handy when the workshop has become a total midden and desperately needs re-doing. Bring on the weekend..

Dave

[factory]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

My approach is to hold a thing, look at it, and ask:

Have I used this thing in the last six months?
Will I use it in the next six months?
Does it work?
Am I likely to get it to work in the next six months?
Would I pay someone else real money to store it for me?

If the answer to two or more of those questions is 'no' then I get rid of it .

Well 'no' would apply to almost all of my radios for the first two and many more the next two.....

David

[MostlyHarmless]

Originally Posted by stevehertz

You're talking to someone who leaves their front door, takes two paces and then has to go back to check if I locked it. But yes, that has happened to me loads of times; pairs of speakers, even complete radios.

I had to laugh at your post, every time i leave my lockup/workshop i have to go back and check i locked it, even stopping and getting out of the car to check....

[Joe_Lorenz]

I have got lots of bits and pieces from radio and TV sets that I believe I am probably never be going to use. But my sons occasionally surprise me with questions like "Didn't you have a 1970 NOS Philips cassette player chassis? I need the heads!"

It may take a while to locate it but I am always glad if I can help this way.

Joe

[Sideband]

I do lose stuff but most frustratingly (and nothing to do with electronics) I've lost a large envelope that contained all the paperwork for my car including the registration documents. I know where it was and I put the last service document in with everything else. It has vanished! I wanted to check something a few weeks ago and searched high and low for it. Absolutely no idea where it could be. I bet when I request a new registration document, I'll find the original envelope with everything in it...!

[Chris55000]

. . .I've mislaid at least three oscilloscopes, three audio oscillators and TWO Expensive Philips CTV Pattern Generators that I know I bought as they're on my eBay Purchase History List, and I know I've not passed them on or taken them to the tip–yard yet!

. . .Worse, I've bought at least four Linn repair projects over the past two years and now I can't remember where any of them have gone!

Chris Williams